Singapore has had horse racing for more than 180 years. Soon, it will end. The last race will be at the Singapore Turf Club next year. The government will take the land. They will use it for houses.
Horse racing started in Singapore in 1842. Many people liked it. In 1933, the racecourse moved to a bigger place. In 2000, it moved again to Kranji. The Singapore Turf Club has a big stand for 30,000 people to watch. But not many people go now.
The government will use the land for houses. They will also think about other ways to use the land.
Original news source: Singapore to hold final horse race after more than 180 years (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Horse Racing Charades
Instructions: Write horse racing related words or phrases on slips of paper (e.g., jockey, gallop, finish line). Have students take turns picking a slip of paper and then acting out the word or phrase for the class to guess.
– Land Usage Brainstorm
Instructions: Divide students into small groups. Have each group brainstorm and discuss different ways to use the land mentioned in the article. They should practice using English to share their ideas with their group members, and then present their ideas to the class.
– Horse Racing Storytelling
Instructions: Have the students create a short story or dialogue related to horse racing in Singapore. Encourage them to use vocabulary and information from the article in their stories. Afterward, invite volunteers to share their stories with the class.
Comprehension Questions:
1. How long has Singapore had horse racing?
2. When will the last race be?
3. Where will the last race happen?
4. When did horse racing start in Singapore?
5. In what year did the racecourse move to Kranji?
6. How many people can watch at the Singapore Turf Club?
7. What will the government use the land for?
8. What else will the government think about for the land?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Singapore has had horse racing for more than 180 years. Soon, it will end. The last race will be at the Singapore Turf Club next year. The government will take the land. They will use it for (1)______.
Horse racing started in Singapore in (2)______. Many people liked it. In 1933, the racecourse moved to a bigger place. In 2000, it moved again to (3)______. The Singapore Turf Club has a big stand for 30,000 people to watch. But not many people go now.
The government will use the land for houses. They will also think about other ways to use the land.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is horse racing?
2. Do you like horse racing?
3. How old is horse racing in Singapore?
4. When will horse racing end in Singapore?
5. What will the government do with the land?
6. Have you ever been to a horse race?
7. Why did the racecourse move in 1933?
8. Where is the Singapore Turf Club now?
9. How many people can watch at the Turf Club?
10. Do many people go to watch horse racing now?
11. What do you like to watch?
12. Would you like to live in a house on the land?
13. Why do you think people liked horse racing in the past?
14. What other things can the government use the land for?
15. How do you feel about horse racing ending in Singapore?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. horse racing
2. government
3. land
4. houses
5. racecourse
6. Singapore
7. bigger
8. watch
Shuffled Meanings:
A) A place where horses run and people see who is the fastest
B) A group of people who make decisions and rules for a country
C) To look at something with your eyes
D) A country in Southeast Asia
E) Buildings where people live
F) A piece of ground that someone owns
G) More large in size
H) A sport where horses run and people bet on who will win
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What has Singapore had for more than 180 years?
(a) car racing
(b) horse racing
(c) soccer games
(d) dog racing
2. When will the last horse race be at the Singapore Turf Club?
(a) this year
(b) in 5 years
(c) in 10 years
(d) next year
3. What will the government use the land for?
(a) a park
(b) a school
(c) houses
(d) a shopping mall
4. When did horse racing start in Singapore?
(a) 1842
(b) 1933
(c) 2000
(d) 1800
5. In what year did the racecourse move to a bigger place?
(a) 2000
(b) 1933
(c) 1842
(d) 1800
6. How many people can watch the race at the Singapore Turf Club?
(a) 10,000
(b) 20,000
(c) 30,000
(d) 40,000
7. Where did the racecourse move to in 2000?
(a) Kranji
(b) Singapore Turf Club
(c) a bigger place
(d) a smaller place
8. What will the government think about for the land?
(a) other ways to use it
(b) making it a park
(c) building a school
(d) building a shopping mall
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Singapore has had horse racing for more than 300 years.
2. Horse racing started in Singapore in 1942.
3. The last race will be at the Singapore Turf Club next year.
4. The government will use the land for houses.
5. The racecourse moved to a bigger place in 1933.
6. The Singapore Turf Club has a big stand for 10,000 people to watch.
7. Not many people go to watch horse racing now.
8. The government will only use the land for houses.
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. How long has Singapore had horse racing for?
2. Where will the last horse racing happen in Singapore?
3. Why will the government take the land where the horse racing happens?
4. How many people can the Singapore Turf Club stand fit?
5. What will the government do with the land where the horse racing happens?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. How long has Singapore had horse racing?
Singapore has had horse racing for more than 180 years.
2. When will the last race be?
The last race will be next year.
3. Where will the last race happen?
The last race will happen at the Singapore Turf Club.
4. When did horse racing start in Singapore?
Horse racing started in Singapore in 1842.
5. In what year did the racecourse move to Kranji?
The racecourse moved to Kranji in 2000.
6. How many people can watch at the Singapore Turf Club?
30,000 people can watch at the Singapore Turf Club.
7. What will the government use the land for?
The government will use the land for houses.
8. What else will the government think about for the land?
The government will also think about other ways to use the land.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. houses
2. 1842
3. Kranji
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. horse racing
Answer: H) A sport where horses run and people bet on who will win
2. government
Answer: B) A group of people who make decisions and rules for a country
3. land
Answer: F) A piece of ground that someone owns
4. houses
Answer: E) Buildings where people live
5. racecourse
Answer: A) A place where horses run and people see who is the fastest
6. Singapore
Answer: D) A country in Southeast Asia
7. bigger
Answer: G) More large in size
8. watch
Answer: C) To look at something with your eyes
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What has Singapore had for more than 180 years?
Answer: (b) horse racing
2. When will the last horse race be at the Singapore Turf Club?
Answer: (d) next year
3. What will the government use the land for?
Answer: (c) houses
4. When did horse racing start in Singapore?
Answer: (a) 1842
5. In what year did the racecourse move to a bigger place?
Answer: (b) 1933
6. How many people can watch the race at the Singapore Turf Club?
Answer: (c) 30,000
7. Where did the racecourse move to in 2000?
Answer: (a) Kranji
8. What will the government think about for the land?
Answer: (a) other ways to use it
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Singapore has had horse racing for more than 300 years.
Answer: False
2. Horse racing started in Singapore in 1942.
Answer: False
3. The last race will be at the Singapore Turf Club next year.
Answer: True
4. The government will use the land for houses.
Answer: True
5. The racecourse moved to a bigger place in 1933.
Answer: True
6. The Singapore Turf Club has a big stand for 10,000 people to watch.
Answer: False
7. Not many people go to watch horse racing now.
Answer: True
8. The government will only use the land for houses.
Answer: False
Go back to questions ⇧
