Japan is telling people to be careful because a big earthquake might happen soon. They said this on Thursday night. People should be ready, but they don’t need to leave their homes right now. A smaller earthquake happened near a place called the Nankai Trough. This place has had big earthquakes before.

The last big earthquake there was in 1946. Experts think there is a high chance of another big one in the next 30 years. If it happens, it could be very dangerous. People might get hurt, and there could be big waves called tsunamis. The warning will last for one week, and people should be ready just in case.

Original news source: Japan warns of heightened risk of megaquake (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students take turns acting out words or phrases related to earthquakes and tsunamis without speaking. The class guesses what they are acting out. Suggestions include “earthquake,” “tsunami,” “warning,” and “prepare.”

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group picks a word from the article (e.g., “earthquake,” “Nankai Trough,” “dangerous”) and draws it on the board. The other groups guess the word based on the drawing.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Students discuss and vote on the question: “What should people do to prepare for an earthquake?” They can raise their hands or use sticky notes to express their opinions. After voting, share the results with the class.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Pose the question, “Why do you think experts say there might be another big earthquake in Japan?” Students think about their answers, pair up to discuss with a partner, and then share their thoughts with the class.

– FUTURE PREDICTIONS
Instructions: Students predict what might happen if a big earthquake occurs in Japan. They can write or share their ideas in small groups, focusing on potential impacts like damage, safety measures, or community responses.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is Japan telling people to be careful about?
2. When did Japan say people should be ready?
3. What happened near the Nankai Trough?
4. When was the last big earthquake in that place?
5. How many years do experts think until the next big earthquake?
6. What might happen if a big earthquake occurs?
7. How long will the warning last?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Japan is (1)______ people to be careful because a big earthquake might happen soon. They said this on (2)______ night. People should be ready, but they don’t need to (3)______ their homes right now. A smaller earthquake happened near a place called the Nankai (4)______. This place has had big earthquakes before.

The (5)______ big earthquake there was in 1946. Experts think there is a high chance of another big one in the next 30 (6)______. If it happens, it could be very dangerous. People might get hurt, and there could be big waves called (7)______. The warning will last for one (8)______, and people should be ready just in case.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an earthquake?
2. How would you feel if there was an earthquake?
3. Do you like to watch the news? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it is important to be safe? Why?
5. What is a tsunami?
6. Have you ever felt an earthquake? What was it like?
7. How would you feel if you had to leave your home because of an earthquake?
8. Do you think it is good to be ready for big storms or earthquakes? Why?
9. What do you do to stay safe?
10. Do you like to learn about nature? Why or why not?
11. How would you help a friend if there was an earthquake?
12. What is your favorite place to be safe?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. earthquake
2. careful
3. experts
4. chance
5. dangerous
6. hurt
7. tsunamis
8. warning
9. ready
10. case

Meanings:
(A) When the ground shakes a lot
(B) A message to tell you to watch out
(C) Prepared for something to happen
(D) A situation or event that might happen
(E) Paying attention so nothing bad happens
(F) When someone feels pain or gets injured
(G) Very big waves in the ocean
(H) A possibility that something might happen
(I) People who know a lot about something
(J) Something that can cause harm or trouble
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What country is talking about a big earthquake?
(a) China
(b) India
(c) Korea
(d) Japan

2. When did Japan say to be careful about the earthquake?
(a) Thursday night
(b) Monday morning
(c) Friday afternoon
(d) Saturday evening

3. What should people do right now?
(a) Stay at home
(b) Leave their homes
(c) Go to the park
(d) Go to the store

4. Where did a smaller earthquake happen?
(a) Tokyo
(b) Osaka
(c) Kyoto
(d) Nankai Trough

5. When was the last big earthquake in Nankai Trough?
(a) 1956
(b) 1966
(c) 1946
(d) 1976

6. How many years do experts think until the next big earthquake?
(a) 10 years
(b) 30 years
(c) 20 years
(d) 40 years

7. What could happen if a big earthquake happens?
(a) Sunny weather
(b) Big waves
(c) Snow
(d) Rain

8. How long will the warning last?
(a) One day
(b) One month
(c) One week
(d) One year

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Japan is warning people about a big earthquake.
2. The Nankai Trough has had big earthquakes before.
3. A larger earthquake happened near the Nankai Trough.
4. Experts say another big earthquake might never happen in 30 years.
5. People should be careless but can stay at home.
6. The last big earthquake there was in 1946.
7. The warning will last for one month.
8. The warning was given on Thursday night.
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. What is Japan warning people about?
2. When did Japan give the warning?
3. What happened near the Nankai Trough?
4. How long do experts think it might be until the next big earthquake?
5. What could happen if a big earthquake happens?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is Japan telling people to be careful about?
Japan is telling people to be careful about a big earthquake.

2. When did Japan say people should be ready?
Japan said people should be ready on Thursday night.

3. What happened near the Nankai Trough?
A smaller earthquake happened near the Nankai Trough.

4. When was the last big earthquake in that place?
The last big earthquake there was in 1946.

5. How many years do experts think until the next big earthquake?
Experts think there will be another big earthquake in the next 30 years.

6. What might happen if a big earthquake occurs?
If a big earthquake happens, people might get hurt, and there could be big waves called tsunamis.

7. How long will the warning last?
The warning will last for one week.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) telling
(2) Thursday
(3) leave
(4) Trough
(5) last
(6) years
(7) tsunamis
(8) week
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. earthquake
Answer: (A) When the ground shakes a lot

2. careful
Answer: (E) Paying attention so nothing bad happens

3. experts
Answer: (I) People who know a lot about something

4. chance
Answer: (H) A possibility that something might happen

5. dangerous
Answer: (J) Something that can cause harm or trouble

6. hurt
Answer: (F) When someone feels pain or gets injured

7. tsunamis
Answer: (G) Very big waves in the ocean

8. warning
Answer: (B) A message to tell you to watch out

9. ready
Answer: (C) Prepared for something to happen

10. case
Answer: (D) A situation or event that might happen
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What country is talking about a big earthquake?
Answer: (d) Japan

2. When did Japan say to be careful about the earthquake?
Answer: (a) Thursday night

3. What should people do right now?
Answer: (a) Stay at home

4. Where did a smaller earthquake happen?
Answer: (d) Nankai Trough

5. When was the last big earthquake in Nankai Trough?
Answer: (c) 1946

6. How many years do experts think until the next big earthquake?
Answer: (b) 30 years

7. What could happen if a big earthquake happens?
Answer: (b) Big waves

8. How long will the warning last?
Answer: (c) One week
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Japan is warning people about a big earthquake. (Answer: True)
2. The Nankai Trough has had big earthquakes before. (Answer: True)
3. A larger earthquake happened near the Nankai Trough. (Answer: False)
4. Experts say another big earthquake might never happen in 30 years. (Answer: False)
5. People should be careless but can stay at home. (Answer: False)
6. The last big earthquake there was in 1946. (Answer: True)
7. The warning will last for one month. (Answer: False)
8. The warning was given on Thursday night. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧