The royal family in Japan has started using Instagram. The Emperor, Naruhito, wants to make the royal family more modern and talk to young people. They started using Instagram 15 years after the British royal family did. But, the first things they shared on Instagram are not very fun. They are just about their royal work and you can’t write comments on their posts.

The royal family used to only talk to people through old ways like TV or newspapers. Now, they are trying to talk to more people by using Instagram. But, some people think their Instagram is too boring because it doesn’t show what their life is really like. They don’t let people write comments because they want to be very careful about their image. They want to make sure they look good and don’t have any problems like other royal families sometimes do.

Original news source: Bonsai and bowing: Japan’s royal family join Instagram (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a list of words related to the royal family, such as “emperor,” “royal,” “crown,” etc. One student from each team will act out a word without speaking while their team tries to guess it. The team that guesses correctly gets a point.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and a pencil. Call out a word related to the royal family, such as “Instagram,” “emperor,” “royal,” etc. The students must draw a picture representing the word, while their classmates try to guess what it is. The first student to guess correctly gets a point.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a copy of the article. One student will have one minute to summarize the article to their partner, using their own words. The partner must listen and try to understand the main points of the article. After one minute, switch roles and repeat the activity.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Have each student think of two true statements and one false statement related to the royal family. For example, “The royal family in Japan started using Instagram 5 years after the British royal family.” Each student takes turns sharing their statements, and the rest of the class must guess which statement is the lie.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and a pencil. Instruct them to write down three predictions about how the royal family in Japan will use Instagram in the future. For example, “The royal family will start sharing personal photos on Instagram.” After everyone has written their predictions, have them share with a partner and discuss their reasons for each prediction.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who started using Instagram?
2. Why did the royal family start using Instagram?
3. How long after the British royal family did the Japanese royal family start using Instagram?
4. What did the Japanese royal family share on Instagram?
5. Can people write comments on their Instagram posts?
6. How did the royal family used to talk to people before Instagram?
7. Why do some people think their Instagram is boring?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The (1)______ family in Japan has started using Instagram. The Emperor, Naruhito, wants to make the royal family more modern and talk to young people. They started using Instagram 15 (2)______ after the British royal (3)______ did. But, the first (4)______ they shared on Instagram are not very fun. They are just about their royal work and you can’t write comments on their posts.

The royal family used to only talk to people through old ways like TV or newspapers. Now, they are trying to talk to more people by (5)______ Instagram. But, some people think their Instagram is too boring because it doesn’t (6)______ what their life is really (7)______. They don’t let (8)______ write comments because they want to be very careful about their image. They want to make sure they look good and don’t have any problems like other royal families sometimes do.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Instagram?
2. How do you think the Emperor feels about using Instagram?
3. Do you think it’s important for the royal family to talk to young people? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you couldn’t write comments on someone’s Instagram posts? Why?
5. Do you think it’s a good idea for the royal family to use Instagram? Why or why not?
6. What do you think the royal family should share on Instagram to make it more fun?
7. Do you like looking at pictures on Instagram? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the royal family used to talk to people before Instagram?
9. Do you think it’s a good idea for the royal family to be careful about their image? Why or why not?
10. What problems do you think other royal families sometimes have?
11. How do you think the royal family can make sure they look good on Instagram?
12. Why do you think the royal family wants to talk to more people?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Instagram
2. Emperor
3. modern
4. communicate
5. posts
6. comments
7. traditional
8. image
9. careful
10. problems

Meanings:
(A) A very important king
(B) Things you put on the internet for others to see, like pictures or words
(C) How someone or something looks to others
(D) Being very thoughtful about what you do, to make sure everything is just right
(E) Words that people can write to say what they think about something
(F) The old way of doing things
(G) Something that is new or up-to-date
(H) A place on the internet where you can share pictures and see what friends are doing
(I) To talk or share messages with others
(J) Things that are not going right or are difficult
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did the royal family in Japan start using Instagram?
(a) To share fun photos
(b) To talk to young people
(c) To write comments on other people’s posts
(d) To talk to people through TV and newspapers

2. How long after the British royal family did the Japanese royal family start using Instagram?
(a) 5 years
(b) 10 years
(c) 15 years
(d) 20 years

3. What did the Japanese royal family share on Instagram?
(a) Fun photos of their daily life
(b) Comments from their followers
(c) Information about their royal work
(d) Videos of their vacations

4. Why don’t people think the Japanese royal family’s Instagram is fun?
(a) Because it doesn’t show their real life
(b) Because they don’t allow comments
(c) Because they only use old ways to communicate
(d) Because they don’t have any problems

5. Why don’t people write comments on the Japanese royal family’s Instagram?
(a) Because they want to be careful about their image
(b) Because they don’t want to talk to young people
(c) Because they don’t know how to use Instagram
(d) Because they only use TV and newspapers

6. How did the Japanese royal family used to talk to people?
(a) Through Instagram
(b) Through TV and newspapers
(c) Through comments on their posts
(d) Through fun photos

7. What do the Japanese royal family want to make sure of?
(a) That they have fun on Instagram
(b) That they talk to young people
(c) That they share their real life
(d) That they look good and don’t have any problems

8. What is the Emperor’s name?
(a) Hirohito
(b) Akihito
(c) Shinzo
(d) Naruhito

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The British royal family started using Instagram 15 years before the Japanese royal family.
2. The first things the Japanese royal family shared on Instagram are about their royal work.
3. The royal family used to primarily communicate with people through TV and newspapers.
4. The royal family enables comments on their posts to engage with their followers.
5. People cannot write comments on the royal family’s Instagram posts.
6. The Emperor of Japan is content with the traditional image of the royal family.
7. Some people find the royal family’s Instagram to be entertaining because it shows snippets of their real life.
8. The royal family in Japan is using Instagram to talk to young people.
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. Who is using Instagram in Japan?
2. Why does the Emperor want to use Instagram?
3. How long after the British royal family did the Japanese royal family start using Instagram?
4. What kind of things did the Japanese royal family share on Instagram?
5. Why can’t people write comments on the royal family’s Instagram posts?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who started using Instagram?
The royal family in Japan started using Instagram.

2. Why did the royal family start using Instagram?
The Emperor, Naruhito, wants to make the royal family more modern and talk to young people.

3. How long after the British royal family did the Japanese royal family start using Instagram?
The Japanese royal family started using Instagram 15 years after the British royal family did.

4. What did the Japanese royal family share on Instagram?
The Japanese royal family shared information about their royal work on Instagram.

5. Can people write comments on their Instagram posts?
No, people cannot write comments on their Instagram posts.

6. How did the royal family used to talk to people before Instagram?
The royal family used to talk to people through old ways like TV or newspapers.

7. Why do some people think their Instagram is boring?
Some people think their Instagram is boring because it doesn’t show what their life is really like and they don’t let people write comments.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) royal
(2) years
(3) family
(4) things
(5) using
(6) show
(7) like
(8) people
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Instagram
Answer: (H) A place on the internet where you can share pictures and see what friends are doing

2. Emperor
Answer: (A) A very important king

3. modern
Answer: (G) Something that is new or up-to-date

4. communicate
Answer: (I) To talk or share messages with others

5. posts
Answer: (B) Things you put on the internet for others to see, like pictures or words

6. comments
Answer: (E) Words that people can write to say what they think about something

7. traditional
Answer: (F) The old way of doing things

8. image
Answer: (C) How someone or something looks to others

9. careful
Answer: (D) Being very thoughtful about what you do, to make sure everything is just right

10. problems
Answer: (J) Things that are not going right or are difficult
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did the royal family in Japan start using Instagram?
Answer: (b) To talk to young people

2. How long after the British royal family did the Japanese royal family start using Instagram?
Answer: (c) 15 years

3. What did the Japanese royal family share on Instagram?
Answer: (c) Information about their royal work

4. Why don’t people think the Japanese royal family’s Instagram is fun?
Answer: (a) Because it doesn’t show their real life

5. Why don’t people write comments on the Japanese royal family’s Instagram?
Answer: (a) Because they want to be careful about their image

6. How did the Japanese royal family used to talk to people?
Answer: (b) Through TV and newspapers

7. What do the Japanese royal family want to make sure of?
Answer: (d) That they look good and don’t have any problems

8. What is the Emperor’s name?
Answer: (d) Naruhito
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The British royal family started using Instagram 15 years before the Japanese royal family. (Answer: True)
2. The first things the Japanese royal family shared on Instagram are about their royal work. (Answer: True)
3. The royal family used to primarily communicate with people through TV and newspapers. (Answer: False)
4. The royal family enables comments on their posts to engage with their followers. (Answer: False)
5. People cannot write comments on the royal family’s Instagram posts. (Answer: True)
6. The Emperor of Japan is content with the traditional image of the royal family. (Answer: False)
7. Some people find the royal family’s Instagram to be entertaining because it shows snippets of their real life. (Answer: False)
8. The royal family in Japan is using Instagram to talk to young people. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧