Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on J.K. Rowling. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
J.K. Rowling is the pen name she uses as a writer. The J is for Joanne, her real first name, but she prefers to be called Jo. Apparently, people only call her Joanne when they’re angry with her. The K is made up. Her publisher asked her to write using a name with two initials, but she didn’t have a middle name.
Jo did a few different things before she struck upon the idea of writing children’s books. She worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International and as an English teacher in Portugal. The idea for the Harry Potter novels came from nowhere while she was on a train to London. She said, “The characters and situations came flooding into my head”.
Seven Potter novels later and Rowling is one of the richest women in the world. In fact, she is the first novelist ever to become a billionaire from writing. Her rags to riches story is a fantasy story in itself. She was on government handouts while writing her first novel. Her last four books broke records for the fastest sellers in literary history.
Today she devotes much of her time to many charitable causes. She famously demanded that Coca-Cola donate $18 million to the Reading is Fundamental charity if it wanted a tie-up with the Potter movies. The future? In March 2008, she said: "I will continue writing for children because that's what I enjoy".
240 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
pen name
a.
books
2
made up
b.
thought of
3.
angry
c.
invented
4.
struck upon
d.
pouring
5.
novels
e.
alias
6.
flooding
f.
mad
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
novelist
g.
link
8.
handouts
h.
gives
9.
literary
i.
welfare
10.
devotes
j.
writer
11
demanded
k
reading
12
tie-up
l
ordered
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
J.K. Rowling is the pen name
a.
came from nowhere
2
write using a name with
b.
because that's what I enjoy
3.
she struck
c.
riches story
4.
The idea for the Harry Potter novels
d.
two initials
5.
The characters and situations
e.
handouts
6.
Her rags to
f.
came flooding into my head
7.
She was on government
g.
she uses as a writer
8.
the fastest sellers
h.
many charitable causes
9.
she devotes much of her time to
i.
upon the idea
10.
I will continue writing for children
j.
in literary history
LISTENING GAP FILL
J.K. Rowling is ____________________ as a writer. The J is for Joanne, her real first name, ____________________ called Jo. Apparently, people only call her Joanne when they’re angry with her. The K __________. Her publisher asked her to write using a name ______________, but she didn’t have a middle name.
Jo did a few different things before ____________________ of writing children’s books. She worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International and as an English teacher in Portugal. The idea for the Harry Potter novels _________________ while she was on a train to London. She said, “The characters and situations __________________ head”.
Seven Potter novels later and Rowling ___________ richest women in the world. In fact, she is the first novelist ___________ a billionaire from writing. Her ___________ story is a fantasy ___________. She was on government handouts while writing her first novel. Her last four books broke records for ________________ in literary history.
Today she ________________ her time to many charitable causes. ___________________ that Coca-Cola donate $18 million to the Reading is Fundamental charity ________________ with the Potter movies. The future? In March 2008, she said: "I will continue writing for children because ________________ ".
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics:
J.K. Rowling is the pencil / pen name she uses as a writer. The J is for Joanne, her real / reality first name, but she prefers to be called Jo. Apparently, people only call her Joanne when they’re anger / angry with her. The K is made of / up. Her publisher asked her to write using a name with two initials, but she didn’t have a middle name.
Jo did a few different things before she struck / strike upon the idea of writing children’s books. She worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International and as / is an English teacher in Portugal. The idea for the Harry Potter novels went / came from nowhere while she was on a train to London. She said, “The characters and situations came flooding / flooded into my head”.
Seven Potter novels later / latter and Rowling is one of the richest women in the world. In fact, she is the first novelist never / ever to become a billionaire from writing. Her rags / bags to riches story is a fantasy story in itself. She was on government handouts while writing her first novel. Her last four books broke DVDs / records for the fastest sellers in literary history.
Today she devotes much / many of her time to many charitable cause / causes. She famously demanded that Coca-Cola donor / donate $18 million to the Reading is Fundamental charity if it wanted a tie-up with the Potter movies. The future / present? In March 2008, she said: "I will continue writing for children because that's what I enjoy".
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
J.K. Rowling is the pen name she uses as a irrtwe
2.
she rferesp to be called Jo
3.
Her beuhrsilp asked her to write
4.
she didn’t have a ilmdde name
Paragraph 2
5.
she curtks upon the idea of writing children’s books
6.
a researcher and bilingual creerasyt
7.
The idea for the Harry Potter novels came from nhowree
8.
The characters and situations came golndofi into my head
Paragraph 3
9.
one of the ietschr women in the world
10.
the first novelist ever to become a inoabileril
11.
Her rags to riches story is a fyaatns story in itself
12.
Her last four books broke rosdcer
Paragraph 4
13.
she dotvsee much of her time
14.
many charitable sseauc
15.
atndeo $18 million to the Reading is Fundamental charity
16.
I will oeictnun writing for children
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
two initials, but she didn’t have a middle name.
( )
Today she devotes much of her time to many charitable causes. She famously
( )
novelist ever to become a billionaire from writing. Her rags to riches story is a fantasy story in itself. She was on government handouts while
( )
Seven Potter novels later and Rowling is one of the richest women in the world. In fact, she is the first
( )
demanded that Coca-Cola donate $18 million to the Reading is Fundamental charity if it wanted
( )
writing children’s books. She worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International and as an English teacher in Portugal. The idea for
( )
writing her first novel. Her last four books broke records for the fastest sellers in literary history.
( )
Jo did a few different things before she struck upon the idea of
( )
a tie-up with the Potter movies. The future? In March 2008, she said:
( 1 )
J.K. Rowling is the pen name she uses as a writer. The J is for Joanne, her real first
( )
"I will continue writing for children because that's what I enjoy".
( )
name, but she prefers to be called Jo. Apparently, people only call her Joanne when they’re
( )
the Harry Potter novels came from nowhere while she was on a train to London. She said, “The characters
( )
and situations came flooding into my head”.
( )
angry with her. The K is made up. Her publisher asked her to write using a name with
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
writer a as uses she name pen the
2.
middle a have didn’t she name
3.
upon children’s the books idea she of struck writing
4.
novels nowhere for Potter from idea Harry came The the
5.
flooding characters into and my situations head came The
6.
the billionaire a become to ever novelist first
7.
fantasy riches story story Her is rags a to
8.
four last Her records broke books
9.
of to causes much time charitable devotes her many she
10.
continue will I children for writing
J.K. ROWLING DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about J.K. Rowling?
2.
Would you like to meet J.K. Rowling?
3.
What would you like to know about J.K. Rowling and why?
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 J.K. Rowling. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. J.K. ROWLING POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of J.K. Rowling. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about J.K. Rowling. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she does every day and what she thinks about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to J.K. Rowling. Ask her three questions about her life. Give her three suggestions on what she should do in her future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “J.K. Rowling expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
pen name
a.
alias
2
made up
b.
invented
3.
angry
c.
mad
4.
struck upon
d.
thought of
5.
novels
e.
books
6.
flooding
f.
pouring
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
novelist
g.
writer
8.
handouts
h.
welfare
9.
literary
i.
reading
10.
devotes
j.
gives
11
demanded
k
ordered
12
tie-up
l
link
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
J.K. Rowling is the pen name
a.
she uses as a writer
2
write using a name with
b.
two initials
3.
she struck
c.
upon the idea
4.
The idea for the Harry Potter novels
d.
came from nowhere
5.
The characters and situations came
e.
flooding into my head
6.
Her rags to
f.
riches story
7.
She was on government
g.
handouts
8.
the fastest sellers
h.
in literary history
9.
she devotes much of her time to
i.
many charitable causes
10.
I will continue writing for children
j.
because that's what I enjoy
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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