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: 02 June 2015
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
Public Smoking Banned in Beijing
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- ban: a rule or law that disallows something
- public: related to or affecting all people
- come into effect: to become the rule or law as of a certain date
- fine: an amount of money owed as punishment for breaking a rule
- enforce: to force people to obey
- shame: to cause embarrassment
- turn a blind eye: to pretend not to notice
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Public Smoking Banned in Beijing
Comprehension Questions
- What law came into effect in Beijing this week?
- How does this ban differ from the ban in 2011?
- How has China’s president set himself up as a role model?
Discussion Questions: In the past, many restaurant owners in Beijing turned a blind eye to people smoking in their establishments. Do you think this smoking ban will change that? Why, or why not?
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Public Smoking Banned in Beijing
One third of the world’s cigarettes are smoked in China, where over one million people die from smoking every year. In 2011, smoking was banned in indoor public places in China; however, no punishments were attached. As a result, the ban was not taken seriously. A new ban came into effect in China’s capital this week. Public smoking in Beijing now comes with a fine of approximately $30 USD. Public establishments will face much larger fines, and repeat offenders may be publicly shamed by being named on a government website. According to the Chinese government, thousands of inspectors will be employed to enforce the ban in Beijing before it is extended to other parts of the nation. China’s current president has quit smoking and has banned government officials from smoking in public.
- A ban on smoking in public that comes with fines for individuals and establishments has taken effect in Beijing this week.
- This ban differs from the ban in 2011 because it comes with punishments and will be enforced (according to the government).
- China’s president quit smoking and banned government officials from smoking in public.
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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