Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Newspaper Carrier Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Newspaper Carrier Day is an important day to celebrate one of society’s forgotten workers – the newspaper carrier. Every day, thousands of newspaper girls and boys get up early and carry heavy bags of newspapers around the streets. They deliver our newspapers before we wake up and few people stop to think about their efforts. In the United States, it honors the first newspaper boy, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty. He started work for the New York Sun newspaper on September 4, 1833. He was the pioneer for all the boys and girls who followed him. Today, many young people top up their pocket money by delivering newspapers. They may be a dying breed because the Internet is causing a drop in newspaper sales.
Perhaps millions of people have been a newspaper deliverer. It used to be a part-time job for kids aged between 13 and 16. The requirement for Barney Flaherty was simple. He had to show that he could throw a newspaper across someone’s garden to reach the front door. This is a typical scene in the movies showing American suburban life. Times are changing and many adults now deliver newspaper from their cars. It has become too unsafe in many cities for children to be on the streets alone before 6.00 a.m. The money to be earned is also changing. In Britain, it is possible to earn around $25 an hour for delivering newspapers. The next time you wake up to see your newspaper on the doorstep, spare a thought for the person who delivered it.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
one of society’s forgotten
a.
pioneer
2
carry heavy bags
b.
newspaper sales
3.
few people stop to think
c.
pocket money
4.
He was the
d.
workers
5.
young people top up their
e.
of newspapers
6.
a drop in
f.
about their efforts
Paragraph 2
1.
millions of people have been
a.
in the movies
2
It used to be a part-
b.
a newspaper deliverer
3.
This is a typical scene
c.
$25 an hour
4.
Times are
d.
a thought
5.
earn around
e.
changing
6.
spare
f.
time job for kids
LISTENING GAP FILL
Newspaper Carrier Day is an important day to ___________________ society’s forgotten workers – the newspaper carrier. Every day, thousands of newspaper girls and boys ___________________ carry heavy bags of newspapers around the streets. They deliver our newspapers before we wake up and few people ___________________ their efforts. In the United States, it honors the first newspaper boy, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty. He started work for the New York Sun newspaper on September 4, 1833. He was the ___________________ boys and girls who followed him. Today, many young people top up their pocket money by delivering newspapers. They may be a dying breed because the Internet ___________________ newspaper sales.
Perhaps millions of people have been a newspaper deliverer. ___________________ time job for kids aged between 13 and 16. The requirement for Barney Flaherty was simple. _________________ he could throw a newspaper across someone’s garden to reach the front door. This is ___________________ the movies showing American suburban life. Times are changing and many adults now deliver newspaper from their cars. It has become ___________________ cities for children to be on the streets alone before 6.00 a.m. The money to be earned is also changing. In Britain, it is possible to earn around $25 an hour for delivering newspapers. The next time you wake up to see your newspaper on the doorstep, ___________________ the person who delivered it.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Newspaper Carrier Day is an important day to ____________ one of society’s forgotten workers – the newspaper carrier. Every day, thousands of newspaper girls and boys ____________ up early and carry heavy bags of newspapers around the streets. They ____________ our newspapers before we wake up and few people stop to think about their ____________. In the United States, it honors the first newspaper boy, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty. He started work for the New York Sun newspaper on September 4, 1833. He was the ____________ for all the boys and girls who followed him. Today, many young people top up their ____________ money by delivering newspapers. They may be a dying ____________ because the Internet is causing a ____________ in newspaper sales.
deliver breed pioneer celebrate drop efforts get pocket
Perhaps ____________ of people have been a newspaper deliverer. It used to be a part-time job for kids aged between 13 and 16. The requirement for Barney Flaherty was ____________. He had to show that he could throw a newspaper across someone’s garden to ____________ the front door. This is a ____________ scene in the movies showing American suburban life. Times are changing and many adults now deliver newspaper from their cars. It has become too ____________ in many cities for children to be on the streets alone before 6.00 a.m. The money to be ____________ is also changing. In Britain, it is ____________ to earn around $25 an hour for delivering newspapers. The next time you wake up to see your newspaper on the doorstep, spare a ____________ for the person who delivered it.
simple earned typical thought millions possible reach unsafe
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Newspaper Carrier Day is an important day to celebration / celebrate one of society’s forgotten / forget workers – the newspaper carrier. Every day, thousands of newspaper girls and boys get down / up early and carry heavy bags of newspapers around the streets. They deliver / delivery our newspapers before we wake up and few people stop to think about their effortless / efforts. In the United States, it honors the first newspaper boy, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty. He started / starts work for the New York Sun newspaper on September 4, 1833. He was the pioneer for all the boys and girls who followed him. Today, many young people stop / top up their pocket money by delivering newspapers. They may be a dying breed because the Internet is causing a drop / dropping in newspaper sales.
Perhaps millions of people have been a newspaper delivery / deliverer. It used to be a part-time job for kids ages / aged between 13 and 16. The requirement for Barney Flaherty was simple. He had to show that he could throw a newspaper across someone’s garden for / to reach the front door. This is a typical / typically scene in the movies showing American suburban life. Times are changing and many adults now deliver newspaper from their cars. It has become too safety / unsafe in many cities for children to be on the streets alone / lonely before 6.00 a.m. The money to be earned is also changing. In Britain, it is possible to earn / earnings around $25 an hour for delivering newspapers. The next time you wake up to see your newspaper on the doorstep, spare a think / thought for the person who delivered it.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Newspaper Carrier Day is an important day to (1) ____ one of society’s forgotten workers – the newspaper carrier. Every day, thousands of newspaper girls and boys get (2) ____ early and carry heavy bags of newspapers around the streets. They deliver our newspapers before we wake up and few people (3) ____ to think about their efforts. In the United States, it honors the first newspaper boy, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty. He started work for the New York Sun newspaper on September 4, 1833. He was the (4) ____ for all the boys and girls who followed him. Today, many young people top up their (5) ____ money by delivering newspapers. They may be a dying (6) ____ because the Internet is causing a drop in newspaper sales.
Perhaps millions of people have been a newspaper deliverer. It used to be a part-time job for (7) ____ aged between 13 and 16. The requirement for Barney Flaherty was simple. He had to show that he could throw a newspaper across someone’s garden (8) ____ reach the front door. This is a (9) ____ scene in the movies showing American suburban life. Times are changing and many adults now deliver newspaper from their cars. It has become too unsafe in many cities for children to be (10) ____ the streets alone before 6.00 a.m. The money to (11) ____ earned is also changing. In Britain, it is possible to earn around $25 an hour for delivering newspapers. The next time you wake up to see your newspaper on the doorstep, spare a (12) ____ for the person who delivered it.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
celebrates
(b)
celebrate
(c)
celebratory
(d)
celebration
2.
(a)
up
(b)
in
(c)
on
(d)
down
3.
(a)
stopping
(b)
stops
(c)
stop
(d)
stopped
4.
(a)
pioneer
(b)
pioneered
(c)
pioneering
(d)
pioneers
5.
(a)
pocket
(b)
sleeve
(c)
collar
(d)
cuffs
6.
(a)
bred
(b)
breeding
(c)
breeds
(d)
breed
7.
(a)
kids’
(b)
kid’s
(c)
kid
(d)
kids
8.
(a)
for
(b)
to
(c)
at
(d)
by
9.
(a)
typically
(b)
typical
(c)
type
(d)
typed
10.
(a)
at
(b)
over
(c)
on
(d)
to
11.
(a)
get
(b)
have
(c)
take
(d)
be
12.
(a)
thinking
(b)
thinks
(c)
thought
(d)
thoughts
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
an important day to rbtaeeelc
2.
soaudhtsn of newspaper girls
3.
They eredvil our newspapers
4.
He was the reeniop
5.
okcetp money
6.
icnusag a drop in newspaper sales
Paragraph 2
7.
inliloms of people
8.
a atrp-emti job for kids
9.
a tpliyac scene in the movies
10.
too safenu in many cities
11.
nrea around $25 an hour
12.
rsepa a thought
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
unsafe in many cities for children to be on the streets alone before 6.00 a.m. The money to be earned is also
( )
breed because the Internet is causing a drop in newspaper sales.
( )
life. Times are changing and many adults now deliver newspaper from their cars. It has become too
( )
up their pocket money by delivering newspapers. They may be a dying
( )
Perhaps millions of people have been a newspaper deliverer. It used to be a part-time job for kids aged
( 1 )
Newspaper Carrier Day is an important day to celebrate one of society’s forgotten workers – the newspaper
( )
carrier. Every day, thousands of newspaper girls and boys get up early and carry heavy bags of newspapers around the
( )
it honors the first newspaper boy, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty. He started work for the New York Sun newspaper on
( )
streets. They deliver our newspapers before we wake up and few people stop to think about their efforts. In the United States,
( )
September 4, 1833. He was the pioneer for all the boys and girls who followed him. Today, many young people top
( )
up to see your newspaper on the doorstep, spare a thought for the person who delivered it.
( )
between 13 and 16. The requirement for Barney Flaherty was simple. He had to show that he could throw a newspaper
( )
across someone’s garden to reach the front door. This is a typical scene in the movies showing American suburban
( )
changing. In Britain, it is possible to earn around $25 an hour for delivering newspapers. The next time you wake
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
workers Celebrate of forgotten one society’s.
2.
carry of Get and bags early heavy newspapers up.
3.
their stop efforts to think Few about people.
4.
boys the all for pioneer The him followed who girls and.
5.
is drop sales Internet a newspaper The causing in.
6.
kids for job time - part a be to used It.
7.
garden Throw newspaper someone’s a across.
8.
cities too unsafe It in has many become.
9.
an hour It is possible to earn around $25.
10.
Spare for who thought person it a the delivered.
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 Newspaper Carrier Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Newspaper Carrier 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 Newspaper Carrier 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.
