The Reading / Listening - Valentine's Day - Level 6

When we think of Valentine's Day, we think of romance. Images of red roses, pink hearts and candlelit dinners come to our minds. We rarely envisage breaking up with our partner. However, restaurant chain Pizza Hut is selling a Valentine's pizza for those who want to ditch their better half. Pizza Hut is selling "Hot Honey Goodbye Pies" in New York, Chicago and Miami. Pizza Hut will write the name of your soon-to-be ex on the box of the pizza. For those who live elsewhere, Pizza Hut has an online service to aid the break-up. Customers can go to the GoodbyePies.com website to send a break-up message, along with a link for the "future-ex" to receive a complimentary pizza to help them get over being dumped.

Pizza Hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a blend of sweet and spicy flavours. The company's chief marketing officer said: "With the launch of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that perfect blend of sweet and heat…to real life. We are delivering spicy news in the sweetest way for Valentine's Day." The company's website said: "Break-ups are awkward. We can help. Send a free…Goodbye Pie from now through Valentine's Day, and the delivery driver will deliver the bad news in the best way." It added: "We'll generate an expertly crafted, carefully curated, and potentially plausible break-up excuse for you." A YouGov poll stated that 45 per cent of people believe it is best to end a relationship before February 14.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Valentine's Day - Level 4  or  Valentine's Day - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/marketing/restaurants-embrace-darker-side-valentines-day
  • https://nypost.com/2024/02/07/news/pizza-hut-offering-goodbye-pies-to-help-couples-break-up-for-valentines-day/
  • https://goodbyepies.com


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. VALENTINE'S DAY: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Valentine's Day. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       Valentine's Day / red roses / pink hearts / candlelit dinners / break-ups / dumped /
       goodbye / spicy / sweet / real life / delivery driver / excuse / relationship / bad news
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ROMANCE: Students A strongly believe we should be romantic every day; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. THINGS THAT COME TO MIND: What comes to mind with these things? What do you think of them? Complete this table and share what you wrote with your partner(s). Change partners often.

 

What Comes to Mind

My Thoughts

Valentine's Day

 

 

Birthdays

 

 

Graduation Day

 

 

New Year's Day

 

 

Payday

 

 

Interview Day

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. ROSE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "rose". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. ROMANTIC THINGS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most romantic things at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Red roses
  • Chocolates
  • Walks on the beach
  • Poetry
  • Perfume
  • Saying "I love you"
  • Italian meals
  • Holding hands

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. envisage a. A restaurant or store that has many shops or branches around the country / world.
      2. chain b. To imagine or picture something in your mind.
      3. ditch (verb) c. Someone who used to be your romantic or married partner.
      4. ex d. In another place; not here.
      5. elsewhere e. End a relationship with someone.
      6. complimentary f. Ended a relationship with someone abruptly or without care.
      7. dumped g. Given or provided for free, as a gift or without charge.

    Paragraph 2

      8. blend (noun) h. To start or send off something, like a rocket or a new product.
      9. launch (verb) i. Carefully selected and organized, often for a specific purpose or audience.
      10. awkward j. A mix of things combined together.
      11. generate k. Uncomfortable or embarrassing; not smooth or easy.
      12. curated l. Believable or seeming reasonable.
      13. plausible m. To produce or create something.
      14. excuse (noun) n. A reason or explanation given to justify a fault or offence.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Red hearts and pink roses spring to mind when they think of Valentine's. T / F
  2. Our minds are always on candlelit dinners on Valentine's Day.     T / F
  3. You can get the name of the partner you want to leave on the pizza box. T / F
  4. The partner you want to leave can get a free pizza.     T / F
  5. The goodbye pizzas are all spicy and sour.     T / F
  6. Pizza Hut says it delivers spicy news in a sweet way.     T / F
  7. You can get an expertly crafted excuse to go with the goodbye pizza.     T / F
  8. Most people in a poll said it's better to finish things before February 14.   T / F

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

  1. envisage
  2. aid
  3. message
  4. complimentary
  5. dumped
  6. blend
  7. delivering
  8. awkward
  9. generate
  10. excuse
  1. bringing
  2. free
  3. reason
  4. deserted
  5. tricky
  6. imagine
  7. create
  8. help
  9. mix
  10. note

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

  1. candlelit
  2. those who want to ditch their
  3. For those who live
  4. receive a complimentary
  5. help them get over being
  6. a blend of sweet and
  7. Break-ups are
  8. deliver the bad news in
  9. expertly
  10. break-up
  1. spicy flavours
  2. dumped
  3. crafted
  4. the best way
  5. dinners
  6. elsewhere
  7. excuse
  8. pizza
  9. awkward
  10. better half

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
ditch
romance
link
ex
dumped
envisage
aid
minds

When we think of Valentine's Day, we think of (1) _____________________. Images of red roses, pink hearts and candlelit dinners come to our (2) _____________________. We rarely (3) _____________________ breaking up with our partner. However, restaurant chain Pizza Hut is selling a Valentine's pizza for those who want to (4) _____________________ their better half. Pizza Hut is selling "Hot Honey Goodbye Pies" in New York, Chicago and Miami. Pizza Hut will write the name of your soon-to-be (5) _____________________ on the box of the pizza. For those who live elsewhere, Pizza Hut has an online service to (6) _____________________ the break-up. Customers can go to the GoodbyePies.com website to send a break-up message, along with a (7) _____________________ for the "future-ex" to a complimentary pizza to help them get over being (8) _____________________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
perfect
awkward
expertly
blend
end
delivery
way
plausible

Pizza Hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a (9) _____________________ of sweet and spicy flavours. The company's chief marketing officer said: "With the launch of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that (10) _____________________ blend of sweet and heat…to real life. We are delivering spicy news in the sweetest (11) _____________________ for Valentine's Day." The company's website said: "Break-ups are (12) _____________________. We can help. Send a free…Goodbye Pie from now through Valentine's Day, and the (13) _____________________ driver will deliver the bad news in the best way." It added: "We'll generate an (14) _____________________ crafted, carefully curated, and potentially (15) _____________________ break-up excuse for you." A YouGov poll stated that 45 per cent of people believe it is best to (16) _____________________ a relationship before February 14.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  think of romance. Images of red roses, pink hearts ______
     a.  and candlelit diners
     b.  and candy lit dinners
     c.  and can delight dinners
     d.  and candlelit dinners
2)  selling a Valentine's pizza for those who want to ditch ______
     a.  their better halve
     b.  their better half
     c.  their better have
     d.  their better calf
3)  those who live elsewhere, Pizza Hut has an online service to ______
     a.  paid the break-up
     b.  laid the break-up
     c.  maid the break-up
     d.  aid the break-up
4)  send a break-up message, along with a link ______
     a.  for the "future-rex"
     b.  for the "future-exes"
     c.  for the "future-ex"
     d.  for the "future-exec"
5)  receive a complimentary pizza to help them get ______
     a.  over being duped
     b.  over being dumped
     c.  over being damped
     d.  over being dimpled

6)  Pizza Hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a blend of sweet ______
     a.  and spiced flavours
     b.  and spicy favours
     c.  and spicy flavours
     d.  end spicy flavours
7)  The company's website said break-______
     a.  uppers are awkward
     b.  cups are awkward
     c.  up are awkward
     d.  ups are awkward
8)  the delivery driver will deliver the bad news in ______
     a.  the best wait
     b.  the best way
     c.  the best weigh
     d.  the best why
9)  an expertly crafted, carefully curated, and potentially plausible ______
     a.  break-up excused
     b.  break-up recluse
     c.  break-up excite
     d.  break-up excuse
10)  stated that 45 per cent of people believe it is best to ______
     a.  end a relationship
     b.  wend a relationship
     c.  send a relationship
     d.  mend a relationship

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

When we think of Valentine's Day, we (1) ____________________. Images of red roses, pink hearts and candlelit dinners come to our minds. We (2) ____________________ up with our partner. However, restaurant chain Pizza Hut is selling a Valentine's pizza for those who want to (3) ____________________ half. Pizza Hut is selling "Hot Honey Goodbye Pies" in New York, Chicago and Miami. Pizza Hut will write the name of your (4) ____________________ the box of the pizza. For those who live elsewhere, Pizza Hut has an online service to aid the break-up. Customers can go to the GoodbyePies.com website to send a break-up message, along with a link for the "future-ex" to (5) ____________________ pizza to help them get (6) ____________________.

Pizza Hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a (7) ____________________ and spicy flavours. The company's chief marketing officer said: "With the launch of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that perfect blend of sweet and heat… (8) ____________________. We are delivering spicy news in the sweetest way for Valentine's Day." The company's website said: "(9) ____________________. We can help. Send a free…Goodbye Pie from now through Valentine's Day, and the (10) ____________________ deliver the bad news in the best way." It added: "We'll generate (11) ____________________, carefully curated, (12) ____________________ break-up excuse for you." A YouGov poll stated that 45 per cent of people believe it is best to end a relationship before February 14.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of dinners were mentioned in the article?
  2. Who did the article say people wanted to ditch?
  3. What is the name of the Valentine's pizzas?
  4. Where will Pizza Hut write the name of the partner they want to leave?
  5. What can the partner being dumped get for free?
  6. What kinds of flavours are the pizzas a mix of?
  7. What does Pizza Hut's website say about break-ups?
  8. Who will deliver the pizza in the best way?
  9. What potentially plausible thing will a website create?
  10. When did people in a poll believe it was best to end a relationship?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of dinners were mentioned in the article?
a) family dinners
b) microwave dinners
c) candlelit dinners
d) dinners for two
2) Who did the article say people wanted to ditch?
a) their better half
b) their friends
c) their boss
d) a pizza delivery driver
3) What is the name of the Valentine's pizzas?
a) Hot Honey Farewell Pies
b) Hot Honey Goodbye Pies
c) Hot Honey Adios Pies
d) Hot Honey Sayonara Pies
4) Where will Pizza Hut write the name of the partner they want to leave?
a) on the pizza topping
b) on the pizza box
c) online
d) on the pizza base
5) What can the partner being dumped get for free?
a) a chocolate
b) a drink
c) a special tissue
d) a pizza

6) What kinds of flavours are the pizzas a mix of?
a) Italian and Spanish
b) sweet and spicy
c) tears and sadness
d) garlic and chilli
7) What does Pizza Hut's website say about break-ups?
a) They are awkward
b) They are normal
c) They are increasing
d) They are tragic
8) Who will deliver the pizza in the best way?
a) Amazon
b) the pizza chef
c) delivery drivers
d) UPS
9) What potentially plausible thing will a website create?
a) a fresh start
b) the perfect pizza
c) the perfect ending
d) a break-up excuse
10) When did people in a poll believe it was best to end a relationship?
a) before February 14
b) on February 14
c) midnight
d) when the partner is on vacation

Role play

Role  A – Red Roses
You think red roses are the most romantic thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least romantic of these (and why): poetry, walks on the beach or Italian meals.

Role  B - Poetry
You think poetry is most romantic thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least romantic of these (and why): red roses, walks on the beach or Italian meals.

Role  C – Walks on the Beach
You think walks on the beach the most romantic thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least romantic of these (and why): poetry, red roses or Italian meals.

Role  D – Italian meals
You think Italian meals the most romantic thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least romantic of these (and why): poetry, walks on the beach or red roses.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'pizza'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'relationship'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • images
    • rarely
    • ditch
    • name
    • send
    • being
    • blend
    • real
    • awkward
    • deliver
    • crafted
    • best

    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 - Valentine's Day

    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 'relationship'?
    3. What do you think of Valentine's Day?
    4. How romantic are you?
    5. What do you think or red roses and candlelit dinners?
    6. How hard is it to break up with a partner?
    7. What do you think of the goodbye pies?
    8. How would you feel if you received a goodbye pie?
    9. How bad is it to get dumped?
    10. What's the best way to end a relationship?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'pizza'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about Valentine's Day?
    5. What do you think of romance?
    6. Do you prefer sweet or spicy flavours?
    7. Have you ever been through an awkward breakup?
    8. What's a good excuse to break up with someone?
    9. What do you do on Valentine's Day?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Pizza Hut?

    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)

    When we think of Valentine's Day, we think of romance. Images of red roses, pink hearts and (1) ____ dinners come to our minds. We rarely (2) ____ breaking up with our partner. However, restaurant chain Pizza Hut is selling a Valentine's pizza for those who want to (3) ____ their better half. Pizza Hut is selling "Hot Honey Goodbye Pies" in New York, Chicago and Miami. Pizza Hut will write the name of your soon-to-be (4) ____ on the box of the pizza. For those who live elsewhere, Pizza Hut has an online service to (5) ____ the break-up. Customers can go to the GoodbyePies.com website to send a break-up message, along with a link for the "future-ex" to receive a complimentary pizza to help them get over being (6) ____.

    Pizza Hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a blend (7) ____ sweet and spicy flavours. The company's chief marketing officer said: "With the (8) ____ of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that perfect blend of sweet and heat…to real life. We are delivering spicy news in the (9) ____ way for Valentine's Day." The company's website said: "Break-ups are awkward. We can help. Send a free…Goodbye Pie from now (10) ____ Valentine's Day, and the delivery driver will deliver the bad news in the best way." It added: "We'll generate an expertly crafted, carefully (11) ____, and potentially plausible break-up excuse for you." A YouGov poll stated that 45 per cent of people (12) ____ it is best to end a relationship before February 14.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     candle     (b)     candlelit     (c)     candied     (d)     candy    
    2. (a)     visage     (b)     envisage     (c)     ensue     (d)     environ    
    3. (a)     hitch     (b)     bitch     (c)     pitch     (d)     ditch    
    4. (a)     hex     (b)     ex     (c)     sex     (d)     vex    
    5. (a)     raid     (b)     aid     (c)     laid     (d)     paid    
    6. (a)     damped     (b)     duped     (c)     dumped     (d)     dimpled    
    7. (a)     at     (b)     to     (c)     of     (d)     on    
    8. (a)     lunch     (b)     lurch     (c)     launch     (d)     latch    
    9. (a)     sweeten     (b)     sweetie     (c)     sweatiest     (d)     sweetest    
    10. (a)     through     (b)     though     (c)     thorough     (d)     thou    
    11. (a)     curated     (b)     curtained     (c)     curtailed     (d)     crated    
    12. (a)     belief     (b)     believer     (c)     believe     (d)     belies

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. tlcdaelni dinners
    2. We rarely vagisnee breaking up
    3. aeasnturtr chain Pizza Hut
    4. For those who live rwseehlee
    5. a mlyaoprecnmti pizza
    6. get over being umdepd

    Paragraph 2

    1. The company's hcfei marketing officer
    2. Break-ups are ardkwaw
    3. carefully tcdreua
    4. potentially lbpuielsa
    5. break-up uscxee
    6. end a tsrioahnelip

    Put the text back together

    (...)   chain Pizza Hut is selling a Valentine's pizza for those who want to ditch their better
    (...)   an expertly crafted, carefully curated, and potentially plausible break-up excuse for you." A YouGov poll
    (...)   to-be ex on the box of the pizza. For those who live elsewhere, Pizza Hut has an online
    (...)   Pizza Hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a blend of sweet and spicy flavours. The company's chief
    (...)   along with a link for the "future-ex" to receive a complimentary pizza to help them get over being dumped.
    (...)   half. Pizza Hut is selling "Hot Honey Goodbye Pies" in New York, Chicago and Miami. Pizza Hut will write the name of your soon-
    (...)   stated that 45 per cent of people believe it is best to end a relationship before February 14.
    (...)   dinners come to our minds. We rarely envisage breaking up with our partner. However, restaurant
    (...)   marketing officer said: "With the launch of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that perfect blend of sweet and heat…to real
    (...)   service to aid the break-up. Customers can go to the GoodbyePies.com website to send a break-up message,
    (..1..) When we think of Valentine's Day, we think of romance. Images of red roses, pink hearts and candlelit
    (...)   Valentine's Day, and the delivery driver will deliver the bad news in the best way." It added: "We'll generate
    (...)   website said: "Break-ups are awkward. We can help. Send a free…Goodbye Pie from now through
    (...)   life. We are delivering spicy news in the sweetest way for Valentine's Day." The company's

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Images   minds   .   candlelit   our   come   to   of   dinners
    2. up   with   partner   .   envisage   rarely   breaking   our   We
    3. to   who   want   their   ditch   Those   half   .   better
    4. the   your   ex   .   name   of   Write   soon-to-be
    5. dumped   .   help   being   over   Pizza   them   get   to
    6. of   pizzas   a   The   goodbye   blend   flavours   .   are
    7. sweetest   news   in   We're   the   spicy   way   .   delivering
    8. deliver   will   The   news   .   the   driver   delivery   bad
    9. for   potentially   plausible   Write   you   .   excuse   a   break-up
    10. before   to   It's   end   relationship   a   best   February 14   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    When we think of Valentine's Day, we think of romantic / romance. Images of red roses, pink hearts and candlelit dinners come to our minds. We rarely envisage / visage breaking up with our partner. However, restaurant chain Pizza Hut is selling a Valentine's pizza for those / them who want to ditch / pitch their better quarter / half. Pizza Hut is selling "Hot Honey Goodbye Pies" in New York, Chicago and Miami. Pizza Hut will write the name of your soon-to-be former / ex on the box of the pizza. For those who live elsewhere, Pizza Hut has an online service to raid / aid the break-up. Customers can go to the GoodbyePies.com website for / to send a break-up message, longing / along with a link for the "future-ex" to receive a complimentary pizza to help them get over being bumped / dumped.

    Pizza Hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a bland / blend of sweet and spicy flavours. The company's chief / chef marketing officer said: "With the lunch / launch of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that prefect / perfect blend of sweet and heat…to real life. We are delivering spicy news in the sweatiest / sweetest way for Valentine's Day." The company's website said: "Break-ups are awkward. We can help. Send a free…Goodbye Pie from now though / through Valentine's Day, and the delivery driver will deliver the badly / bad news in / on the best way." It added: "We'll generate an expertly crafted, carefully / careful curated, and potentially plausible break-up excuse for you." A YouGov poll stated that 45 per cent of people believe it is best to end a relationship on / before February 14.

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

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Wh_n  w_  th_nk  _f  V_l_nt_n_'s  D_y,  w_  th_nk  _f  r_m_nc_.  _m_g_s  _f  r_d  r_s_s,  p_nk  h__rts  _nd  c_ndl_l_t  d_nn_rs  c_m_  t_  __r  m_nds.  W_  r_r_ly  _nv_s_g_  br__k_ng  _p  w_th  __r  p_rtn_r.  H_w_v_r,  r_st__r_nt  ch__n  P_zz_  H_t  _s  s_ll_ng  _  V_l_nt_n_'s  p_zz_  f_r  th_s_  wh_  w_nt  t_  d_tch  th__r  b_tt_r  h_lf.  P_zz_  H_t  _s  s_ll_ng  "H_t  H_n_y  G__dby_  P__s"  _n  N_w  Y_rk,  Ch_c_g_  _nd  M__m_.  P_zz_  H_t  w_ll  wr_t_  th_  n_m_  _f  y__r  s__n-t_-b_  _x  _n  th_  b_x  _f  th_  p_zz_.  F_r  th_s_  wh_  l_v_  _ls_wh_r_,  P_zz_  H_t  h_s  _n  _nl_n_  s_rv_c_  t_  __d  th_  br__k-_p.  C_st_m_rs  c_n  g_  t_  th_  G__dby_P__s.c_m  w_bs_t_  t_  s_nd  _  br__k-_p  m_ss_g_,  _l_ng  w_th  _  l_nk  f_r  th_  "f_t_r_-_x"  t_  r_c__v_  _  c_mpl_m_nt_ry  p_zz_  t_  h_lp  th_m  g_t  _v_r  b__ng  d_mp_d.

    P_zz_  H_t's  g__dby_  p__  p_zz_s  _r_  _  bl_nd  _f  sw__t  _nd  sp_cy  fl_v__rs.  Th_  c_mp_ny's  ch__f  m_rk_t_ng  _ff_c_r  s__d:  "W_th  th_  l__nch  _f  G__dby_  P__s,  w_  _r_  br_ng_ng  th_t  p_rf_ct  bl_nd  _f  sw__t  _nd  h__t…t_  r__l  l_f_.  W_  _r_  d_l_v_r_ng  sp_cy  n_ws  _n  th_  sw__t_st  w_y  f_r  V_l_nt_n_'s  D_y."  Th_  c_mp_ny's  w_bs_t_  s__d:  "Br__k-_ps  _r_  _wkw_rd.  W_  c_n  h_lp.  S_nd  _  fr__…G__dby_  P__  fr_m  n_w  thr__gh  V_l_nt_n_'s  D_y,  _nd  th_  d_l_v_ry  dr_v_r  w_ll  d_l_v_r  th_  b_d  n_ws  _n  th_  b_st  w_y."  _t  _dd_d:  "W_'ll  g_n_r_t_  _n  _xp_rtly  cr_ft_d,  c_r_f_lly  c_r_t_d,  _nd  p_t_nt__lly  pl__s_bl_  br__k-_p  _xc_s_  f_r  y__."  _  Y__G_v  p_ll  st_t_d  th_t  45  p_r  c_nt  _f  p__pl_  b_l__v_  _t  _s  b_st  t_  _nd  _  r_l_t__nsh_p  b_f_r_  F_br__ry  14.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    when we think of valentine's day we think of romance images of red roses pink hearts and candlelit dinners come to our minds we rarely envisage breaking up with our partner however restaurant chain pizza hut is selling a valentine's pizza for those who want to ditch their better half pizza hut is selling hot honey goodbye pies in new york chicago and miami pizza hut will write the name of your soon-to-be ex on the box of the pizza for those who live elsewhere pizza hut has an online service to aid the break-up customers can go to the goodbyepiescom website to send a break-up message along with a link for the future-ex to receive a complimentary pizza to help them get over being dumped

    pizza hut's goodbye pie pizzas are a blend of sweet and spicy flavours the company's chief marketing officer said with the launch of goodbye pies we are bringing that perfect blend of sweet and heatto real life we are delivering spicy news in the sweetest way for valentine's day the company's website said break-ups are awkward we can help send a freegoodbye pie from now through valentine's day and the delivery driver will deliver the bad news in the best way it added we'll generate an expertly crafted carefully curated and potentially plausible break-up excuse for you a yougov poll stated that 45 per cent of people believe it is best to end a relationship before february 14

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    WhenwethinkofValentine'sDay,wethinkofromance.Imagesofredros
    es,pinkheartsandcandlelitdinnerscometoourminds.Werarelyenvisa
    gebreakingupwithourpartner.However,restaurantchainPizzaHutiss
    ellingaValentine'spizzaforthosewhowanttoditchtheirbetterhalf.Pizz
    aHutisselling"HotHoneyGoodbyePies"inNewYork,ChicagoandMiami
    .PizzaHutwillwritethenameofyoursoon-to-beexontheboxofthepizz
    a.Forthosewholiveelsewhere,PizzaHuthasanonlineservicetoaidtheb
    reak-up.CustomerscangototheGoodbyePies.comwebsitetosendab
    reak-upmessage,alongwithalinkforthe"future-ex"toreceiveacompl
    imentarypizzatohelpthemgetoverbeingdumped.PizzaHut'sgoodbye
    piepizzasareablendofsweetandspicyflavours.Thecompany'schiefma
    rketingofficersaid:"WiththelaunchofGoodbyePies,wearebringingtha
    tperfectblendofsweetandheat…toreallife.Wearedeliveringspicynews
    inthesweetestwayforValentine'sDay."Thecompany'swebsitesaid:"B
    reak-upsareawkward.Wecanhelp.Sendafree…GoodbyePiefromno
    wthroughValentine'sDay,andthedeliverydriverwilldeliverthebadne
    wsinthebestway."Itadded:"We'llgenerateanexpertlycrafted,carefull
    ycurated,andpotentiallyplausiblebreak-upexcuseforyou."AYouGo
    vpollstatedthat45percentofpeoplebelieveitisbesttoendarelationship
    beforeFebruary14.

    Free writing

    Write about Valentine's Day for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We should never break up with a partner on Valentine's Day. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. VALENTINE'S DAY: Make a poster about Valentine's Day. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BREAKING UP: Write a magazine article about ending relationships online. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on Valentine's Day. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to be romantic on Valentine's Day. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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