Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on National Yo-Yo Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this reading:
READING
June 6 is National Yo-Yo Day. This is the date of birth of the man who popularized yo-yos in the USA. His name was Donald Duncan and he got into the yo-yo business in 1930. Of course there were ups and downs before yo-yoing became an American pastime. Any story about yo-yos would not be complete without a little up-and-down joke. Donald Duncan saw a yo-yo for the first time in the 1920s. A Filipino-American, Pedro Flores, mass-produced the toys in California. Duncan saw the potential to make money and bought Flores’ yo-yo factory. He hired Flores to take the yo-yo all around America. Flores held competitions in all the states he visited. Children loved the yo-yo and Duncan’s business went from strength to strength.
The true history of the yo-yo goes back several thousand years. It is thought to have originated in China. From there, it travelled to Greece. Records from the ancient Greek empire, around 500BC, describe a circular toy made out of wood. The world’s oldest yo-yo dates to this period. Not all yo-yos were toys. There are reports that the yo-yo was a weapon for over 400 years in the Philippines. Today, the yo-yo is a part of every child’s toy cupboard. Young and old love playing with it and demonstrating their skills. It is perhaps one of the most successful toys ever. All around America, there are yo-yo competitions on June 6. Many yo-yo enthusiasts believe it should be an Olympic sport. There is definitely an art and a skill to good yo-yoing.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
the man who
a.
produced the toys
2
Of course there were ups
b.
around America
3.
an American
c.
to strength
4.
Pedro Flores, mass-
d.
pastime
5.
take the yo-yo all
e.
popularized yo-yos
6.
Duncan’s business went from strength
f.
and downs
Paragraph 2
1.
the yo-yo goes back
a.
successful toys ever
2
a circular toy made
b.
several thousand years
3.
the yo-yo was a weapon
c.
out of wood
4.
demonstrating
d.
good yo-yoing
5.
one of the most
e.
for over 400 years
6.
an art and a skill to
f.
their skills
LISTENING GAP FILL
June 6 is National Yo-Yo Day. This is ____________________ the man who popularized yo-yos in the USA. His name was Donald Duncan ____________________ yo-yo business in 1930. Of course there were ups and downs before yo-yoing became an American pastime. Any story about yo-yos would not be complete ____________________ -and-down joke. Donald Duncan saw a yo-yo for the first time in the 1920s. A Filipino-American, Pedro Flores, ____________________ in California. Duncan saw the potential to make money and bought Flores’ yo-yo factory. He hired Flores to take the yo-yo all around America. Flores ____________________ the states he visited. Children loved the yo-yo and Duncan’s business went from ____________________.
The true history of the yo-yo _______________________ years. It is thought to have originated in China. From there, it travelled to Greece. Records ______________________ empire, around 500BC, describe a circular toy made out of wood. The world’s oldest yo-yo dates to this period. Not ____________________. There are reports that the yo-yo was a weapon for over 400 years in the Philippines. Today, the yo-yo is a part of every child’s toy cupboard. Young ____________________ with it and demonstrating their skills. It is perhaps one of the most successful toys ever. All around America, there are yo-yo competitions on June 6. Many yo-yo ____________________ should be an Olympic sport. There is definitely an art and a ____________________.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
June 6 is National Yo-Yo Day. This is the date of birth of the man who __________ yo-yos in the USA. His name was Donald Duncan and he got into the yo-yo __________ in 1930. Of course there were ups and downs before yo-yoing became an American __________. Any story about yo-yos would not be complete without a little up-and-down __________. Donald Duncan saw a yo-yo for the first time in the 1920s. A Filipino-American, Pedro Flores, __________ -produced the toys in California. Duncan saw the __________ to make money and bought Flores’ yo-yo factory. He hired Flores to take the yo-yo all around America. Flores __________ competitions in all the states he visited. Children loved the yo-yo and Duncan’s business went from __________ to strength.
joke business held mass strength pastime popularized potential
The true history of the yo-yo goes back __________ thousand years. It is thought to have __________ in China. From there, it travelled to Greece. Records from the ancient Greek empire, around 500BC, describe a __________ toy made out of wood. The world’s oldest yo-yo dates to this period. Not all yo-yos were toys. There are reports that the yo-yo was a __________ for over 400 years in the Philippines. Today, the yo-yo is a part of every child’s toy __________. Young and old love playing with it and demonstrating their skills. It is perhaps one of the most __________ toys ever. All around America, there are yo-yo competitions on June 6. Many yo-yo __________ believe it should be an Olympic sport. There is definitely an __________ and a skill to good yo-yoing.
circular cupboard several enthusiasts art weapon originated successful
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
June 6 is National Yo-Yo Day. This is the date of born / birth of the man who popularized yo-yos in the USA. His name was Donald Duncan and he got / made into the yo-yo business in 1930. Of course there were ups and downs before yo-yoing became an American pastime. Any story about yo-yos would not be completion / complete without a little up-and-down funny / joke. Donald Duncan saw a yo-yo for the first time in the 1920s. A Filipino-American, Pedro Flores, mass-produced the toys in California. Duncan saw the potential / possible to make money and bought Flores’ yo-yo factory. He rented / hired Flores to take the yo-yo all around America. Flores gripped / held competitions in all the states he visited. Children loved the yo-yo and Duncan’s business went from strength / strong to strength.
The true history of the yo-yo goes / comes back several thousand years. It is thought to have original / originated in China. From there, it travelled to Greece. Records from the ancient Greek empire, around 500BC, describe a circular toy made out / up of wood. The world’s oldest yo-yo dates to this / the period. Not all yo-yos were toys. There are reports that the yo-yo was a weapon for over 400 years in the Philippines. Today, the yo-yo is a part of every / all child’s toy cupboard. Young and old love playing with it and demonstrating them / their skills. It is perhaps one of the most successful toys ever. All around America, there are yo-yo competitions on June 6. Many yo-yo enthusiasts / enthusiastically believe it should be an Olympic sport. There is definitely an art / artist and a skill to good yo-yoing.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
June 6 is National Yo-Yo Day. This is the date of (1) ____ of the man who popularized yo-yos in the USA. His name was Donald Duncan and he got (2) ____ the yo-yo business in 1930. Of course there were ups and downs before yo-yoing became an American pastime. Any story about yo-yos would not be (3) ____ without a little up-and-down joke. Donald Duncan saw a yo-yo for the first time in the 1920s. A Filipino-American, Pedro Flores, (4) ____ -produced the toys in California. Duncan saw the (5) ____ to make money and bought Flores’ yo-yo factory. He hired Flores to take the yo-yo all around America. Flores held competitions in all the states he visited. Children loved the yo-yo and Duncan’s business (6) ____ from strength to strength.
The true history of the yo-yo (7) ____ back several thousand years. It is thought to have originated in China. From there, it travelled to Greece. Records from the ancient Greek empire, around 500BC, describe a (8) ____ toy made out of wood. The world’s oldest yo-yo dates to this period. Not all yo-yos were toys. There are (9) ____ that the yo-yo was a weapon for over 400 years in the Philippines. Today, the yo-yo is a part of every child’s toy cupboard. Young and old love playing with it and demonstrating their (10) ____. It is perhaps one of the most successful toys ever. All around America, there are yo-yo competitions on June 6. Many yo-yo enthusiasts (11) ____ it should be an Olympic sport. There is definitely an (12) ____ and a skill to good yo-yoing.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
born
(b)
birth
(c)
births
(d)
birthday
2.
(a)
into
(b)
out of
(c)
up to
(d)
down to
3.
(a)
completion
(b)
completed
(c)
complete
(d)
completes
4.
(a)
pass
(b)
bass
(c)
lass
(d)
mass
5.
(a)
probable
(b)
potential
(c)
possible
(d)
maybe
6.
(a)
came
(b)
arrived
(c)
went
(d)
left
7.
(a)
comes
(b)
arrives
(c)
goes
(d)
leaves
8.
(a)
circle
(b)
circling
(c)
circles
(d)
circular
9.
(a)
reports
(b)
reporters
(c)
reporter
(d)
reported
10.
(a)
skills
(b)
skillfully
(c)
skilled
(d)
skillful
11.
(a)
belief
(b)
believe
(c)
beliefs
(d)
believes
12.
(a)
arty
(b)
artistic
(c)
Arts
(d)
art
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
the man who rupaedozpli yo-yos
2.
an American mtpaesi
3.
Any oryst about yo-yos
4.
mass-rpducode the toys
5.
Flores held empiitoconts in all the states
6.
Duncan’s neisbssu went from strength to strength
Paragraph 2
7.
goes back lrevsae thousand years
8.
it reladvelt to Greece
9.
a rulrcica toy made out of wood
10.
the yo-yo was a enpawo
11.
the most lcsuceussf toys
12.
a sikll to good yo-yoing
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
joke. Donald Duncan saw a yo-yo for the first time in the 1920s. A Filipino-American, Pedro Flores, mass-
( 1 )
June 6 is National Yo-Yo Day. This is the date of birth of the man who popularized yo-yos in the USA. His name
( )
was Donald Duncan and he got into the yo-yo business in 1930. Of course there were ups and downs before yo-yoing became
( )
The true history of the yo-yo goes back several thousand years. It is thought to have originated in China. From there, it
( )
enthusiasts believe it should be an Olympic sport. There is definitely an art and a skill to good yo-yoing.
( )
to take the yo-yo all around America. Flores held competitions in all the states he
( )
an American pastime. Any story about yo-yos would not be complete without a little up-and-down
( )
travelled to Greece. Records from the ancient Greek empire, around 500BC, describe a circular toy made out
( )
produced the toys in California. Duncan saw the potential to make money and bought Flores’ yo-yo factory. He hired Flores
( )
a weapon for over 400 years in the Philippines. Today, the yo-yo is a part of every child’s toy
( )
visited. Children loved the yo-yo and Duncan’s business went from strength to strength.
( )
most successful toys ever. All around America, there are yo-yo competitions on June 6. Many yo-yo
( )
cupboard. Young and old love playing with it and demonstrating their skills. It is perhaps one of the
( )
of wood. The world’s oldest yo-yo dates to this period. Not all yo-yos were toys. There are reports that the yo-yo was
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
yo-yos popularized who man the of birth of date the
2.
course were and Of there ups downs
3.
Duncan yo-yo for time a first saw the
4.
all yo - yo the take America around
5.
business from to Duncan’s went strength strength
6.
wood circular made of a toy out
7.
child’s every of part a is yo-yo the cupboard toy
8.
Young old playing it and love with
9.
on June 6 yo-yo there competitions are
10.
a good yoing and to - art skill yo an
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 Yo-Yo Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about National Yo-Yo 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 Yo-Yo 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.
