Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Freethinkers Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
January 29 is Freethinkers Day in America. It is an opportunity for people to promote and appreciate free thought. This is where logic and reason are seen as more important than faith. The day is also called Thomas Paine Day. He was a great American who lived between 1737 and 1809. He spent his life speaking and writing about the importance of freedom of thought. He wrote many books that became famous. These include ‘The Age of Reason’, ‘The Rights of Man’, and ‘Common Sense’. They helped change societies across the world, particularly in 19th century America and France. His writing played a big part in the American and French revolutions. Paine was among the first to call for an end to slavery and for human rights around the world.
In the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation began celebrating Thomas Paine’s birthday. At the same time, the ‘Truthseeker’ magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on the same day. The magazine’s aim was to inform Americans of the importance of Thomas Paine in the history of their freedom and liberty. The great inventor Thomas Edison said: “I have always regarded Paine as one of the greatest of all Americans. Never have we had a sounder intelligence….It was my good fortune to encounter Thomas Paine's works in my boyhood…Paine educated me, then, about many matters of which I had never before thought….I recall thinking, at that time, ‘What a pity these works are not today the schoolbooks for all children!’”
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
an opportunity for people to promote and
a.
big part
2
reason is seen as more important
b.
the world
3.
writing about the importance of
c.
than faith
4.
change societies across
d.
an end to slavery
5.
His writing played a
e.
appreciate free thought
6.
among the first to call for
f.
freedom of thought
Paragraph 2
1.
celebrating Freethinkers Day on
a.
at that time
2
inform Americans of the importance
b.
the same day
3.
the history of their freedom
c.
children
4.
It was my good fortune to encounter
d.
of Thomas Paine
5.
I recall thinking
e.
and liberty
6.
schoolbooks for all
f.
Thomas Paine's works
LISTENING GAP FILL
January 29 is Freethinkers Day in America. It is an opportunity for __________________ appreciate free thought. This is where logic and reason are seen as more important than faith. The __________________ Thomas Paine Day. He was a great American who lived between 1737 and 1809. He spent __________________ writing about the importance of freedom of thought. He wrote ____________________ famous. These include ‘The Age of Reason’, ‘The Rights of Man’, and ‘Common Sense’. They __________________ across the world, particularly in 19th century America and France. His writing played a big part in the American and French revolutions. Paine was among the __________________ end to slavery and for human rights around the world.
In the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation began celebrating Thomas Paine’s birthday. __________________, the ‘Truthseeker’ magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on the same day. The magazine’s __________________ Americans of the importance of Thomas Paine __________________ freedom and liberty. The great inventor Thomas Edison said: “I have always regarded Paine as one of the greatest of all Americans. Never have __________________ intelligence….It __________________ to encounter Thomas Paine's works in my boyhood…Paine educated me, then, about many matters of which I had never before thought….I recall thinking, at that time, ‘What a pity these __________________ the schoolbooks for all children!’”
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
January 29 is Freethinkers Day in America. It is an opportunity for people to __________ and appreciate free thought. This is where logic and reason are seen as more important than __________. The day is also called Thomas Paine Day. He was a __________ American who lived between 1737 and 1809. He __________ his life speaking and writing about the importance of freedom of thought. He wrote many books that became __________. These include ‘The Age of Reason’, ‘The Rights of Man’, and ‘Common Sense’. They helped change __________ across the world, particularly in 19th century America and France. His writing __________ a big part in the American and French revolutions. Paine was among the first to call for an end to __________ and for human rights around the world.
societies spent slavery promote famous faith played great
In the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation __________ celebrating Thomas Paine’s birthday. At the __________ time, the ‘Truthseeker’ magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on the same day. The magazine’s __________ was to inform Americans of the importance of Thomas Paine in the history of their __________ and liberty. The great inventor Thomas Edison said: “I have always regarded Paine as one of the __________ of all Americans. Never have we had a sounder intelligence….It was my good fortune to encounter Thomas Paine's __________ in my boyhood…Paine educated me, then, about many matters of which I had never before thought….I __________ thinking, at that time, ‘What a __________ these works are not today the schoolbooks for all children!’”
greatest same recall freedom pity began works aim
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
January 29 is Freethinkers Day in America. It is an opportunity for people to promote / promotion and appreciate free thought. This is where logical / logic and reason is seen as / was more important than faith. The day is also called Thomas Paine Day. He was a great American who lived between 1737 and 1809. He spends / spent his life speaking and writing about the importance of freedom of think / thought. He wrote many books that became famous. These include ‘The Age of Reason’, ‘The Rights of Man’, and ‘Common Sense’. They helped change societies / social across the world, particularly in 19th century America and France. His writing played a big party / part in the American and French revolutions. Paine was among the first to called / call for an end to slavery and for human rights around the world.
In the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation begins / began celebrating Thomas Paine’s birthday. At the same time / timing, the ‘Truthseeker’ magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on the same day. The magazine’s aim was to information / inform Americans of the importance of Thomas Paine in the history of their freedom and liberty. The great inventor / invention Thomas Edison said: “I have always regarded Paine as one of the greatest / great of all Americans. Never have we had a sounder intelligence….It was my good / well fortune to encounter Thomas Paine's works in my boyhood…Paine educated me, then, about many matter / matters of which I had never before thought….I recall thinking, at that time, ‘What a pitiful / pity these works are not today the schoolbooks for all children!’”
MULTIPLE CHOICE
January 29 is Freethinkers Day in America. It is an (1) ____ for people to promote and appreciate free thought. This is where logic and (2) ____ is seen as more important than faith. The day is also called Thomas Paine Day. He was a (3) ____ American who lived between 1737 and 1809. He spent his life speaking and writing about the importance of freedom of (4) ____. He wrote many books that became famous. These include ‘The Age of Reason’, ‘The Rights of Man’, and ‘Common Sense’. They helped change societies across the world, particularly in 19th century America and France. His writing (5) ____ a big part in the American and French revolutions. Paine was among the first to call for an (6) ____ to slavery and for human rights around the world.
In the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation began celebrating Thomas Paine’s birthday. At the same time, (7) ____ ‘Truthseeker’ magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on the same day. The magazine’s aim was to inform Americans of the (8) ____ of Thomas Paine in the history of their freedom and liberty. The great inventor Thomas Edison said: “I have always regarded Paine as one of the (9) ____ of all Americans. Never have we had a sounder intelligence….It was my good fortune to encounter Thomas Paine's works in my (10) ____ …Paine educated me, then, about many (11) ____ of which I had never before thought….I recall thinking, at that time, ‘What a (12) ____ these works are not today the schoolbooks for all children!’”
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
opportunity
(b)
opportunities
(c)
opportune
(d)
opportunism
2.
(a)
season
(b)
treason
(c)
raisin
(d)
reason
3.
(a)
gratefully
(b)
great
(c)
greatly
(d)
gratitude
4.
(a)
think
(b)
thoughtful
(c)
thought
(d)
thinks
5.
(a)
plays
(b)
played
(c)
playful
(d)
play down
6.
(a)
end
(b)
ends
(c)
ended
(d)
endless
7.
(a)
a
(b)
the
(c)
an
(d)
no
8.
(a)
important
(b)
importantly
(c)
importance
(d)
importing
9.
(a)
greatly
(b)
greeting
(c)
grated
(d)
greatest
10.
(a)
boys
(b)
boycott
(c)
boyhood
(d)
boyish
11.
(a)
matter
(b)
mattered
(c)
mattering
(d)
matters
12.
(a)
pity
(b)
pities
(c)
pitiful
(d)
pitied
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
promote and appreciate free utthgho
2.
more important than atifh
3.
He psten his life speaking and writing
4.
books that became mfasuo
5.
They helped change eisseitco across the world
6.
call for an end to lyerasv
Paragraph 2
7.
ecgralbenit Thomas Paine’s birthday
8.
The magazine’s aim was to iromfn Americans
9.
the history of their freedom and tyierbl
10.
one of the gseterta of all Americans
11.
It was my good oftenru
12.
tresamt of which I had never before thought
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
time, the ‘Truthseeker’ magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on the same day. The magazine’s aim was to
( )
the first to call for an end to slavery and for human rights around the world.
( )
in 19th century America and France. His writing played a big part in the American and French revolutions. Paine was among
( )
had a sounder intelligence….It was my good fortune to encounter Thomas Paine's works in my boyhood…Paine
( )
inventor Thomas Edison said: “I have always regarded Paine as one of the greatest of all Americans. Never have we
( )
time, ‘What a pity these works are not today the schoolbooks for all children!’”
( )
inform Americans of the importance of Thomas Paine in the history of their freedom and liberty. The great
( 1 )
January 29 is Freethinkers Day in America. It is an opportunity for people to promote and appreciate free
( )
Thomas Paine Day. He was a great American who lived between 1737 and 1809. He spent his life speaking and writing
( )
thought. This is where logic and reason are seen as more important than faith. The day is also called
( )
In the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation began celebrating Thomas Paine’s birthday. At the same
( )
‘The Age of Reason’, ‘The Rights of Man’, and ‘Common Sense’. They helped change societies across the world, particularly
( )
educated me, then, about many matters of which I had never before thought….I recall thinking, at that
( )
about the importance of freedom of thought. He wrote many books that became famous. These include
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
thought appreciate promote free and
2.
are reason and logic important more as seen
3.
of importance the about writing thought of freedom
4.
that famous wrote books became He many
5.
slavery first for to the call end among to an
6.
Day the day Freethinkers on same celebrating
7.
was inform The aim to Americans magazine’s
8.
the of freedom liberty history their and
9.
Never we a intelligence have had sounder
10.
had I thought before never
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
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 Freethinkers Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Freethinkers 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 Freethinkers 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.
