1. Read.

Read the "My Name" anecdote and choose the correct options to complete the table about the writer.

My Name

Chris with his familyIn my country people usually have two first names and a surname, which is usually the father's name. My first Christian name is Christopher, though people I know often just call me Chris, which of course is short for Christopher. My second Christian name is Orton. This is a family name on my mother's side. I think her family originally came from Cork, in Ireland.

Anyway, the funny thing is that in my family everyone calls me Crick, because when we were small it was too difficult for my brothers and sisters to say Christopher. Some close friends from school still use my nickname "Charlie", which in fact was my father's nickname too when he was at school. I don't know where he got that nickname because his real name's George.

So, people use four different names for me. I'd never consider changing my name because that would just make things even more confusing. I know one person who changed her name. She changed it because she believes names have a power over people and she wanted a name that suited her personality better. I still think of her, though, as she was called when we first met.

I have two children and neither of them are named after other people in the family. We just chose names my wife and I both liked, trying to avoid names that are very common nowadays, or names of other people we know. We called them Harriet and Hugo.

2. Write.

Choose ONE of the alternatives below.

Alternative 1 – The story of your name
Write the story of your name. Use the questions below to give you ideas. Try to use the words highlighted in exercise 1.

  • Do you know why you were given your first name?
  • Do different people call you different names? Explain.
  • Would you ever consider changing your name? Why/Why not?
  • What do you think about people who do this?
  • If you have children, what are their names? Why did you choose these names?
  • If you have brothers or sisters, what are their names? Where do their names come from?
  • Have you ever named a pet or a thing (like a house or a boat)? Explain your choice of names.
  • Do you, or does anyone you know, have a nickname? What's the story behind it?
  • What do your friends call you for short?

Write 150-200 words. Check spelling, grammar and organisation carefully before sending the text to your tutor.


Alternative 2 – Company names
Can you guess the names of these companies? Note down your answers, and then compare them with the correct answers below.

_____ is a Swedish company that produces furniture that comes in a kit. It was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad. The company's name is composed of the first letters in the founder's name and the first letter of the names of his parents' farm (Elmtaryd) and the town where he grew up (Agunnaryd, in south Sweden.) The company owns 350 stores in 43 countries. It is famous for its simple designs and affordable prices.

_____ is a Japanese multinational corporation. It produces Subaru cars, and its aerospace division produces parts for Boeing business jets and helicopters. The company was founded in 1953 and it is one of Japan's biggest manufacturers of transportation equipment. It was named after the highest mountain in Japan.

_____ is an American multinational corporation. Its headquarters are in Cupertino, California. The company designs and sells personal computers, tablets, mobile phones and other consumer electronics. It was founded in 1976 and was named after the founder's favourite fruit. It is the world's second largest information technology company.

Now compare your answers with the correct answers.

The companies are IKEA, Fuji and Apple.

Choose three companies from your country and write a short description. Include the following information:

  • Where is the company based?
  • What does the company produce?
  • When was it founded?
  • Who founded it?
  • What is the story of the company's name?
  • Any other interesting information.

Write about 150 words. Check spelling, grammar and organisation carefully before sending the text to your tutor.