ESL Holiday Lessons.com: National Condom Day

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

February the 14th is National Condom Day. It aims to raise awareness of safe sex and the reasons for it. Today we live in a world where unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, are on the increase. This increase can be reversed with proper education, especially among young people. Half of reported STDs in the USA are among the age group 15-24. America’s Social Health Association encourages young people not to risk having sexual relations as the best way of avoiding STDs. However, it also recognizes that young people will choose to be sexually active and that it is essential to teach them about the importance of condoms and how to use them correctly.

Condoms have been used for over 400 years. They were originally made from the intestines of animals. Since the nineteenth century, they have been the most popular method of contraception and birth control in the world. They have saved countless lives and have prevented young girls from becoming pregnant. They are widely accepted in many countries, although the embarrassment of talking about them has not yet disappeared. In other countries they are controversial and banned. The Roman Catholic Church opposes condom use. The demand for and use of condoms is growing rapidly. It is estimated people will buy 18.6 billion condoms in 2015.

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	safe sex and the	a.	with proper education
2	unwanted pregnancies and sexually	b.	be sexually active
3.	This increase can be reversed	c.	transmitted diseases
4.	the best way of	d.	how to use them correctly
5.	young people will choose to	e.	reasons for it
6.	the importance of condoms and	f.	avoiding STDs

Paragraph 2

1.	They were originally made from the	a.	controversial and banned
2	contraception and	b.	in many countries
3.	They have saved countless	c.	birth control
4.	They are widely accepted	d.	intestines of animals
5.	In other countries they are	e.	is growing rapidly
6.	The demand for and use of condoms	f.	lives

LISTENING GAP FILL

February the 14th is National Condom Day. _____________ awareness of safe sex and the reasons for it. Today we live in a world _________________ pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, are on the increase. This increase _________________ with proper education, especially among young people. Half of reported STDs in the USA _________________ group 15-24. America’s Social Health Association encourages young people not to risk having sexual relations _________________ avoiding STDs. However, it also recognizes that young people will choose to be sexually active and that it is essential to teach them about the importance of condoms ___________________ correctly.

Condoms have been _________________ years. They were originally made from the intestines of animals. Since the nineteenth century, _________________ most popular method of contraception and birth control in the world. They have saved _________________ have prevented young girls from _________________. They are widely accepted in many countries, although the embarrassment of talking about _________________ disappeared. In other countries they are controversial and banned. The Roman Catholic Church opposes condom use. The demand _________________ condoms is growing rapidly. It is estimated people will buy 18.6 billion condoms in 2015.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

February the 14th is National Condom Day. It __________ to raise awareness of safe sex and the reasons for it. Today we live in a world where __________ pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, are on the __________. This increase can be __________ with proper education, especially among young people. Half of reported STDs in the USA are __________ the age group 15-24. America’s Social Health Association encourages young people not to __________ having sexual relations as the best way of avoiding STDs. However, it also recognizes that young people will choose to be sexually __________ and that it is essential to teach them about the __________ of condoms and how to use them correctly.

among
aims
active
increase
risk
unwanted
importance
reversed

Condoms have been used for over 400 years. They were __________ made from the intestines of animals. Since the nineteenth century, they have been the most __________ method of contraception and birth __________ in the world. They have saved countless lives and have __________ young girls from becoming pregnant. They are __________ accepted in many countries, although the embarrassment of talking about them has not yet disappeared. In other countries they are controversial and __________. The Roman Catholic Church __________ condom use. The demand for and use of condoms is growing rapidly. It is __________ people will buy 18.6 billion condoms in 2015.

control
banned
estimated
popular
widely
originally
opposes
prevented

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

February the 14th is National Condom Day. It aims to raise / rise awareness of safe / safely sex and the reasons for it. Today we live in a world where unwanted pregnancies and sexually / sex transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, are on / in the increase. This increase can be reversed with proper education, especially among young people. Half of reports / reported STDs in the USA are among the age group 15-24. America’s Social Health Association encourages young people not at / to risk having sexual relations was / as the best way of avoiding STDs. However, it also recognizes that young people will choose to be sexually active and that it is essential to teach them about the importance of condoms and how to use it / them correctly.

Condoms have been using / used for over 400 years. They were originally made from the intestines / intestinal of animals. Since the nineteenth century, they have been the most populated / popular method of contraception and birth control in the world. They have saved countless / counting lives and have prevented young girls from becoming pregnant. They are widely accepts / accepted in many countries, although the embarrassment of talking about them has not yet disappeared. In other / another countries they are controversial and banned. The Roman Catholic Church opposes / opposites condom use. The demand for and use of condoms is growing rapid / rapidly. It is estimated people will buy 18.6 billion condoms in 2015.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

February the 14th is National Condom Day. It aims to (1) ____ awareness of safe sex and the reasons for it. Today we live in a world where unwanted (2) ____ and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, are on the increase. This increase can be (3) ____ with proper education, especially among young people. Half of reported STDs in the USA are among the age group 15-24. America’s Social Health Association encourages young people not to (4) ____ having sexual relations as the best way of avoiding STDs. However, it also recognizes that young people will (5) ____ to be sexually active and that it is essential to teach them about the importance of condoms and how to use them (6) ____.

Condoms have been used for over 400 years. They were (7) ____ made from the intestines of animals. Since the nineteenth century, they have been the most popular method (8) ____ contraception and birth control in the world. They have saved countless lives and have prevented young girls from (9) ____ pregnant. They are widely accepted in many countries, although the embarrassment of (10) ____ about them has not yet disappeared. In other countries they are controversial and banned. The Roman Catholic Church (11) ____ condom use. The demand for and use of condoms is growing rapidly. It is (12) ____ people will buy 18.6 billion condoms in 2015.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	raised	(b)	raise	(c)	rising	(d)	arise
2.	(a)	pregnancies	(b)	pregnant	(c)	pregnancy	(d)	pregnantly
3.	(a)	reverse	(b)	reversal	(c)	reversed	(d)	reversing
4.	(a)	risky	(b)	risked	(c)	riskily	(d)	risk
5.	(a)	chooses	(b)	choose	(c)	choice	(d)	chosen
6.	(a)	correctly	(b)	corrects	(c)	correction	(d)	corrective
7.	(a)	origins	(b)	original	(c)	originally	(d)	origin
8.	(a)	by	(b)	to	(c)	of	(d)	at
9.	(a)	having	(b)	taking	(c)	doing	(d)	becoming
10.	(a)	talk	(b)	talking	(c)	talkative	(d)	talked
11.	(a)	opposes	(b)	opposition	(c)	opposed	(d)	oppose
12.	(a)	estimation	(b)	estimate	(c)	estimates	(d)	estimated

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	It aims to ieras awareness
2.	lasyxule transmitted diseases
3.	rreppo education
4.	ogman the age group 15-24
5.	young people will esoohc
6.	how to use them coerctlry
Paragraph 2
7.	the intestines of aanlsim
8.	the most popular emhtdo
9.	birth crnolot
10.	yilwed accepted
11.	they are controversial and baendn
12.	growing laryidp

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	risk having sexual relations as the best way of avoiding STDs. However, it also recognizes that young people will
( )	in a world where unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, are on the
( )	Condoms have been used for over 400 years. They were originally made from the intestines of
( )	condom use. The demand for and use of condoms is growing rapidly. It is estimated
( )	pregnant. They are widely accepted in many countries, although the embarrassment of talking about them has not
( )	choose to be sexually active and that it is essential to teach them about the
( )	increase. This increase can be reversed with proper education, especially among young people. Half of reported STDs
( )	in the USA are among the age group 15-24. America’s Social Health Association encourages young people not to
( )	yet disappeared. In other countries they are controversial and banned. The Roman Catholic Church opposes
( )	people will buy 18.6 billion condoms in 2015.
( )	importance of condoms and how to use them correctly.
( 1 )	February the 14th is National Condom Day. It aims to raise awareness of safe sex and the reasons for it. Today we live
( )	animals. Since the nineteenth century, they have been the most popular method of contraception and birth
( )	control in the world. They have saved countless lives and have prevented young girls from becoming

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	aims It sex safe of awareness raise to
2.	reversed be can increase This education proper with
3.	best the STDs avoiding of way
4.	choose will people young active sexually be to
5.	them the of teach about importance condoms
6.	have Condoms years 400 over for used been
7.	the popular they been most method have
8.	have lives saved They countless
9.	pregnant becoming from girls young prevented
10.	in will 18.6 condoms people 2015 buy billion

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE NATIONAL CONDOM DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about National Condom 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 Condom Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 Condom Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about National Condom 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 Condom Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.