If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the News story.
Use the vocabulary list to check the meanings of some words before you listen.
Vocabulary
celebration – (noun) an occasion when you celebrate something/ show that something is special
celebrate – (verb) to show that something is special
ban – to say that something must not be done
reclaim – to get something back that you have lost or that has been taken away from you
flourish – to develop well and be successful
bilingual – written or spoken in two languages
parade – a public celebration when groups walk or ride on decorated vehicles along a street, dancing or playing music
aspiration – a strong desire to have or achieve something
petition – a written request signed by a lot of people, asking the government to do or change something
anniversary – a date on which something special or important happened
pay equity – when women and men are paid the same for work that is different but that has the same or a similar level of skill, responsibility, and effort
Try these activities while listening
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- What is the aim of Māori Language Week? Why?
- When was the first Māori Language Week?
- What is this year’s focus?
- How many official bilingual towns are there?
- Where can you find out what events are happening near you?
- When is Suffrage Day?
- What does Suffrage Day mark?
- What did Kate Sheppard do?
- What is happening on Thursday in Wellington?
News story
This week there are two special events in New Zealand: Māori Language Week and Suffrage Day.
Māori Language Week is called Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. It is celebrated every year to encourage people to learn and speak more Māori. This is because the use of te reo Māori was discouraged or banned for most of the 20th century. As a result, there was a significant decline in the number of Māori speakers. In the 1970s, there was a growing movement among Māori to reclaim their language and culture. At first there was Māori Language Day, but since 1975 New Zealand has marked Māori Language Week.
Under the theme Ake Ake Ake – A forever language, this year’s focus is Te Reo Towns. This is to celebrate the communities who have kept te reo Māori alive and to invite everyone to help it flourish into the future. For example, there are four official bilingual towns, Kerikeri, Ōtaki, Rotorua and Te Wairoa, where te reo Māori is part of everyday life. Every city and town is encouraged to hold events and activities, such as running a parade or putting up bilingual signs. Each day of the week has a theme for different parts of daily life. Monday is te reo in public spaces, Tuesday at home, Wednesday at work, Thursday in the community, Friday in the arts, Saturday in fitness and wellness, and Sunday future aspirations. Look at your local library or community centre to find out what’s happening near you. Suffrage Day is Saturday 19 September. On this date in 1893, women in New Zealand were given the right to vote in general elections. This was the result of a lot of hard work by many women, led by Kate Sheppard, who organised a petition to Parliament. This year is the 133rd anniversary of the Women’s Suffrage Petition, and there are several events to celebrate it. On Thursday in Wellington, 133 women will march to Parliament to call on all political parties to commit to pay equity for women this election year. On Friday morning there is a talk at the National Library in Wellington, and on Saturday there is a gathering at the Kate Sheppard Memorial in Christchurch and an event in Alberton in Auckland. See this link for more details.
If you want to learn more about these celebrations, listen to 50th anniversary of Māori Language Week and Women’s Suffrage Day.
Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer.
a. What is the aim of Māori Language Week? Why?
To encourage people to learn and speak more Māori because the use of te reo Māori was discouraged or banned for most of the 20th century; there was a significant decline in the number of Māori speakers
b. When was the first Māori Language Week?
1975
c. What is this year’s focus?
Te Reo Towns. This is to celebrate the communities who have kept te reo Māori alive and to invite everyone to help it flourish into the future
d. How many official bilingual towns are there?
Four
e. Where can you find out what events are happening near you?
At your local library or community centre
f. When is Suffrage Day?
Saturday 19 September
g. What does Suffrage Day mark?
On this date in 1893, women in New Zealand were given the right to vote in general elections
h. What did Kate Sheppard do?
She organised a petition to Parliament
i. What is happening on Thursday in Wellington?
133 women will march to Parliament to call on all political parties to commit to pay equity for women this election year.