Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Get A Different Name Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Do you like your name? Have you ever thought about changing it? Well, on Get A Different Name Day you can. This special day always falls on February 13th. It is the creation of the website www.wellcat.com. They say the day is: “For the pity of millions of us who hate our birth names. On this day we may change our names to whatever we wish and have the right to expect colleagues, family and friends to so address us.” They have a point. We did not choose our names. Our parents made that decision. Maybe most of us would change our name if we could. The trouble is, if we don’t like our name, we are stuck with it for many years as we grow up. But all is not lost. You can have it legally changed.
Most of us have a given name and some of us have a middle name. One of the biggest influences on our given names is family tradition. Our parents wanted to name us after a fondly-remembered aunt or a grandparent. Another huge influence is popular culture. There are a lot more Brads and Kylies in the world today because of the actor Brad Pitt and singer Kylie Minogue. Lots of people do change their name. There are many reasons for this. Actors want a better-sounding name; people who change religions also commonly change names; people who enter witness protection programmes change their names for security reasons. American actor Rob Morrow called his daughter Tu. Would you change your name if you were Tu Morrow?
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
This special day always falls
a.
our birth names
2
millions of us who hate
b.
as we grow up
3.
change our names to
c.
point
4.
They have a
d.
changed
5.
we are stuck with it for many years
e.
whatever we wish
6.
You can have it legally
f.
on February 13th
Paragraph 2
1.
some of us have
a.
influence is popular culture
2
One of the biggest influences
b.
a middle name
3.
name us after a fondly-
c.
sounding name
4.
Another huge
d.
security reasons
5.
Actors want a better-
e.
on our given names
6.
change their names for
f.
remembered aunt
LISTENING GAP FILL
Do you like your name? Have ___________________ about changing it? Well, on Get A Different Name Day you can. This special day always falls on February 13th. ___________________ of the website www.wellcat.com. They say the day is: “For the pity of millions of ___________________ birth names. On this day we may change our names to whatever we wish and ___________________ expect colleagues, family and friends to so address us.” They have a point. We did not choose our names. Our parents made that decision. Maybe ___________________ change our name if we could. The trouble is, if we don’t like our name, we are stuck with it for many years as we grow up. ___________________. You can have it legally changed.
Most of us have a given name ___________________ a middle name. One of the biggest influences on our given names is family tradition. Our parents wanted ___________________ fondly-remembered aunt or a grandparent. Another huge influence is popular culture. There ___________________ and Kylies in the world today because of the actor Brad Pitt and singer Kylie Minogue. Lots of people do change their name. There are ___________________. Actors want a better-sounding name; people who change religions ___________________ names; people who enter witness protection programmes change their names ___________________. American actor Rob Morrow called his daughter Tu. Would you change your name if you were Tu Morrow?
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Do you like your name? Have you ever __________ about changing it? Well, on Get A Different Name Day you can. This special day always __________ on February 13th. It is the creation of the website www.wellcat.com. They say the day is: “For the pity of millions of us who __________ our birth names. On this day we may change our names to whatever we __________ and have the right to expect colleagues, family and friends to so __________ us.” They have a point. We did not choose our names. Our parents made that __________. Maybe most of us would change our name if we could. The __________ is, if we don’t like our name, we are stuck with it for many years as we grow up. But all is not __________. You can have it legally changed.
address wish falls lost decision thought trouble hate
Most of us have a given name and some of us have a __________ name. One of the biggest influences on our given names is family __________. Our parents wanted to name us after a __________ -remembered aunt or a grandparent. Another __________ influence is popular culture. There are a lot more Brads and Kylies in the __________ today because of the actor Brad Pitt and singer Kylie Minogue. Lots of people do change their name. There are many __________ for this. Actors want a better-sounding name; people who change religions also commonly change names; people who __________ witness protection programmes change their names for __________ reasons. American actor Rob Morrow called his daughter Tu. Would you change your name if you were Tu Morrow?
world fondly enter reasons middle huge security tradition
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Do you like your name? Have you ever thought for / about changing it? Well, on Get A Different Name Day you can. This special day always falls / feels on February 13th. It is the creation of the website www.wellcat.com. They say the day is: “For / At the pity of millions of us who hate our birth names. On this day we may change our names to whatever we wishes / wish and have the right to expect colleagues, family and friends to so address / addressing us.” They have a point. We did not choose our names. Our parents made that decide / decision. Maybe most of us would change our name if we could. The trouble is, if we don’t like our name, we are stuck / stick with it for many years as we grow up. But all is not lost / found. You can have it legally changed.
Most of us have a given / giving name and some of us have a middle name. One of the biggest influences / influence on our given names is family tradition. Our parents wanted to name us after / later a fondly-remembered aunt or a grandparent. Another huge / hugely influence is popular culture. There are a lot more Brads and Kylies in the world today because of the actor Brad Pitt and singer Kylie Minogue. Lots of people have / do change their name. There are many reasons for this. Actors want a better-sounding name; people who change religions also common / commonly change names; people who entry / enter witness protection programmes change their names for security reasons. American actor Rob Morrow called his daughter Tu. Would you change your name if you were Tu Morrow / tomorrow?
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Do you like your name? Have you ever thought about (1) ____ it? Well, on Get A Different Name Day you can. This special day always (2) ____ on February 13th. It is the creation of the website www.wellcat.com. They say the day is: “For the pity of millions of us who (3) ____ our birth names. On this day we may change our names to whatever we wish and have the right to (4) ____ colleagues, family and friends to so address us.” They have a point. We did not choose our names. Our parents made that decision. Maybe most of us would change our name if we could. The (5) ____ is, if we don’t like our name, we are stuck with it for many years as we grow up. But all is not lost. You can have it (6) ____ changed.
Most of us have a (7) ____ name and some of us have a middle name. One of the biggest influences on our given names is family tradition. Our parents wanted to name us after a (8) ____ -remembered aunt or a grandparent. Another huge influence is popular (9) ____. There are a lot more Brads and Kylies in the world today because of the actor Brad Pitt and singer Kylie Minogue. Lots of people do change their name. There are many reasons (10) ____ this. Actors want a better-sounding name; people who change religions also commonly change names; people who (11) ____ witness protection programmes change their names for (12) ____ reasons. American actor Rob Morrow called his daughter Tu. Would you change your name if you were Tu Morrow?
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
change
(b)
changes
(c)
changed
(d)
changing
2.
(a)
feels
(b)
falls
(c)
fails
(d)
foils
3.
(a)
hate
(b)
hates
(c)
hating
(d)
hatred
4.
(a)
expectation
(b)
expectant
(c)
expect
(d)
expecting
5.
(a)
troubles
(b)
troubled
(c)
troubling
(d)
trouble
6.
(a)
legality
(b)
legal
(c)
legally
(d)
legal code
7.
(a)
gave
(b)
giving
(c)
given
(d)
gives
8.
(a)
fond
(b)
fondly
(c)
fondness
(d)
fondue
9.
(a)
culture
(b)
cultures
(c)
culturally
(d)
cultured
10.
(a)
as
(b)
for
(c)
by
(d)
at
11.
(a)
enter
(b)
entrance
(c)
entry
(d)
entered
12.
(a)
securely
(b)
securities
(c)
secured
(d)
security
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
iasclep day
2.
aevthewr we wish
3.
They have a oiptn
4.
Our parents made that ciensiod
5.
we are tkscu with it
6.
have it llyleag changed
Paragraph 2
7.
Most of us have a ginev name
8.
family rioatdtni
9.
popular cutrlue
10.
There are many ssrneoa for this
11.
people who change islgeroin
12.
twenssi protection programmes
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
day always falls on February 13th. It is the creation of the website www.wellcat.com. They say the day is: “For the pity
( )
Most of us have a given name and some of us have a middle name. One of the biggest influences on our
( )
the right to expect colleagues, family and friends to so address us.” They have a point. We did not choose our
( )
called his daughter Tu. Would you change your name if you were Tu Morrow?
( 1 )
Do you like your name? Have you ever thought about changing it? Well, on Get A Different Name Day you can. This special
( )
like our name, we are stuck with it for many years as we grow
( )
given names is family tradition. Our parents wanted to name us after a fondly-remembered aunt or a grandparent. Another
( )
actor Brad Pitt and singer Kylie Minogue. Lots of people do change their name. There are many reasons for this. Actors
( )
enter witness protection programmes change their names for security reasons. American actor Rob Morrow
( )
want a better-sounding name; people who change religions also commonly change names; people who
( )
up. But all is not lost. You can have it legally changed.
( )
huge influence is popular culture. There are a lot more Brads and Kylies in the world today because of the
( )
names. Our parents made that decision. Maybe most of us would change our name if we could. The trouble is, if we don’t
( )
of millions of us who hate our birth names. On this day we may change our names to whatever we wish and have
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
about thought ever you Have it changing ?
2.
on falls always day special This 13th February
3.
we to may whatever change we our wish names
4.
could us our we of change if most would name
5.
changed legally it have can You
6.
influences our names biggest on given the
7.
Another culture popular is influence huge
8.
people change name of do their Lots
9.
a - name want better sounding Actors
10.
enter witness protection programmes people who
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
Write five questions about Get A Different Name 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 Get A Different Name 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 Get A Different Name Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Get A Different Name 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 Get A Different Name 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.
