press for the students

 

Kanye West changes his name to Ye   (21st October, 2021) breakingnewsenglish.com

The rapper Kanye West has changed his name to Ye. Judges in California approved his request for the name change. Kanye Omari West is the name that appeared on his birth certificate. However, the artist now has a new, shorter name. Ye, 44, has no legal middle name or surname. He has wanted to change his name for a long time and finally, his wish is now reality. Three years ago, he announced that he was, "the being formerly known as Kanye West". Ye did not give any reasons for his name change. He said it was for "personal reasons" but did not offer any more explanations. The rapper has had the nickname Ye for a long time. It is even the name of his eighth studio album.

The music website billboard.com reported that one of the requirements for name changes in California is for the person to publish it in a newspaper. This is so anyone who might be harmed by the change can object. Ye did this four different times in September. He put notices that he wished to change his name in the Daily Commerce newspaper. One of the only times Ye has talked about his new name was three years ago. He spoke to a radio host called Big Boy. He said "Ye" was from the Bible and that it means "you". He said: "I believe "ye" is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible, it means "you". So, I'm you, I'm us, it's us."

4. GIVEN NAMES: What do you think of these given names, and why? Complete this table and share what you wrote with your partner(s). Change partners often.

	What I Think	Why?
My name
My parents' names
My favourite singer's name
The name of my country's leader
My grandparents' names
The name of my speaking partner

 

5. ARTIST: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "artist". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MUSIC GENRES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best music genres at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

·         Rap

·         Classical

·         Pop

·         Country

·         Rock

·         Electro

·         Opera

·         Jazz

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	approved	a.	A family name.
2.	request	b.	A thing that is asked for.
3.	appeared	c.	A paper that shows where and when someone was born, and details of who their parents were.
4.	birth certificate	d.	Accepted something as being good or acceptable.
5.	legal	e.	A shorter name that friends call you.
6.	surname	f.	Was written somewhere.
7.	nickname	g.	OK by the law.

    Paragraph 2

8.	requirement	h.	Hurt.
9.	publish	i.	A small piece of information in a newspaper, on a website or on an information board.
10.	notice	j.	The presenter of a television or radio programme.
11.	harmed	k.	Something that is needed to do something.
12.	object	l.	Print something for people to see.
13.	host	m.	Very often; frequently.
14.	commonly	n.	Say you disagree with or dislike something.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

1. Judges in New York said it was OK for Kanye West to change his name.   T / F
2. The name Kanye did not appear on Ye's birth certificate.     T / F
3. Ye still has a legal middle name and surname.     T / F
4. "Ye" is the name of Ye's eighth studio album.     T / F
5. There are no requirements to change your name in California.     T / F
6. Ye put a notice in a newspaper four times about his name change.     T / F
7. Ye spoke about his name change to a radio host 10 years ago.     T / F
8. Ye said there is no word in the Bible used more than "ye".     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. approved
2. request
3. legal
4. wish
5. personal
6. requirements
7. harmed
8. object
9. talked
10. commonly

1. hurt
2. desire
3. conditions
4. spoken
5. ok'd
6. protest
7. private
8. appeal
9. frequently
10. lawful

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1. Judges in California approved
2. the name that appeared on his birth
3. Ye, 44, has no legal middle
4. He said it was for personal
5. It is even the name of his eighth
6. publish it
7. anyone who might be harmed
8. notices that he wished
9. He spoke to a radio
10. the most commonly used

1. in a newspaper
2. name
3. host
4. word in the Bible
5. his request
6. reasons
7. to change his name
8. studio album
9. by the change
10. certificate

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

finally
appeared
personal
formerly
artist
album
approved
reasons

The rapper Kanye West has changed his name to Ye. Judges in California (1) _____________________ his request for the name change. Kanye Omari West is the name that (2) _____________________ on his birth certificate. However, the (3) _____________________ now has a new, shorter name. Ye, 44, has no legal middle name or surname. He has wanted to change his name for a long time and (4) _____________________, his wish is now reality. Three years ago, he announced that he was, "the being (5) _____________________ known as Kanye West". Ye did not give any (6) _____________________ for his name change. He said it was for "(7) _____________________ reasons" but did not offer any more explanations. The rapper has had the nickname Ye for a long time. It is even the name of his eighth studio (8) _____________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

only
requirements
commonly
wished
object
means
publish
host

The music website billboard.com reported that one of the (9) _____________________ for name changes in California is for the person to (10) _____________________ it in a newspaper. This is so anyone who might be harmed by the change can (11) _____________________. Ye did this four different times in September. He put notices that he (12) _____________________ to change his name in the Daily Commerce newspaper. One of the (13) _____________________ times Ye has talked about his new name was three years ago. He spoke to a radio (14) _____________________ called Big Boy. He said "Ye" was from the Bible and that it means "you". He said: "I believe "ye" is the most (15) _____________________ used word in the Bible, and in the Bible, it (16) _____________________ "you". So, I'm you, I'm us, it's us."

Guess the answers.

1) Judges in California approved ______
     a.  his requested
     b.  his reject
     c.  his leak West
     d.  his request
2)  He has wanted to change his name for a long time and finally, his wish ______
     a.  is now reality
     b.  is now realism
     c.  is now realty
     d.  is known reality
3)  He said it was for "personal reasons" but did not offer ______
     a.  any morish explanations
     b.  any Moor explanations
     c.  any moor explanations
     d.  any more explanations
4)  The rapper has had the nickname Ye for ______
     a.  a longs time
     b.  a longing time
     c.  a long time
     d.  a wrong time
5)  It is even the name of his ______
     a.  eighth studio album
     b.  eighth stew duo album
     c.  eighth study album
     d.  eighth studious album

6)  one of the requirements for name changes in California is for the person ______
     a.  to published it
     b.  to publish it
     c.  to publishes it
     d.  to publisher it
7)  This is so anyone who might be harmed by the ______
     a.  change can subject
     b.  change can object
     c.  change can inject
     d.  change can reject
8)  One of the only times Ye has talked about ______
     a.  his news name
     b.  his newly name
     c.  his new name
     d.  his anew name
9)  He said "Ye" was from the Bible and that ______
     a.  it mean "you"
     b.  it meanings "you"
     c.  it meaning "you"
     d.  it means "you"
10)  He said: "I believe "ye" is the most ______
     a.  commoner used word
     b.  commonly used word
     c.  come on used word
     d.  come only used word

Fill in the gaps

The rapper Kanye West has (1) ____________________ to Ye. Judges in California approved his request for the name change. Kanye Omari West is the name that appeared on (2) ____________________. However, the artist now has a new, shorter name. Ye, 44, has no legal middle name or surname. He has wanted to change his name for a long (3) ____________________, his wish is now reality. Three years ago, he announced that he was, "the being (4) ____________________ Kanye West". Ye did not give (5) ____________________ his name change. He said it was for "personal reasons" but did not offer any more explanations. The rapper has had the nickname Ye for a long time. It is even the name of his (6) ____________________.

The music website billboard.com reported that (7) ____________________ requirements for name changes in California is for the (8) ____________________ it in a newspaper. This is so anyone who might be harmed by the change can object. Ye did this (9) ____________________ in September. He put notices that he wished to change his name in the Daily Commerce newspaper. One of (10) ____________________ Ye has talked about his new name was three years ago. He spoke to a (11) ____________________ Big Boy. He said "Ye" was from the Bible and that it means "you". He said: "I believe "ye" is the (12) ____________________ word in the Bible, and in the Bible, it means "you". So, I'm you, I'm us, it's us."

Comprehension questions

1. Where were the judges who approved Ye's name change request?
2. Where did the name Kanye Omari West appear?
3. For how long had Ye wanted to change his name?
4. What reasons did Ye give for his change of name?
5. What was the name of Ye's eighth studio album?
6. What website reported name-change requirements?
7. How many times did Ye put a notice in a newspaper?
8. When did Ye speak to a radio host called Big Boy?
9. In the Bible, what does the word "ye" mean?
10. What did Ye say was the most commonly used world in the Bible?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where were the judges who approved Ye's name change request?
a) in court
b) California
c) in an office
d) on the Internet
2) Where did the name Kanye Omari West appear?
a) on the Internet
b) on the radio
c) in neon lights
d) on his birth certificate
3) For how long had Ye wanted to change his name?
a) ages and ages
b) years and years and years
c) a long time
d) forever
4) What reasons did Ye give for his change of name?
a) personal reasons
b) many reasons
c) strange reasons
d) compelling reasons
5) What was the name of Ye's eighth studio album?
a) West
b) Ye
c) KW
d) Kanye

6) What website reported name-change requirements?
a) billboard.com
b) kanyewest.com
c) namechange
d) breakingnewsenglish.com
7) How many times did Ye put a notice in a newspaper?
a) 6
b) 5
c) 4
d) 3
8) When did Ye speak to a radio host called Big Boy?
a) three years ago
b) two years ago
c) the day before yesterday
d) a month ago
9) In the Bible, what does the word "ye" mean?
a) we
b) there
c) yes
d) you
10) What did Ye say was the most commonly used world in the Bible?
a) we
b) he
c) ye
d) be

Role play

Role  A – Rap You think rap is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least enjoyable of these (and why): rock, classical or jazz.

Role  B – Rock You think rock is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least enjoyable of these (and why): rap, classical or jazz.

Role  C – Classical You think classical is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least enjoyable of these (and why): rock, rap or jazz.

Role  D – Jazz You think jazz is the best music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least enjoyable of these (and why): rock, classical or rap.

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

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'rapper'?
3. What do you know about Ye (formerly known as Kanye West)?
4. What do you think of Ye changing his name?
5. Why do you think he changed his name?
6. How happy are you with your name?
7. What would you change your name to?
8. What do you think of middle names?
9. What do you think of Ye's songs and raps?
10. Do you have a nickname?

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

11. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12. What do you think of when you hear the word 'name'?
13. What do you think about what you read?
14. What do your names mean?
15. Who is the best rapper ever?
16. What do you think of hyphenated names?
17. Do you prefer to be called by your given name or surname?
18. How does Ye compare to other rappers?
19. Do you think the name Ye or Kanye is better?
20. What questions would you like to ask Ye?

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

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

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The rapper Kanye West has changed his name to Ye. (1) ____ in California approved his request for the name change. Kanye Omari West is the name that (2) ____ on his birth certificate. However, the artist now has a new, (3) ____ name. Ye, 44, has no legal middle name or surname. He has wanted to change his name for a long time and (4) ____, his wish is now reality. Three years ago, he announced that he was, "the being formerly known as Kanye West". Ye did not give any reasons (5) ____ his name change. He said it was for "personal reasons" but did not offer any more explanations. The rapper has had the nickname Ye for a long time. It is (6) ____ the name of his eighth studio album.

The music website billboard.com reported that (7) ____ of the requirements for name changes in California is for the person to publish it in a newspaper. This is so anyone who might be harmed (8) ____ the change can object. Ye did this four different times in September. He put notices that he wished (9) ____ change his name in the Daily Commerce newspaper. One of the (10) ____ times Ye has talked about his new name was three years ago. He spoke to a radio host called Big Boy. He said "Ye" was from the Bible and that it (11) ____ "you". He said: "I believe "ye" is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible, it means "you". So, I'm you, I'm us, it's (12) ____."

Which of these words go in the above text?

1. (a)     Judged     (b)     Judges     (c)     Judgment     (d)     Adjudged    
2. (a)     appear     (b)     appeared     (c)     apparent     (d)     appearance    
3. (a)     shorts     (b)     shorten     (c)     shored     (d)     shorter    
4. (a)     final     (b)     finally     (c)     finals     (d)     finality    
5. (a)     on     (b)     by     (c)     at     (d)     for    
6. (a)     off     (b)     odd     (c)     even     (d)     every    
7. (a)     one     (b)     once     (c)     only     (d)     ones    
8. (a)     of     (b)     on     (c)     by     (d)     at    
9. (a)     as     (b)     at     (c)     for     (d)     to    
10. (a)     only     (b)     just     (c)     merely     (d)     barely    
11. (a)     means     (b)     meaning     (c)     mean     (d)     meanie    
12. (a)     us     (b)     up     (c)     uh     (d)     um

Free writing

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

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Academic writing

Rap is the best form of music. Discuss.

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