Learn English : Listen to News : Winter Storms Hit Japan
photo Tara Benwell 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: 18 February 2014

NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN πŸ”ˆ

Winter Storms Hit Japan

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

  • a dozen: twelve
  • collapse: to fall down
  • stranded: unable to go anywhere; stuck
  • blizzard: heavy snowfall

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Winter Storms Hit Japan

winter storms hit Tokyo last week, killing up to a dozen people and leaving many more injured. buildings collapsed due to the weight of the recording-breaking snowfall. Tokyo and surrounding areas received over a of snow. Hundreds of flights were cancelled and many roads were closed, leaving travellers stranded. Winter storms are currently north where parts of Japan are under a blizzard and avalanche .

  1. What is the main purpose of this report?
  2. Why did some buildings collapse in Japan this week?
  3. Why does the report mention avalanches?

Discussion Question: Many countries have experienced extreme weather in the past few years. Are you personally concerned about the effects of climate change in your country? Why or why not?

show Answers

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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.
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