Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on National High Five Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
National High Five Day is on the third Thursday of April every year. This unusual holiday started at the University of Virginia in the USA in 2002. Since then, it has slowly grown in popularity around America. It is also spreading to different countries around the world. The day celebrates one of America’s invented gestures of the twentieth century. It is a common part of life in America today and around the world when people have something they want to jointly celebrate. You most often see it in sport, when two teammates will raise their arms and give each other’s hands a slap. Television has spread the gesture everywhere and you can see it wherever you go in the world. Both men and women use it to celebrate.
The High Five website speculates that the gesture started with an American basketball player called Mont Skeets, one of the greatest players ever to play for Murray State University. Legend has it that when Mont was three years old, his father’s army friends would visit. They were all from the 5th infantry division. The young Mont didn’t know their names so would greet them by saying “Hi, Five”. The former soldiers replied by slapping Mont’s up-stretched arm. When Mont grew up and started playing basketball, he adapted his greeting to use it with his teammates when they got points. The “Hi, Five” became a “high five” and the celebration became contagious. In a short space of time it had spread throughout the basketball world.
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 has slowly
a.
want to jointly celebrate
2
It is a common part of
b.
go in the world
3.
people have something they
c.
life in America today
4.
You most often see
d.
grown in popularity
5.
Television has spread the
e.
it in sport
6.
wherever you
f.
gesture everywhere
Paragraph 2
1.
one of the greatest players
a.
greeting
2
Legend
b.
of time
3.
slapping Mont’s up-
c.
ever to play
4.
he adapted his
d.
stretched arm
5.
the celebration became
e.
has it
6.
In a short space
f.
contagious
LISTENING GAP FILL
National High Five Day __________________ Thursday of April every year. This unusual holiday started at the University of Virginia in the USA in 2002. Since then, __________________ in popularity around America. It is also spreading to different countries around the world. The day celebrates one of America’s invented __________________ twentieth century. It is a common part of life in America today and around the world when people have something __________________ celebrate. You most often see it in sport, when two teammates will raise their arms and __________________ hands a slap. Television has spread the gesture everywhere and you can see it wherever you go in the world. Both men and women __________________.
The High Five website speculates __________________ started with an American basketball player called Mont Skeets, one of the greatest players ever to play for Murray State University. __________________ when Mont was three years old, his father’s army friends would visit. They were all from the 5th infantry division. The young Mont didn’t know their names __________________ by saying “Hi, Five”. The former soldiers replied by slapping Mont’s up-stretched arm. When Mont __________________ playing basketball, __________________ greeting to use it with his teammates when they got points. The “Hi, Five” became a “high five” and the celebration became contagious. In a __________________ it had spread throughout the basketball world.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
National High Five Day is on the __________ Thursday of April every year. This unusual holiday started at the University of Virginia in the USA in 2002. Since then, it has __________ grown in popularity around America. It is also spreading to different countries around the world. The day __________ one of America’s invented gestures of the twentieth century. It is a __________ part of life in America today and around the world when people have something they want to __________ celebrate. You most often see it in sport, when two teammates will __________ their arms and give each other’s hands a slap. Television has spread the __________ everywhere and you can see it __________ you go in the world. Both men and women use it to celebrate.
jointly slowly wherever third common gesture celebrates raise
The High Five website __________ that the gesture started with an American basketball player called Mont Skeets, one of the greatest players __________ to play for Murray State University. Legend __________ it that when Mont was three years old, his father’s army friends would __________. They were all from the 5th infantry division. The young Mont didn’t know their names so would __________ them by saying “Hi, Five”. The former soldiers replied by slapping Mont’s up-stretched arm. When Mont grew up and started playing basketball, he __________ his greeting to use it with his teammates when they got points. The “Hi, Five” became a “high five” and the celebration became __________. In a short __________ of time it had spread throughout the basketball world.
speculates adapted has space greet contagious ever visit
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
National High Five Day is on the thirdly / third Thursday of April every year. This unusual / unusually holiday started at the University of Virginia in the USA in 2002. Since then, it has slowly growth / grown in popularity around America. It is also spreading to different countries around the world. The day celebrates / celebration one of America’s invented gestures of the twentieth century. It is a common / communal part of life in America today and around the world when people have something they want to jointly celebrate. You most often see it in / on sport, when two teammates will raise their arms and give each other’s feet / hands a slap. Television has spread the gesture everywhere and you can see them / it wherever you go in the world. Both men and women use it to celebrate.
The High Five website specialists / speculates that the gesture started with an American basketball player called Mont Skeets, one of the greatest players ever / even to play for Murray State University. Legend have / has it that when Mont was three years old, his father’s army friends will / would visit. They were all from the 5th infantry division. The young Mont didn’t know their names so would great / greet them by saying “Hi, Five”. The former soldiers replied by slapping Mont’s up-stretched arm. When Mont grew / growth up and started playing basketball, he adapted his greeting to use it with his teammates when they got points. The “Hi, Five” became a “high five” and the celebration became contagion / contagious. In a short space / spaces of time it had spread throughout the basketball world.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
National High Five Day is on the third Thursday of April (1) ____ year. This unusual holiday started at the University of Virginia in the USA in 2002. Since then, it has slowly (2) ____ in popularity around America. It is also spreading to different countries around the world. The day (3) ____ one of America’s invented gestures of the twentieth century. It is a common part of life in America today and around the world when people have something they want to (4) ____ celebrate. You most often see it in sport, when two teammates will raise their arms and give each other’s hands a (5) ____. Television has spread the gesture everywhere and you can see it (6) ____ you go in the world. Both men and women use it to celebrate.
The High Five website (7) ____ that the gesture started with an American basketball player called Mont Skeets, one of the greatest players ever to play for Murray State University. (8) ____ has it that when Mont was three years old, his father’s army friends would visit. They were all from the 5th infantry division. The young Mont didn’t know their (9) ____ so would greet them by saying “Hi, Five”. The former soldiers replied by slapping Mont’s up-stretched (10) ____. When Mont grew up and started playing basketball, he adapted his greeting to use it with his teammates when they got points. The “Hi, Five” became a “high five” and the celebration became (11) ____. In a short (12) ____ of time it had spread throughout the basketball world.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
per
(b)
every
(c)
all
(d)
for
2.
(a)
grown
(b)
growth
(c)
growing
(d)
grew
3.
(a)
celebration
(b)
celebratory
(c)
celebrates
(d)
celebrated
4.
(a)
joined
(b)
joints
(c)
joint
(d)
jointly
5.
(a)
flap
(b)
trap
(c)
wrap
(d)
slap
6.
(a)
whenever
(b)
whoever
(c)
wherever
(d)
forever
7.
(a)
speculates
(b)
specialists
(c)
spectacles
(d)
species
8.
(a)
Legendary
(b)
Legend
(c)
Legends
(d)
Legion
9.
(a)
naming
(b)
named
(c)
names
(d)
name
10.
(a)
knee
(b)
nose
(c)
elbow
(d)
arm
11.
(a)
contagious
(b)
contagion
(c)
contra
(d)
contract
12.
(a)
spacing
(b)
space
(c)
space bar
(d)
spaced
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
This nuulaus holiday
2.
rnwog in popularity
3.
a onmmoc part of life
4.
jointly cabletree
5.
rsiea their arms
6.
vwehreer you go in the world
Paragraph 2
7.
one of the etasrtge
8.
lneedg has it
9.
rteeg them by saying “Hi, Five”
10.
psingpal Mont’s up-stretched arm
11.
they got optsni
12.
a short pesac of time
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
contagious. In a short space of time it had spread throughout the basketball world.
( )
it wherever you go in the world. Both men and women use it to celebrate.
( )
spreading to different countries around the world. The day celebrates one of America’s invented gestures
( )
their names so would greet them by saying “Hi, Five”. The former soldiers replied by slapping Mont’s
( )
something they want to jointly celebrate. You most often see it in sport, when two teammates will raise their
( )
up-stretched arm. When Mont grew up and started playing basketball, he adapted his greeting to use it with
( )
of the twentieth century. It is a common part of life in America today and around the world when people have
( )
arms and give each other’s hands a slap. Television has spread the gesture everywhere and you can see
( 1 )
National High Five Day is on the third Thursday of April every year. This unusual holiday started at
( )
his teammates when they got points. The “Hi, Five” became a “high five” and the celebration became
( )
old, his father’s army friends would visit. They were all from the 5th infantry division. The young Mont didn’t know
( )
the University of Virginia in the USA in 2002. Since then, it has slowly grown in popularity around America. It is also
( )
of the greatest players ever to play for Murray State University. Legend has it that when Mont was three years
( )
The High Five website speculates that the gesture started with an American basketball player called Mont Skeets, one
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
grown slowly has it popularity in
2.
America’s of one celebrates day The gestures invented
3.
is part in It common life today a of America
4.
each give slap a hands other’s
5.
the can wherever in you it go world see you
6.
one play to ever players greatest the of
7.
his visit would friends army father’s
8.
didn’t their The Mont know names young
9.
teammates his use his adapted to with he greeting it
10.
a it short had space spread of In time
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 National High Five Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about National High Five 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 National High Five Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
