Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Senior Citizens Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Senior Citizens Day is on August the 21st. It is a day to celebrate the world’s older people. Their number is increasing rapidly every year. In 1950 there were 200 million people over 60 years old. That number nearly tripled to 600 million in 2000. Experts say that by 2025, there will be over 1 billion old folk. The day was started by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He said there should be a day for us to show our gratitude for what old people have achieved in their lives, and for their contributions to our communities and society. It is also a day on which we can focus on the rights of the aged all over the world. In today’s world where equality is so important, there are many issues surrounding ageism.
There are many things we can do on Senior Citizens Day. Perhaps the first thing we should do is tell the older people in our lives how much we love them. We should thank them for all they have done for us. It is important to spend time with seniors, especially those who live alone, who may be lonely. Spending time with seniors shows them they are still appreciated. There are many things we can learn from them. They are full of wonderful stories of a different age. President Reagan said: “For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks…We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to grow older.”
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
a day to celebrate the world’s
a.
old people have achieved
2
Their number is increasing
b.
to 600 million
3.
That number nearly tripled
c.
of the aged
4.
show our gratitude for what
d.
older people
5.
focus on the rights
e.
surrounding ageism
6.
there are many issues
f.
rapidly every year
Paragraph 2
1.
tell the older people in our lives
a.
of a different age
2
It is important to spend
b.
learn from them
3.
There are many things we can
c.
time with seniors
4.
wonderful stories
d.
how much we love them
5.
we owe older citizens
e.
which to grow older
6.
good places in
f.
our thanks
LISTENING GAP FILL
Senior Citizens Day is on August the 21st. It is _______________ the world’s older people. Their number is _______________ every year. In 1950 there were 200 million people over 60 years old. That number nearly tripled to 600 million in 2000. _______________ by 2025, there will be over 1 billion old folk. The day was started by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He said there should _______________ to show our gratitude for what old people have achieved in their lives, and for their contributions to our communities and society. It is also a day on which _______________ the rights of the aged all over the world. In today’s world where equality is so important, there are many __________________ ageism.
There are many things we can do on Senior Citizens Day. Perhaps the first thing we should _________________ people in our lives how much we love them. We should thank them for _________________ for us. It is important to spend time with seniors, especially those who live alone, _________________. Spending time with seniors shows them they are still appreciated. There are many things we can learn from them. They are full of wonderful stories of _______________. President Reagan said: “For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, _______________ citizens our thanks…We can best demonstrate our gratitude _______________ making sure that our communities are good places in which to grow older.”
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Senior Citizens Day is on August the 21st. It is a day to ____________ the world’s older people. Their number is increasing ____________ every year. In 1950 there were 200 million people over 60 years old. That number nearly ____________ to 600 million in 2000. Experts say that by 2025, there will be over 1 billion old ____________. The day was started by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He said there should be a day for us to show our ____________ for what old people have achieved in their lives, and for their contributions to our communities and society. It is also a day on which we can ____________ on the ____________ of the aged all over the world. In today’s world where equality is so important, there are many issues surrounding ____________.
tripled focus rapidly celebrate ageism gratitude folk rights
There are many things we can do on Senior Citizens Day. Perhaps the first thing we should do is ____________ the older people in our lives how much we love them. We should thank them for all they have ____________ for us. It is important to spend time with seniors, especially those who live alone, who may be ____________. Spending time with seniors shows them they are still appreciated. There are many things we can ____________ from them. They are full of wonderful stories of a different ____________. President Reagan said: “For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they ____________ to accomplish, we ____________ older citizens our thanks…We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to ____________ older.”
done age owe learn grow tell lonely continue
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Senior Citizens Day is on August the 21st. It is a day to celebrate the world’s older / elder people. Their number is increasing rapids / rapidly every year. In 1950 there were 200 million people over 60 years old. That number nearly tripled / triple to 600 million in 2000. Experts say that by 2025, there will be over 1 billion old folk. The day was started by former / farmer U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He said there should be a day for us to show our grateful / gratitude for what old people have achieved / achievement in their lives, and for their contributions to our communities and society / social. It is also a day on which we can focus on the rights of the aged all over the world. In today’s world where equality is so important, there are many issues surrounding ageism / ageist.
There are many things we can do on Senior Citizens Day. Perhaps the first thing we should do is tell / told the older people in our lives how much / many we love them. We should thank them for all they have done for us. It is important to spending / spend time with seniors, especially those who live alone, who may be loneliness / lonely. Spending time with seniors shows them they are still appreciated. There are many things we can learn / learnt from them. They are full of wonderful stories of a different age / ages. President Reagan said: “For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe / lend older citizens our thanks…We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to growth / grow older.”
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Senior Citizens Day is on August the 21st. It is a day to celebrate the world’s (1) ____ people. Their number is increasing (2) ____ every year. In 1950 there were 200 million people over 60 years old. That number nearly (3) ____ to 600 million in 2000. Experts say that by 2025, there will be over 1 billion old folk. The day was started by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He said there should be a day for us to show our (4) ____ for what old people have achieved in their lives, and for their contributions to our communities and (5) ____. It is also a day on which we can focus on the rights of the aged all over the world. In today’s world where (6) ____ is so important, there are many issues surrounding ageism.
There are many things we can do on Senior Citizens Day. Perhaps the first thing we should do is tell the older people in our (7) ____ how much we love them. We should thank them for all they have (8) ____ for us. It is important to spend time with seniors, especially those who live alone, who may be (9) ____. Spending time with seniors shows them they are still appreciated. There are many things we can learn from them. They are full of wonderful stories of a different (10) ____. President Reagan said: “For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we (11) ____ older citizens our thanks…We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to (12) ____ older.”
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
oldies
(b)
oldish
(c)
older
(d)
olden
2.
(a)
rapidly
(b)
rapids
(c)
rapid
(d)
rabid
3.
(a)
three
(b)
tripled
(c)
three-fold
(d)
trio
4.
(a)
grateful
(b)
gratitude
(c)
gratefully
(d)
grated
5.
(a)
socially
(b)
social
(c)
society
(d)
societal
6.
(a)
equals
(b)
equal
(c)
equalities
(d)
equality
7.
(a)
lively
(b)
living
(c)
lives
(d)
alive
8.
(a)
doing
(b)
does
(c)
did
(d)
done
9.
(a)
alone
(b)
loneliness
(c)
lonesome
(d)
lonely
10.
(a)
age
(b)
ages
(c)
aged
(d)
aging
11.
(a)
woe
(b)
woo
(c)
ewe
(d)
owe
12.
(a)
growth
(b)
grow
(c)
grew
(d)
growing
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
increasing ldaipry every year
2.
That number nearly tilepdr
3.
fremor U.S. President
4.
what old people have hicveead
5.
the rtsghi of the aged
6.
issues surrounding gmiaes
Paragraph 2
7.
the older people in our eilvs
8.
dnesp time with seniors
9.
they are still praeipdetca
10.
otuhtugorh life
11.
demonstrate our ttdurgaei
12.
rwog older
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
world where equality is so important, there are many issues surrounding ageism.
( )
to 600 million in 2000. Experts say that by 2025, there will be over 1 billion old folk. The day was started
( )
society. It is also a day on which we can focus on the rights of the aged all over the world. In today’s
( )
demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to grow older.”
( )
people in our lives how much we love them. We should thank them for all they have done for us. It is important to spend
( 1 )
Senior Citizens Day is on August the 21st. It is a day to celebrate the world’s older people. Their number is
( )
There are many things we can do on Senior Citizens Day. Perhaps the first thing we should do is tell the older
( )
increasing rapidly every year. In 1950 there were 200 million people over 60 years old. That number nearly tripled
( )
time with seniors, especially those who live alone, who may be lonely. Spending time
( )
with seniors shows them they are still appreciated. There are many things we can learn from them. They are full
( )
old people have achieved in their lives, and for their contributions to our communities and
( )
by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He said there should be a day for us to show our gratitude for what
( )
of wonderful stories of a different age. President Reagan said: “For all they have achieved
( )
throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks…We can best
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
A world’s day older to people celebrate the.
2.
year every rapidly increasing is number Their.
3.
tripled nearly number That million 600 to.
4.
our what have Show for people gratitude old achieved.
5.
aged can the the We on of focus rights.
6.
We us for done have they all for them thank should.
7.
spend It time is with important seniors to.
8.
things learn many can them are we from There.
9.
owe citizens thanks We older our.
10.
Communities places to good which older are in grow.
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 Senior Citizens Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Senior Citizens 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 Senior Citizens 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.
