New Zealand has lots of sheep, more than people. There are about 23.6 million sheep and only 5.3 million people. This means there are about 4.5 sheep for every person. In 1982, there were 22 sheep for each person, so the number has gone down a lot.

Sheep farming used to be very important for New Zealand’s economy. In the 1980s, there were over 70 million sheep. But now, dairy farming is more popular, and the wool market is not doing well. In 2023, there were less than five sheep for every person, showing that farmers are changing what they do with their land.

The New Zealand government is trying to help the wool industry. They are stopping some land from being used for other things and want to use more wool in building projects. Still, some people think the wool industry might not get better. In Australia, sheep numbers are also going down, but they still have more sheep per person than New Zealand.

Original news source: Yes, New Zealand still has more sheep than people. But humans are catching up (AP News)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out different words or phrases related to sheep farming, such as “sheep,” “wool,” “shepherd,” or “dairy farming.” The other groups will guess what they are acting out.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Write key vocabulary words from the article (like “sheep,” “farming,” “wool,” “dairy”) on the board. Students will take turns drawing one word while their classmates guess what it is. This will help reinforce vocabulary comprehension.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Create questions based on the article, such as “Do you think sheep farming is important?” or “Should the government help the wool industry?” Students will walk around and ask their classmates these questions, tallying the responses to discuss the results afterward.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Students will work in pairs to create a catchy headline for the article. They can use phrases like “New Zealand’s Sheep Decline” or “The Changing Face of Farming.” Afterward, each pair will share their headlines with the class.

– MIND MAP
Instructions: On the board, write “Sheep Farming in New Zealand” in the center. Students will then brainstorm and add related ideas or information from the article, such as “number of sheep,” “dairy farming,” and “wool market,” creating a visual map of the topic.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. How many sheep are there in New Zealand?
2. How many people live in New Zealand?
3. What was the number of sheep for each person in 1982?
4. Why is sheep farming not as important today in New Zealand?
5. What type of farming is more popular now than sheep farming?
6. What is the New Zealand government doing to help the wool industry?
7. How does the number of sheep in Australia compare to New Zealand?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

New Zealand has lots of (1)______, more than people. There are about 23.6 million sheep and only 5.3 million people. This (2)______ there are about 4.5 sheep for every person. In 1982, there (3)______ 22 sheep for each person, so the number has gone down a lot.

Sheep (4)______ used to be very important for New Zealand’s (5)______. In the 1980s, there were over 70 million sheep. But now, dairy farming is more popular, and the wool market is not (6)______ well. In 2023, there were less than five sheep for every person, (7)______ that farmers are (8)______ what they do with their land.

The New Zealand government is trying to (9)______ the wool industry. They are stopping some land from being used for other things and want to use more wool in building (10)______. Still, some people (11)______ the wool industry might not get better. In Australia, sheep numbers are also going down, but they still have more sheep per (12)______ than New Zealand.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite animal? Why do you like it?
2. How would you feel if there were more sheep than people in your country?
3. Do you think sheep are cute? Why or why not?
4. What is a farm? Have you ever visited one?
5. How would you feel if you had to take care of sheep every day?
6. Do you like wool clothes? Why or why not?
7. What is your favorite type of food? Do you think it comes from farming?
8. How would you feel if you had to change your job like the farmers in New Zealand?
9. Do you think it is important to help farmers? Why?
10. What is a building project? Have you seen any cool buildings?
11. How would you feel if there were no more sheep in the world?
12. Do you think people should use more wool in their clothes? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. economy
2. dairy
3. industry
4. government
5. projects
6. popular
7. market
8. building
9. changing
10. important
11. numbers
12. land

Meanings:
(A) A place where people buy and sell things
(B) The group of people who run a country
(C) Related to milk and products made from milk
(D) Becoming different
(E) The ground or area of earth
(F) Amounts or quantities
(G) A group of businesses that make or sell similar things
(H) The system of money and trade in a country
(I) Making something, like a house or a school
(J) Plans or tasks that need to be done
(K) Liked by many people
(L) Having a big effect or value
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How many sheep are there in New Zealand?
(a) 10 million
(b) 23.6 million
(c) 50 million
(d) 15 million

2. How many people live in New Zealand?
(a) 10 million
(b) 7 million
(c) 3 million
(d) 5.3 million

3. What was the number of sheep for each person in 1982?
(a) 22 sheep
(b) 10 sheep
(c) 15 sheep
(d) 30 sheep

4. What type of farming is now more popular in New Zealand?
(a) Vegetable farming
(b) Fruit farming
(c) Dairy farming
(d) Fish farming

5. How many sheep were there in New Zealand in the 1980s?
(a) Over 70 million
(b) 30 million
(c) 50 million
(d) 40 million

6. What is the government trying to help?
(a) The dairy industry
(b) The wool industry
(c) The vegetable market
(d) The fruit market

7. What is the current number of sheep for every person in 2023?
(a) About ten sheep
(b) About twenty sheep
(c) Less than five sheep
(d) About fifteen sheep

8. Which country has more sheep per person than New Zealand?
(a) Canada
(b) South Africa
(c) United States
(d) Australia

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The New Zealand government is not trying to help the wool industry.
2. There are about 23.2 million sheep in New Zealand.
3. In 1982, there were 22 sheep for every person in New Zealand.
4. New Zealand has more sheep than people.
5. New Zealand has about 5.7 million people.
6. The wool market is doing well right now.
7. Dairy farming is now more popular than sheep farming in New Zealand.
8. Sheep farming was very important for New Zealand’s economy in the past.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
Check your answers with our free English writing assistant!

1. How many sheep are there in New Zealand compared to people?
2. What was the number of sheep for each person in 1982?
3. Why is sheep farming not as important now in New Zealand?
4. What is the New Zealand government doing to help the wool industry?
5. How does the number of sheep in Australia compare to New Zealand?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How many sheep are there in New Zealand?
There are about 23.6 million sheep in New Zealand.

2. How many people live in New Zealand?
There are about 5.3 million people living in New Zealand.

3. What was the number of sheep for each person in 1982?
In 1982, there were 22 sheep for each person.

4. Why is sheep farming not as important today in New Zealand?
Sheep farming is not as important today because dairy farming is more popular and the wool market is not doing well.

5. What type of farming is more popular now than sheep farming?
Dairy farming is more popular now than sheep farming.

6. What is the New Zealand government doing to help the wool industry?
The New Zealand government is stopping some land from being used for other things and wants to use more wool in building projects.

7. How does the number of sheep in Australia compare to New Zealand?
In Australia, sheep numbers are also going down, but they still have more sheep per person than New Zealand.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) sheep
(2) means
(3) were
(4) farming
(5) economy
(6) doing
(7) showing
(8) changing
(9) help
(10) projects
(11) think
(12) person
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. economy
Answer: (H) The system of money and trade in a country

2. dairy
Answer: (C) Related to milk and products made from milk

3. industry
Answer: (G) A group of businesses that make or sell similar things

4. government
Answer: (B) The group of people who run a country

5. projects
Answer: (J) Plans or tasks that need to be done

6. popular
Answer: (K) Liked by many people

7. market
Answer: (A) A place where people buy and sell things

8. building
Answer: (I) Making something, like a house or a school

9. changing
Answer: (D) Becoming different

10. important
Answer: (L) Having a big effect or value

11. numbers
Answer: (F) Amounts or quantities

12. land
Answer: (E) The ground or area of earth
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How many sheep are there in New Zealand?
Answer: (b) 23.6 million

2. How many people live in New Zealand?
Answer: (d) 5.3 million

3. What was the number of sheep for each person in 1982?
Answer: (a) 22 sheep

4. What type of farming is now more popular in New Zealand?
Answer: (c) Dairy farming

5. How many sheep were there in New Zealand in the 1980s?
Answer: (a) Over 70 million

6. What is the government trying to help?
Answer: (b) The wool industry

7. What is the current number of sheep for every person in 2023?
Answer: (c) Less than five sheep

8. Which country has more sheep per person than New Zealand?
Answer: (d) Australia
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The New Zealand government is not trying to help the wool industry. (Answer: False)
2. There are about 23.2 million sheep in New Zealand. (Answer: False)
3. In 1982, there were 22 sheep for every person in New Zealand. (Answer: True)
4. New Zealand has more sheep than people. (Answer: True)
5. New Zealand has about 5.7 million people. (Answer: False)
6. The wool market is doing well right now. (Answer: False)
7. Dairy farming is now more popular than sheep farming in New Zealand. (Answer: True)
8. Sheep farming was very important for New Zealand’s economy in the past. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧