Famous People

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth
Pre-Reading Warm Up Questions ☀
Elizabeth II has been the Queen of the United Kingdom and the
head of the Commonwealth for more than 60 years. 1. Do you know the meaning of the British Commonwealth?
2. Queen Elizabeth II is the queen of many different
She was born on April 21, 1926, in London, England. Her parents
countries. Try to name a few of these and then find them
were The Duke and Duchess of York. In 1936, her father became
on a map.
king and she became Princess Elizabeth. When her father died, she
would become queen. 3. What are some of the duties of a king or queen?
4. What is a Diamond Jubilee?
To prepare to be queen, Princess Elizabeth studied history and law.
She also learned about the duties of a queen and how she must act in
public.

In 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten. He then became Prince

Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. They had a son, Charles, in 1948, and a
daughter, Anne, in 1950.

Her father, King George VI, died suddenly in 1952 and she became
the queen. But she was not formally crowned as queen until June 2,
1953. People all over the world listened to her coronation ceremony
on radio or watched it on TV.

The Queen and her husband had two more children, Andrew and
Edward. They now have several grandchildren.

One of the Queen’s duties is to visit her subjects in other countries

and to visit countries that belong to the Commonwealth. These are
countries that used to be ruled by Britain. She and Prince Philip
have traveled to many countries over the years. Canada, New
Zealand, and Nigeria are just a few of them.
COMPREHENSION ✍
When she is at home, the Queen meets every week with the British A. True or False. Read the statements below. If the
prime minister to learn what is happening in Britain. She also makes statement is true, write T beside the sentence. If it is
false, write F. If it is false, correct the information.
sure she knows about important events in other parts of the world.
1. Elizabeth became queen in 1936.
When she is not carrying out her royal duties, Queen Elizabeth is
often seen with her dogs or her horses. She has several of them.
2. Her husband’s title is king.

In 2012, there were huge celebrations in Britain because she had

3. Queen Elizabeth has four children.
been queen for 60 years. This is called the Diamond Jubilee. When
Queen Elizabeth dies or decides to step down, her oldest son, Prince
4. Canada is a member of the British Commonwealth.
Charles, will become king. But many people think she will be queen
for many more years. 5. Prince Charles is next in line to become King of England.

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 Famous People
Queen Elizabeth

B. Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner. Then write the answers in complete sentences.

1. Who was Queen Elizabeth’s father?

2. When was Queen Elizabeth formally crowned as queen?
3. What did Elizabeth do to prepare to become queen?
4. Who did Elizabeth marry?
5. Name two of Queen Elizabeth’s official duties?
6. What is the meaning of the British Commonwealth?
7. Why did Britain hold huge celebrations in 2012?
8. How old was Elizabeth when she became queen?

DISCUSS
VOCABULARY REVIEW ✍
1. What countries still have a king or queen?
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.

2. Do you think that life in a royal family is

_____ 1. prepare a. citizen of a country ruled by a king or queen
easy or difficult? Give your reasons.
_____ 2. duties b. do, perform a duty
_____ 3. public c. get ready 3. Several members of Queen Elizabeth’s
_____ 4. huge d. happening family have been in the news frequently. (ex.
_____ 5. coronation e. responsibilities
Princess Diana, Princess Margaret, Prince
_____ 6. rule f. opposite of casual
Charles, Sarah Ferguson, etc.). What do you
_____ 7. ceremony g. govern, control
know about them?
_____ 8. step down h. very big
_____ 9. carry out i. ceremony of making someone a king or queen 4. Some people believe that in democratic
_____ 10. event j. in front of people, opposite of private societies there is no reason to keep a king or
_____ 11. subject k. leave a position
queen. What is your opinion?
_____ 12. formal l. event to mark a special occasion such as a wedding

B. Choose the correct word or idiom from the left column above to complete the following sentences.
(You may have to change a verb tense.)

1. She bought a new dress for her graduation ___________________________________.

2. Many people are very nervous when they have to speak in ___________________________________.
3. You should wear ___________________________________ clothes when you go to a wedding.
4. Queen Elizabeth has ___________________________________ England for over 60 years.
5. She has a lot of food to ___________________________________ for the party.
6. The 1953 ___________________________________ of Queen Elizabeth was televised around the world.
7. A secretary has many _________________________________ such as typing, filing and answering phones.
8. A soldier must ___________________________________ his officer’s instructions.

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 Famous People
Queen Elizabeth

ANSWER KEY

Please note:
The reading for this topic is also available in full-page format at the end of the lesson (page 4).

PRE-READING QUESTIONS
1-3. Individual answer (or)
2. Canada, Australia and India.
3. Some of the duties of a king or queen include public duties, such as ceremonies, receptions and visits, reading
letters from the public and meeting with other officials and ambassadors.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
A. True or False
1. F 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. T

B. Written Answers
1. Queen Elizabeth’s father was King George VI.
2. Queen Elizabeth was formally crowned as queen on June 2, 1953.
3. To prepare to become queen, Elizabeth studied history and law. She also learned about the duties of a queen and how
she must act in public.
4. Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten.
5. Two of the Queen’s duties include visiting her subjects in other countries and visiting countries that belong to the
Commonwealth.
6. The British Commonwealth is made up of countries that used to be ruled by Britain.
7. Britain held big celebrations in 2012 because Elizabeth had been queen for sixty years.
8. Elizabeth was twenty six years old when she became queen.

VOCABULARY REVIEW
A. Match the words
1. c 2. e 3. j 4. h 5. i 6. g
7. l 8. k 9. b 10. d 11. a 12. f

B. Choose the right word

1. ceremony 2. public 3. formal 4. ruled
5. prepare 6. coronation 7. duties 8. carry out

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 Famous People
Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth

Elizabeth II has been the Queen of the United Kingdom and the head of the Commonwealth for more than 60
years.

She was born on April 21, 1926, in London, England. Her parents were The Duke and Duchess of York. In 1936,
her father became king and she became Princess Elizabeth. When her father died, she would become queen.

To prepare to be queen, Princess Elizabeth studied history and law. She also learned about the duties of a queen
and how she must act in public.

In 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten. He then became Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. They had a son,
Charles, in 1948, and a daughter, Anne, in 1950.

Her father, King George VI, died suddenly in 1952 and she became the queen. But she was not formally crowned
as queen until June 2, 1953. People all over the world listened to her coronation ceremony on radio or watched it
on TV.

The Queen and her husband had two more children, Andrew and Edward. They now have several grandchildren.

One of the Queen’s duties is to visit her subjects in other countries and to visit countries that belong to the Com-
monwealth. These are countries that used to be ruled by Britain. She and Prince Philip have traveled to many
countries over the years. Canada, New Zealand, and Nigeria are just a few of them.

When she is at home, the Queen meets every week with the British prime minister to learn what is happening in
Britain. She also makes sure she knows about important events in other parts of the world.

When she is not carrying out her royal duties, Queen Elizabeth is often seen with her dogs or her horses. She has
several of them.

In 2012, there were huge celebrations in Britain because she had been queen for 60 years. When Queen Elizabeth
dies or decides to step down, her oldest son, Prince Charles, will become king. But many people think she will be
queen for many more years.

Copyright 2012, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 4