A growing library of level-graded English lessons for classroom or self-study, with reading, listening, vocabulary, activities, and discussion practice from A1 to B2.
Lesson Info
In this lesson:
- Warm-up
- Vocab List
- Reading and Audio
- Main Idea Choose the overall message of the text.
- True or False Check understanding.
- Multiple Choice Check understanding.
- Words That Go Together Connect words and collocated phrases from the lesson.
- New Sentences Choose words to complete sentences in new contexts.
- Discussion Builder Choose connecting expressions for discussion ideas.
- Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
- Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.
Think Ahead: Why do you think Japan is changing its intelligence system?
a) To improve cooperation and respond better to security threats
b) To move more intelligence work to the United States
c) To give local governments more control over foreign policy
VOCAB LIST
Reading
Japan is creating its first centralized intelligence agency since World War II. The change is designed to improve how the government gathers and shares intelligence as Japan responds to growing security concerns in the region.
Japan says it faces threats from countries including China, Russia and North Korea. Under the current system, intelligence work is divided between different government bodies. Experts say this can make cooperation difficult and leave important information scattered between agencies. The new system aims to strengthen coordination and give intelligence a clearer role in government decisions.
The change also reflects Japan's desire to reduce its dependence on the United States. For decades, Japan has relied heavily on US intelligence support. One expert said Japan has gradually started to follow a more independent security policy and now needs to gather more intelligence for itself.
However, intelligence and surveillance are sensitive subjects in Japan. After World War II, the country adopted a pacifist constitution, and memories of wartime state surveillance created distrust of powerful security organizations. Japan has never had its own foreign intelligence service.
The new legislation has therefore raised some concerns. However, an expert stressed that it does not itself give the government significant new powers to collect intelligence or carry out counterintelligence operations. The debate is partly about how Japan can respond to modern security threats while remembering the lessons of its past.
Japan Builds New Intelligence Agency
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
Think Ahead: Why do you think Japan is changing its intelligence system?
a) To improve cooperation and respond better to security threats
b) To move more intelligence work to the United States
c) To give local governments more control over foreign policy
-
centralized intelligence agency (n.)
-
security concerns (n.)
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scattered (adj.)
-
coordination (n.)
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dependence on (n.)
-
security policy (n.)
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surveillance (n.)
-
pacifist (adj.)
-
distrust (n.)
-
legislation (n.)
-
counterintelligence (n.)
Japan is creating its first centralized intelligence agency since World War II. The change is designed to improve how the government gathers and shares intelligence as Japan responds to growing security concerns in the region.
Japan says it faces threats from countries including China, Russia and North Korea. Under the current system, intelligence work is divided between different government bodies. Experts say this can make cooperation difficult and leave important information scattered between agencies. The new system aims to strengthen coordination and give intelligence a clearer role in government decisions.
The change also reflects Japan's desire to reduce its dependence on the United States. For decades, Japan has relied heavily on US intelligence support. One expert said Japan has gradually started to follow a more independent security policy and now needs to gather more intelligence for itself.
However, intelligence and surveillance are sensitive subjects in Japan. After World War II, the country adopted a pacifist constitution, and memories of wartime state surveillance created distrust of powerful security organizations. Japan has never had its own foreign intelligence service.
The new legislation has therefore raised some concerns. However, an expert stressed that it does not itself give the government significant new powers to collect intelligence or carry out counterintelligence operations. The debate is partly about how Japan can respond to modern security threats while remembering the lessons of its past.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
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Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
Japan is creating its first centralized intelligence agency since World War II. The change is designed to improve how the government (1) and shares intelligence as Japan responds to growing security concerns in the region.
Japan says it faces threats from countries including China, Russia and North Korea. Under the current system, intelligence work is divided between different government bodies. Experts say this can make cooperation difficult and leave important information (2) between agencies. The new system aims to strengthen (3) and give intelligence a clearer role in government decisions.
The change also reflects Japan's desire to reduce its (4) on the United States. For decades, Japan has relied heavily on US intelligence support. One expert said Japan has gradually started to follow a more (5) security policy and now needs to gather more intelligence for itself.
However, intelligence and surveillance are sensitive subjects in Japan. After World War II, the country adopted a pacifist constitution, and memories of wartime state surveillance created distrust of (6) security organizations. Japan has never had its own foreign intelligence service.
The new legislation has therefore raised some concerns. However, an expert stressed that it does not itself give the government significant new powers to collect intelligence or carry out counterintelligence operations. The debate is partly about how Japan can respond to modern security (7) while remembering the lessons of its past.
Main Idea
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Main Idea
Choose one:
- Japan is strengthening its intelligence system to improve security and independence while dealing with concerns shaped by its history. Correct answer
- Japan is increasing surveillance powers mainly because its existing agencies cannot collect enough information about citizens.
- Japan is ending its intelligence relationship with the United States and replacing it with a completely independent system.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. The new system is intended to improve cooperation between agencies. TRUEFALSE True
2. Japan has mainly depended on its own intelligence rather than US support. TRUEFALSE False
3. Japan's wartime history has contributed to distrust of powerful security organizations. TRUEFALSE True
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. What weakness in Japan's current intelligence system does the story describe?
a) Information can be scattered across different agencies.Correct
b) Foreign governments decide what information Japan collects.
c) Local governments control most national security work.
2. Why does Japan want to gather more intelligence for itself?
a) It wants to stop cooperating with its allies.
b) It is following a more independent security policy.Correct
c) It plans to reduce its role in regional security.
3. Why can stronger intelligence organizations be controversial in Japan?
a) They have traditionally been controlled by local governments.
b) Past state surveillance created distrust of powerful security bodies.Correct
c) Most people believe intelligence work should be done by the military.
4. What point does the story make about the new legislation?
a) It allows broad surveillance of ordinary citizens.
b) It immediately ends Japan's reliance on US intelligence.
c) It does not itself create significant new collection powers.Correct
Words That Go Together
Drag each word to its match below, or select a word and then select its match:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Words That Go Together
Match each word with the words it goes with:
1. gatherf) intelligence
2. strengthene) coordination
3. reduced) dependence on another country
4. respond toc) security threats
5. raiseb) concerns
6. followa) a security policy
a) a security policy
b) concerns
c) security threats
d) dependence on another country
e) coordination
f) intelligence
New Sentences
Choose the best word for each new sentence.
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Better {blank} between the two departments could help them avoid doing the same work twice.
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The country wants to reduce its {blank} imported energy by producing more power at home.
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The airport uses cameras for {blank} in areas where security is especially important.
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The government introduced new {blank} to change the rules companies must follow.
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Several broken promises created growing {blank} of the organization's leaders.
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The government changed its {blank} after officials identified several new risks.
New Sentences
Use the words in the bank to complete the new sentences.
coordination / dependence on / distrust / legislation / pacifist / scattered / security policy / surveillance
- Better between the two departments could help them avoid doing the same work twice.
- The country wants to reduce its imported energy by producing more power at home.
- The airport uses cameras for in areas where security is especially important.
- The government introduced new to change the rules companies must follow.
- Several broken promises created growing of the organization's leaders.
- The government changed its after officials identified several new risks.
Discussion Builder
1) Reason 2) Contrast 3) Contrast
Q: Do you think countries should try to become more independent even when they have strong allies? Why or why not?
A:Q: Why can surveillance make people feel uncomfortable even when the government says it is necessary for security?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Sharing information is important one organization may know something another one needs.
because / although / but / so
Sharing information is important because one organization may know something another one needs.
Q: Do you think countries should try to become more independent even when they have strong allies? Why or why not?
A: Having strong allies can be useful. I think countries should still be able to make their own decisions.
However, / For example, / As a result, / In addition,
Having strong allies can be useful. However, I think countries should still be able to make their own decisions.
Q: Why can surveillance make people feel uncomfortable even when the government says it is necessary for security?
A: Surveillance may help improve security. people may worry about how much the government knows about them.
On the other hand, / For example, / As a result, / In addition,
Surveillance may help improve security. On the other hand, people may worry about how much the government knows about them.
Discussion Questions
- When you hear the words "intelligence agency," what kind of work do you imagine?
- Why might it be difficult when important information is spread across several government organizations?
- Have you ever worked or studied in a situation where people did not share information well? What happened?
- Do you think countries should try to become more independent even when they have strong allies? Why or why not?
- What kinds of information do you think governments need in order to understand possible security threats?
- Movies and TV shows often show intelligence work as exciting and dangerous. How realistic do you think that image is?
- Why can surveillance make people feel uncomfortable even when the government says it is necessary for security?
- Can events from many decades ago still influence how people feel about government institutions today? Can you think of an example?
- Which countries do you think have particularly close relationships with each other? What makes those relationships strong?
- What do you think are the biggest security threats countries face today?
Discussion Questions
- When you hear the words "intelligence agency," what kind of work do you imagine?
- Why might it be difficult when important information is spread across several government organizations?
- Have you ever worked or studied in a situation where people did not share information well? What happened?
- Do you think countries should try to become more independent even when they have strong allies? Why or why not?
- What kinds of information do you think governments need in order to understand possible security threats?
- Movies and TV shows often show intelligence work as exciting and dangerous. How realistic do you think that image is?
- Why can surveillance make people feel uncomfortable even when the government says it is necessary for security?
- Can events from many decades ago still influence how people feel about government institutions today? Can you think of an example?
- Which countries do you think have particularly close relationships with each other? What makes those relationships strong?
- What do you think are the biggest security threats countries face today?
Answers
Think Ahead: a
Listening: (1) gathers, (2) scattered, (3) coordination, (4) dependence, (5) independent, (6) powerful, (7) threats
Main Idea: Japan is strengthening its intelligence system to improve security and independence while dealing with concerns shaped by its history.
True or False:
- True. The story says the new system aims to strengthen coordination.
- False. Japan has relied heavily on US intelligence support for decades.
- True. The story links this distrust to memories of wartime state surveillance.
Multiple Choice: a, b, b, c
Vocabulary:
- gather: intelligence
- strengthen: coordination
- reduce: dependence on another country
- respond to: security threats
- raise: concerns
- follow: a security policy
New Sentences: 1. coordination; 2. dependence on; 3. surveillance; 4. legislation; 5. distrust; 6. security policy
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast. 3) Contrast.
- because
- However,
- On the other hand,