The Reading / Listening - Public Toilets - Level 0

There are new public toilets in Tokyo, Japan. They have see-through walls. When someone locks the door, people can no longer see in. It is part of "The Tokyo Toilet". Designers made nicer toilets that are easier to use. People can feel comfortable using them. The toilets will be in 17 parks and public spaces.

The designers want to change the bad image of toilets. People think they are dark, dirty, smelly and scary places. People want clean and safe toilets. The first toilets opened in a park this week. Many tourists took photos of them. People can see the toilets and sinks from the outside, but only when they are empty.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Public Toilets - Level 1,  Public Toilets - Level 2   or  Public Toilets - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13646322
  • https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2020/08/16/why-tokyos-new-transparent-public-restrooms-are-a-stroke-of-genius
  • https://archinect.com/news/article/150211751/the-tokyo-toilet-project-pritzker-prize-winners-shigeru-ban-tadao-ando-toyo-ito-and-fumihiko-maki-among-designers-of-new-public-restrooms


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. There are new public
  2. They have see-
  3. When someone locks
  4. people can no longer
  5. Designers
  6. easier to
  7. People can feel comfortable
  8. 17 parks and public
  1. made nicer toilets
  2. the door
  3. using them
  4. use
  5. see in
  6. spaces
  7. toilets in Tokyo
  8. through walls

Paragraph 2

  1. The designers want
  2. the bad
  3. dark, dirty, smelly and
  4. People want clean and
  5. The first toilets opened in a
  6. tourists took photos
  7. see the toilets and
  8. but only when they
  1. scary places
  2. park this week
  3. are empty
  4. image of toilets
  5. sinks
  6. to change
  7. safe toilets
  8. of them

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

(1) ___________________ public toilets in Tokyo, Japan. They have (2) ___________________. When someone (3) ___________________, people can no longer see in. It is part of "The Tokyo Toilet". Designers (4) ___________________ that are easier to use. (5) ___________________ comfortable using them. The toilets will be in 17 (6) ___________________ spaces.

The designers (7) ___________________ the bad image of toilets. People think they are (8) ___________________ and scary places. People want (9) ___________________ toilets. The first toilets opened (10) ___________________ this week. Many tourists took photos of them. People can see the (11) ___________________ from the outside, but only when (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TherearenewpublictoiletsinTokyo,Japan.Theyhavesee-throughwa
lls.Whensomeonelocksthedoor,peoplecannolongerseein.Itispartof"
TheTokyoToilet".Designersmadenicertoiletsthatareeasiertouse.Peo
plecanfeelcomfortableusingthem.Thetoiletswillbein17parksandpubl
icspaces.Thedesignerswanttochangethebadimageoftoilets.Peoplet
hinktheyaredark,dirty,smellyandscaryplaces.Peoplewantcleanands
afetoilets.Thefirsttoiletsopenedinaparkthisweek.Manytouriststookp
hotosofthem.Peoplecanseethetoiletsandsinksfromtheoutside,buton
lywhentheyareempty.

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

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

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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