Breaking News English Lesson: Tsukiji Fish Market

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World-famous Tsukiji fish market closes (8th October, 2018)

The Reading / Listening - Tsukiji Fish Market - Level 3

Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji fish market has closed after 83 years of trading. It shut permanently at noon on Saturday, bringing an end to its long history of trading in all kinds of fish. The market is being moved to a new site in the Toyosu area of Tokyo. The new market will start operating on Thursday. City planners in Tokyo made the decision to close the market at Tsukiji because they wanted to build a parking lot for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which will take place in 2020. Market traders at Tsukiji were sad on Saturday as they finally shut up shop. One seafood auctioneer, Hisao Ishii, said: "I'm almost crying. Today is a sad day of goodbyes."

Tsukiji fish market was known as the "kitchen of Japan". Britain's Financial Times newspaper described how important the market was. It wrote: "Tsukiji is a symbol of the global food trade, the home of Japanese cuisine, and is one of Tokyo's most popular tourist attractions." It added that the atmosphere at Tsukiji showed, "an older Tokyo that is gradually disappearing in favor of glittering high-rise towers". Nearly 500 types of seafood were sold at the market. The most famous product sold there was bluefin tuna. One bluefin sold for a record $1.7million in 2013. Hiroyasu Ito, chairman of the Tsukiji Market Association, said: "Everyone was pouring their heart and soul into their trade until the very end".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Tsukiji Fish Market - Level 0, Tsukiji Fish Market - Level 1 or Tsukiji Fish Market - Level 2

Sources

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45755348
https://www.ft.com/content/325bcb3e-c662-11e8-ba8f-ee390057b8c9
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/10/06/national/sayonara-tsukiji-tokyo-market-holds-last-tuna-auction-closes-doors-good/

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. FISH MARKETS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about fish markets. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
world-famous / fish / market / shut / noon / decision / parking lot / sad day / crying /
kitchen / important / Japanese cuisine / tourist attractions / high-rise towers / tuna
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: Students A strongly believe tourist attractions should never be moved or knocked down; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. CUISINE: What do you know about these different cuisines? What are the best things about them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What I Know	The Best Things
Japanese
French
Chinese
Indian
Lebanese
Mexican

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. HISTORY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "history". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MARKETS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best markets at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

clothes
night market
supermarket
souq
fish
vegetable
stocks
second-hand

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	trading	a.	A person whose job is to sell things to the person who will pay the highest price. He/She usually has a small hammer.
2.	permanently	b.	Twelve o'clock in the day; midday.
3.	noon	c.	Working and managing a business.
4.	site	d.	The action of buying and selling goods and services.
5.	operating	e.	A place in a town or city where cars, motorbikes, trucks and buses can stop and stay for a few minutes, hours of days.
6.	parking lot	f.	In a way that lasts or continues forever.
7.	auctioneer	g.	An area of ground on which a town, building, or monument is built.

Paragraph 2

8.	described	h.	A place which makes visitors go there because it is interesting or fun.
9.	symbol	i.	The mood of a place.
10.	cuisine	j.	The most, biggest, best, worst, smallest, biggest, fastest, etc. of something.
11.	attractions	k.	A thing that makes us think of another thing.
12.	atmosphere	l.	Slowly.
13.	gradually	m.	A style or way of cooking, especially as part of a particular country or area.
14.	record	n.	Explained how something was or looked. or what happened.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

The Tsukiji fish market was over 80 years old. T / F
The fish market closed permanently at midnight on Saturday. T / F
A new fish market opened the day after Tsukiji closed. T / F
The Tsukiji fish market closed so Tokyo could build a car park. T / F
A British newspaper called Tsukiji the "kitchen of the world". T / F
The article said Tuskiji was Japan's most important tourist attraction. T / F
People could buy nearly 500 types of seafood at the Tsukiji fish market. T / F
Tsukiji's chairman said everyone worked hard until the very end. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

closed
kinds
operating
traders
sad
described
symbol
gradually
product
trade

merchants
slowly
reported
sorts
business
sign
shut down
commodity
unhappy
running

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

It shut permanently
made the decision
they wanted to build
they finally shut
Today is a sad
Tsukiji fish market was known as
the home of Japanese
one of Tokyo's most popular
high-rise
until the very

the "kitchen of Japan"
up shop
end
at noon on Saturday
cuisine
a parking lot
towers
day of goodbyes
tourist attractions
to close the market

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

noon
decision
finally
lot
goodbyes
closed
place
site

Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji fish market has (1) ____________ after 83 years of trading. It shut permanently at (2) ____________ on Saturday, bringing an end to its long history of trading in all kinds of fish. The market is being moved to a new (3) ____________ in the Toyosu area of Tokyo. The new market will start operating on Thursday. City planners in Tokyo made the (4) ____________ to close the market at Tsukiji because they wanted to build a parking (5) ____________ for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which will take (6) ____________ in 2020. Market traders at Tsukiji were sad on Saturday as they (7) ____________ shut up shop. One seafood auctioneer, Hisao Ishii, said: "I'm almost crying. Today is a sad day of (8) ____________."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

gradually
known
end
record
added
symbol
famous
cuisine

Tsukiji fish market was (9) ____________ as the "kitchen of Japan". Britain's Financial Times newspaper described how important the market was. It wrote: "Tsukiji is a (10) ____________ of the global food trade, the home of Japanese (11) ____________, and is one of Tokyo's most popular tourist attractions." It (12) ____________ that the atmosphere at Tsukiji showed, "an older Tokyo that is (13) ____________ disappearing in favor of glittering high-rise towers". Nearly 500 types of seafood were sold at the market. The most (14) ____________ product sold there was bluefin tuna. One bluefin sold for a (15) ____________ $1.7million in 2013. Hiroyasu Ito, chairman of the Tsukiji Market Association, said: "Everyone was pouring their heart and soul into their trade until the very (16) ____________ ".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji fish market has closed after 83 ______
     a. years off trading
     b. years of trade in
     c. years of trading
     d. yearly of trading
2) It shut permanently at noon on Saturday, bringing an end to ______
     a. its long historian
     b. its long history
     c. its long historical
     d. its long hysterical
3) The market is being moved to a new site in the Toyosu ______
     a. areas of Tokyo
     b. arena of Tokyo
     c. area of Tokyo
     d. aurora of Tokyo
4) made the decision to close the market at Tsukiji because they wanted to build ______
     a. a park in lot
     b. a parking a lot
     c. a parking lots
     d. a parking lot
5) Market traders at Tsukiji were sad on Saturday as they ______ shop
     a. finally shut up
     b. finally shuts up
     c. finally shutter up
     d. finally shut top

6) the home of Japanese cuisine, and is one of Tokyo's most popular ______
     a. tourist attractions
     b. tourist attraction
     c. touristy attractions
     d. tourists attractions
7) an older Tokyo that is gradually disappearing in favor of glittering ______
     a. high-rise tower
     b. high-rise towers
     c. high-risen towers
     d. high-arise towers
8) Nearly 500 types of seafood were sold ______
     a. at a market
     b. at the market
     c. at them market
     d. at then market
9) One bluefin sold for a ______ in 2013
     a. record $1.7million
     b. records $1.7million
     c. recorded $1.7million
     d. recording $1.7million
10) Everyone was pouring their heart and soul into their trade until ______
     a. the verily end
     b. the verity end
     c. the very end
     d. the berry end

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji fish market (1) ___________________ 83 years of trading. It shut permanently (2) ___________________ Saturday, bringing an end to its long history of trading in all kinds of fish. The market is being moved to a (3) ___________________ the Toyosu area of Tokyo. The new market will start operating on Thursday. City planners in Tokyo made the (4) ___________________ the market at Tsukiji because they wanted to build a parking lot for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which will (5) ___________________ 2020. Market traders at Tsukiji were sad on Saturday as they finally shut up shop. One seafood auctioneer, Hisao Ishii, said: "I'm almost crying. Today is (6) ___________________ of goodbyes."

Tsukiji fish market (7) ___________________ the "kitchen of Japan". Britain's Financial Times newspaper described how important the market was. It wrote: "Tsukiji is (8) ___________________ the global food trade, the home of Japanese cuisine, and is one of Tokyo's most popular tourist attractions." It (9) ___________________ atmosphere at Tsukiji showed, "an older Tokyo that is gradually disappearing in favor of glittering high-rise towers". Nearly 500 types of seafood (10) ___________________ the market. The most famous product sold there was bluefin tuna. One bluefin (11) ___________________ record $1.7million in 2013. Hiroyasu Ito, chairman of the Tsukiji Market Association, said: "Everyone was pouring their heart and soul into their trade until (12) ___________________ ".

Comprehension questions

How many years was the fish market open at Tsukiji?
At what time of the day did Tsukiji finally close?
When will a new fish market open?
What will be built on the site of Tsukiji fish market?
What is the job of Hisao Ishii?
What was Tsukiji fish market known as?
What did the article say Tsukiji was the home of?
How many types of seafood were sold at Tsukiji?
What was the record price for a tuna fish at Tsukiji?
What were people pouring into their trade until the very end?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How many years was the fish market open at Tsukiji?
a) 830
b) 83
c) 138
d) 183
2) At what time of the day did Tsukiji finally close?
a) 3:30pm
b) midnight
c) 6pm
d) noon
3) When will a new fish market open?
a) next month
b) at the weekend
c) Thursday
d) next year
4) What will be built on the site of Tsukiji fish market?
a) a parking lot
b) a fish museum
c) an Olympic stadium
d) apartment buildings
5) What is the job of Hisao Ishii?
a) chef
b) seafood auctioneer
c) chairman
d) fisherman

6) What was Tsukiji fish market known as?
a) the "kitchen of Japan"
b) the "ocean of Japan"
c) "Japan's restaurant"
d) "Japan's fish shop"
7) What did the article say Tsukiji was the home of?
a) tuna
b) sushi
c) Japanese cuisine
d) seafood
8) How many types of seafood were sold at Tsukiji?
a) almost 500
b) exactly 500
c) about 500
d) just over 500
9) What was the record price for a tuna fish at Tsukiji?
a) $170,000
b) $17,000
c) $17million
d) $1.7million
10) What were people pouring into their trade until the very end?
a) tears
b) Japanese sake
c) their heart and soul
d) water

Role play

Role A – Fish
You think a fish market is the best kind of market. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their markets. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): vegetable market, second-hand or stock market.

Role B – Vegetable
You think a vegetable market is the best kind of market. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their markets. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): fish market, second-hand or stock market.

Role C – Second-hand
You think a second-hand is the best kind of market. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their markets. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): vegetable market, fish market or stock market.

Role D – Stocks
You think a stock market is the best kind of market. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their markets. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): vegetable market, second-hand or fish market.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'fish'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'market'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

known

symbol

most

gradually

record

very

closed

long

area

build

take

almost

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - World-famous Tsukiji fish market closes

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'fish'?
What do you know about Tsukiji fish market?
What do you think of fish markets?
What do you think of a historic market closing to build a car park?
What do you think of fish?
What kinds of markets do you like?
Do you think the market should have been moved?
Should the market be moved back to Tsujiki after the Olympics?
When was the last time you cried because something finished?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'market'?
What do you think about what you read?
What fish dishes do you like, and why?
What do you think of your country's cuisine?
What is the most famous cuisine from your region?
Do you prefer the old or modern parts of your city?
What would a $1.7million tuna taste like?
What do you always pour your heart and soul into?
What questions would you like to ask a Tsukiji fish trader?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji fish market has (1) ____ after 83 years of trading. It shut permanently at noon on Saturday, bringing an (2) ____ to its long history of trading in all kinds of fish. The market is (3) ____ moved to a new site in the Toyosu area of Tokyo. The new market will start operating on Thursday. City planners in Tokyo made the (4) ____ to close the market at Tsukiji because they wanted to build a parking lot for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which will (5) ____ place in 2020. Market traders at Tsukiji were sad on Saturday as they finally shut (6) ____ shop. One seafood auctioneer, Hisao Ishii, said: "I'm almost crying. Today is a sad day of goodbyes."

Tsukiji fish market was known (7) ____ the "kitchen of Japan". Britain's Financial Times newspaper described (8) ____ important the market was. It wrote: "Tsukiji is a symbol of the global food trade, the home of Japanese cuisine, and is one of Tokyo's most popular tourist attractions." It added (9) ____ the atmosphere at Tsukiji showed, "an older Tokyo that is gradually disappearing in (10) ____ of glittering high-rise towers". Nearly 500 types of seafood were sold at the market. The most famous product sold there was bluefin tuna. One bluefin sold for a (11) ____ $1.7million in 2013. Hiroyasu Ito, chairman of the Tsukiji Market Association, said: "Everyone was pouring their heart and soul into their trade until the (12) ____ end".

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) closure (b) closed (c) closes (d) closing
(a) final (b) end (c) finish (d) eventually
(a) be (b) been (c) gone (d) being
(a) answer (b) decision (c) quality (d) solution
(a) do (b) take (c) give (d) have
(a) in (b) on (c) up (d) down
(a) was (b) is (c) as (d) has
(a) which (b) what (c) how (d) when
(a) such (b) which (c) what (d) that
(a) decide (b) choice (c) option (d) favor
(a) record (b) whole (c) complete (d) all
(a) really (b) truth (c) very (d) so

Spelling

Paragraph 1

after 83 years of atdgnir
It shut pterlyamnen
bringing an end to its long hsrioty
start otaernpig on Thursday
the sdeicion to close the market
One seafood uetrnioeca

Paragraph 2

known as the "hkcniet of Japan"
dbrseedci how important the market was
the home of Japanese incuies
popular urttios attractions
The most fsauom product
irahcamn of the Tsukiji Market Association

Put the text back together

(...) said: "Everyone was pouring their heart and soul into their trade until the very end".
(...) towers". Nearly 500 types of seafood were sold at the market. The most famous product sold there was bluefin
(...) Thursday. City planners in Tokyo made the decision to close the market at Tsukiji because they wanted to
(...) Tsukiji fish market was known as the "kitchen of Japan". Britain's Financial Times newspaper described how
(...) noon on Saturday, bringing an end to its long history of trading in all kinds of fish. The market is being
(...) tuna. One bluefin sold for a record $1.7million in 2013. Hiroyasu Ito, chairman of the Tsukiji Market Association,
(...) cuisine, and is one of Tokyo's most popular tourist attractions." It added that the atmosphere
(...) moved to a new site in the Toyosu area of Tokyo. The new market will start operating on
( 1 ) Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji fish market has closed after 83 years of trading. It shut permanently at
(...) at Tsukiji showed, "an older Tokyo that is gradually disappearing in favor of glittering high-rise
(...) traders at Tsukiji were sad on Saturday as they finally shut up shop. One seafood
(...) important the market was. It wrote: "Tsukiji is a symbol of the global food trade, the home of Japanese
(...) build a parking lot for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which will take place in 2020. Market
(...) auctioneer, Hisao Ishii, said: "I'm almost crying. Today is a sad day of goodbyes."

Put the words in the right order

market Tsukiji fish after has closed 83 years .
new site . market being a The is to moved
lot parking Build Olympics . for the a Tokyo
traders sad were Tsukiji at Market on Saturday .
Today is day of goodbyes . a sad
"kitchen of was the Japan" . Tsukiji as known
symbol A the food global of trade .
of popular most One attractions . tourist Tokyo's
was sold there product tuna . The famous most
soul Pouring into their their and trade . heart

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji fish market has closing / closed after 83 years of trading. It shut permanently at noon / moon on Saturday, bringing an end / finish to its long history of trading in all kinds / kind of fish. The market is being moved to a new sight / site in the Toyosu area of Tokyo. The new market will start operating on Thursday. City planners in Tokyo made the decision / decide to close the market at Tsukiji because they wanted to build a parking lot / load for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which will take place / happen in 2020. Market traders at Tsukiji were sad on Saturday as they final / finally shut up shop. One seafood auctioneer, Hisao Ishii, said: "I'm almost crying. Today is a sad day of / off goodbyes."

Tsukiji fish market was knowing / known as the "kitchen of Japan". Britain's Financial Times newspaper description / described how important the market was. It wrote: "Tsukiji is a symbolic / symbol of the global food trade, the home of Japanese quizzing / cuisine, and is one of Tokyo's most popular tourist attractions." It added that the atmosphere / stratosphere at Tsukiji showed, "an older Tokyo that is gradual / gradually disappearing in favor of glittering high-rise towers". Nearly 500 types of seafood were sales / sold at the market. The most famous / famously product sold there was bluefin tuna. One bluefin sold for a record $1.7million in 2013. Hiroyasu Ito, chairman of the Tsukiji Market Association, said: "Everyone was pairing / pouring their heart and soul into their trade until the very / really end".

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

T_k y_' s w_r l d - f_m__ s T s_k_j_ f_s h m_r k_t h_s c l_s_d _f t_r 8 3 y__ r s _f t r_d_n g . I t s h_t p_r m_n_n t l y _t n__ n _n S_t_r d_y , b r_n g_n g _n _n d t_ _t s l_n g h_s t_r y _f t r_d_n g _n _l l k_n d s _f f_s h . T h_ m_r k_t _s b__ n g m_v_d t_ _ n_w s_t_ _n t h_ T_y_s_ _r__ _f T_k y_. T h_ n_w m_r k_t w_l l s t_r t _p_r_t_n g _n T h_r s d_y . C_t y p l_n n_r s _n T_k y_ m_d_ t h_ d_c_s__ n t_ c l_s_ t h_ m_r k_t _t T s_k_j_ b_c__ s_ t h_y w_n t_d t_ b__ l d _ p_r k_n g l_t f_r t h_ T_k y_ O l y m p_c s _n d P_r_l y m p_c s , w h_c h w_l l t_k_ p l_c_ _n 2 0 2 0 . M_r k_t t r_d_r s _t T s_k_j_ w_r_ s_d _n S_t_r d_y _s t h_y f_n_l l y s h_t _p s h_p . O n_ s__ f__ d __ c t__ n__ r , H_s__ I s h__ , s__ d : " I ' m _l m_s t c r y_n g . T_d_y _s _ s_d d_y _f g__ d b y_s . "

T s_k_j_ f_s h m_r k_t w_s k n_w n _s t h_ " k_t c h_n _f J_p_n " . B r_t__ n ' s F_n_n c__ l T_m_s n_w s p_p_r d_s c r_b_d h_w _m p_r t_n t t h_ m_r k_t w_s . I t w r_t_: " T s_k_j_ _s _ s y m b_l _f t h_ g l_b_l f__ d t r_d_, t h_ h_m_ _f J_p_n_s_ c__ s_n_, _n d _s _n_ _f T_k y_' s m_s t p_p_l_r t__ r_s t _t t r_c t__ n s . " I t _d d_d t h_t t h_ _t m_s p h_r_ _t T s_k_j_ s h_w_d , "_n _l d_r T_k y_ t h_t _s g r_d__ l l y d_s_p p__ r_n g _n f_v_r _f g l_t t_r_n g h_g h - r_s_ t_w_r s " . N__ r l y 5 0 0 t y p_s _f s__ f__ d w_r_ s_l d _t t h_ m_r k_t . T h_ m_s t f_m__ s p r_d_c t s_l d t h_r_ w_s b l__ f_n t_n_. O n_ b l__ f_n s_l d f_r _ r_c_r d $ 1 . 7 m _n 2 0 1 3 . H_r_y_s_ I t_, c h__ r m_n _f t h _ T s_k_j_ M_r k_t A s s_c__ t__ n , s__ d : " E v_r y_n_ w_s p__ r_n g t h__ r h__ r t _n d s__ l _n t_ t h__ r t r_d_ _n t_l t h_ v_r y _n d " .

Punctuate the text and add capitals

tokyos worldfamous tsukiji fish market has closed after 83 years of trading it shut permanently at noon on saturday bringing an end to its long history of trading in all kinds of fish the market is being moved to a new site in the toyosu area of tokyo the new market will start operating on thursday city planners in tokyo made the decision to close the market at tsukiji because they wanted to build a parking lot for the tokyo olympics and paralympics which will take place in 2020 market traders at tsukiji were sad on saturday as they finally shut up shop one seafood auctioneer hisao ishii said im almost crying today is a sad day of goodbyes

tsukiji fish market was known as the kitchen of japan britains financial times newspaper described how important the market was it wrote tsukiji is a symbol of the global food trade the home of japanese cuisine and is one of tokyos most popular tourist attractions it added that the atmosphere at tsukiji showed an older tokyo that is gradually disappearing in favor of glittering highrise towers nearly 500 types of seafood were sold at the market the most famous product sold there was bluefin tuna one bluefin sold for a record $1.7million in 2013 hiroyasu ito chairman of the Tsukiji market association said everyone was pouring their heart and soul into their trade until the very end.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Tokyo'sworld-famousTsukijifishmarkethasclosedafter83yearsoftra
ding.ItshutpermanentlyatnoononSaturday,bringinganendtoitslong
historyoftradinginallkindsoffish.Themarketisbeingmovedtoanewsit
eintheToyosuareaofTokyo.ThenewmarketwillstartoperatingonThur
sday.CityplannersinTokyomadethedecisiontoclosethemarketatTsu
kijibecausetheywantedtobuildaparkinglotfortheTokyoOlympicsand
Paralympics,whichwilltakeplacein2020.MarkettradersatTsukijiwere
sadonSaturdayastheyfinallyshutupshop.Oneseafoodauctioneer,His
aoIshii,said:"I'malmostcrying.Todayisasaddayofgoodbyes."Tsukijif
ishmarketwasknownasthe"kitchenofJapan".Britain'sFinancialTimes
newspaperdescribedhowimportantthemarketwas.Itwrote:"Tsukijiis
asymboloftheglobalfoodtrade,thehomeofJapanesecuisine,andisone
ofTokyo'smostpopulartouristattractions."Itaddedthattheatmospher
eatTsukijishowed,"anolderTokyothatisgraduallydisappearinginfavo
rofglitteringhigh-risetowers".Nearly500typesofseafoodweresoldatt
hemarket.Themostfamousproductsoldtherewasbluefintuna.Oneblu
efinsoldforarecord$1.7millionin2013.HiroyasuIto,chairmanoftheTs
ukijiMarketAssociation,said:"Everyonewaspouringtheirheartandso
ulintotheirtradeuntiltheveryend".

Free writing

Write about Tsukiji fish market for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

It is OK to knock down a historic tourist attraction to make a parking lot. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. FISH MARKETS: Make a poster about fish markets. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. PARKING LOT: Write a magazine article about historic tourist attractions like Tsukiji fish market being knocked down to make parking lots. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on fish markets. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on Tsukiji fish market being knocked down to make a parking lot. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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Breaking News English Lesson: Tsukiji Fish Market

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