Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Singles Awareness Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Singles Awareness Day (SAD) is a holiday for those who like not being attached. It is on the same day as Valentine’s Day, but some people want it either side so it is not overshadowed by roses, chocolates, cards, cupids and hearts. On SAD, singles around the world go out and celebrate their single status. They want to show that being single is a reason to celebrate and that you don’t have to have a partner to be happy. People who celebrate this day greet one another with the greeting “Happy SAD!” Other people send themselves flowers, buy themselves chocolates and send themselves Happy SAD cards. It’s all a good excuse for singles to have some fun and spoil themselves for a day.
In Japan, China and South Korea, singles have taken their partner-less status a step further. They have created “Lovers Go Die” clubs. This is a movement against PDAs (public displays of affection). Members oppose the immorality of lovers, people who sleep around, those who have one-night stands and people who kiss and fondle in public. They discourage couples from getting caught up in the commercialization of Valentine’s Day. They want couples to avoid overpriced dinners, gifts and flowers. They point out that being single is a good way of saving money. There are other benefits. Singles have fewer arguments, and they can choose what movie to watch and which restaurant to go to.
Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
a holiday for those who like
a.
fun and spoil themselves
2
… go out and celebrate their single
b.
reason to celebrate
3.
being single is a
c.
not being attached
4.
you don’t have to have a
d.
status
5.
Other people send
e.
partner to be happy
6.
a good excuse for singles to have some
f.
themselves flowers
Paragraph 2
1.
singles have taken their partner-less
a.
of Valentine’s Day
2
public displays of
b.
movie to watch
3.
caught up in the commercialization
c.
way of saving money
4.
They want couples to avoid
d.
status a step further
5.
being single is a good
e.
overpriced dinners
6.
they can choose what
f.
affection
LISTENING GAP FILL
Singles Awareness Day (SAD) is a holiday ___________________ not being attached. It is on the same day as Valentine’s Day, but some people want ___________________ it is not overshadowed by roses, chocolates, cards, cupids and hearts. On SAD, singles around the world go out and celebrate ___________________. They want to show that being single is a reason to celebrate and that you don’t have to have a partner to be happy. People who celebrate this ___________________ with the greeting “Happy SAD!” Other people send themselves flowers, buy themselves chocolates and send themselves Happy SAD cards. It’s all a good excuse for singles to have some fun and ___________________ for a day.
In Japan, China and South Korea, singles have taken their ___________________ a step further. They have created “Lovers Go Die” clubs. This is a movement against PDAs (___________________ affection). Members oppose the immorality of lovers, people who sleep around, those who have one-night stands and people who kiss and fondle in public. They discourage couples from ___________________ in the commercialization of Valentine’s Day. They want couples to avoid overpriced dinners, gifts and flowers. They ___________________ single is a good way of saving money. There are other benefits. Singles have ___________________, and they can choose what movie to watch and which restaurant to go to.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Singles Awareness Day (SAD) is a holiday for those who like not being __________. It is on the same day as Valentine’s Day, but some people want it either __________so it is not overshadowed by roses, chocolates, cards, cupids and hearts. On SAD, singles around the world go out and celebrate their single __________. They want to show that being single is a __________to celebrate and that you don’t have to have a __________to be happy. People who celebrate this day __________one another with the greeting “Happy SAD!” Other people send themselves flowers, buy themselves chocolates and __________themselves Happy SAD cards. It’s all a good excuse for singles to have some fun and __________themselves for a day.
side attached spoil reason greet status send partner
In Japan, China and South Korea, singles have __________their partner-less status a step further. They have __________“Lovers Go Die” clubs. This is a movement __________PDAs (public displays of affection). Members oppose the immorality of __________, people who sleep around, those who have one-night stands and people who kiss and fondle in __________. They discourage couples from getting caught up in the commercialization of Valentine’s Day. They want couples to __________overpriced dinners, gifts and flowers. They point out that being single is a good __________of saving money. There are other benefits. Singles have __________arguments, and they can choose what movie to watch and which restaurant to go to.
fewer against avoid taken lovers way created public
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Singles Awareness Day (SAD) is a holiday for those / these who like not being attached. It is on the same day as Valentine’s Day, but some people want it either sides / side so it is not overshadowed by roses, chocolates, cards, cupids and hearts. On SAD, singles around the world go in / out and celebrate their single status. They want to show that being single is a / the reason to celebrate and that you don’t have to have a partner to be happy. People who celebrate this day greeting / greet one another with the greeting “Happy SAD!” Other / Another people send themselves flowers, buy themselves chocolates and send themselves / them Happy SAD cards. It’s all a good excuse for singles to have some fun and spoil / spill themselves for a day.
In Japan, China and South Korea, singles have taking / taken their partner-less status a step / stop further. They have created “Lovers Go Die” clubs. This is a moment / movement against PDAs (public displays of affection). Members oppose / opposite the immorality of lovers, people who sleep around, those who have one-night stands and people who kiss / kissing and fondle in public. They discourage couples from getting caught down / up in the commercialization of Valentine’s Day. They want couples to avoid overpriced dinners, gifts and flowers. They point in / out that being single is a good way of saving money. There are other benefits. Singles have fewer / less arguments, and they can choose what movie to watch and which restaurant to go to.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Singles Awareness Day (SAD) is a holiday for those who like not being (1) ____. It is on the same day as Valentine’s Day, but some people want it (2) ____ side so it is not overshadowed by roses, chocolates, cards, cupids and hearts. On SAD, singles around the world go out and celebrate their single (3) ____. They want to show that being single is a reason to celebrate and that you don’t have to have a partner to be happy. People who celebrate this day (4) ____ one another with the greeting “Happy SAD!” Other people send themselves flowers, buy themselves chocolates and send themselves Happy SAD cards. It’s all a good (5) ____ for singles to have some fun and (6) ____ themselves for a day.
In Japan, China and South Korea, singles have taken their partner-less status a (7) ____ further. They have created “Lovers Go Die” clubs. This is a movement against PDAs (public displays of (8) ____). Members oppose the immorality of lovers, people who sleep around, those who have one-night stands and people who kiss and fondle in (9) ____. They discourage couples from getting caught up in the commercialization of Valentine’s Day. They want couples to (10) ____ overpriced dinners, gifts and flowers. They point out that being single is a good way of saving money. There are other (11) ____. Singles have fewer arguments, and they can (12) ____ what movie to watch and which restaurant to go to.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
attach
(b)
attached
(c)
attaches
(d)
attached
2.
(a)
neither
(b)
either-or
(c)
either
(d)
neither-nor
3.
(a)
status quo
(b)
status
(c)
statuses
(d)
stats
4.
(a)
greet
(b)
greeters
(c)
greetings
(d)
greeting
5.
(a)
excuses
(b)
excuse
(c)
excuse me
(d)
excusable
6.
(a)
spoiler
(b)
spoiling
(c)
spoil
(d)
spoilt
7.
(a)
stop
(b)
step
(c)
stops
(d)
steps
8.
(a)
affection
(b)
affectionate
(c)
affections
(d)
affected
9.
(a)
publicity
(b)
publicly
(c)
public
(d)
publicize
10.
(a)
avoidance
(b)
avoiding
(c)
avoids
(d)
avoid
11.
(a)
beneficial
(b)
benefit
(c)
benefited
(d)
benefits
12.
(a)
choose
(b)
chose
(c)
choice
(d)
choosing
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
being edaactht
2.
cdpius and hearts
3.
single sattus
4.
a reason to raecebetl
5.
gteer one another
6.
lspoi themselves for a day
Paragraph 2
7.
a step trrfheu
8.
upcbil displays of affection
9.
people who sleep onadru
10.
getting uthgca up in the commercialization
11.
oaivd overpriced dinners
12.
There are other ibtefnse
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
In Japan, China and South Korea, singles have taken their partner-less status a step further. They have
( )
day greet one another with the greeting “Happy SAD!” Other people send themselves flowers, buy themselves
( )
immorality of lovers, people who sleep around, those who have one-night stands and people who kiss and
( )
hearts. On SAD, singles around the world go out and celebrate their single status. They want to show that being
( )
single is a reason to celebrate and that you don’t have to have a partner to be happy. People who celebrate this
( )
Valentine’s Day, but some people want it either side so it is not overshadowed by roses, chocolates, cards, cupids and
( )
chocolates and send themselves Happy SAD cards. It’s all a good excuse for singles to have some
( )
created “Lovers Go Die” clubs. This is a movement against PDAs (public displays of affection). Members oppose the
( )
fewer arguments, and they can choose what movie to watch and which restaurant to go to.
( )
fun and spoil themselves for a day.
( )
out that being single is a good way of saving money. There are other benefits. Singles have
( 1 )
Singles Awareness Day (SAD) is a holiday for those who like not being attached. It is on the same day as
( )
fondle in public. They discourage couples from getting caught up in the commercialization
( )
of Valentine’s Day. They want couples to avoid overpriced dinners, gifts and flowers. They point
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
not for like attached holiday who being a those.
2.
being is reason celebrate single a to
3.
have a be don’t have to you to partner happy
4.
people flowers send Other themselves
5.
a good excuse for singles to have some fun It’s all
6.
further singles have taken their partner - less status a step
7.
the in up caught Day Valentine’s of commercialization
8.
dinners want to overpriced They couples avoid
9.
way single of is saving a money good being
10.
movie to watch they can choose what
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 Singles Awareness Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Singles Awareness 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 Singles Awareness 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.
