Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on National Siblings Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
National Siblings Day (NSD) is celebrated on April 10 each year in the USA. It is the brainchild of Claudia A. Evart, who created it after the deaths of her brother and sister. She wanted a day for all Americans to think about the importance of the relationships they have with their brothers and sisters. She created a Siblings Day Foundation to establish this special day and has managed to get 40 state governors to declare Siblings Day in their states. More and more people are accepting NSD and it now has a “Special Mark” from the US Patent and Trademark Office. If it keeps growing in popularity, it could be up there on the holiday calendar with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Do you ever stop and think just how important your brothers and sisters are to you? Do you ever wonder what life would be like without a brother or sister, to be an only child? Our siblings are quite often the people with whom we have the longest relations. More often than not, we are together in infancy, play together, grow up together and grow old together. We share a million experiences, joys and disappointments. We often rely on them when we are in deepest need and celebrate with them our greatest achievements. Our brothers and sisters are perhaps the people who understand and trust us best. It is great that there is a day when we get to celebrate this wonderful bond and to say “thank you for being my brother or sister”.
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.
It is the brainchild
a.
brother and sister
2
the deaths of her
b.
with Mother’s Day
3.
about the importance of
c.
in popularity
4.
the US Patent and
d.
the relationships
5.
it keeps growing
e.
of Claudia A. Evart
6.
on the holiday calendar
f.
Trademark Office
Paragraph 2
1.
be an only
a.
million experiences
2
the people with whom we
b.
trust us best
3.
We share a
c.
this wonderful bond
4.
We often rely on them when
d.
child
5.
the people who understand and
e.
we are in deepest need
6.
a day when we get to celebrate
f.
have the longest relations
LISTENING GAP FILL
National Siblings Day (NSD) is celebrated on April 10 each year in the USA. It ____________________ Claudia A. Evart, who created it after the deaths of her brother and sister. She ____________________ all Americans to think about the importance of the relationships ____________________ brothers and sisters. She created a Siblings Day Foundation to establish ____________________ has managed to get 40 state governors to declare Siblings Day in their states. More ____________________ accepting NSD and it now has a “Special Mark” from the US Patent and Trademark Office. If it keeps growing in popularity, ____________________ on the holiday calendar with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Do you ____________________ just how important your brothers and sisters are to you? Do you ever wonder what ____________________ without a brother or sister, to be an only child? Our siblings are quite ____________________ whom we have the longest relations. More often than not, we are together in infancy, play together, grow up together and grow old together. ____________________ experiences, joys and disappointments. We often rely on them when we are in deepest need and celebrate ____________________ greatest achievements. Our brothers and sisters are perhaps the people who understand and trust us best. It is great that there is a day when we get to celebrate ____________________ and to say “thank you for being my brother or sister”.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
National Siblings Day (NSD) is celebrated on April 10 each year in the USA. It is the __________ of Claudia A. Evart, who created it after the __________ of her brother and sister. She wanted a day for all Americans to think about the __________ of the relationships they have with their brothers and sisters. She __________ a Siblings Day Foundation to __________ this special day and has managed to get 40 state governors to declare Siblings Day in their states. More and more people are __________ NSD and it now has a “Special Mark” from the US Patent and Trademark Office. If it keeps __________ in popularity, it could be up there on the holiday __________ with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
accepting importance establish calendar brainchild growing deaths created
Do you ever stop and think just __________ important your brothers and sisters are to you? Do you ever __________ what life would be like without a brother or sister, to be an __________ child? Our siblings are quite often the people with whom we have the longest relations. More often than __________, we are together in infancy, play together, grow up together and grow __________ together. We share a million experiences, joys and disappointments. We often __________ on them when we are in deepest need and celebrate with them our greatest achievements. Our brothers and sisters are perhaps the people who understand and trust us __________. It is great that there is a day when we get to celebrate this wonderful bond and to say “thank you for __________ my brother or sister”.
best only old being how not rely wonder
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
National Siblings Day (NSD) is celebration / celebrated on April 10 each year in the USA. It is the brainchild / brainy of Claudia A. Evart, who created it after the dies / deaths of her brother and sister. She wanted a day for all Americans to think about the important / importance of the relationships they have with their brothers and sisters. She created a Siblings Day Foundation to establish this special day and has managed to take / get 40 state governors to declare Siblings Day in their states. More and much / more people are accepting NSD and it now has a “Special Mark” from the US Patent and Trademark Office. If it keeps growing on / in popularity, it could be up there / their on the holiday calendar with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Do you ever stop and think just why / how important your brothers and sisters are to you? Do you ever wander / wonder what life would be like without a brother or sister, to be an only children / child? Our siblings are quite often the people with whom we have the longest relations. More often than not, we are together in infancy / infant, play together, grow up together and grow old together. We share a million experiences, joyous / joys and disappointments. We often rely / relish on them when we are in deepest need and celebration / celebrate with them our greatest achievements. Our brothers and sisters are perhaps the people who understand and trust us best. It is great that there is a day when we get to celebrate this wonderful band / bond and to say “thank you for being my brother or sister”.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
National Siblings Day (NSD) is celebrated on April 10 each year in the USA. It is the (1) ____ of Claudia A. Evart, who created it after the deaths of her brother and sister. She wanted a day for (2) ____ Americans to think about the importance of the relationships they have with (3) ____ brothers and sisters. She created a Siblings Day Foundation to establish this special day and has (4) ____ to get 40 state governors to declare Siblings Day in their states. More and more people are (5) ____ NSD and it now has a “Special Mark” from the US Patent and Trademark Office. If it keeps growing in popularity, it could be up (6) ____ on the holiday calendar with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Do you ever stop and think just how important your brothers and sisters are to you? Do you ever (7) ____ what life would be like without a brother or sister, to be an only child? Our siblings are (8) ____ often the people with whom we have the longest relations. More often than not, we are together in (9) ____, play together, grow up together and grow old together. We share a million experiences, joys and disappointments. We often (10) ____ on them when we are in deepest need and celebrate with them our greatest achievements. Our brothers and sisters are perhaps the people who understand and (11) ____ us best. It is great that there is a day when we (12) ____ to celebrate this wonderful bond and to say “thank you for being my brother or sister”.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
brainchild
(b)
brainy
(c)
brain
(d)
brainless
2.
(a)
each
(b)
every
(c)
all
(d)
per
3.
(a)
they
(b)
there
(c)
their
(d)
they’re
4.
(a)
managed
(b)
manager
(c)
manages
(d)
managing
5.
(a)
acceptance
(b)
accepted
(c)
accept
(d)
accepting
6.
(a)
their
(b)
there
(c)
them
(d)
these
7.
(a)
wonder
(b)
wonders
(c)
wander
(d)
wanders
8.
(a)
quiet
(b)
quit
(c)
quite
(d)
quits
9.
(a)
infants
(b)
infant
(c)
infantile
(d)
infancy
10.
(a)
relay
(b)
rely
(c)
relies
(d)
relish
11.
(a)
trustworthy
(b)
trust
(c)
trusting
(d)
trusts
12.
(a)
take
(b)
have
(c)
make
(d)
get
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
abtleeecrd on April 10 each year
2.
think about the mtpnreaoic of the relationships
3.
establish this eiscapl day
4.
More and more pleepo
5.
it keeps ogrinwg in popularity
6.
the holiday nacdlrae
Paragraph 2
7.
ndewor what life would be like
8.
the people with whom we have the osltgen relations
9.
we are erhtgtoe in infancy
10.
when we are in detpese need
11.
people who understand and sturt us
12.
aeebtelrc this wonderful bond
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
we have the longest relations. More often than not, we are together in infancy, play together, grow up together and
( )
sisters are perhaps the people who understand and trust us
( 1 )
National Siblings Day (NSD) is celebrated on April 10 each year in the USA. It is the brainchild of Claudia A. Evart, who
( )
bond and to say “thank you for being my brother or sister”.
( )
in popularity, it could be up there on the holiday calendar with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
( )
what life would be like without a brother or sister, to be an only child? Our siblings are quite often the people with whom
( )
grow old together. We share a million experiences, joys and disappointments. We often rely on them
( )
best. It is great that there is a day when we get to celebrate this wonderful
( )
created it after the deaths of her brother and sister. She wanted a day for all Americans to think about the importance
( )
this special day and has managed to get 40 state governors to declare Siblings Day in their states. More and
( )
when we are in deepest need and celebrate with them our greatest achievements. Our brothers and
( )
of the relationships they have with their brothers and sisters. She created a Siblings Day Foundation to establish
( )
Do you ever stop and think just how important your brothers and sisters are to you? Do you ever wonder
( )
more people are accepting NSD and it now has a “Special Mark” from the US Patent and Trademark Office. If it keeps growing
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
celebrated is NSD year each 10 April on
2.
her and the of brother sister deaths
3.
relationships about importance the think the of
4.
people More are and accepting more NSD
5.
popularity If it keeps growing in
6.
would ever life like you what be Do wonder ?
7.
relations people with whom we have the longest
8.
people the best us trust and understand who
9.
wonderful to bond celebrate we this get
10.
for you thank sister or brother my being
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 Siblings Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about National Siblings 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 Siblings 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.
