Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Clean Off Your Desk Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Are you a messy or tidy person? Is your desk a mountain of books and paper or is it a dust-free zone? January 14th, Clean Off Your Desk Day, is for you if your desk looks like a bomb has hit it. This is also a day for you to clean your computer desktop too. Most of us have a lot of clutter on our desktops and most of it needs to be filed away somewhere. Clean Off Your Desk Day is a good way of starting the year as you mean to go on. A tidy desk means you are organized. You won’t have to spend hours looking for things under piles of paper. Your stapler and hole punch will be close at hand. You’ll have somewhere safe to put your coffee mug; a place where it isn’t in danger of tipping over and making your documents a soggy brown mess.
Why do some people have such messy desks? Is it a sign of a creative mind, an overworked person, or simply laziness? It may be a clue to your childhood. If your parents were organized and tidy, you are more likely to be too. If you took pride in tidying your room as a child, you will do the same with your desk as an adult. For many people, a tidy desk makes them feel good. They can sit down and get to work straight away. A well-organized computer desktop is the same. The person can navigate his or her way very quickly to any document they want. It only takes two minutes at the end of the day to tidy up and put things in the right place. Make use of your wastepaper basket (that’s trash can for Americans). Do that, and life will be more simple.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
a messy or
a.
on our desktops
2
your desk looks like a bomb
b.
of tipping over
3.
Most of us have a lot of clutter
c.
to go on
4.
starting the year as you mean
d.
tidy person
5.
spend hours
e.
has hit it
6.
a place where it isn’t in danger
f.
looking for things
Paragraph 2
1.
a sign of a
a.
your childhood
2
It may be a clue to
b.
work straight away
3.
you took pride in tidying your room
c.
creative mind
4.
sit down and get to
d.
the right place
5.
It only takes two minutes
e.
as a child
6.
put things in
f.
at the end of the day
LISTENING GAP FILL
Are you ________________ person? Is your desk a mountain of books and paper or is it a dust-free zone? January 14th, Clean Off Your Desk Day, ________________ desk looks like a bomb has hit it. This is also a day for you to clean your computer desktop too. Most of us have a ________________ our desktops and most of it needs to be filed away somewhere. Clean Off Your Desk Day is a good way of starting the year as ________________ on. A tidy desk means you are organized. You won’t have ________________ looking for things under piles of paper. Your stapler and hole punch will ________________. You’ll have somewhere safe to put your coffee mug; a place where it isn’t in danger of tipping over and making your documents a soggy brown mess.
Why do some people ________________ desks? Is it a sign of a creative mind, an overworked person, or simply laziness? It may be ________________ childhood. If your parents were organized and tidy, you are more ________________. If you took pride in tidying your room as a child, you will do the same with your desk as an adult. For many people, a tidy desk makes ________________. They can sit down and get to work straight away. A well-organized computer desktop is the same. The person can navigate his or her way very quickly to any document they want. It only takes two minutes ___________________ to tidy up and put things ________________. Make use of your wastepaper basket (that’s trash can for Americans). Do that, and life will be more simple.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Are you a __________ or tidy person? Is your desk a mountain of books and paper or is it a dust-free __________? January 14th, Clean Off Your Desk Day, is for you if your desk looks like a bomb has __________ it. This is also a day for you to clean your computer desktop too. Most of us have a lot of __________ on our desktops and most of it needs to be __________ away somewhere. Clean Off Your Desk Day is a good way of starting the year as you __________ to go on. A tidy desk means you are organized. You won’t have to spend hours looking for things under piles of paper. Your stapler and hole punch will be __________ at hand. You’ll have somewhere safe to put your coffee mug; a place where it isn’t in danger of __________ over and making your documents a soggy brown mess.
mean hit clutter close messy tipping filed zone
Why do some people have __________ messy desks? Is it a sign of a creative mind, an overworked person, or simply __________? It may be a clue to your childhood. If your parents were organized and tidy, you are more __________ to be too. If you took __________ in tidying your room as a child, you will do the same with your desk as an adult. For many people, a tidy desk makes them feel good. They can sit down and get to work __________ away. A well-organized computer desktop is the same. The person can __________ his or her way very quickly to any document they want. It only takes two minutes at the __________ of the day to tidy up and put things in the right __________. Make use of your wastepaper basket (that’s trash can for Americans). Do that, and life will be more simple.
end pride place such straight navigate laziness likely
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Are you a messy / messed up or tidy person? Is your desk a mountain of books and paper or is it a dust-free / free dust zone? January 14th, Clean Off Your Desk Day, is for you if your desk looks like a bomb is / has hit it. This is also a day for you to clean your computer desktop too. Most of us have a lot / lots of clutter on our desktops and most of it needs to be filled / filed away somewhere. Clean Off Your Desk Day is a good way of starting the year as you mean to go / goes on. A tidy desk means you are organized. You won’t have to spend hours looking for things under piles of paper. Your stapler and hole punch will be close at palm / hand. You’ll have somewhere safe to put your coffee mug; a place where it isn’t in danger of tipping under / over and making your documents a soggy brown mess.
Why do some people have such / so messy desks? Is it a sign of a creative mind, an overworked person, or simply lazily / laziness? It may be a clue / due to your childhood. If your parents were organized and tidy, you are more likely to be too. If you took proud / pride in tidying your room as a child, you will do the same with your desk as an adult. For many people, a tidy desk makes / make them feel good. They can sit down and get to work straight away / on. A well-organized computer desktop is the same. The person can navigate his or her way very quickly to any document they want. It only takes two minutes at the end of the day / daily to tidy up and put things in the right place. Make use of your wastepaper basket (that’s trash can for Americans). Do that, and life will be more simpler / simple.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Are you a (1) ____ or tidy person? Is your desk a mountain of books and paper or is it a dust-(2) ____ zone? January 14th, Clean Off Your Desk Day, is for you if your desk looks like a bomb has hit it. This is also a day for you to clean your computer desktop too. Most of us have a lot of clutter on our desktops and most of it needs to be (3) ____ away somewhere. Clean Off Your Desk Day is a good way of starting the year as you (4) ____ to go on. A tidy desk means you are organized. You won’t have to spend hours looking for things under (5) ____ of paper. Your stapler and hole punch will be close at hand. You’ll have somewhere safe to put your coffee mug; a place where it isn’t in danger of tipping over and making your documents a soggy brown (6) ____.
Why do some people have such messy desks? Is it a sign of a (7) ____ mind, an overworked person, or simply laziness? It may be a (8) ____ to your childhood. If your parents were organized and tidy, you are more likely to be too. If you took pride in tidying your room (9) ____ a child, you will do the same with your desk as an adult. For many people, a tidy desk makes them feel good. They can sit down and get to work straight (10) ____. A well-organized computer desktop is the same. The person can navigate his or her way very quickly to any document they want. It only takes two minutes at the end of the day to tidy (11) ____ and put things in the right place. Make (12) ____ of your wastepaper basket (that’s trash can for Americans). Do that, and life will be more simple.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
messy
(b)
mess
(c)
messed up
(d)
messes
2.
(a)
freedom
(b)
free
(c)
freely
(d)
freeze
3.
(a)
filing
(b)
filled
(c)
files
(d)
filed
4.
(a)
meanie
(b)
meant
(c)
mean
(d)
means
5.
(a)
pile
(b)
piles
(c)
piled
(d)
pile up
6.
(a)
messy
(b)
messed up
(c)
messes
(d)
mess
7.
(a)
creativity
(b)
creatively
(c)
creative
(d)
creation
8.
(a)
clueless
(b)
clue
(c)
clued up
(d)
clues
9.
(a)
as
(b)
has
(c)
was
(d)
as is
10.
(a)
up
(b)
in
(c)
away
(d)
on
11.
(a)
up
(b)
down
(c)
around
(d)
in
12.
(a)
useful
(b)
using
(c)
used
(d)
use
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
Are you a seysm or tidy person?
2.
if your desk looks like a bmob has hit it
3.
most of it needs to be fdile away somewhere
4.
A tidy desk means you are rzdieagon
5.
Your esprlat and hole punch
6.
making your documents a gsoyg brown mess
Paragraph 2
7.
a sign of a tavireec mind
8.
It may be a ecul to your childhood
9.
you took rdiep in tidying your room as a child
10.
computer edkotps
11.
any mdcnuteo they want
12.
put things in the right lcape
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
zone? January 14th, Clean Off Your Desk Day, is for you if your desk looks like a bomb has hit it. This is also a day for
( )
danger of tipping over and making your documents a soggy brown mess.
( )
organized computer desktop is the same. The person can navigate his or her way very quickly to any
( )
too. If you took pride in tidying your room as a child, you will do the same with your desk as an adult. For many
( )
Why do some people have such messy desks? Is it a sign of a creative mind, an overworked person, or simply
( )
away somewhere. Clean Off Your Desk Day is a good way of starting the year as you mean to go on. A tidy
( 1 )
Are you a messy or tidy person? Is your desk a mountain of books and paper or is it a dust-free
( )
place. Make use of your wastepaper basket (that’s trash can for Americans). Do that, and life will be more simple.
( )
you to clean your computer desktop too. Most of us have a lot of clutter on our desktops and most of it needs to be filed
( )
people, a tidy desk makes them feel good. They can sit down and get to work straight away. A well-
( )
laziness? It may be a clue to your childhood. If your parents were organized and tidy, you are more likely to be
( )
document they want. It only takes two minutes at the end of the day to tidy up and put things in the right
( )
hole punch will be close at hand. You’ll have somewhere safe to put your coffee mug; a place where it isn’t in
( )
desk means you are organized. You won’t have to spend hours looking for things under piles of paper. Your stapler and
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
person tidy or messy a you Are ?
2.
looks hit like it a your bomb desk has
3.
of us have a lot of clutter on our desktops Most
4.
starting mean the to year go as on you
5.
tipping of danger in over
6.
have Why such do messy some desks people ?
7.
childhood your to clue a be may It
8.
down to away sit get straight can and work They
9.
at the end of the day It only takes two minutes
10.
use Make basket wastepaper your of
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
Write five questions about Clean Off Your Desk Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.
Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.
STUDENT 1
_____________
STUDENT 2
_____________
STUDENT 3
_____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.
Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.
WRITING
Write about Clean Off Your Desk Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Clean Off Your Desk Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Clean Off Your Desk Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Clean Off Your Desk Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
