Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, has requested the assistance of the military in planting rice due to a severe drought caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon. The prolonged dry weather has resulted in a decrease in rice production, leading to higher prices and a threat to food security in the country. President Widodo has urged army officers to take advantage of recent rainfall in some provinces and help with the planting effort. The cultivation of rice, which is usually carried out in October, has been delayed this year. The president posted a video on the presidential YouTube channel during a visit to central Java, encouraging the military to come forward and assist farmers with the sowing. The involvement of the armed forces in the past has helped Indonesia achieve food self-sufficiency, according to Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman. The recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army includes military personnel helping in farming and using idle army-owned land for rice plantation, with seedlings and machinery supplied by the ministry.

Original news source: Indonesia asks military to help farmers plant rice (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article and then write a brief summary of the main points. Encourage them to include important details such as the cause of the drought, the impact on rice production, the president’s request for military assistance, and the involvement of the armed forces in the past.

– Word Association
Instructions: Choose a key word from the article, such as “drought” or “rice production.” Have students take turns saying a word or phrase that is related to the chosen key word. Encourage them to explain the connection between their word and the key word.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have students create a catchy headline for the article. They should try to capture the main idea of the article in just a few words. Afterward, have students share their headlines and discuss which ones they think are the most effective and why.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select several key vocabulary words from the article, such as “El Niño” or “food security.” Have students take turns drawing a picture to represent one of the words, while the rest of the class tries to guess what the word is. Encourage students to use their knowledge of the article to help them guess the words.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups and assign one group the role of supporting the president’s request for military assistance and the other group the role of opposing it. Have each group brainstorm and discuss the pros and cons of their assigned position. Then, have a debate where each group presents their arguments and tries to persuade the other group to change their position.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the reason behind the decrease in rice production in Indonesia?
2. How has the drought affected the price of rice in the country?
3. What role has President Widodo asked the military to play in addressing the rice shortage?
4. Why has the cultivation of rice been delayed this year?
5. How did President Widodo communicate his request to the military?
6. According to the Agriculture Minister, how has the involvement of the armed forces in the past helped Indonesia achieve food self-sufficiency?
7. What is the recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army?
8. What resources will the agriculture ministry provide to the military for their involvement in rice plantation?
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🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Indonesia’s (1)______, Joko Widodo, has requested the assistance of the military in planting rice due to a (2)______ drought (3)______ by the El Niño weather phenomenon. The prolonged dry weather has resulted in a (4)______ in rice production, leading to higher prices and a threat to food security in the country. (5)______ Widodo has urged army officers to take advantage of (6)______ rainfall in some (7)______ and help with the planting (8)______. The cultivation of rice, which is usually carried out in October, has been delayed this year. The president posted a video on the presidential YouTube channel during a visit to central Java, (9)______ the (10)______ to come forward and assist farmers with the sowing. The (11)______ of the armed forces in the past has helped (12)______ achieve food self-sufficiency, according to Agriculture Minister (13)______ Sulaiman. The recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the (14)______ army (15)______ military personnel helping in farming and using idle army-owned land for rice plantation, with (16)______ and machinery supplied by the ministry.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. How would you feel if you were a farmer in Indonesia and experiencing a severe drought?
2. Do you think it is a good idea for the military to assist with planting rice? Why or why not?
3. What is the El Niño weather phenomenon? Have you experienced it in your country?
4. How important is rice production for food security in Indonesia?
5. Do you think other countries should offer assistance to Indonesia during this drought? Why or why not?
6. What are some other ways that the government could help farmers during a drought?
7. Have you ever planted crops or worked on a farm? How was the experience?
8. How do you think the drought will affect the price of rice in Indonesia?
9. What are some potential long-term effects of a decrease in rice production?
10. How do you think the involvement of the military in farming could impact the relationship between the military and the civilian population?
11. What are some other ways that climate change can impact food security?
12. Do you think the government should be responsible for ensuring food security? Why or why not?
13. How do you think the recent rainfall will impact the planting effort in Indonesia?
14. What are some potential challenges that the military may face in assisting with rice planting?
15. Do you think it is important for countries to achieve food self-sufficiency? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. severe
2. drought
3. phenomenon
4. decrease
5. cultivation
6. delayed
7. sowing
8. involvement
9. self-sufficiency
10. personnel
11. idle
12. plantation
13. seedlings
14. machinery
15. ministry

Meanings:
(A) Tools or equipment designed to perform specific tasks, often complex and mechanical
(B) A large area of land where crops are grown
(C) Participation or engagement in a particular activity or event
(D) Not active or in use
(E) A reduction in size, number, or extent
(F) The process of preparing and using land for crops or gardening
(G) Extremely harsh or serious
(H) Individuals who are members of a specific group or organization, often military or professional
(I) The ability to provide for one’s own needs without external assistance
(J) The act of planting seeds in the ground for growth
(K) Young plants that have recently started to grow from seeds
(L) Postponed or put off to a later time
(M) A governmental department responsible for a particular sector or issue
(N) A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water
(O) An observable event that is not ordinary, often remarkable
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why has Indonesia’s president requested the assistance of the military in planting rice?
(a) To increase rice production for export
(b) Due to a severe drought caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon
(c) To decrease rice prices in the country
(d) To improve the military’s relationship with farmers

2. What has the prolonged dry weather resulted in?
(a) An increase in rice production
(b) A decrease in rice prices
(c) An increase in rice prices
(d) A decrease in rice production

3. When is the cultivation of rice usually carried out in Indonesia?
(a) November
(b) December
(c) October
(d) January

4. What did President Widodo do during his visit to central Java?
(a) Met with army officers to discuss the planting effort
(b) Planted rice himself
(c) Posted a video on the presidential YouTube channel
(d) Encouraged farmers to plant rice

5. According to Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, what has the involvement of the armed forces in the past helped Indonesia achieve?
(a) Increased rice production
(b) Food self-sufficiency
(c) Decreased rice prices
(d) Improved military capabilities

6. What does the recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army include?
(a) Military personnel taking over all rice production in the country
(b) The military supplying seedlings and machinery to farmers
(c) The agriculture ministry providing financial support to the military
(d) Military personnel helping in farming and using idle army-owned land for rice plantation

7. What is the main threat to food security in Indonesia?
(a) Decreased rice production
(b) Increased rice production
(c) Decreased rice prices
(d) Increased rice prices

8. What has caused the severe drought in Indonesia?
(a) The El Niño weather phenomenon
(b) Excessive rainfall
(c) Human activity
(d) The La Niña weather phenomenon

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. A recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army includes military personnel helping in farming and using idle army-owned land for rice plantation, with seedlings and machinery supplied by the ministry.
2. Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, has not asked the military for help in planting rice due to a severe drought caused by El Niño.
3. Higher rice prices and a threat to food security have not resulted from the decrease in rice production.
4. President Widodo did not post a video on the presidential YouTube channel during a visit to central Java, encouraging the military to assist farmers with the sowing.
5. President Widodo has not urged army officers to assist with the planting effort, taking advantage of recent rainfall in some provinces.
6. The cultivation of rice, which is typically done in October, has been delayed this year in Indonesia.
7. The prolonged dry weather has led to a decrease in rice production in Indonesia.
8. In the past, the involvement of the armed forces has helped Indonesia achieve food self-sufficiency.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Why has Indonesia’s president requested the assistance of the military in planting rice?
2. What has been the impact of the severe drought on rice production in Indonesia?
3. How has the delay in rice cultivation affected food security in the country?
4. How has the involvement of the armed forces in the past helped Indonesia achieve food self-sufficiency?
5. What is the recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army regarding rice plantation?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The reason behind the decrease in rice production in Indonesia is a severe drought caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
2. The drought has resulted in higher prices of rice in the country.
3. President Widodo has asked the military to assist in planting rice to address the rice shortage.
4. The cultivation of rice has been delayed this year due to the prolonged dry weather caused by the El Niño.
5. President Widodo communicated his request to the military through a video posted on the presidential YouTube channel during his visit to central Java.
6. According to Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, the involvement of the armed forces in the past has helped Indonesia achieve food self-sufficiency.
7. The recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army includes military personnel helping in farming and using idle army-owned land for rice plantation.
8. The agriculture ministry will provide seedlings and machinery to the military for their involvement in rice plantation.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) president
(2) severe
(3) caused
(4) decrease
(5) President
(6) recent
(7) provinces
(8) effort
(9) encouraging
(10) military
(11) involvement
(12) Indonesia
(13) Amran
(14) Indonesian
(15) includes
(16) seedlings
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. severe
Answer: (G) Extremely harsh or serious

2. drought
Answer: (N) A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water

3. phenomenon
Answer: (O) An observable event that is not ordinary, often remarkable

4. decrease
Answer: (E) A reduction in size, number, or extent

5. cultivation
Answer: (F) The process of preparing and using land for crops or gardening

6. delayed
Answer: (L) Postponed or put off to a later time

7. sowing
Answer: (J) The act of planting seeds in the ground for growth

8. involvement
Answer: (C) Participation or engagement in a particular activity or event

9. self-sufficiency
Answer: (I) The ability to provide for one’s own needs without external assistance

10. personnel
Answer: (H) Individuals who are members of a specific group or organization, often military or professional

11. idle
Answer: (D) Not active or in use

12. plantation
Answer: (B) A large area of land where crops are grown

13. seedlings
Answer: (K) Young plants that have recently started to grow from seeds

14. machinery
Answer: (A) Tools or equipment designed to perform specific tasks, often complex and mechanical

15. ministry
Answer: (M) A governmental department responsible for a particular sector or issue
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why has Indonesia’s president requested the assistance of the military in planting rice?
Answer: (b) Due to a severe drought caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon

2. What has the prolonged dry weather resulted in?
Answer: (d) A decrease in rice production

3. When is the cultivation of rice usually carried out in Indonesia?
Answer: (c) October

4. What did President Widodo do during his visit to central Java?
Answer: (c) Posted a video on the presidential YouTube channel

5. According to Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, what has the involvement of the armed forces in the past helped Indonesia achieve?
Answer: (b) Food self-sufficiency

6. What does the recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army include?
Answer: (d) Military personnel helping in farming and using idle army-owned land for rice plantation

7. What is the main threat to food security in Indonesia?
Answer: (a) Decreased rice production

8. What has caused the severe drought in Indonesia?
Answer: (a) The El Niño weather phenomenon
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. A recent agreement between the agriculture ministry and the Indonesian army includes military personnel helping in farming and using idle army-owned land for rice plantation, with seedlings and machinery supplied by the ministry. (Answer: True)
2. Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, has not asked the military for help in planting rice due to a severe drought caused by El Niño. (Answer: False)
3. Higher rice prices and a threat to food security have not resulted from the decrease in rice production. (Answer: False)
4. President Widodo did not post a video on the presidential YouTube channel during a visit to central Java, encouraging the military to assist farmers with the sowing. (Answer: False)
5. President Widodo has not urged army officers to assist with the planting effort, taking advantage of recent rainfall in some provinces. (Answer: False)
6. The cultivation of rice, which is typically done in October, has been delayed this year in Indonesia. (Answer: True)
7. The prolonged dry weather has led to a decrease in rice production in Indonesia. (Answer: True)
8. In the past, the involvement of the armed forces has helped Indonesia achieve food self-sufficiency. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧