Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on National Video Games Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Playing video games is one of the world’s biggest hobbies. It only seems right, therefore, that there is a special day to celebrate it. National Video Games Day is the one day of the year you can go crazy playing your favourite games. It’s OK to tell people you can’t see them on this day, unless you want to play with them. In fact, what better way to spend National Video Games Day than in a marathon session with fellow gamers. Video Games Day celebrates all the popular video games from yesteryear, like Pac Man and Space Invaders, to today’s graphics-packed games on PlayStations, Nintendo consoles and Microsoft’s X-Box. Be careful though, playing too many video games can be bad for your health.
For those that don’t know, a video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a console or buttons, and a screen. Video games used to be played only on televisions or arcade game screens, but now they are played on all kinds of devices, including computers. The earliest known video game was the "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" in 1947. It was very simple. The player controlled a dot on a screen that simulated a missile fired at targets. The first coin-operated video game arrived in 1971. It was called Computer Space and was in black and white. Technology soon leapt ahead to produce the classics we know and love today. The future of video games is sure to be as exciting as the games themselves.
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.
one of the world’s
a.
on this day
2
you can go crazy playing
b.
for your health
3.
tell people you can’t see them
c.
from yesteryear
4.
a marathon session
d.
biggest hobbies
5.
all the popular video games
e.
with fellow gamers
6.
video games can be bad
f.
your favourite games
Paragraph 2
1.
For those that
a.
of devices
2
interaction with
b.
and love today
3.
played on all kinds
c.
a console
4.
The player controlled a
d.
operated video game
5.
The first coin-
e.
don’t know
6.
the classics we know
f.
dot on a screen
LISTENING GAP FILL
Playing video games ____________________ biggest hobbies. It only seems right, therefore, that there is a special day to celebrate it. National Video Games Day ____________________ year you can go crazy playing your favourite games. It’s OK to tell people you can’t see them on this day, ____________________ play with them. In fact, what better way to spend National Video Games Day ____________________ session with fellow gamers. Video Games Day celebrates all the popular video ______________________, like Pac Man and Space Invaders, to today’s graphics-packed games on PlayStations, Nintendo consoles and Microsoft’s X-Box. Be careful though, playing too many video games ____________________ health.
____________________ know, a video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a console or buttons, and a screen. Video games ____________________ only on televisions or arcade game screens, but now they are played on ____________________, including computers. The earliest known video game was the "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" in 1947. It was very simple. The player controlled ____________________ that simulated a missile fired at targets. The first coin-operated video game arrived in 1971. It was called Computer Space ____________________ white. Technology soon leapt ahead to produce the classics we know and love today. The future of video games ____________________ exciting as the games themselves.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Playing video games is ____________of the world’s biggest hobbies. It only seems right, therefore, that there is a special day to ____________it. National Video Games Day is the one day of the year you can go ____________playing your favourite games. It’s OK to tell people you can’t see them on this day, ____________you want to play with them. In fact, what better way to spend National Video Games Day than in a marathon ____________with fellow gamers. Video Games Day celebrates all the popular video games from ____________, like Pac Man and Space Invaders, to today’s graphics-____________games on PlayStations, Nintendo consoles and Microsoft’s X-Box. Be careful though, playing too many video games can be bad for your ____________.
crazy session one packed unless health celebrate yesteryear
For those that don’t ____________, a video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a console or ____________, and a screen. Video games used to be played only on televisions or arcade game screens, but now they are played on all kinds of ____________, including computers. The earliest ____________video game was the "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" in 1947. It was very simple. The player controlled a ____________on a screen that simulated a missile fired at targets. The first ____________-operated video game arrived in 1971. It was called Computer Space and was in black and white. Technology soon ____________ahead to produce the classics we know and love today. The ____________of video games is sure to be as exciting as the games themselves.
dot leapt know devices future buttons known coin
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Playing video games is one / some of the world’s biggest hobbies. It only seems right, because / therefore, that there is a special day to celebrate it. National Video Games Day is the one day of the year you can go crazily / crazy playing your favourite games. It’s OK to tell people you can’t see them on this day, unless / useless you want to play with them. In fact, what better / good way to spend National Video Games Day than in a marathon session with fellow gamers. Video Games Day celebrates all the popular video games from yesteryear / years, like Pac Man and Space Invaders, to today’s graphics-packed games on PlayStations, Nintendo consoles and Microsoft’s X-Box. Be careful / carefully though, playing too many video games can be bad for your healthy / health.
For those that don’t know, a video game is an electronic game that involves / involve interaction with a console or buttons, and a screen. Video games used to be played only in / on televisions or arcade game screens, but now they are played on all kind / kinds of devices, including computers. The earliest knowing / known video game was the "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" in 1947. It was very simple. The player controlled / controlling a dot on a screen that simulated a missile fires / fired at targets. The first coin-operated video game arrived in 1971. It was called Computer Space and was in black and white. Technology soon leapt / leap ahead to produce the classics we know and love today. The future of video games is sure / surely to be as exciting as the games themselves.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Playing video games is (1) ____ of the world’s biggest hobbies. It only seems right, therefore, that there is a special day to celebrate it. National Video Games Day is the one day of the year you can (2) ____ crazy playing your favourite games. It’s OK to tell people you can’t see them on this day, (3) ____ you want to play with them. In fact, what (4) ____ way to spend National Video Games Day than in a marathon session with fellow gamers. Video Games Day celebrates all the popular video games (5) ____ yesteryear, like Pac Man and Space Invaders, to today’s graphics-packed games on PlayStations, Nintendo consoles and Microsoft’s X-Box. Be careful (6) ____, playing too many video games can be bad for your health.
For (7) ____ that don’t know, a video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a console or buttons, and a screen. Video games used to be played only on televisions or arcade game screens, but now they are played on all (8) ____ of devices, including computers. The earliest (9) ____ video game was the "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" in 1947. It was very simple. The player controlled a dot on a screen that simulated a missile (10) ____ at targets. The first coin-operated video game arrived in 1971. It was called Computer Space and was in black and white. Technology soon (11) ____ ahead to produce the classics we know and love today. The future of video games is sure to be (12) ____ exciting as the games themselves.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
some
(b)
among
(c)
one
(d)
belong
2.
(a)
go
(b)
come
(c)
have
(d)
do
3.
(a)
useless
(b)
until
(c)
unless
(d)
unreal
4.
(a)
good
(b)
best
(c)
bettering
(d)
better
5.
(a)
by
(b)
from
(c)
at
(d)
in
6.
(a)
though
(b)
through
(c)
throughout
(d)
thought
7.
(a)
them
(b)
they
(c)
those
(d)
these
8.
(a)
kindly
(b)
kinds
(c)
kindness
(d)
kind
9.
(a)
known
(b)
knowing
(c)
knows
(d)
knew
10.
(a)
fires
(b)
fired
(c)
fire
(d)
fiery
11.
(a)
leaping
(b)
leaps
(c)
leap
(d)
leapt
12.
(a)
much
(b)
some
(c)
by
(d)
as
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
the world’s biggest boshbei
2.
a ealpcsi day
3.
go czrya
4.
eussnl you want to play
5.
lpuraop video games
6.
graphics-kapedc games
Paragraph 2
7.
an coiteelncr game
8.
a console or tbnutso
9.
The iateerls known video game
10.
sduileatm a missile
11.
eptal ahead
12.
The feurut of video games
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
packed games on PlayStations, Nintendo consoles and Microsoft’s X-Box. Be careful
( 1 )
Playing video games is one of the world’s biggest hobbies. It only seems right, therefore, that there is a special
( )
to tell people you can’t see them on this day, unless you want to play with them. In fact, what better way to spend
( )
fired at targets. The first coin-operated video game arrived in 1971. It was called Computer Space and was in black and
( )
though, playing too many video games can be bad for your health.
( )
are played on all kinds of devices, including computers. The earliest known video game was the "Cathode Ray
( )
Tube Amusement Device" in 1947. It was very simple. The player controlled a dot on a screen that simulated a missile
( )
National Video Games Day than in a marathon session with fellow gamers. Video Games Day celebrates all
( )
love today. The future of video games is sure to be as exciting as the games themselves
( )
day to celebrate it. National Video Games Day is the one day of the year you can go crazy playing your favourite games. It’s OK
( )
For those that don’t know, a video game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a console
( )
or buttons, and a screen. Video games used to be played only on televisions or arcade game screens, but now they
( )
the popular video games from yesteryear, like Pac Man and Space Invaders, to today’s graphics-
( )
white. Technology soon leapt ahead to produce the classics we know and
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
hobbies One the biggest of world’s.
2.
special is day celebrate . a There it to
3.
playing You your can favourite go games crazy.
4.
popular the All yesteryear from games video.
5.
bad Video for games your can health be.
6.
televisions games be on Video to only used played.
7.
devices they on of Now played kinds are all.
8.
player a controlled screen a dot The on.
9.
and the love classics today we know Produce.
10.
be to sure is games video of future The exciting as.
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
Write five questions about National Video Games 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 National Video Games 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 National Video Games Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about National Video Games 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 Video Games 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.
