Reading comprehension.

1. ÀGORA (aula de repàs) - ' 977 114 911 Ainhoa Pérez Estudillo
Av. President Macià, 10
READING COMPRENHENSION
EXERCISE 1: Read the text. Match paragraphs 1-5 with five of the headings from
a-f.
a) The English choose their surnames.
b) Fans and stars.
c) What? No surname?
d) First names in France.
e) Is that a baby or a car?
f) Famous names from the past.
SORRY? WHAT’S YOUR NAME?
1. ________________________________
In England in the 11th century the population was small. Most people lived in villages and
surnames weren’t necessary because there weren’t any people. When the French King
William I invaded England in 1066, he wasn’t happy with this situation. In his opinion,
people needed surnames.
2. ________________________________
There were different ways to choose a surname: some people used their job (Baker,
Cheeseman), some used places (Hill, Wood), and some used their nickname (Short) or the
name of a parent (Johnson = son of John).
3. ________________________________
These old surnames are common in modern Britain, but first names change with the times.
People often give their children the names of famous scientists, artists or rulers. For
example, when Victoria was Queen of England, from 1837 to 1901, her name was very
popular.
4. ________________________________
These days parents in Britain prefer the names of pop stars, sports stars and film stars,
like Kylie, Keira, Brad and Wayne.
One football fan named his baby after the Manchester United team. His son has got eleven
first names!
5. ________________________________
When parents want an original name for their child, they sometimes choose the brand
names of products. One year there were 298 Armanis, 49 Canons, 5 Jaguars, 1 Xerox and
353 girls named Lexus.

2. ÀGORA (aula de repàs) - ' 977 114 911 Ainhoa Pérez Estudillo
Av. President Macià, 10
EXERCISE 2: Read the text again and answer the questions.
1) Why were surnames not necessary in England in the 11th century?
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2) Is Johnson a first name, a surname or a nickname?
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3) Are Baker, Wood and Short surnames in Britain today?
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4) Why was Victoria a popular name?
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5) Can you have a lot of first names in Britain?
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6) Why do some parents choose the names of products for their children?
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