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Icelandic girl fights for her name (6th January, 2013)

A teenager from Iceland officially has no name because her given name, Blaer, is not on the list, or registry, of Icelandic names. In Iceland, parents have to name their children from this government registry. Other countries, such as Germany and Denmark, also require parents to choose names from a national registry. The Icelandic list has 1712 male names and 1853 female names. This means 15-year-old Blaer Bjarkardottir is simply known as "girl" on official documents such as her birth certificate and passport.

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Blaer's mother, Bjork, named her daughter Blaer because she knew that the name was in the list in 1973. However it was taken off before Blaer was born. Blaer's mother is suing the government. Bjork said: "It seems like a basic human right to be able to name your child what you want, especially if it doesn't harm your child in any way." There are other cases when parents couldn't name their children what they wanted. Children in Iceland cannot be given names that begin with "c" because there is no letter "c" in the Icelandic alphabet.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	A teenager from Iceland officially	a.	name their children
2	not on	b.	to choose names
3.	parents have to	c.	male names
4.	require parents	d.	has no name
5.	1,712	e.	certificate
6.	such as her birth	f.	the list

Paragraph 2

1.	she knew that the name was	a.	child in any way
2	Blaer's mother is suing	b.	right
3.	basic human	c.	name their children
4.	it doesn't harm your	d.	Icelandic alphabet
5.	cases when parents couldn't	e.	in the list in 1973
6.	because there is no letter "c" in the	f.	the government

LISTENING GAP FILL

A teenager from Iceland (1) _______________ her given name, Blaer, is not on the list, or registry, of Icelandic names. In Iceland, (2) _______________ their children from this government registry. Other countries, such as (3) ___________________ parents to choose names from a national registry. (4) _______________ 1,712 male names and 1,853 female names. This means 15-year-old Blaer Bjarkardottir is (5) __________________ such as her birth (6) _______________ .

Blaer's mother, Bjork, (7) _______________ because she knew that the name was in the list in 1973. (8) _______________ before Blaer was born. Blaer's mother is (9) _______________ Bjork said: "It seems like a basic human right to be able to name your child what you want, (10) _______________ your child in any way." There are other cases when parents couldn't name their (11) _______________. Children in Iceland cannot be given names that begin with "c" because there is no letter "c" in (12) _______________.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

A teenager from Iceland officially has no name because her (1) ___ name, Blaer, is not on the list, or (2) ___ , of Icelandic names. In Iceland, parents have to name their children from this government registry. Other (3) ___, such as Germany and Denmark, also require parents to choose names from a (4) ___ registry. The Icelandic list has 1,712 male names and 1,853 female names. This (5) ___ 15-year-old Blaer Bjarkardottir is simply known as "girl" on official documents such as her birth (6) ___ and passport.

Blaer's mother, Bjork, named her daughter Blaer because she (7) ___ that the name was in the list in 1973. However it was taken off (8) ___ Blaer was born. Blaer's mother is (9) ___ the government. Bjork said: "It seems like a basic human right to be able to name your child what you want, (10) ___ if it doesn't harm your child in any way." There are other cases when parents couldn't name their children what they (11) ___. Children in Iceland cannot be given names that begin with "c" because there is no letter "c" in the Icelandic (12) ___.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	taken	(b)	given	(c)	borrowed
2.	(a)	registering	(b)	registry	(c)	registration
3.	(a)	country	(b)	country's	(c)	countries
4.	(a)	national	(b)	nation	(c)	nationality
5.	(a)	means	(b)	mean	(c)	angry
6.	(a)	circular	(b)	credential	(c)	certificate
7.	(a)	knew	(b)	new	(c)	now
8.	(a)	then	(b)	past	(c)	before
9.	(a)	suing	(b)	sue	(c)	sued
10.	(a)	especially	(b)	special	(c)	expensive
11.	(a)	get	(b)	want	(c)	do
12	(a)	numerical	(b)	alphabetical	(c)	alphabet

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	aolffclyii has no name
2.	not on the list, or isetrygr
3.	greeomtvnn registry
4.	from a lnaintao registry
5.	meleaf names
6.	birth cifreiteatc and passport
Paragraph 2
7.	named her ahegtdru
8.	Blaer's mother is gunsi
9.	a basic human tihgr
10.	ielyecsalp if it doesn't harm your child
11.	name their children what they wtaend.
12.	Icelandic tbhelaap

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( 1 )	A teenager from Iceland officially has no name because her given name, Blaer, is not on the list,
( )	require parents to choose names from a national registry. The Icelandic list has 1,712 male
( )	suing the government. Bjork said: "It seems like a basic human right to be able to name
( )	names and 1,853 female names. This means 15-year-old Blaer Bjarkardottir is simply known
( )	this government registry. Other countries, such as Germany and Denmark, also
( )	your child what you want, especially if it doesn't harm your child in any way." There are other cases
( )	was in the list in 1973. However it was taken off before Blaer was born. Blaer's mother is
( )	as "girl" on official documents such as her birth certificate and passport.
( )	names that begin with "c" because there is no letter "c" in the Icelandic alphabet.
( )	when parents couldn't name their children what they wanted. Children in Iceland cannot be given
( )	or registry, of Icelandic names. In Iceland, parents have to name their children from
( )	Blaer's mother, Bjork, named her daughter Blaer because she knew that the name

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

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

1.	has officially Iceland from teenager A name no.
2.	from this Name government their registry children.
3.	list Icelandic The names male 1,712 has.
4.	registry parents names national Require choose a to from.
5.	such as On her official birth documents certificate.
6.	, daughter Blaer's Bjork her named Blaer mother.
7.	She the in that was list knew name the.
8.	your child Basic human right to be able to name.
9.	when Cases children their name couldn't parents.
10.	"c" letter no is There alphabet Icelandic the in .

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

WRITING

Write about names 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. NAMES: Search the Internet and find more information about strange or unusual names. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about names. Include an imaginary interview with Blaer. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to a name expert. Ask him/her three questions about names. Give him/her three of your opinions on names. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - "Girl" the Girl (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)