English Lesson on New Year's Day

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THE LESSON ON NEW YEAR'S DAY

Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on New Year's Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:


READ

New Year’s Day is, of course, the first day of the year. It is a national holiday in most countries around the world. It is a time when families get together and celebrate with a meal. Many people make new plans for the rest of the year. These plans are called New Year resolutions. People decide to lose weight, get fit, stop smoking, study English every day or save lots of money. I think most people are serious about these plans on January 1st, but then forget about them before the end of the week. Then one year later, it’s New Year’s Day all over again and people make the same resolutions again. I guess people all around the world make the same kinds of plans. I guess they also break their resolutions at the same time.

One thing I like about New Year’s Day are the TV programmes that look back at the previous year. They are like highlights shows of the news. These always remind me how lucky I am because a lot of the news is about wars, famines, natural disasters, plane crashes and other terrible things. The shows also look back at the lives of people who died that year. Hmmm… That all sounds a bit depressing really. But then there are happier things, like the top sports and music stories. Another thing that happens on New Year’s Day is lists. The top ten movies of the year, the ten best sporting achievements of the year, etc. There is even a list for the top ten new English words of the year. Previous winners of this are the words ‘blog’ and ‘podcast’.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

It is a national holiday

a.

called New Year resolutions

2

It is a time when families get

b.

resolutions again

3.

These plans are

c.

together and celebrate

4.

forget about them before

d.

at the same time

5.

people make the same

e.

the end of the week

6.

they also break their resolutions

f.

in most countries

Paragraph 2

1.

TV programmes that look

a.

a bit depressing

2

These always remind me how

b.

movies of the year

3.

…natural disasters, plane crashes and

c.

lucky I am

4.

That all sounds

d.

back at the previous year

5.

The top ten

e.

ten new English words

6.

a list for the top

f.

other terrible things

LISTENING GAP FILL

New Year’s Day __________________ first day of the year. It is a national holiday in most countries around the world. It is a time when families __________________ celebrate with a meal. Many people make new plans for the rest of the year. These plans are called New Year resolutions. People decide __________________ fit, stop smoking, study English every day or save lots of money. I think most people are __________________ plans on January 1st, but then forget about them before the end of the week. Then one year later, it’s New Year’s Day __________________ people make the same resolutions again. I guess people all around the world make the same kinds of plans. I guess __________________ resolutions at the same time.

One __________________ New Year’s Day are the TV programmes that look back at the previous year. They are like highlights shows of the news. These always __________________ lucky I am because a lot of the news is about wars, famines, natural disasters, plane crashes and __________________. The shows also look back at the lives of people who died that year. Hmmm… That __________________ depressing really. But then there are happier things, like the top sports and music stories. Another thing that happens on New Year’s Day is lists. The __________________ the year, the ten best sporting achievements of the year, etc. There is even a list for the top ten new English words of the year. Previous __________________ the words ‘blog’ and ‘podcast’.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

New Year’s Day is, of __________, the first day of the year. It is a national holiday in most countries around the world. It is a time when families get __________ and celebrate with a meal. Many people make new plans for the __________ of the year. These plans are called New Year resolutions. People decide to __________ weight, get fit, stop smoking, study English every day or save __________ of money. I think most people are serious about these plans on January 1st, but then forget about them before the __________ of the week. Then one year later, it’s New Year’s Day all __________ again and people make the same resolutions again. I guess people all around the world make the same kinds of plans. I guess they also __________ their resolutions at the same time.

 

 

 

lots
rest
over
end
lose
course
break
together

One thing I like about New Year’s Day are the TV programmes that look __________ at the previous year. They are like highlights __________ of the news. These always remind me how lucky I am because a lot of the news is about wars, __________, natural disasters, plane crashes and other terrible things. The shows also look back at the lives of people who __________ that year. Hmmm… That all sounds a __________ depressing really. But then there are happier things, like the __________ sports and music stories. Another thing that happens on New Year’s Day is __________. The top ten movies of the year, the ten best sporting achievements of the year, etc. There is even a list for the top ten new English words of the year. Previous __________ of this are the words ‘blog’ and ‘podcast’.

 

 

bit
 
shows
lists
back
died
winners
famines
top

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

New Year’s Day is, of cause / course, the first day of the year. It is a national holiday in most / much countries around the world. It is a time when families get together and celebrate within / with a meal. Many people make new plans for the rest / rested of the year. These plans are called New Year resolutions. People decide to lose weight, get / got fit, stop smoking, study English every day or save lots of money. I think most people are serious by / about these plans on January 1st, but then forget about them before the end for / of the week. Then one year later, it’s New Year’s Day all over again and people make the same resolutions again. I guest / guess people all around the world make the same kinds of plans. I guess they also break their resolutions at the same time.

One thing I like about New Year’s Day are the TV programmes that look forward / back at the previous year. They are like highlights shows / showed of the news. These always remind me how lucky / unlucky I am because a lot of the news is about wars, famines, natural disasters, plane crashes and other terrible things. The shows also look back at the live / lives of people who died that year. Hmmm… That all sounds a bit / bite depressing really. But then there are happier things, like the top sports and music stories. Another thing that happens on New Year’s Day is lasts / lists. The top ten movies of the year, the ten best sporting achievements of the year, etc. There is even / ever a list for the top ten new English words of the year. Previous winners / winnings of this are the words ‘blog’ and ‘podcast’.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

New Year’s Day is, of course, the first (1) ____ of the year. It is a national holiday in most countries around the world. It is a (2) ____ when families get together and celebrate with a meal. Many people make new plans       (3) ____ the rest of the year. These plans are called New Year resolutions. People decide to lose weight, get (4) ____, stop smoking, study English every day or save lots of money. I think most people are serious about these plans on January 1st, but then forget about them before the end of the     (5) ____. Then one year later, it’s New Year’s Day all over again and people make the same resolutions again. I (6) ____ people all around the world make the same kinds of plans. I guess they also break their resolutions at the same time.

One thing I like about New Year’s Day are the TV programmes that (7) ____ back at the previous year. They are like highlights shows of the news. These always (8) ____ me how lucky I am because a lot of the news is about wars, famines, natural disasters, plane crashes and other terrible things. The shows also look back at the (9) ____ of people who died that year. Hmmm… That all sounds a bit depressing really. But then there are (10) ____ things, like the top sports and music stories. Another thing that happens on New Year’s Day is lists. The top ten movies of the year, the ten best sporting achievements (11) ____ the year, etc. There is even a list for the top ten new English words of the year. Previous (12) ____ of this are the words ‘blog’ and ‘podcast’.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

daily

(b)

daytime

(c)

days

(d)

day

2.

(a)

timely

(b)

time

(c)

times

(d)

timing

3.

(a)

for

(b)

from

(c)

with

(d)

by

4.

(a)

fitness

(b)

fitting

(c)

fit

(d)

fittest

5.

(a)

weekly

(b)

week

(c)

weak

(d)

weeks

6.

(a)

guess

(b)

guesses

(c)

guessing

(d)

guest

7.

(a)

look

(b)

looked

(c)

looks

(d)

looking

8.

(a)

reminder

(b)

remind

(c)

remainder

(d)

reminding

9.

(a)

live

(b)

living

(c)

lives

(d)

lived

10.

(a)

happiness

(b)

happiest

(c)

happily

(d)

happier

11.

(a)

for

(b)

by

(c)

with

(d)

of

12.

(a)

winner

(b)

wins

(c)

winners

(d)

winning

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

families get together and tceeebrla

2.

People decide to lose ieghwt

3.

most people are souersi

4.

fergot about them

5.

it’s New Year’s Day all over aaign

6.

arkeb their resolutions

Paragraph 2

7.

look back at the ruiospev year

8.

These always irndme me how lucky I am

9.

other ielretrb things

10.

a bit depressing lyelra

11.

the ten best topnisgr achievements

12.

Previous wsinner

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

One thing I like about New Year’s Day are the TV programmes that look back at the previous

(    )

year. They are like highlights shows of the news. These always remind me how lucky I am because a lot of the

(    )

ten movies of the year, the ten best sporting achievements of the year, etc. There is even a list for the top ten new

1  )

New Year’s Day is, of course, the first day of the year. It is a national holiday in most countries around

(    )

English words of the year. Previous winners of this are the words ‘blog’ and ‘podcast’.

(    )

about them before the end of the week. Then one year later, it’s New Year’s Day all over

(    )

news is about wars, famines, natural disasters, plane crashes and other terrible things. The shows also look back

(    )

of plans. I guess they also break their resolutions at the same time.

(    )

of the year. These plans are called New Year resolutions. People decide to lose weight, get fit, stop smoking, study English

(    )

every day or save lots of money. I think most people are serious about these plans on January 1st, but then forget

(    )

again and people make the same resolutions again. I guess people all around the world make the same kinds

(    )

at the lives of people who died that year. Hmmm… That all sounds a bit depressing really. But then there are happier

(    )

things, like the top sports and music stories. Another thing that happens on New Year’s Day is lists. The top

(    )

the world. It is a time when families get together and celebrate with a meal. Many people make new plans for the rest

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

in    holiday    national    a    is    It    countries    most

2.

and    together    get    families    meal    a    with    celebrate

3.

to    People    lose    decide    weight

4.

plans    are    I    serious    think    about    most    these    people

5.

the   same   kinds  of   plans   people   all   around   the   world    make

6.

previous    look    year    back    TV    at    programmes    the    that

7.

I    lucky    how    me    remind    always    These    am

8.

a    depressing    That    sounds    bit    really    all

9.

is    thing    on    Day    Another    happens    Year’s    lists   that    New

10.

the   for   list   a   even   is   There    words    English    new    ten    top

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

THE NEW YEAR’S DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about New Year’s 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 New Year’s Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 New Year’s Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about New Year’s 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 New Year’s 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.


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