2026年中考英语一轮复习【时文阅读训练】日本选出史上首位女首相-Japan elects its first ever female prime minister

Japan elects its first ever female prime minister   (23rd October 2025) Japan has its first ever female prime minister. Her name is Sanae Takaichi. She was elected as the country's 104th prime minister on Tuesday. She won 237 votes in the lower house of Japan's Diet (parliament). Her opponent, Yoshihiko Noda, won 149 votes. Ms Takaichi takes over from former leader Shigeru Ishiba. He was in power for just one year. Takaichi is head of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). To get enough votes to win the election, she had to make an alliance with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party. She has a tough job ahead of her. Japanese people are unhappy about rising prices, job security, a falling birth rate, and how to care for the increasing number of old people. Sanae Takaichi, 64, has led an interesting life. At university, she played drums in a heavy metal rock band. She likes sport and supports the Gamba Osaka soccer team and the Hanshin Tigers baseball team. She was interested in motorcycles and had a powerful Kawasaki Z400 motorbike. In 1987, Takaichi moved to the USA and wrote books about American politics. In 1989, she worked as a TV anchor on a variety show. Women in Japan hope Takaichi's background means she will support gender equality and diversity. However, she opposes same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples. In addition, she does not agree that a woman should become emperor ahead of a man. 1. Vocabulary Matching Paragraph 1 1. elected a. Show your choice or opinion in an election.  2. vote b. A person or team you compete or fight against in a contest or election.  3. parliament c. The number of babies born in a country in a year.  4. opponent d. The building where the leaders of a country meet, talk, and make or change laws.  5. former e. Having conservative or traditional political ideas.  6. right-wing f. Chosen by people in a vote for a job or position.  7. birth rate g. Someone who had a job or position in the past. Paragraph 2 8. support h. Went to live in a new house, town or country. 9. moved i. The work and activities of the government, or the way a country is run. 10. politics j. Another word for family name. 11. hope k. When men and women are treated the same. 12. gender equality l. Want something to happen or be true. 13. diversity m. Help or agree with someone or something. 14. surname n. Having many different kinds of people, ideas, animals and flowers, etc. 【答案】 2. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if “1-8” below are true (T) or false (F). 1. Japan had 103 prime ministers before Sanae Takaichi was elected.     T / F 2. Sanae Takaichi's opponent got over 200 votes in the election.     T / F 3. The prime minister before Sanae Takaichi was leader for two years.     T / F 4. Sanae Takaichi made an alliance with a left-wing party.     T / F 5. Sanae Takaichi liked playing drums and riding motorbikes.     T / F 6. Sanae Takaichi lived in the US for a while.      T / F 7. Sanae Takaichi is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage.     T / F 8. Takaichi believes people should have separate surnames after marrying.  T / F 【答案】 3. SYNONYM MATCH: (The words in bold are from the news article.) 1. 1. elected 2. opponent 3. former 4. enough 5. tough 6. supports 7. moved 8. background 9. equality 10. couple a. past b. sufficient c. partners d. rival e. follows f. fairness g. chosen h. difficult i. relocated j. ex- 【答案】 4. READING COMPREHENSION: MULTIPLE CHOICE 1) How many votes did Sanae Takaichi win to become prime minister? a) 273 b) 237 c) 149 d) 194 2) How long was former prime minister Shigeru Ishiba in power for? a) two years b) 18 months c) six months d) one year 3) What kind of party did Sanae Takaichi make an alliance with? a) a right-wing party b) a left-wing party c) a green party d) a centre-ground party 4) What kind of job does the article say Sanae Takaichi has? a) a great one b) an interesting one c) a tough one d) a powerful one 5) What are Japanese people worried about the security of? a) the streets b) jobs c) their houses d) schools 6) What kind of life does the article say Sanae Takaichi has had? a) an interesting one b) a full one c) a successful one d) a great one 7) What two sports does Sanae Takaichi like? a) soccer and tennis b) sumo and baseball c) soccer and baseball d) tennis and sumo 8) What did Sanae Takaichi write books about? a) politics b) travel c) Japanese history d) food 9) What did Sanae Takaichi work as in 1989? a) a TV anchor b) a bullet train driver c) a banker d) a teacher 10) What do women hope Sanae Takaichi will support besides diversity? a) healthcare b) single parents c) new businesses d) gender equality keys： 5. Comprehension questions 1. How many votes did Sanae Takaichi win to become prime minister? 2. How long was former prime minister Shigeru Ishiba in power for? 3. What kind of party did Sanae Takaichi make an alliance with? 4. What kind of job does the article say Sanae Takaichi has? 5. What are Japanese people worried about the security of? 6. What kind of life does the article say Sanae Takaichi has had? 7. What two sports does Sanae Takaichi like? 8. What did Sanae Takaichi write  books about? 9. What did Sanae Takaichi work as in 1989? 10. What do women hope Sanae Takaichi will support besides diversity? 【答案】 1. 237 2. One year 3. A right-wing party 4. A tough one 5. They are rising 6. An interesting one 7. Soccer and baseball 8. Politics 9. A TV anchor 10. Gender equality 6. Put the words in the right order 1. was   He   power   in   just   for   year   one   . 2. Get   votes   enough   win   to   election   the   . 3. She   a   has   job   her   tough   of   ahead   . 4. are   people   Japanese   about   unhappy   prices   rising   . 5. Care   the   for   number   increasing   old   of   people   . 6. played   She   in   drums   heavy   a   band   metal   . 7. America   In,   wrote   she   about   books   politics   American   . 8. Women   she   hope   support   will   equality   gender   . 9. She   allowing   opposes   surnames  separate   married   for   couples  . 10. doesn't   She   that   agree   should   women   emperor   be   . keys： 1. He was in power for just one year. 2. Get enough votes to win the election. 3. She has a tough job ahead of her. 4. Japanese people are unhappy about rising prices. 5. Care for the increasing number of old people. 6. She played drums in a heavy metal band. 7. In America, she wrote books about American politics. 8. Women hope she will support gender equality. 9. She opposes allowing separate surnames for married couples. 10. She doesn't agree that women should be emperor. Role play Role  A – Food Prices You think the price of food is the most important issue in your country today. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their issues aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): job security, crime or gender equality.  Role  B – Job Security You think job security is the most important issue in your country today. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their issues aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the price of food, crime or gender equality.  Role  C – Crime You think crime is the most important issue in your country today. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their issues aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): job security, the price of food or gender equality.  Role  D – Gender Equality You think gender equality is the most important issue in your country today. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their issues aren't as serious. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): job security, crime or the price of food. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $