The Reading / Listening - Level 2

There is a doctor's job in the small New Zealand town of Tokoroa that no one wants. The job pays US$265,000 a year. There is no night work, no weekend work, and house prices in the area are low. The job is for just four days a week and has 12 weeks' annual holiday. The town's current doctor Alan Kenny is leaving. He has been looking for a replacement for two years but has had no success. Four medical companies also failed to find a replacement. Dr Kenny thinks the reason is because the job is in the countryside and everyone wants to live and work in the city.

It is not only New Zealand that has problems getting doctors to live in rural areas. It is a problem in other countries too. Last year, Dr Kenny cancelled a family holiday because he could not find a doctor to replace him. Dr Kenny has been a doctor in Tokoroa for 30 years. He said he wouldn't swap his lifestyle for city life. He is 61 and wants to retire. He needs to give his patients to a younger doctor. He told a newspaper that his job keeps him busy and that he loves his work. He said: "I would like to stay but I hit my head against a brick wall trying to attract doctors."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11593835
  • http://news.sky.com/story/1647162/the-190000-a-year-job-that-nobody-wants
  • http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/news/2016/february-2016/23/a-tale-of-two-practices-struggle-to-find-gp-story-of-changing-models.aspx


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

The job pays

a.

work in the city

2.

house prices in the area

b.

US$265,000 a year

3.

12 weeks' annual

c.

for two years

4.

He has been looking for a replacement

d.

the countryside

5.

Four medical

e.

are low

6.

find a

f.

companies

7.

the job is in

g.

holiday

8.

everyone wants to live and

h.

replacement



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

getting doctors to live in rural

a.

a brick wall

2.

Kenny cancelled a family

b.

wants to retire

3.

He said he wouldn't swap his lifestyle

c.

doctors

4.

He is 61 and

d.

areas

5.

He needs to give his patients

e.

him busy

6.

his job keeps

f.

for city life

7.

I hit my head against

g.

to a younger doctor

8.

trying to attract

h.

holiday

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

There is a doctor's (1) ___________________ New Zealand town of Tokoroa that no one wants. The job pays US$265,000 a year. There (2) ___________________, no weekend work, and house prices in the area are low. The job (3) ___________________ days a week and has 12 weeks' annual holiday. The town's current doctor Alan Kenny is leaving. He (4) ___________________ for a replacement for two years but has (5) ___________________. Four medical companies also failed to find a replacement. Dr Kenny thinks the reason (6) ___________________ job is in the countryside and everyone wants to live and work in the city.

It is not only New Zealand (7) ___________________ getting doctors to live (8) ___________________. It is a problem in other countries too. Last year, Dr Kenny cancelled a family holiday because he could not find a doctor (9) ___________________. Dr Kenny has been a doctor in Tokoroa for 30 years. He said he wouldn't (10) ___________________ for city life. He is 61 and wants to retire. He needs to give his patients to a younger doctor. He told a newspaper (11) ___________________ him busy and that he loves his work. He said: "I would like to stay but I hit my head against a brick wall (12) ___________________ doctors."

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Thereisadoctor'sjobinthesmallNewZealandtownofTokoroathatnoon
ewants.ThejobpaysUS$265,000ayear.Thereisnonightwork,noweek
endwork,andhousepricesintheareaarelow.Thejobisforjustfourdaysa
weekandhas12weeks'annualholiday.Thetown'scurrentdoctorAlanK
ennyisleaving.Hehasbeenlookingforareplacementfortwoyearsbutha
shadnosuccess.Fourmedicalcompaniesalsofailedtofindareplacemen
t.DrKennythinksthereasonisbecausethejobisinthecountrysideandev
eryonewantstoliveandworkinthecity.ItisnotonlyNewZealandthatha
sproblemsgettingdoctorstoliveinruralareas.Itisaprobleminothercou
ntriestoo.Lastyear,DrKennycancelledafamilyholidaybecausehecoul
dnotfindadoctortoreplacehim.DrKennyhasbeenadoctorinTokoroafo
r30years.Hesaidhewouldn'tswaphislifestyleforcitylife.Heis61andwa
ntstoretire.Heneedstogivehispatientstoayoungerdoctor.Hetoldane
wspaperthathisjobkeepshimbusyandthatheloveshiswork.Hesaid:"I
wouldliketostaybutIhitmyheadagainstabrickwalltryingtoattractdoct
ors."

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about doctors for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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