Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): Japan’s bear spray shortage sparks panic
The story on this page has some tougher vocabulary words and questions to improve your understanding and English grammar.
Japan faces a shortage of bear spray as attacks rise, sparking safety concerns. Photo: Shutterstock Content provided by British Council
[1] Japan is facing a shortage of bear spray as more residents use it for self-defence amid rising deaths and injuries from animal attacks. This has prompted a warning over using cheap alternatives to avoid long wait times. The repellent, which is mostly imported, has a maximum shelf life of about four years.
[2] An employee at a shop selling camping gear in Sapporo in Hokkaido prefecture said 300 canisters of a US-made brand flew off the shelves within two months of being delivered. “It may not be accessible until spring [2025] because so many customers are clamouring for bear spray,” Juri Nakao said. Nakao said there was not much demand for the product a few years ago, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find. “Everywhere in Japan is in the same situation, not just Hokkaido,” she added.
[3] Japan has seen an increase in bear encounters in recent years. According to the environment ministry, 219 people were killed or seriously injured in bear attacks in the financial year that ended on March 31. Asahi newspaper reported that the supply squeeze also led to many choosing regular pepper spray. Retailers say it is largely ineffective in fending off a charging bear.
[4] “A spray to be used against people is quite different from a bear spray in terms of the amount of liquid to be released, the jet force and spraying style,” said Makoto Nara, a Sapporo-based dealer. “The difference in the power to repel the animal would be like a passenger car versus a tractor.”
[5] The Hokkaido government approved a large-scale bear hunt last year to fight the threat. Public broadcaster NHK aired announcements on how to deal with bears for anyone on foot, bike or in a car. Last month, three Asian black bears confronted a woman carrying her sleeping baby while running errands in Otsuchi, Iwate prefecture.
[6] Ayuka Saito, a former member of the military, said she kicked one of the animals in the stomach and fled. Saito said the bears kept chasing her but later went into the woods. “I knew bears sometimes show up here, watching children wearing bear-deterrent bells,” she said. “But I didn’t expect it would happen. I should bring a bear bell, too.”
Source: South China Morning Post, September 14
Questions
1. According to paragraph 1, people in Japan are using bear sprays to ...
A. get rid of insects.
B. hunt animals.
C. protect themselves.
D. none of the above
2. Find a word in paragraph 3 that means “does not work”.
__________________________________________________
3. Based on your understanding of paragraph 4, a bear spray is ... a pepper spray.
A. very similar to
B. less expensive than
C. just as useful as
D. more powerful than
4. In paragraph 5, how did the Hokkaido government respond to the bear threat?
__________________________________________________
5. What did Saito do when the bears approached her, according to paragraph 6?
__________________________________________________
6. Rewrite these sentences as one sentence, using the connecting word “because” or “and”. (3 marks)
(i) There is a shortage of bear spray in Japan. Many people are buying it.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
(ii) Bear repellent is mostly imported. It has a maximum shelf life of four years. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
(iii) NHK aired announcements on how to deal with bears. They want to help people stay safe.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Answers
1. C
2. ineffective
3. D
4. It approved a large-scale bear hunt last year.
5. She kicked one of them in the stomach and fled.
6. (i) There is a shortage of bear spray in Japan because many people are buying it. (ii) Bear repellent is mostly imported, and it has a maximum shelf life of four years. (iii) NHK aired announcements on how to deal with bears because they want to help people stay safe.