The Reading / Listening - Tissues - Level 0

A tissue company changed the name of its Kleenex "Mansize" tissues. People complained that the name was sexist. The name is over 60 years old. Adverts said they "stayed strong when wet". The tissues will be renamed "Extra Large". Other companies are now making sure their products have no gender issues.

The company said the tissues did not suggest that only men were soft and strong. It said it would make the best products for customers. It takes feedback very seriously. The name change started a discussion on sexism. Someone said the store Mothercare should change its name because fathers also look after babies.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Tissues - Level 1,  Tissues - Level 2   or  Tissues - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/kleenex-ditches-mansize-tissues-after-complaints-of-sexism-a3965146.html
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-45899784
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6288461/Kleenex-renames-Mansize-tissues-brand-extra-large-sexism-complaints.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. A tissue company changed
  2. people
  3. the name
  4. The name is over
  5. stayed strong
  6. The tissues will be renamed
  7. Other companies are now
  8. their products have no
  1. "Extra Large"
  2. the name
  3. making sure
  4. was sexist
  5. 60 years old
  6. gender issues
  7. when wet
  8. complained

Paragraph 2

  1. the tissues did not suggest
  2. only men
  3. soft and
  4. the best products for
  5. It takes feedback very
  6. started a discussion
  7. Mothercare should
  8. fathers also look
  1. customers
  2. after babies
  3. seriously
  4. were
  5. change its name
  6. that
  7. on sexism
  8. strong

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A tissue company changed the (1) ___________________ Kleenex "Mansize" tissues. People (2) ___________________ name was sexist. The (3) ___________________ 60 years old. Adverts said they "stayed (4) ___________________". The tissues will be renamed "Extra Large". (5) ___________________ now making sure their products have (6) ___________________.

The company (7) ___________________ did not suggest that only (8) ___________________ and strong. It said it would make the best (9) ___________________. It takes feedback very seriously. The name (10) ___________________ discussion on sexism. Someone (11) ___________________ Mothercare should change its name because fathers also (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AtissuecompanychangedthenameofitsKleenex"Mansize"tissues.Pe
oplecomplainedthatthenamewassexist.Thenameisover60yearsold.
Advertssaidthey"stayedstrongwhenwet".Thetissueswillberenamed
"ExtraLarge".Othercompaniesarenowmakingsuretheirproductshav
enogenderissues.Thecompanysaidthetissuesdidnotsuggestthatonl
ymenweresoftandstrong.Itsaiditwouldmakethebestproductsforcust
omers.Ittakesfeedbackveryseriously.Thenamechangestartedadisc
ussiononsexism.SomeonesaidthestoreMothercareshouldchangeits
namebecausefathersalsolookafterbabies.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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