Penny Farthing Race
WORKSHEET
Vocabulary
Unusual
Not normal or common.Popular
Liked by many people.Organiser
A person who plans an event.Gathering
A group of people meeting together.Smile
A happy face expression.Camera
A machine for taking photos.Photograph
A picture taken with a camera.Record
The best result someone has achieved.Attention
When people notice something.Forget
To not remember.
Grammar Points
Present Simple
Used for habits, facts, and general truths (e.g., “People come together”).Past Simple
Used for completed actions in the past (e.g., “Penny farthings were popular”).Present Continuous
Used for actions happening now or around now (e.g., “Something is happening”).Comparatives
Used to compare two things (e.g., “Faster than most other ways”).Infinitive of Purpose
Used to show why someone does something, with “to + verb” (e.g., “To bring all the riders together”).Time Expressions with Past Simple
Words or phrases that show when an action happened (e.g., “In the late 1800s”).
Activities
Activity 1
Vocabulary Match
Instructions
Match the words on the left with their correct meaning on the right.
| Vocabulary | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Organiser | A. A vehicle with two wheels |
| 2. Record | B. When people notice something |
| 3. Bicycle | C. The best result someone has achieved |
| 4. Smile | D. A person who plans an event |
| 5. Attention | E. A happy face expression |
Activity 2
Fill in the Blanks
Instructions
Use words below to complete the sentences.
penny | miles | event | organiser | wheel | countries
The penny farthing has one big ______ and one small wheel.
Melissa rode more than 16 ______ in one hour.
People from many ______ come to the event.
The event was the largest ______ of penny farthing riders.
Neil Laughton is an ______ of the event.
Activity 3
Discussion: Ways of Traveling Around
Instructions
Discuss the questions below with a partner or write your answers.
Which is faster, a car or a bike?
Have you ever ridden a bicycle?
How are penny farthings different from regular bikes?
What is your favourite way to travel? Why?
What is the most unusual way you have traveled?
Questions
What does the penny farthing bicycle look like?
Where did the name penny farthing come from?
How far did Melissa ride on the penny farthing to break the record?
TRANSCRIPT
Penny Farthing Race
NARRATOR:
In South London, something very unusual is happening. People from many countries are coming together. They are riding a very old type of bicycle, called the penny farthing. These bikes are big, with one large wheel in the front and a small wheel at the back. You don’t see them often today, but they were very popular in the late 1800s. At that time, penny farthings were faster than most other ways to travel on the road. The name comes from two old British coins. One was big – a penny. One was small – a farthing. Now, these old bikes are becoming popular again. Neil Laughton is one of the organisers of the event.
SOUNDBITE – Neil Laughton:
“Well, I wanted to bring all the penny farthing riders and our community together for one big event. The largest gathering of penny farthing riders since 1880.”
NARRATOR:
Many riders say it feels special to ride a penny farthing.
SOUNDBITE – Neil Laughton:
“When you ride past most people, they have a smile on their face as they watch you go by and their instant reaction is to pick up a camera and take a photograph.”
NARRATOR:
This event is not just for fun – some of the riders are trying to break world records. One rider, Melissa Eisdell, broke a women’s world record. She rode more than 16 miles in just one hour on a penny farthing! The riders hope that by bringing attention to these unusual bikes, they won’t be forgotten.