Table of Contents
North Korea will stop sending balloons with trash in them to South Korea.
North Korea sent 15 tons of trash to South Korea in balloons. They sent the balloons because South Korea sent many balloons with messages that North Korea did not like.
North Korea says it will stop sending balloons because South Korea now understands that the balloons are not nice. It’s a lot of work to clean up the trash from the balloons.
The first balloons from North Korea had used toilet paper in them.
South Korea is not happy. They might start to use loudspeakers again to send messages into North Korea.
The last time South Korea used the loudspeakers was in 2018. North Korea and South Korea were more friendly then.
North Korea and South Korea separated in 1953.
Vocabulary
- Balloon – 🎈;
- Trash – garbage; waste; something you don’t want or need anymore and can’t be used
- Leader – someone who is in charge of a group, organization or country; a boss or manager; a person who guides, directs, or commands a group
- Military – armed forces; army; agency or department of a government for combat/war
- Metric ton – 1,000 kilograms (kg)
- Reaction – How someone feels or acts in response to something; behavior, a feeling or an action that is a direct result of something else
- Mention – to briefly or quickly talk about something; to say something, but not talk in detail about it
- Official – a person who works for the government or a government company and has power or authority; officer; executive
- Take steps – To start doing something to solve a problem
- Loudspeaker – A device/machine that makes sounds louder; 🔊
- Border – the line that separates two countries; the line where two countries meet; the edge or outside part of an area
- Make an agreement – To decide on something together; to agree
- Agreement – an understanding; a plan or contract made between two or more people/groups
- Dangerous – Not safe; can cause harm; can hurt
- Round – A part or stage of an activity; Another time of doing something
- Used – has already been used before; not new;
- Toilet paper – Soft paper used for cleaning oneself after using the toilet; 🧻
- Among – In the middle of; included in a group
- Capital – the most important city or town of a country or region, usually the location of the government
- Peace – When there is no war or fighting; When everyone is happy
- Even though – although; despite the fact that; a phrase used to show a contrast or contradiction between two things;
- Allow – permit; let; to give permission; OK
- Get in trouble – When you do something wrong and someone, like a teacher, parent or boss talks to you about it and/or punishes you
- Catch – To discover/find someone doing something wrong
- Foreign – from another country; something from outside of your country; belonging or connected to a country that is not your own
- Goods – Things that people make or grow to sell; merchandise; products;
- Relationship – The way two people or things are connected to each other; connection; the way in which two or more people feel and behave towards each other
- Improve – to make something better
- Strict – severe; harsh; no flexibility; exact; strong
- Pop culture – The popular entertainment and trends of a particular time;
- Suddenly – quickly and without warning; at once; unexpectedly
Discussion Questions
- How do you feel about North Korea’s action of sending trash in balloons to South Korea?
- What is the best way for South Korea to respond to North Korea’s balloons?
- Do you think using loudspeakers to send messages into North Korea is a good idea? Why or why not?
- Do you think the balloons are scary or dangerous? Why or why not?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
North Korea will _____ sending balloons with trash in them to South Korea.
North Korea _____ 15 tons of trash to South Korea in balloons. They sent the balloons _____ South Korea sent many balloons with messages that North Korea _____ not like.
North Korea says it will stop sending _____ because South Korea now understands that the balloons are not nice. It’s a _____ of work to clean up the trash from the balloons.
The _____ balloons from North Korea had used toilet paper in _____.
South Korea is not happy. They _____ start to use loudspeakers again to send messages into North Korea.
The _____ time South Korea used the loudspeakers was in 2018. North Korea and South Korea were _____friendly then.
North Korea and South Korea separated in _____.
