The Reading / Listening - No Smoking - Level 3

A university in Japan has said it will no longer hire teachers who smoke. Nagasaki University said it wants to create a healthier environment for its workers and students. The university's president Shigeru Kono said: "Our job as a university is to look after our staff. We feel we have to discourage them from smoking." Many companies have also started not recruiting smokers. Mr Kono said there would be a ban on smoking anywhere in the university by teaching and other staff from August. In addition, staff and students will be banned from taking cigarettes and lighters into any areas of the university from April 2020. Approximately eight per cent of the university's professors and teachers are smokers.

The no-smoking policy taken by Nagasaki University is part of a growing trend in Japan to ban smoking in public spaces. There are currently bans in many public places, including restaurants and bars, in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. There are many areas of Tokyo and Kyoto in which people cannot smoke on the streets. The number of people in Japan who smoke is on the decline. In 1966, 49 per cent of adults smoked, including 84 per cent of men. Last year, 18 per cent of adults smoked, including 28 per cent of men. One company in Japan is trying to get its staff to quit smoking by offering extra days off to employees who did not smoke. Several staff soon quit the habit.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    No Smoking - Level 0,  No Smoking - Level 1   or  No Smoking - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201904220039.html
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/world/asia/smoking-teachers-nagasaki-japan.html
  • https://www.thejakartapost.com/youth/2019/04/23/japan-university-bans-smokers-from-all-teaching-posts.html


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. SMOKING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about smoking. 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?
       university / teacher / smoke / environment / recruiting / ban / cigarettes / banned /
       policy / trend / public spaces / Olympics / streets / adults / decline / company / habit
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BANNED: Students A strongly believe smoking should be banned in all public spaces; Students B strongly believe not.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. TEACHER RULES: What rules should there be for teachers? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Rules

Why?

Smoking

 

 

Dress

 

 

Working hours

 

 

Homework

 

 

Powers to discipline

 

 

Teaching style

 

 
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. UNIVERSITY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "university". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. TEACHERS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things a teacher should have at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • strictness
  • qualifications
  • energy
  • experience
  • knowledge
  • a sense of humour
  • ideas
  • kindness

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. hire a. Take someone on as a new worker.
      2. environment b. A device that produces a small flame, used to light cigarettes.
      3. discourage c. The setting or conditions in which a particular activity is carried on.
      4. recruiting d. Officially stop people doing something.
      5. ban e. Try to stop something by showing them it is bad.
      6. lighter f. Getting people to be new members or workers in an organization or company.
      7. approximately g. About; roughly.

    Paragraph 2

      8. policy h. Become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease.
      9. trend i. An event, point, or actions that happen before something else happens.
      10. currently j. A course of action used by a government, party or business.
      11. lead-up k. Stop working at a join and leave the company.
      12. decline l. The way in which a fashion or something is developing or changing.
      13. quit m. A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.
      14. habit n. At the present time.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Tokyo University said it has introduced a no-smoking policy.     T / F
  2. All Japanese companies will continue to recruit smokers.     T / F
  3. Staff and students will be banned from taking lighters into the university. T / F
  4. Around 18% of teachers and professors at the university smoke.     T / F
  5. There is a growing trend in Japan to ban smoking in public places.     T / F
  6. There are smoking bans in restaurants and bars in Tokyo.     T / F
  7. Many streets are smoke-free in Tokyo and Kyoto.     T / F
  8. The article said a Japanese company gives smokers longer holidays.     T / F

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

  1. hire
  2. environment
  3. look after
  4. banned
  5. approximately
  6. trend
  7. areas
  8. decline
  9. quit
  10. habit
  1. prohibited
  2. neighborhoods
  3. shift
  4. surroundings
  5. stop
  6. about
  7. recruit
  8. addiction
  9. care for
  10. decrease

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

  1. it will no longer hire
  2. create a healthier
  3. we have to discourage them
  4. staff and students will
  5. Approximately
  6. part of a growing
  7. There are currently bans
  8. in the lead-up to the
  9. The number of people in Japan who smoke
  10. Several staff soon quit
  1. 2020 Tokyo Olympics
  2. be banned
  3. trend
  4. the habit
  5. teachers who smoke
  6. is on the decline
  7. from smoking
  8. eight per cent
  9. in many public places
  10. environment

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
smokers
addition
environment
professors
longer
areas
feel
anywhere

A university in Japan has said it will no (1) ____________ hire teachers who smoke. Nagasaki University said it wants to create a healthier (2) ____________ for its workers and students. The university's president Shigeru Kono said: "Our job as a university is to look after our staff. We (3) ____________ we have to discourage them from smoking." Many companies have also started not recruiting (4) ____________. Mr Kono said there would be a ban on smoking (5) ____________ in the university by teaching and other staff from August. In (6) ____________, staff and students will be banned from taking cigarettes and lighters into any (7) ____________ of the university from April 2020. Approximately eight per cent of the university's (8) ____________ and teachers are smokers.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
quit
ban
areas
habit
policy
including
decline
lead-up

The no-smoking (9) ____________ taken by Nagasaki University is part of a growing trend in Japan to (10) ____________ smoking in public spaces. There are currently bans in many public places, including restaurants and bars, in the (11) ____________ to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. There are many (12) ____________ of Tokyo and Kyoto in which people cannot smoke on the streets. The number of people in Japan who smoke is on the (13) ____________. In 1966, 49 per cent of adults smoked, (14) ____________ 84 per cent of men. Last year, 18 per cent of adults smoked, including 28 per cent of men. One company in Japan is trying to get its staff to (15) ____________ smoking by offering extra days off to employees who did not smoke. Several staff soon quit the (16) ____________.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  A university in Japan has said it will no longer hire teachers ______
     a.  whom smoke
     b.  whose smokes
     c.  who smoke
     d.  who smokes
2) it wants to create a healthier environment for its ______ students
     a.  worker is and
     b.  workers and
     c.  worker sand
     d.  worker is and
3)  look after our staff. We feel we have to ______
     a.  discourages then
     b.  discouraged them
     c.  discourage then
     d.  discourage them
4)  Mr Kono said there would be ______ smoking
     a.  a ban on
     b.  a bin on
     c.  abandon
     d.  a band on
5)  banned from taking cigarettes and lighters ______
     a.  onto any areas
     b.  into many areas
     c.  in two any area
     d.  into any areas

6)  The no-smoking policy taken by Nagasaki University is part of ______
     a.  a grown trend
     b.  a growing trendy
     c.  a growth in trend
     d.  a growing trend
7)  There are currently bans in many public places, including ______
     a.  restaurant and bar
     b.  restaurants and bar
     c.  restaurants and bars
     d.  restaurant and bars
8)  The number of people in Japan who smoke is ______
     a.  in the decline
     b.  on the decline
     c.  on a decline
     d.  on that decline
9)  One company in Japan is trying to get its staff to quit smoking by offering ______
     a.  extra dates off
     b.  extra day of
     c.  extra days off
     d.  extra days of
10)  Several staff soon ______
     a.  quit the habit
     b.  quite the habit
     c.  quilt the habit
     d.  quiet the habit

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A university in Japan has said it will (1) ___________________ teachers who smoke. Nagasaki University said it wants to (2) ___________________ environment for its workers and students. The university's president Shigeru Kono said: "Our job as a university is to look (3) ___________________. We feel we have to discourage them from smoking." Many companies have also started not recruiting smokers. Mr Kono said there would be (4) ___________________ smoking anywhere in the university by teaching and (5) ___________________ August. In addition, staff and students will be banned from taking cigarettes and lighters into any areas of the university from April 2020. Approximately eight per cent of the university's professors (6) ___________________ smokers.

The no-smoking (7) ___________________ Nagasaki University is part of a growing trend in Japan to (8) ___________________ public spaces. There are currently bans in many public places, including restaurants and bars, in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. There (9) ___________________ of Tokyo and Kyoto in which people cannot smoke on the streets. The number of people in Japan who smoke is (10) ___________________. In 1966, 49 per cent of adults smoked, including 84 per cent of men. Last year, 18 per cent of adults smoked, including 28 per cent of men. One company in Japan is trying to (11) ___________________ to quit smoking by offering extra days off to employees who did not smoke. Several staff soon (12) ___________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. What is the name of the university in the article?
  2. Who is Shigeru Kono?
  3. When will the ban on smoking start?
  4. What will people not be able to take into the university from April 2020?
  5. What percentage of teaching staff at the university smoke?
  6. What is there a growing trend to do in Japan?
  7. In which two cities are there non-smoking streets?
  8. What percentage of Japanese adults smoked in 1966?
  9. What percentage of Japanese men smoked last year?
  10. What did some staff do after a company gave holidays to non-smokers?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What is the name of the university in the article?
a) Kyoto University
b) Nagasaki University
c) Tokyo University
d) Hiroshima University
2) Who is Shigeru Kono?
a) a cigarette company boss
b) a student smoker
c) a university teacher
d) the university president
3) When will the ban on smoking start?
a) September
b) November
c) August
d) October
4) What will people not be able to take into the university from April 2020?
a) lighters
b) alcohol
c) vaping devices
d) matches
5) What percentage of teaching staff at the university smoke?
a) 6%
b) 8%
c) 7%
d) 18%

6) What is there a growing trend to do in Japan?
a) ban smoking in public spaces
b) switch to vaping
c) have smoking rooms
d) go to university
7) In which two cities are there non-smoking streets?
a) Sapporo and Nagoya
b) Nagasaki and Kobe
c) Tokyo and Kyoto
d) Osaka and Hiroshima
8) What percentage of Japanese adults smoked in 1966?
a) 49%
b) 46%
c) 38%
d) 53%
9) What percentage of Japanese men smoked last year?
a) 84%
b) 18%
c) 49%
d) 28%
10) What did some staff do after a company gave holidays to non-smokers?
a) quit
b) complain
c) quit smoking
d) smoke more

Role play

Role  A – Knowledge
You think knowledge is the most important thing a teacher should have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a sense of humour, kindness or energy.

Role  B – Sense of Humour
You think a sense of humour is the most important thing a teacher should have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): knowledge, kindness or energy.

Role  C – Kindness
You think kindness is the most important thing a teacher should have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a sense of humour, knowledge or energy.

Role  D – Energy
You think energy is the most important thing a teacher should have. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a sense of humour, kindness or knowledge.

After reading / listening

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

'smoking'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'teacher'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • policy
    • currently
    • 2020
    • number
    • 18
    • habit
    • longer
    • look
    • feel
    • anywhere
    • addition
    • approximately

    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 - Japan university to hire non-smoking staff only

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'smoking'?
    3. What do you think of smoking?
    4. Why do people smoke?
    5. Should teachers be allowed to smoke?
    6. Should smoking be banned in all workplaces?
    7. Should smokers be banned from other jobs?
    8. How can we get more people to quit smoking?
    9. Is there anything good about smoking?
    10. Why do governments allow people to smoke?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'teachers'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What is your government's policy on smoking?
    5. What do you think of the smell of smoke?
    6. What do you think of your friends and family who smoke?
    7. What do you think of cigarette companies?
    8. Will there be a time when no one smokes?
    9. Should non-smokers have longer holidays?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the university?

    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)

    A university in Japan has said it will no (1) ____ hire teachers who smoke. Nagasaki University said it wants to create a healthier environment (2) ____ its workers and students. The university's president Shigeru Kono said: "Our job as a university is to look (3) ____ our staff. We feel we have to discourage them from smoking." Many companies have also started not (4) ____ smokers. Mr Kono said there would be a ban on smoking anywhere in the university by teaching and other staff from August. In (5) ____, staff and students will be banned from taking cigarettes and lighters into (6) ____ areas of the university from April 2020. Approximately eight per cent of the university's professors and teachers are smokers.

    The no-smoking policy taken by Nagasaki University is part of a growing (7) ____ in Japan to ban smoking in public spaces. There are currently bans (8) ____ many public places, including restaurants and bars, in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. There are (9) ____ areas of Tokyo and Kyoto in which people cannot smoke on the streets. The number of people in Japan who smoke (10) ____ on the decline. In 1966, 49 per cent of adults smoked, including 84 per cent of men. Last year, 18 per cent of adults smoked, including 28 per cent of men. One company in Japan is (11) ____ to get its staff to quit smoking by offering extra days off to employees who did not smoke. Several staff soon quit the (12) ____.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     lengthen     (b)     lengthy     (c)     longer     (d)     longing    
    2. (a)     for     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     on    
    3. (a)     after     (b)     up     (c)     on     (d)     before    
    4. (a)     recruiting     (b)     recruitment     (c)     recruits     (d)     recruited    
    5. (a)     additionally     (b)     adding     (c)     added     (d)     addition    
    6. (a)     those     (b)     that     (c)     of     (d)     any    
    7. (a)     trend     (b)     trendy     (c)     trendiest     (d)     trends    
    8. (a)     of     (b)     up     (c)     to     (d)     in    
    9. (a)     many     (b)     all     (c)     much     (d)     so    
    10. (a)     were     (b)     is     (c)     be     (d)     are    
    11. (a)     trial     (b)     trying     (c)     tries     (d)     tried    
    12. (a)     habit     (b)     smoke     (c)     tobacco     (d)     nicotine

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. aterec a healthier environment
    2. The university's ieetdprsn
    3. osdgeacuir them from smoking
    4. not nigtcireur smokers
    5. cigarettes and rhgsielt
    6. atplxaiepomry eight per cent

    Paragraph 2

    1. The no-smoking ipcloy
    2. part of a growing nrdet in Japan
    3. There are rcyternul bans
    4. on the eilecdn
    5. eypeoesml who did not smoke
    6. sevaerl staff soon quit

    Put the text back together

    (...)  smoke on the streets. The number of people in Japan who smoke is on the decline. In 1966, 49
    (...)  per cent of adults smoked, including 84 per cent of men. Last year, 18 per cent of adults
    (...)  The no-smoking policy taken by Nagasaki University is part of a growing trend in Japan to ban smoking
    (...)  up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. There are many areas of Tokyo and Kyoto in which people cannot
    (...)  2020. Approximately eight per cent of the university's professors and teachers are smokers.
    (...)  university by teaching and other staff from August. In addition, staff and students will be
    (...)  smoked, including 28 per cent of men. One company in Japan is trying to get its staff to quit smoking
    (...)  a university is to look after our staff. We feel we have to discourage them from smoking." Many companies have
    (...)  also started not recruiting smokers. Mr Kono said there would be a ban on smoking anywhere in the
    (  1  ) A university in Japan has said it will no longer hire teachers who smoke. Nagasaki University said it wants to create a
    (...)  banned from taking cigarettes and lighters into any areas of the university from April
    (...)  in public spaces. There are currently bans in many public places, including restaurants and bars, in the lead-
    (...)  healthier environment for its workers and students. The university's president Shigeru Kono said: "Our job as
    (...)  by offering extra days off to employees who did not smoke. Several staff soon quit the habit.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. smoke   .   who   will   teachers   It   hire   no   longer
    2. to   is   our   staff   .   Our   look   job   after
    3. them   have   We   from   smoking   .   discourage   to
    4. in   university   .   anywhere   smoking   ban   the   on   A
    5. university's   Eight   smokers   .   the   of   percent   teachers   are
    6. smoking   .   in   Japan   A   growing   to   trend   ban
    7. bans   many   currently   public   in   There   are   places   .
    8. Japan   people   number   The   who   smoke   .   of   in
    9. of   Last   percent   smoked   .   year,   adults   18
    10. did   who   off   employees   smoke   .   Days   not   for

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A university in Japan has said it will no / not longer hire teachers who smoke. Nagasaki University said it wants to create / creative a healthier environment for its workers and student / students. The university's president Shigeru Kono said: "Our job as a university is to look before / after our staff. We feel we have to discourage / encourage them from smoking." Many companies have also started not recruiting / recruit smokers. Mr Kono said there would be a ban in / on smoking anywhere in the university by teaching and other staff from August. In added / addition, staff and students will be banned from taking / taken cigarettes and lighters into any areas of the university from April 2020. Approximately eight per cent of the university's professors and teachers are smokers / smoked.

    The no-smoking policy taking / taken by Nagasaki University is part of a growing trendy / trend in Japan to ban smoking in public spaces. There are currently banned / bans in many public places, including / includes restaurants and bars, in the lead-up to / by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. There are many areas of Tokyo and Kyoto in where / which people cannot smoke on the streets. The number of people in Japan who smoke is on / at the decline. In 1966, 49 per cent of adults smoked, includes / including 84 per cent of men. Last year, 18 per cent of adults smoked, including 28 per cent of men. One / Once company in Japan is trying to get its staff to quit smoking by offering extra days off to employees who did not smoke. Several staff soon quitting / quit the habit.

    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)

    A _n_v_r s_t y _n J_p_n h_s s__ d _t w_l l n_ l_n g_r h_r_ t__ c h_r s w h_ s m_k_. N_g_s_k_ U n_v_r s_t y s__ d _t w_n t s t_ c r__ t_ _ h__ l t h__ r _n v_r_n m_n t f_r _t s w_r k_r s _n d s t_d_n t s . T h_ _n_v_r s_t y ' s p r_s_d_n t S h_g_r_ K_n_ s__ d : " O_r j_b _s _ _n_v_r s_t y _s t_ l__ k _f t_r __ r s t_f f . W_ f__ l w_ h_v_ t_ d_s c__ r_g_ t h_m f r_m s m_k_n g . " M_n y c_m p_n__ s h_v_ _l s_ s t_r t_d n_t r_c r__ t_n g s m_k_r s . M r K_n_ s__ d t h_r_ w__ l d b_ _ b_n _n s m_k_n g _n y w h_r_ _n t h_ _n_v_r s_t y b y t__ c h_n g _n d _t h_r s t_f f f r_m A_g_s t . I n _d d_t__ n , s t_f f _n d s t_d_n t s w_l l b_ b_n n_d f r_m t_k_n g c_g_r_t t_s _n d l_g h t_r s _n t_ _n y _r__ s _f t h_ _n_v_r s_t y f r_m A p r_l 2 0 2 0 . A p p r_x_m_t_l y __ g h t p_r c_n t _f t h_ _n_v_r s_t y ' s p r_f_s s_r s _n d t__ c h_r s _r_ s m_k_r s .

    T h_ n_- s m_k_n g p_l_c y t_k_n b y N_g_s_k_ U n_v_r s_t y _s p_r t _f _ g r_w_n g t r_n d _n J_p_n t_ b_n s m_k_n g _n p_b l_c s p_c_s . T h_r_ _r_ c_r r_n t l y b_n s _n m_n y p_b l_c p l_c_s , _n c l_d_n g r_s t__ r_n t s _n d b_r s , _n t h_ l__ d -_p t_ t h_ 2 0 2 0 T_k y_ O l y m p_c s _n d P_r_l y m p_c s . T h_r_ _r_ m_n y _r__ s _f T_k y_ _n d K y_t_ _n w h_c h p__ p l_ c_n n_t s m_k_ _n t h_ s t r__ t s . T h_ n_m b_r _f p__ p l_ _n J_p_n w h_ s m_k_ _s _n t h_ d_c l_n_. I n 1 9 6 6 , 4 9 p_r c_n t _f _d_l t s s m_k_d , _n c l_d_n g 8 4 p_r c_n t _f m_n . L_s t y__ r , 1 8 p_r c_n t _f _d_l t s s m_k_d , _n c l_d_n g 2 8 p_r c_n t _f m_n . O n_ c_m p_n y _n J_p_n _s t r y_n g t_ g_t _t s s t_f f t_ q__ t s m_k_n g b y _f f_r_n g _x t r_ d_y s _f f t_ _m p l_y__ s w h_ d_d n_t s m_k_. S_v_r_l s t_f f s__ n q__ t t h_ h_b_t .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a university in japan has said it will no longer hire teachers who smoke nagasaki university said it wants to create a healthier environment for its workers and students the universitys president shigeru kono said our job as a university is to look after our staff we feel we have to discourage them from smoking many companies have also started not recruiting smokers mr kono said there would be a ban on smoking anywhere in the university by teaching and other staff from august in addition staff and students will be banned from taking cigarettes and lighters into any areas of the university from april 2020 approximately eight per cent of the universitys professors and teachers are smokers

    the nosmoking policy taken by nagasaki university is part of a growing trend in japan to ban smoking in public spaces there are currently bans in many public places including restaurants and bars in the leadup to the 2020 tokyo olympics and paralympics there are many areas of tokyo and kyoto in which people cannot smoke on the streets the number of people in japan who smoke is on the decline in 1966 49 per cent of adults smoked including 84 per cent of men last year 18 per cent of adults smoked including 28 per cent of men one company in japan is trying to get its staff to quit smoking by offering extra days off to employees who did not smoke several staff soon quit the habit.

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AuniversityinJapanhassaiditwillnolongerhireteacherswhosmoke.Na
    gasakiUniversitysaiditwantstocreateahealthierenvironmentforitswo
    rkersandstudents.Theuniversity'spresidentShigeruKonosaid:"Ourj
    obasauniversityistolookafterourstaff.Wefeelwehavetodiscourageth
    emfromsmoking."Manycompanieshavealsostartednotrecruitingsm
    okers.MrKonosaidtherewouldbeabanonsmokinganywhereintheuniv
    ersitybyteachingandotherstafffromAugust.Inaddition,staffandstud
    entswillbebannedfromtakingcigarettesandlightersintoanyareasofth
    euniversityfromApril2020.Approximatelyeightpercentoftheuniversi
    ty'sprofessorsandteachersaresmokers.Theno-smokingpolicytake
    nbyNagasakiUniversityispartofagrowingtrendinJapantobansmoking
    inpublicspaces.Therearecurrentlybansinmanypublicplaces,includin
    grestaurantsandbars,inthelead-uptothe2020TokyoOlympicsandPa
    ralympics.TherearemanyareasofTokyoandKyotoinwhichpeoplecann
    otsmokeonthestreets.ThenumberofpeopleinJapanwhosmokeisonth
    edecline.In1966,49percentofadultssmoked,including84percentofm
    en.Lastyear,18percentofadultssmoked,including28percentofmen.
    OnecompanyinJapanistryingtogetitsstafftoquitsmokingbyofferinge
    xtradaysofftoemployeeswhodidnotsmoke.Severalstaffsoonquitthe
    habit.

    Free writing

    Write about smoking for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Smoking should be banned worldwide. Discuss.

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    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. SMOKING: Make a poster about smoking. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. NO SMOKING: Write a magazine article about banning smoking. 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 smoking. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to get people to quit. 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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