Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on International Women's Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated around the world on March 8 every year. It began as a campaign for better working conditions by women in New York at the turn of the 20th century. The first official IWD was on February 28, 1909. No one knows for sure why the date changed to March 8, but this is the date when thousands of women started annual marches in New York’s streets. The first international women’s conference took place in 1910, in Denmark. Since then, IWD has spread around the world. Today it is an important day to highlight the economic, political and social contributions women have made to our world. Women can now be happier that things are moving in the right direction.
IWD is an official holiday in many countries, including Algeria, China, Cuba, Italy, Poland, Vietnam, and Zambia. All across the world, men give flowers and other gifts to the women in their lives - mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, teachers, etc. In Portugal and Romania, women celebrate by having "women-only" dinners. IWD is a big event in India, where people hold celebrations throughout the day. Indian men want to show how important women are to their society. All around the world women are becoming more powerful in business, entertainment, politics and other areas. There are over a dozen nations today with women leaders. However, IWD is still necessary to highlight the inequality millions of women still face.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
a campaign for better working
a.
to our world
2
at the turn of the
b.
the date changed
3.
No one knows for sure why
c.
in the right direction
4.
IWD has spread around
d.
20th century
5.
contributions women have made
e.
the world
6.
things are moving
f.
conditions by women
Paragraph 2
1.
IWD is an official holiday
a.
more powerful
2
men give flowers and other gifts
b.
of women still face
3.
women celebrate by having
c.
in many countries
4.
people hold celebrations throughout
d.
"women-only" dinners
5.
women are becoming
e.
to the women in their lives
6.
highlight the inequality millions
f.
the day
LISTENING GAP FILL
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated ________________ on March 8 every year. It began as a campaign for better working conditions by women in New York ________________ 20th century. The first official IWD was on February 28, 1909. No one knows ________________ date changed to March 8, but this is the date when thousands of women started ___________________ New York’s streets. The first international women’s conference took place in 1910, in Denmark. Since then, IWD has spread ________________. Today it is an important day to highlight the economic, political and social contributions women have made to our world. Women can now be happier that things are moving in __________________.
IWD is __________________ many countries, including Algeria, China, Cuba, Italy, Poland, Vietnam, and Zambia. All across the world, men give flowers and other gifts to the women ________________ - mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, teachers, etc. In Portugal and Romania, women ________________ "women-only" dinners. IWD is a big event in India, where people hold celebrations throughout the day. Indian men want to show how important women ________________. All around the world women are becoming more powerful in business, entertainment, politics ________________. There are over a dozen nations today with women leaders. However, IWD is still necessary to highlight the inequality millions of ________________.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
International Women's Day (IWD) is __________ around the world on March 8 every year. It began as a __________ for better working conditions by women in New York at the __________ of the 20th century. The first official IWD was on February 28, 1909. No one knows for __________ why the date changed to March 8, but this is the date when thousands of women started __________ marches in New York’s streets. The first international women’s conference took place in 1910, in Denmark. Since then, IWD has spread around the world. Today it is an important day to __________ the economic, political and __________ contributions women have made to our world. Women can now be happier that things are moving in the right __________.
highlight turn sure social celebrated direction annual campaign
IWD is an __________ holiday in many countries, including Algeria, China, Cuba, Italy, Poland, Vietnam, and Zambia. All __________ the world, men give flowers and other gifts to the women in their lives - mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, teachers, etc. In Portugal and Romania, women __________ by having "women-only" dinners. IWD is a big __________ in India, where people hold celebrations throughout the day. Indian men want to show how important women are to their __________. All around the world women are becoming more __________ in business, entertainment, politics and other areas. There are over a __________ nations today with women leaders. However, IWD is still necessary to __________ the inequality millions of women still face.
society celebrate highlight event official powerful dozen across
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated around the world on March 8 every year. It began was / as a campaign for better working conditions by women in New York at the turn / turned of the 20th century. The first official IWD was on February 28, 1909. No one knows for shore / sure why the date changed to March 8, but this is the date when thousands of women started annual / annually marches in New York’s streets. The first international women’s conference took place / placed in 1910, in Denmark. Since then, IWD has spread around the world. Today it is an importance / important day to highlight the economic, political and social contributions women have made to / of our world. Women can now be happier that things are moving in the right / left direction.
IWD is an official / officially holiday in many countries, including Algeria, China, Cuba, Italy, Poland, Vietnam, and Zambia. All cross / across the world, men give flowers and other gifts to the women in their lives - mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, teachers, etc. In Portugal and Romania, women celebrate to / by having "women-only" dinners. IWD is a big events / event in India, where people hold celebrations throughout the day. Indian men want to show / showing how important women are to their society. All around the world women are becoming more power / powerful in business, entertainment, politics and other areas / area. There are over a dozen nations today with women leaders. However, IWD is still necessary to highlight the inequality millions of women still face / head.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
International Women's Day (IWD) is (1) ____ around the world on March 8 every year. It began as a campaign for better working conditions by women in New York at the (2) ____ of the 20th century. The first official IWD was on February 28, 1909. No one knows for (3) ____ why the date changed to March 8, but this is the date when thousands of women started annual (4) ____ in New York’s streets. The first international women’s conference took place in 1910, in Denmark. Since then, IWD has spread around the world. Today it is an important day to (5) ____ the economic, political and social contributions women have made to our world. Women can now be happier that things are (6) ____ in the right direction.
IWD is an (7) ____ holiday in many countries, including Algeria, China, Cuba, Italy, Poland, Vietnam, and Zambia. All across the world, men give flowers and other gifts to the women in their (8) ____ - mothers, wives, girlfriends, sisters, teachers, etc. In Portugal and Romania, women celebrate by having "women-(9) ____ " dinners. IWD is a big event in India, where people hold celebrations throughout the day. Indian men want to show how important women are to their (10) ____. All around the world women are becoming more powerful in business, entertainment, politics and other areas. There are over a dozen (11) ____ today with women leaders. However, IWD is still necessary to highlight the inequality millions of women still (12) ____.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
celebrate
(b)
celebrated
(c)
celebration
(d)
celebrates
2.
(a)
turn
(b)
turns
(c)
turned
(d)
turn off
3.
(a)
surely
(b)
surer
(c)
surest
(d)
sure
4.
(a)
marched
(b)
marchers
(c)
marches
(d)
marching
5.
(a)
highlights
(b)
highlight
(c)
highlighter
(d)
highlighting
6.
(a)
movement
(b)
moved
(c)
moving
(d)
mover
7.
(a)
officially
(b)
officialdom
(c)
officials
(d)
official
8.
(a)
living
(b)
livelihood
(c)
lives
(d)
lifestyle
9.
(a)
just
(b)
lonely
(c)
alone
(d)
only
10.
(a)
social
(b)
sociology
(c)
socially
(d)
society
11.
(a)
nation
(b)
nations
(c)
nationality
(d)
nationhood
12.
(a)
face
(b)
head
(c)
nose
(d)
cheek
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
teeblrcade around the world
2.
working niodsoticn
3.
The first lfoiicaf IWD
4.
escmrha in New York’s streets
5.
be reappih
6.
the right cndoetrii
Paragraph 2
7.
All oacssr the world
8.
men give ersofwl
9.
a big neevt
10.
how npimtator women are
11.
more rofuplwe in business
12.
IWD is still esasceynr
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Zambia. All across the world, men give flowers and other gifts to the women in their lives - mothers, wives,
( )
IWD is an official holiday in many countries, including Algeria, China, Cuba, Italy, Poland, Vietnam, and
( 1 )
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated around the world on March 8 every year. It began as a campaign
( )
important women are to their society. All around the world women are becoming more powerful in business,
( )
when thousands of women started annual marches in New York’s streets. The first international women’s conference took
( )
entertainment, politics and other areas. There are over a dozen nations today with women
( )
place in 1910, in Denmark. Since then, IWD has spread around the world. Today it is an important day to highlight
( )
leaders. However, IWD is still necessary to highlight the inequality millions of women still face.
( )
big event in India, where people hold celebrations throughout the day. Indian men want to show how
( )
be happier that things are moving in the right direction.
( )
IWD was on February 28, 1909. No one knows for sure why the date changed to March 8, but this is the date
( )
girlfriends, sisters, teachers, etc. In Portugal and Romania, women celebrate by having "women-only" dinners. IWD is a
( )
for better working conditions by women in New York at the turn of the 20th century. The first official
( )
the economic, political and social contributions women have made to our world. Women can now
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
a conditions campaign It for began better as working
2.
the knows date for changed sure No why one
3.
started women streets York’s New in marches annual
4.
Since spread then around , the IWD world has
5.
in right things moving the direction are
6.
official an is IWD countries many in holiday
7.
and flowers give men lives their in women the to gifts other
8.
powerful business are more in women becoming
9.
a nations with leaders dozen today women
10.
face inequality of still the millions women
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
Write five questions about International Women’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 International Women’s 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 International Women’s Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about International Women’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 International Women’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.
