Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Washington's Birthday. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
In the U.S.A. people celebrate the birthday of their first president, George Washington. They don’t always celebrate on his birth date, which is February 22, because if it falls on a weekend, people don’t get the day off. So, on the third Monday in February there is a national holiday. Not everyone agrees on the name or even the reason for the holiday. A 1968 law called it Washington’s Birthday. However, since the 1980s, lawmakers have tried to change the name to Presidents Day. Many people want the holiday to celebrate the birthday of another president, Abraham Lincoln, who was also born in February. Different U.S. states have renamed the day Presidents Day. And in Alabama, they call it "Washington and Jefferson Day".
The holiday honors George Washington for founding the nation. He is perhaps the most famous face in U.S. history. Up and down America, towns become red, white and blue. People put flags in their windows and hang ribbons in their gardens or outside stores. Many children learn about the history of how the United States came into being. They learn about the Revolutionary War and Washington’s role in America’s independence. Various communities stage pageants and festivals that re-enact the important events in Washington's life. People also eat cherry pies, a food that has become associated with his birthday. It’s also a good day for shoppers, as many stores hold a sale hoping to attract customers with the day off.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
people celebrate the birthday of
a.
or even the reason
2
They don’t always celebrate on
b.
of another president
3.
Not everyone agrees on the name
c.
his birth date
4.
lawmakers have tried to
d.
their first president
5.
celebrate the birthday
e.
renamed the day
6.
Different U.S. states have
f.
change the name
Paragraph 2
1.
honors George Washington for
a.
and hang ribbons
2
perhaps the most famous
b.
important events
3.
People put flags in their windows
c.
to attract customers
4.
the history of how the United States
d.
founding the nation
5.
festivals that re-enact the
e.
came into being
6.
hold a sale hoping
f.
face in U.S. history
LISTENING GAP FILL
In the U.S.A. people celebrate the birthday ____________ president, George Washington. They don’t always celebrate on his birth date, which is February 22, because ____________ a weekend, people don’t get the day off. So, on the third Monday in February there is a national holiday. Not everyone ____________ name or even the reason for the holiday. A 1968 law called it Washington’s Birthday. However, since the 1980s, lawmakers have ____________ the name to Presidents Day. Many people want the holiday to celebrate the birthday of another president, Abraham Lincoln, who ____________ in February. Different U.S. states have renamed the day Presidents Day. And in Alabama, ____________ "Washington and Jefferson Day".
The holiday honors George Washington _______________ nation. He is perhaps the most famous face in U.S. history. Up and down America, towns become red, white and blue. _______________ in their windows and hang ribbons in their gardens or outside stores. Many children learn about the _______________ the United States came into being. They learn about the Revolutionary War and Washington’s role in America’s independence. Various communities stage pageants and festivals _________________ important events in Washington's life. People also eat cherry pies, _______________ become associated with his birthday. It’s also a good day for shoppers, as many stores hold a sale hoping to attract customers _______________.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
In the U.S.A. people __________ the birthday of their first president, George Washington. They don’t always celebrate on his __________ date, which is February 22, because if it __________ on a weekend, people don’t get the day off. So, on the third Monday in February there is a national holiday. Not everyone __________ on the name or even the reason for the holiday. A 1968 law __________ it Washington’s Birthday. However, since the 1980s, lawmakers have tried to change the __________ to Presidents Day. Many people want the holiday to celebrate the birthday of __________ president, Abraham Lincoln, who was also born in February. Different U.S. states have __________ the day Presidents Day. And in Alabama, they call it "Washington and Jefferson Day".
name birth agrees renamed celebrate called another falls
The holiday __________ George Washington for founding the nation. He is perhaps the most famous __________ in U.S. history. Up and down America, towns become red, white and blue. People put flags in their windows and __________ ribbons in their gardens or outside stores. Many children learn about the history of how the United States came into __________. They learn about the Revolutionary War and Washington’s __________ in America’s independence. Various communities stage pageants and festivals that re-enact the important __________ in Washington's life. People also eat cherry pies, a food that has become __________ with his birthday. It’s also a good day for shoppers, as many stores hold a sale __________ to attract customers with the day off.
role hang hoping events honors associated face being
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
In the U.S.A. people celebration / celebrate the birthday of their first president, George Washington. They don’t always celebrate on his birth date / dates, which is February 22, because if it falling / falls on a weekend, people don’t get the day off. So, on the third Monday in February there is a nation / national holiday. Not everyone agrees on the name or even the reason for the holiday. A 1968 law called it Washington’s Birthday. However, since / for the 1980s, lawmakers have tried to change / changed the name to Presidents Day. Many people want the holiday to celebrate the birthday of another president, Abraham Lincoln, who was also birth / born in February. Different U.S. states have renamed the day Presidents Day. And in Alabama, they call / calls it "Washington and Jefferson Day".
The holiday honoring / honors George Washington for founding / finding the nation. He is perhaps the most famous faces / face in U.S. history. Up and down America, towns become red, white and blue. People put flags in their windows and hung / hang ribbons in their gardens or outside stores. Many children learn about the history of how the United States came into becoming / being. They learn about the Revolutionary War and Washington’s role in America’s independence. Various communities stage pageants and festive / festivals that re-enact the important events in Washington's living / life. People also eat cherry pies, a food that has become associated with his birthday. It’s also a good day for shoppers, as many stores hold a sale / sales hoping to attract customers with the day off.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
In the U.S.A. (1) ____ celebrate the birthday of their first president, George Washington. They don’t always celebrate on his birth date, which is February 22, because if it (2) ____ on a weekend, people don’t get the day off. So, on the third Monday in February there is a national holiday. Not everyone (3) ____ on the name or even the reason for the holiday. A 1968 law called it Washington’s Birthday. However, (4) ____ the 1980s, lawmakers have tried to change the name to Presidents Day. Many people want the holiday to celebrate the birthday of (5) ____ president, Abraham Lincoln, who was also born in February. Different U.S. states have (6) ____ the day Presidents Day. And in Alabama, they call it "Washington and Jefferson Day".
The holiday (7) ____ George Washington for founding the nation. He is perhaps the most famous face in U.S. history. Up and (8) ____ America, towns become red, white and blue. People put flags in their windows and hang ribbons in their gardens or outside stores. Many children (9) ____ about the history of how the United States came into being. They learn about the Revolutionary War and Washington’s (10) ____ in America’s independence. Various communities stage pageants and festivals that re-enact the important (11) ____ in Washington's life. People also eat cherry pies, a food that has become associated with his birthday. It’s also a good day for shoppers, as many stores hold a sale (12) ____ to attract customers with the day off.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
people
(b)
persons
(c)
humans
(d)
us
2.
(a)
falling
(b)
befell
(c)
fall
(d)
falls
3.
(a)
agreement
(b)
agrees
(c)
agreeing
(d)
agreeable
4.
(a)
for
(b)
last
(c)
since
(d)
before
5.
(a)
the other
(b)
others
(c)
another
(d)
the others
6.
(a)
renaming
(b)
rename
(c)
renames
(d)
renamed
7.
(a)
honors
(b)
honorees
(c)
honored
(d)
honored
8.
(a)
up
(b)
around
(c)
down
(d)
in
9.
(a)
learners
(b)
learnt
(c)
learned
(d)
learn
10.
(a)
roll
(b)
role
(c)
rollover
(d)
rolled
11.
(a)
events
(b)
eventful
(c)
inventor
(d)
invents
12.
(a)
hopeful
(b)
hoping
(c)
hopeless
(d)
hapless
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
people bceeelrta
2.
falls on a dekenew
3.
Not everyone egsera
4.
the renosa for the holiday
5.
gencha the name
6.
states have edmnera the day
Paragraph 2
7.
nufongid the nation
8.
People put flags in their iwodswn
9.
how the United States came into igenb
10.
pageants and tsflvaeis
11.
a good day for hpresops
12.
ttartac customers
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
pies, a food that has become associated with his birthday. It’s also a good day for
( )
ribbons in their gardens or outside stores. Many children learn about the history of how the United States came
( )
to change the name to Presidents Day. Many people want the holiday to celebrate the birthday of another
( 1 )
In the U.S.A. people celebrate the birthday of their first president, George Washington. They don’t always
( )
U.S. history. Up and down America, towns become red, white and blue. People put flags in their windows and hang
( )
celebrate on his birth date, which is February 22, because if it falls on a weekend, people don’t get the day
( )
reason for the holiday. A 1968 law called it Washington’s Birthday. However, since the 1980s, lawmakers have tried
( )
shoppers, as many stores hold a sale hoping to attract customers with the day off.
( )
off. So, on the third Monday in February there is a national holiday. Not everyone agrees on the name or even the
( )
The holiday honors George Washington for founding the nation. He is perhaps the most famous face in
( )
stage pageants and festivals that re-enact the important events in Washington's life. People also eat cherry
( )
president, Abraham Lincoln, who was also born in February. Different U.S. states have renamed
( )
into being. They learn about the Revolutionary War and Washington’s role in America’s independence. Various communities
( )
the day Presidents Day. And in Alabama, they call it "Washington and Jefferson Day".
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
people president first their of birthday the celebrate
2.
it day don’t weekend falls off get , on if the people a
3.
even the reason Not everyone agrees on the name or
4.
the lawmakers tried change name have to
5.
renamed Different U.S. have day states the
6.
famous perhaps history face the He U.S. in most is
7.
hang windows in put ribbons and their flags People
8.
States being of United into history the came the how
9.
become a associated food with that his has birthday
10.
hold attract a customers sale many hoping stores to
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 Washington’s Birthday. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Washington’s Birthday. 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 Washington’s Birthday. 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.
