Japan's PM Takaichi Makes Funny Slip-Up in Parliament
Listen to the story
Sanae Takaichi is the prime minister of Japan. She made a small mistake in parliament.
She was talking about a man named Minister Koizumi. He is a government minister.
Takaichi said "Prime Minister Koizumi" by mistake. She meant to say "Minister Koizumi".
Everyone in the room started to laugh. Takaichi laughed too and said "Ahahaha!"
Then she corrected her words. She said the word again, correctly this time.
Takaichi made a joke about her own mistake. She said "It's too early for him to be prime minister".
This means Koizumi is not the prime minister yet. He is only a minister now.
People in the news called this a funny moment. It made the whole parliament laugh.
Vocabulary15 words
- prime minister
- the top leader of a government
- parliament
- a place where government leaders meet and talk
- minister
- an important person who helps lead part of the government
- laugh
- to make a sound when something is funny
- mistake
- something wrong you did not mean to do
- correct
- to fix something wrong
- joke
- something funny you say
- government
- the group of people who run a country
- session
- a meeting that happens for a set time
- room
- a space inside a building
- leader
- a person who guides a group
- news
- information about recent events
- moment
- a short time
- funny
- something that makes people laugh
- words
- the things a person says
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Quiz
Answer key
1. She called Koizumi 'Prime Minister' 2. They laughed 3. It is too early
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Sanae Takaichi is the _____ of Japan. She made a small mistake in _____.
She was talking about a man named Minister Koizumi. He is a government _____.
Takaichi said "Prime Minister Koizumi" by _____. She meant to say "Minister Koizumi".
Everyone in the room started to _____. Takaichi laughed too and said "Ahahaha!"
Then she _____ her words. She said the word again, correctly this time.
Takaichi made a _____ about her own mistake. She said "It's too early for him to be prime minister".
This means Koizumi is not the prime minister yet. He is only a _____ now.
People in the news called this a funny _____. It made the whole parliament laugh.
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