China is trying a new idea where people from six countries can visit without a visa. These countries are France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. From December 2023 to November 2024, people with normal passports from these places can come to China for business or fun for up to 15 days. Right now, most people need a visa to come to China, but not everyone.

In March 2020, China made it very hard for people to travel there because of the virus that was making people sick. But in March 2021, they started letting people come again with all kinds of visas. China had very strict rules to stop the virus, but these rules hurt their money and jobs. Before the virus, lots of people from other countries visited China.

The new idea to let people visit without a visa is important for China to welcome visitors again. It shows that China wants people to travel and do business there. This test will help China learn if letting people visit without a visa works well. Maybe in the future, people from more countries can visit China this way.

Original news source: China trials visa-free travel for six countries (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, read the article and take turns summarizing the main points to your partner. Try to include key details and important information. Then, switch roles and listen to your partner’s summary. Discuss any differences or similarities in your summaries.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In groups of three or four, discuss the following question: “What are your thoughts on China’s new idea to allow visa-free visits for people from six countries?” Take turns sharing your opinions and reasons behind them. After everyone has shared, take a vote to see which opinion is the most popular within the group.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down 10 key vocabulary words from the article on separate cards or pieces of paper. Divide the class into pairs. One person from each pair will choose a card and without speaking, draw a picture representing the word. Their partner must try to guess the word based on the drawing. After a set time, switch roles and continue until all the words have been guessed.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, come up with a catchy headline for the article. The headline should summarize the main idea and grab the reader’s attention. Share your headlines with the class and discuss why you chose them.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Individually, write down three predictions about the future of travel and visa policies in China based on the information in the article. Share your predictions with a partner and discuss the reasons behind them. Then, share your partner’s predictions with the class and discuss as a group.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What are the six countries that can visit China without a visa?
2. How long can people from these countries stay in China?
3. Why did China make it hard for people to travel there in March 2020?
4. Why did China start letting people come again in March 2021?
5. Why is it important for China to let people visit without a visa?
6. What will China learn from this test?
7. What might happen in the future for people who want to visit China?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

China is (1)______ a new idea where people from six countries can visit without a visa. These countries are (2)______, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. From December 2023 to November 2024, people with normal (3)______ from these places can come to China for business or fun for up to 15 days. Right now, most people need a visa to (4)______ to (5)______, but not everyone.

In (6)______ 2020, China made it very hard for people to travel there because of the virus that was making people sick. But in March 2021, they started letting (7)______ come again with all kinds of visas. China had very strict (8)______ to (9)______ the virus, but these rules hurt their money and jobs. Before the virus, lots of people from other countries visited China.

The new idea to let people visit without a visa is important for China to (10)______ visitors again. It shows that China (11)______ people to travel and do business there. This test will help China learn if (12)______ people visit without a visa works well. Maybe in the future, people from more countries can visit China this way.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What do you think about China’s new idea to let people visit without a visa?
2. How would you feel if you could visit China without needing a visa?
3. Do you like to travel? Why or why not?
4. What do you think are the benefits of letting people visit China without a visa?
5. How do you think this new idea will help China welcome visitors again?
6. Do you think it’s important for countries to encourage tourism and business? Why or why not?
7. What countries would you like to visit without needing a visa? Why?
8. How do you think this new idea will affect China’s economy and job opportunities?
9. Have you ever visited another country? If yes, how was your experience? If no, where would you like to go?
10. Do you think it’s fair that people from some countries can visit China without a visa while others can’t? Why or why not?
11. How do you think this new policy will impact the number of tourists visiting China?
12. What other ways do you think countries can encourage people to visit and do business there?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. China
2. visa
3. countries
4. passports
5. December
6. business
7. fun
8. future

Meanings:
(a) The time that is still to come, later on
(b) When you do something enjoyable or exciting
(c) The twelfth month of the year
(d) Special books that let you travel to other countries
(e) When you do work to make money
(f) A special paper that allows you to visit another country
(g) Places where people live, like France and Germany
(h) A country in Asia with a big population
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Which countries can visit China without a visa under the new idea?
(a) France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia
(b) Russia, Japan, India, Brazil, Australia, and Canada
(c) China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore
(d) United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India

2. How long can people from the selected countries stay in China without a visa?
(a) Up to 30 days
(b) Up to 60 days
(c) Up to 15 days
(d) Up to 90 days

3. Why did China make it difficult for people to travel there in March 2020?
(a) Because they wanted to save money
(b) Because they wanted to attract more tourists
(c) Because they wanted to improve their economy
(d) Because of the virus that was making people sick

4. When did China start allowing people to come again with all kinds of visas?
(a) March 2020
(b) December 2023
(c) November 2024
(d) March 2021

5. Why did China have strict rules to stop the virus?
(a) To make it difficult for tourists to visit
(b) To protect people’s health
(c) To increase job opportunities
(d) To encourage people to travel

6. Why is the new idea to let people visit without a visa important for China?
(a) To make it harder for people to travel
(b) To decrease job opportunities
(c) To welcome visitors again
(d) To protect people’s health

7. What will the test help China learn?
(a) If people from all countries can visit China this way
(b) If letting people visit without a visa works well
(c) If China should make it even harder for people to travel
(d) If China should stop allowing people to come with visas

8. What might happen in the future regarding people visiting China?
(a) People from more countries can visit China without a visa
(b) People from fewer countries can visit China without a visa
(c) People from all countries can visit China without a visa
(d) People will need a visa to visit China

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. However, in March 2021, China started allowing people to visit again with different types of visas.
2. China is not allowing people from six countries to visit without needing a visa.
3. The countries included in this new policy are France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.
4. The new policy of allowing visa-free visits is not important for China to welcome visitors and encourage business.
5. This test will not help China determine if allowing visa-free visits is successful, and they may not expand it to more countries in the future.
6. From December 2023 to November 2024, people from these countries can stay in China for up to 15 days.
7. Previously, most people did not need a visa to visit China, but now everyone does.
8. China had strict rules in place to prevent the spread of the virus, which made it difficult for people to travel there in March 2020.
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 six countries can visit China without a visa?
2. How long can people from these countries stay in China without a visa?
3. Why did China make it hard for people to travel there in March 2020?
4. Why did China start letting people come again in March 2021?
5. Why is it important for China to let people visit without a visa?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What are the six countries that can visit China without a visa?
The six countries that can visit China without a visa are France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.

2. How long can people from these countries stay in China?
People from these countries can stay in China for up to 15 days.

3. Why did China make it hard for people to travel there in March 2020?
China made it hard for people to travel there in March 2020 because of the virus that was making people sick. They wanted to stop the spread of the virus and keep people safe.

4. Why did China start letting people come again in March 2021?
China started letting people come again in March 2021 because they wanted to welcome visitors and help their economy. They also had strict rules in place to prevent the virus from spreading.

5. Why is it important for China to let people visit without a visa?
It is important for China to let people visit without a visa because it shows that they want people to come and do business in their country. It helps their economy and brings in more money and jobs.

6. What will China learn from this test?
China will learn if letting people visit without a visa works well and if it brings more visitors to their country. They can see if it helps their economy and if it is a good idea for the future.

7. What might happen in the future for people who want to visit China?
In the future, more countries might be allowed to visit China without a visa if this test goes well. It could make it easier for people from different countries to travel to China for business or fun.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) trying
(2) France
(3) passports
(4) come
(5) China
(6) March
(7) people
(8) rules
(9) stop
(10) welcome
(11) wants
(12) letting
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. China
Answer: (h) A country in Asia with a big population

2. visa
Answer: (f) A special paper that allows you to visit another country

3. countries
Answer: (g) Places where people live, like France and Germany

4. passports
Answer: (d) Special books that let you travel to other countries

5. December
Answer: (c) The twelfth month of the year

6. business
Answer: (e) When you do work to make money

7. fun
Answer: (b) When you do something enjoyable or exciting

8. future
Answer: (a) The time that is still to come, later on
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Which countries can visit China without a visa under the new idea?
Answer: (a) France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia

2. How long can people from the selected countries stay in China without a visa?
Answer: (c) Up to 15 days

3. Why did China make it difficult for people to travel there in March 2020?
Answer: (d) Because of the virus that was making people sick

4. When did China start allowing people to come again with all kinds of visas?
Answer: (d) March 2021

5. Why did China have strict rules to stop the virus?
Answer: (b) To protect people’s health

6. Why is the new idea to let people visit without a visa important for China?
Answer: (c) To welcome visitors again

7. What will the test help China learn?
Answer: (b) If letting people visit without a visa works well

8. What might happen in the future regarding people visiting China?
Answer: (a) People from more countries can visit China without a visa
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. However, in March 2021, China started allowing people to visit again with different types of visas. (Answer: True)
2. China is not allowing people from six countries to visit without needing a visa. (Answer: False)
3. The countries included in this new policy are France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. (Answer: True)
4. The new policy of allowing visa-free visits is not important for China to welcome visitors and encourage business. (Answer: False)
5. This test will not help China determine if allowing visa-free visits is successful, and they may not expand it to more countries in the future. (Answer: False)
6. From December 2023 to November 2024, people from these countries can stay in China for up to 15 days. (Answer: True)
7. Previously, most people did not need a visa to visit China, but now everyone does. (Answer: False)
8. China had strict rules in place to prevent the spread of the virus, which made it difficult for people to travel there in March 2020. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧