Taiwanese couple have

world’s longest marriage

A Taiwanese man and woman married

for 85 years have been certified by
the Guinness Book of Records as the
world’s longest married couple.

The couple have officially out-done

the former record holders – an
American couple married for 83 years.

Liu Yung-yang (Mr. Liu).103, and his wife Yang Wan (Mrs. Liu), 102, held hands
as they received the certificate at their tome in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan on
Monday.

They got married in April 1917, two years earlier than the American couple –
William and Claudia Lillian Ritchie of Lexington, Kentucky.

About 40 of the couple’s 110 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren

gathered at their home on Monday as they were given the certificate.

Arranged marriage

Mr. Liu wore a new brown suit and sang folk songs to celebrate. His wife sat
beside him in a wheelchair, wearing a blue satin gown. Mr. Liu has difficulty
hearing but is otherwise in good health, relatives said. He worked on the family
farm until 20 years ago, said a granddaughter-in-law, Ying-ju.

But Yang Wan has lost her eyesight and suffers from lethargy and osteoporosis.
The Couple got married in their late teens, but have been part of each other’s
lives for even longer.

Following an old custom among poor Taiwanese families, Yang Wan was sent to
live with her future husband’s family at the age of five, to take care of him and
do household chores, relatives said.

iSLCollective.com
 1. Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text.

1. A person whose legs don’t work uses a _____________.

2. A ____________ is a piece of paper to show you have completed a course
successfully.
3. If something is done by people in authority (e.g. The Police), it is _______.
4. If someone is _________, it means they don’t have much money.
5. If someone gives you something, you __________ it.
6. _________ is another word for tradition.
7. If you ____________, it means you do something fun to show that an
occasion is special (e.g. a birthday).
8. _______________ can be used to describe two people who are married or
involved in a romantic relationship with each other.
9. If you do everyday work around the house, it is known as _____ _______ .
10. ____________ are people who are in your family.

2. Look at the text and find the information as quickly as possible.

1. How long have the couple been married?
2. How old is Yang Wan?
3. How long were the American couple married for?
4. When did they get married?
5. Which day were they given the certificate?
6. Which town were the American couple from?
7. What was the colour of Mr Liu’s suit?
8. When did Mr Liu stop working on the farm?
9. How old was Yang Wan when she went to work on the farm?
10. Who gave the Taiwanese couple the certificate?

iSLCollective.com
 3. Find the word in the text, then write the following word next to it.
Example: Custom among
1. Longest _______
2. Poor _______
3. Future _______
4. Sang _______
5. Held _______
6. Officially _______
7. Difficulty _______
8. Late _______
9. Household _______
10. Satin _______

4. According to the text are these statements true (T) or false (F)?
Mr & Mrs Liu are Taiwan’s longest married couple.
Yang Wan is older than her husband.
The Taiwanese couple married when they were teenagers.
The couple celebrated by singing.
Yang Wan was standing next to her husband.

5. Discussion:
Do you know someone who’s been married for a long time?
Do you think marriage is a good idea? Why?/Why not?

iSLCollective.com
Answers:

1.

1. wheelchair, 2. certificate, 3. official, 4. poor, 5. receive, 6.custom,

7. celebrate, 8. couple, 9. chores, 10. relatives

2.

1. 85 years, 2. 102 years old, 3. 83 years, 4. April 1917, 5.Monday, 6. Lexington,

Kentucky, 7. Brown, 8. 20 years ago, 9. 5 years old, 10. The Guinness Book of
Records

3.

1. Longest married, 2. Poor Taiwanese, 3. Future husband’s, 4. Sang folk, 5. Held

hands, 6. Officially out-done, 7. Difficulty hearing, 8. Late teens, 9. Household
chores, 10. Satin gown

4.

1. F – The world’s longest married couple. 2. F – She is 1 year younger. 3. T, 4. T,

5. F – She was sitting in a wheelchair.

iSLCollective.com