Listen to News with Tara Benwell - Instructions:
1. Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.
2. Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.
3. Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.
4. Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.
5. Click "show Answers" to see the full text.
6. Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.
dateline: 31 December 2013
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
China Eases Population Control
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- ease: to make less strict
- resolution: a decision about a problem
- sibling: brother or sister
- rural: located far away from the city
- reform: change
Comprehension Questions
- Why might there be a baby boom in China this year?
- Why will many couples be allowed to have two children?
- Why does the report mention ethnic minorities?
Discussion Question: Do you think a baby boom in China is the answer to the country’s aging population problem?
show Answershide Answers
China Eases Population Control
In 2014, many Chinese couples will be legally allowed to have two children thanks to a resolution that just passed in China. If one parent has no siblings, the couple will be permitted to have two children. China’s one-child policy has been in place since 1979; however, previous reforms allowed couples to have two children if both of them had no siblings, if they were from a rural area and had a girl, or if they were members of an ethnic minority. The latest reforms are related to fears about the declining working population in China. Despite the population control measures over the past few decades, China remains the most populated country in the world. This reform could result in a massive baby boom.
- There might be a baby boom in China this year because population restrictions are being eased. Many couples will be allowed to have two children.
- If a man or woman has no siblings, the couple may have two children.
- The report mentions ethnic minorities because previous reforms to the one-child policy allowed ethnic minorities in China to have more than one child.
Written and recorded by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
© EnglishClub.com
