Breaking News English

The Japanese toymaker Sanrio, creators of Hello Kitty, have told the truth about their character. They said Hello Kitty is not a cat. This news came because of publicity for a new Hello Kitty exhibition. Sanrio mailed exhibition organisers to say: "Hello Kitty is not a cat. She is a little girl. She is a friend….She's never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature." Sanrio added: "Kitty is a bright little girl with a heart of gold."

Hello Kitty has been amazingly popular since it started in 1974. She appears on everything, from chopsticks to airplanes. A Japanese carmaker even sold a Hello Kitty car. It had Kitty upholstery, a Kitty speedometer and a Kitty-shaped gear stick. Sanrio said the character represents cuteness and has no mouth because she speaks with her heart. A rapper tweeted about the news, saying: "This is worse than finding out Pluto is not a planet."

Try the same news story at these levels:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/08/28/newsflash-hello-kitty-has-never-been-a-cat/
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/world/asia/hello-kitty-revelation/
http://nypost.com/2014/08/28/hello-kitty-bombshell-shes-not-a-cat/

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

News

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."

The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."

Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."

Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities, and more.

$US 9.99

The Activities

PARAGRAPH ONE:

The Japanese toymaker Sanrio,

Hello Kitty exhibition

publicity for a new

creators of Hello Kitty

She's never depicted on

sits like a two-

Kitty is a bright little girl with a

MY e-BOOK See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

Hello Kitty has been amazingly

Pluto is not a planet

She appears on everything, from

shaped gear stick

popular since it started

Sanrio said the character

worse than finding out

chopsticks to airplanes

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The Japanese toymaker Sanrio, creators of Hello Kitty, (1) ___________________ about their character. They said Hello Kitty is not a cat. This news came (2) ___________________ for a new Hello Kitty exhibition. Sanrio mailed (3) ___________________ say: "Hello Kitty is not a cat. She is a little girl. She is a friend….She's (4) ___________________ fours. She walks and sits like (5) ___________________." Sanrio added: "Kitty is a bright little girl with (6) ___________________."

Hello Kitty has been (7) ___________________ since it started in 1974. She appears on everything, from (8) ___________________. A Japanese carmaker even sold a Hello Kitty car. It (9) ___________________, a Kitty speedometer and a Kitty-(10) ___________________. Sanrio said the character (11) ___________________ and has no mouth because she speaks with her heart. A rapper (12) ___________________ news, saying: "This is worse than finding out Pluto is not a planet."

HELLO KITTY SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Hello Kitty in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

Write about Hello Kitty for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".

Thank You

About
Links
Privacy Policy

📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎📎