Article

 

104-year-old woman learns to read and write   (6th December, 2021)

A 104-year-old woman from Kerala, India has passed a state literacy test. Her name is Kuttiyamma and she only learned to read and write last year. Despite having just a year's tuition and being somewhat older than the average pupil, Kuttiyamma passed her tests with flying colours. She achieved a score of 89 per cent on the Kerala State Literacy Test. Such was her inspirational achievement, Kerala's education minister congratulated her. He tweeted: "With the utmost love and respect, I wish Kuttiyamma…the best." He uploaded a photo of the star student in which she is grinning from ear to ear. Another person tweeted: "I salute Kuttiyamma for her dedication. It will inspire others for sure."
           Kerala state has India's highest literacy rate at 96.2 per cent and invests heavily in education. It has a strong focus on adult education, which Kuttiyamma benefited from. Her endeavours prove that age is just a number and that we can achieve anything when we put our minds to it. Kuttiyamma did not have a formal education as she did not go to school. However, her state-assigned tutor called her "a very sharp woman". He said his student was "overjoyed" after she saw her test results. A state official said: "Kuttiyamma is a role model and motivation to all women in adult education". Kuttiyamma said she wants to start writing letters and continue her studies to improve her skills.

1. TESTS: How can you study for these things? How effective are these things? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How to Study	Effectiveness
Vocabulary
Spelling
Grammar
Writing
Listening
Speaking

different words you associate with the word "tuition". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
2. SKILLS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

·         literacy

·         numeracy

·         coding

·         first aid

·         mountain survival

·         business

·         music

·         art

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	literacy	a.	The ability to read and write.
2.	tuition	b.	Most extreme; greatest.
3.	pupil	c.	Teaching, especially of individual students or small groups of students.
4.	flying colours	d.	Having the ability to get others to do something creative or good.
5.	inspirational	e.	A person who is taught by another person.
6.	utmost	f.	Very successfully.
7.	salute	g.	A gesture of respect made to or by a person.

    Paragraph 2

8.	invest	h.	Being able to think quickly; intelligence.
9.	endeavour	i.	Appointed by someone.
10.	formal	j.	Put money into financial schemes, shares, property, etc. to get more money back.
11.	assigned	k.	Relating to an authority or public body and its activities and responsibilities.
12.	sharp	l.	Lots of effort.
13.	official	m.	A reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way.
14.	motivation	n.	Officially recognized.

 

Before reading / listening

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

1. A 104-year-old woman started learning to read last month.     T / F
2. The woman was about average age in her class.     T / F
3. India's education minister congratulated the woman.     T / F
4. A person on Twitter said the woman was inspirational.     T / F
5. India's literacy rate is over 96%.     T / F
6. The woman told reporters that age was a barrier to learning.     T / F
7. The woman's tutor said she was a sharp woman.     T / F
8. The woman will now stop studying and enjoy her old age.     T / F

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

1. tuition
2. utmost
3. grinning
4. salute
5. inspire
6. focus
7. prove
8. sharp
9. overjoyed
10. improve

1. greatest
2. intelligent
3. emphasis
4. motivate
5. upgrade
6. instruction
7. ecstatic
8. honour
9. demonstrate
10. smiling

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

1. Despite having just a
2. passed her tests with flying
3. Such was her inspirational
4. she is grinning from
5. It will inspire others for
6. Kerala state has India's highest literacy
7. It has a strong focus
8. when we put our minds
9. have a formal
10. A state

1. rate
2. sure
3. official
4. colours
5. year's tuition
6. to it
7. education
8. ear to ear
9. on adult education
10. achievement

Guess the answers.

1)  A 104-year-old woman from Kerala, India has passed a ______
     a.  state literacy test
     b.  state literally test
     c.  state literati test
     d.  state literacies test
2)  Despite having just a year's tuition and being somewhat older than ______
     a.  the average pew pull
     b.  the average pupil
     c.  the average pew pill
     d.  the average pup all
3)  I wish Kuttiyamma...the best." He uploaded a photo of ______
     a.  the stars student
     b.  the start student
     c.  the star student
     d.  the startled student
4)  He uploaded a photo of the star student in which she is ______ to ear
     a.  grin in from ear
     b.  grin infer ear
     c.  greening from ear
     d.  grinning from ear
5)  I salute Kuttiyamma for her dedication. It ______
     a.  willing spire others
     b.  wheeling spire others
     c.  will inspire others
     d.  wheel inspire others

6)  Kerala state has India's highest literacy rate at 96.2 per cent and invests ______
     a.  heavily in education
     b.  heave all in education
     c.  heave ally in education
     d.  heft ally in education
7)  Kuttiyamma benefited from. Her endeavours prove that age is ______
     a.  just a number
     b.  justly a number
     c.  adjust a number
     d.  juice a number
8)  and that we can achieve anything when we put our ______
     a.  binds to it
     b.  rinds to it
     c.  kinds to it
     d.  minds to it
9)  However, her state-assigned tutor called her "a ______"
     a.  very sharp woman
     b.  very shape woman
     c.  very chirp woman
     d.  very chap woman
10)  Kuttiyamma said she wants to start writing letters and ______
     a.  continue her stud is
     b.  continue her students
     c.  continue her studies
     d.  continue her studious

Comprehension questions

1. When did Kuttiyamma start learning to read and write?
2. What score did Kuttiyamma get on the state literacy test?
3. Who congratulated her?
4. What was Kuttiyamma doing in a photo?
5. Who saluted Kuttiyamma?
6. What's the literacy rate in Kerala?
7. What does Kerala have a strong focus on?
8. What did Kuttiyamma's tutor call her?
9. How did Kuttiyamma feel when she saw her test results?
10. What does Kuttiyamma want to start doing?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  When did Kuttiyamma start learning to read and write?
a) last month
b) last year
c) in 2017
d) a few days ago
2) What score did Kuttiyamma get on the state literacy test?
a) 86%
b) 87%
c) 88%
d) 89%
3) Who congratulated her?
a) her family
b) India's Prime Minister
c) the education minister
d) her husband
4) What was Kuttiyamma doing in a photo?
a) grinning from ear to ear
b) studying
c) writing
d) maths
5) Who saluted Kuttiyamma?
a) the army
b) a Twitter user
c) her husband
d) India's Prime Minister

6) What's the literacy rate in Kerala?
a) 96.2%
b) 92.6%
c) 69.2%
d) 69.6%
7) What does Kerala have a strong focus on?
a) writing
b) achievement
c) adult education
d) reading
8) What did Kuttiyamma's tutor call her?
a) a sharp woman
b) a smart cookie
c) one in a million
d) Bob
9) How did Kuttiyamma feel when she saw her test results?
a) disappointed
b) numb
c) confused
d) overjoyed
10) What does Kuttiyamma want to start doing?
a) learning French
b) computer coding
c) writing letters
d) writing a novel

Role play

Role  A – Literacy You think literacy skills are most useful. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): numeracy, art or music.

Role  B – Numeracy You think numeracy skills are most useful. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): literacy, art or music.

Role  C – Art You think artistic skills are most useful. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): numeracy, literacy or music.

Role  D – Music You think musical skills are most useful. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't as important. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): numeracy, art or literacy.

Put the words in the right order

1. woman   passed   state   A   literacy   a   has   test   .   104-year-old
2. than   older   being   somewhat   pupil   .   the   average   Despite
3. tests   colours   .   Kuttiyamma   her   with   passed   flying   literacy
4. to   from   ear   .   is   grinning   ear   She
5. saluted   Kuttiyamma   said   her   dedication   .   he   for   He
6. literacy   highest   Kerala   India's   state   has   rate   .
7. strong   on   It   a   adult   education   .   focus   has
8. just   age   is   prove   Her   number   .   a   endeavours
9. put   our   Succeed   we   minds   to   it   .   when
10. adult   motivation   education   .   A   women   all   in   to

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

     A 104-year-old woman from Kerala, India has passed a statute / state literacy test. Her name is Kuttiyamma and she only learned to read and write last year. Despite having just a year's tutor / tuition and being somewhat older than the average / averaged pupil, Kuttiyamma passed her tests with sailing / flying colours. She achieved a score of 89 per cent on the Kerala State Literacy Test. Such was her inspiration / inspirational achievement, Kerala's education minister congratulated / congratulations her. He tweeted: "With the adjust / utmost love and respect, I wish Kuttiyamma...the best." He uploaded a photo of the comet / star student in which she is grinning from nose / ear to ear. Another person tweeted: "I salute Kuttiyamma for her dedication. It will inspire others for sure / surely."

     Kerala state has India's highest literacy ratio / rate at 96.2 per cent and invests heavily on / in education. It has a strong / strength focus on adult education, which Kuttiyamma benefited / beneficial from. Her endeavours prove / proof that age is just a number and that we can achieve anything when we put our mends / minds to it. Kuttiyamma did not have a formal education as she did not go to school. However, her state-assigned tutor called her "a very sharp / shape woman". He said his student was "overjoyed" after she saw her test / testy results. A state official said: "Kuttiyamma is a role model and motivational / motivation to all women in adult education". Kuttiyamma said she wants to start writing letters and continue her studies / studious to improve her skills.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

 

Homework

 LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on literacy. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to improve literacy. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.