Listen to News with Tara Benwell - Instructions:
1. Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.
2. Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.
3. Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.
4. Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.
5. Click "show Answers" to see the full text.
6. Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.
dateline: 17 September 2013
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
Long-Named Hawaiian Woman Wins ID Battle
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- syllable: a pronunciation unit containing one vowel sound
- petition: a formal request for change, made to an authority
- ID: identification (card)
- insulted: a feeling of being emotionally attacked or hurt
- maiden name: the last name a woman inherits at birth
- late: deceased; no longer alive
Comprehension Questions
- What did the Hawaiian woman want?
- Why was the Hawaiian woman insulted?
- What does the report say about Hawaiian names?
Discussion Question: Is your name difficult for some people to pronounce or spell? Should people take legal steps to shorten their extremely difficult names, or is it more important to preserve one’s heritage?
show Answershide Answers
Long-Named Hawaiian Woman Wins ID Battle
A Hawaiian woman whose last name contains 36 letters and 19 syllables won a petition to have her full name placed on her driver’s license. Since getting married in 1992, the Hawaiian woman (Janice Lokelani Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele) has carried an ID with only part of her last name and none of her first name. The computer system in Hawaii could not handle more than 35 characters. Janice was insulted when a traffic officer recently suggested she use her maiden name “Worth” since it is short and simple. Like many Hawaiian last names, hers has important meanings. Her name also helps her feel close to her late husband who passed away in 2008. By the end of this year, state IDs in Hawaii will be able to accommodate longer names.
- The Hawaiian woman wanted to have an ID that displayed her full name.
- The Hawaiian woman was insulted because a traffic officer suggested she use her maiden name instead of her husband’s last name.
- The report says that many Hawaiian names have important meanings.
Written and recorded by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
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