Topical News Lessons

parts of the country. Coastal cities such as
Hakodate have always been the main
market for whale meat. But many older
Japanese living in the big cities also have
good memories of whale meat. Just after
the Second World War, there wasn’t much
food and people were dying of hunger in
cities like Tokyo. Whale meat kept many
people alive.
Hakodate fish merchants know that people
in some parts of the world do not agree
with the killing of whales but they do not
understand it when anti-whaling
campaigners protest against the killing of
whales and the sale of whale meat. When
Lucky Pierrot decided to sell
whaleburgers, the restaurant's management
received hundreds of angry letters and
emails. "We're not the only ones selling
whalemeat. You can buy whale meat at
many places in Japan," said Miku Oh, a
spokesman for Lucky Pierrot. Most
Japanese are against a ban on whaling.
According to one survey, only 22.6% were
in favour of a complete whaling ban, while
39% were against a ban.
However, not everyone likes the taste of
whale meat. Most young people in Japan
eat fast food and do not like whale meat.
"Most of my friends prefer other forms of
seafood, like salmon and crab, to whale,"
said Jun Matsuda, a college student from
Tokyo who was visiting with his friends.
"Whale meat is what my parents ate when
they were young, and they said it wasn't
very good. I've haven’t seen a
whaleburger, but I don't think I want to try
one."
The Guardian Weekly 22/7/2005, page 17 

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©
Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2005

Taken from the
Magazine
section in
www.onestopenglish.com
Match the beginnings and the endings of the sentences: 
1. The writer didn’t like his whaleburger because …
2. The writer liked the whale sushi because …
3. Many older Japanese have good memories of whalemeat because …
4. Most younger Japanese do not like whale meat and …
5. Coastal cities like Hakodate …
6. Not many Japanese people …
a. … have always been the main market for whale meat.
b. … it kept people alive after the Second World War.
c. … are in favour of a ban on whaling.
d. … it was black and tough.
e. … prefer other forms of seafood.
f. … it was tender, juicy and tasty.