What You Don’t Know about Pens: Listening Skills Exercises

50-minute English Lesson

In this listening skills exercises activity, learn the amazing story behind the ballpoint pen.

Read the story

Ballpoint Pens

Ballpoint pens are everywhere. Around the world, 57 ballpoint pens are purchased every second. How did this simple pen become so popular?

The history of the ballpoint pen begins in the 1930s.

Laszlo Biro was a newspaper editor. While working, he noticed that his fountain pen created problems. It regularly ran out of ink, so refilling was common. Sometimes ink made a mess on the paper. He wondered if it were possible to manufacture a better pen. So, he did.

Biro did not invent the ballpoint pen. He improved it. The first one was invented in the 1890s, but it did not work well. Its sharp tip frequently cut the paper. Occasionally, the ink came out too fast.

Biro made two important improvements. First, he placed a tiny metal ball inside a pocket at the tip of the pen. A small tube carries ink to the back of the ball. When the pen moves along paper, the ball spins. This turning action draws ink to the front of the ball. The ink on the ball sticks to paper. The ball and tiny space around it ensure a consistent amount of ink is delivered from pen to paper.

The second improvement was ink quality. Biro and his brother developed a thick ink. This change made the pen’s ink flow with greater consistency. In addition, their ink dried almost immediately after coming in contact with paper. This was an important change: people didn’t need to wait for the ink to dry.

Biro’s pen worked exceedingly well. But, it wasn’t successful until a Frenchman bought the manufacturing rights in 1950. Marcel Bich changed the pen’s design. He divided it into eight separate pieces that were easy to construct and put together in a factory. These changes greatly reduced costs and made it more reliable. He also changed the name to BIC, the first three letters of his last name. By 1965, BIC pens were available around the world.

The history of the ballpoint pen has a lesson for everyone. It’s not necessary to come up with an original idea before going into business. Sometimes improving an old idea is good enough.

Listen to the story without reading

Listening Skills Exercises about the ballpoint pen

English listening lesson: Gap Fill

LISTEN TO THE STORY AGAIN AND FILL IN THE BLANKS.

Ballpoint pens are __________ . Around the world, 57 ballpoint pens are __________ every second. How did this simple pen become so __________ ?

The history of the ballpoint pen begins in the __________ .

Laszlo Biro was a newspaper __________ . While working, he noticed that his fountain pen created problems. It regularly ________ ________ _______ ink, so refilling was common. Sometimes ink made a __________ on the paper. He wondered if it were possible to __________ a better pen. So, he did.

Biro did not invent the ballpoint pen. He __________ it. The first one was invented in the 1890s, but it did not work well. Its __________ tip frequently cut the paper. Occasionally, the ink came out too fast.

Biro made two important improvements. First, he placed a tiny __________ ball inside a pocket at the tip of the pen. A small __________ carries ink to the back of the ball. When the pen moves along paper, the ball __________ . This turning action __________ ink to the front of the ball. The ink on the ball sticks to paper. The ball and tiny space around it __________ a consistent amount of ink is delivered from pen to paper.

The second improvement was ink __________ . Biro and his brother developed a __________ ink. This change made the pen’s ink flow with greater __________ . In addition, their ink dried almost immediately after __________ ________ contact with paper. This was an important change: people didn’t need to wait for the ink to __________ .

Biro’s pen worked __________ well. But, it wasn’t successful until a Frenchman __________ the manufacturing rights in __________ . Marcel Bich changed the pen’s design. He divided it into eight separate __________ pieces that were easy to construct and put together in a __________ . These changes greatly __________ costs and made it more __________ . He also changed the name to BIC, the first three letters of his last name. By 1965, BIC pens were __________ around the world.

The history of the ballpoint pen has a lesson for everyone. It’s not necessary to come up with an __________ idea before going into business. Sometimes improving an old idea is good __________ .

ESL discussion questions

TALK ABOUT THE advanced English class story.

1. What kind of story is this?
2. How does a ballpoint pen work?
3. What improvements did Biro make?
4. Describe how Bich improved manufacturing efficiency.
5. Where did the pen name come from?

ESL reading activities: synonym match

MATCH THE WORD OR PHRASE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT SYNONYM.

English listening lesson anagrams

MOVE THE LETTERS. MAKE A WORD FROM THE listening skills exercises lesson.

1. LGIENLFRI
2. AERPETAS
3. REEEIDDVL
4. UGNITRN
5. INUNFAOT
6. UCAREDSPH

Writing practice

WRITE THE FIVE SENTENCES. PUT THE WORDS IN THE CORRECT ORDER.

1. improvement / ink / The / was / quality / second
2. he / problems / created / noticed / While / that / pen / his / fountain / working
3. Sometimes / improving / an / is / old / good / idea / enough
4. First / ball / pocket / of / tiny / he / a / a / placed / pen / the / inside / tip / the / at / metal
5. reliable / costs / made / These / reduced / and / more / it / greatly / changes

More ESL reading activities

Another listening skills activity? Try this free English listening comprehension lesson about pizza, the world’s favourite Italian food.

Watch a short video and take notes

Do you like listening skills exercises like this one? Here’s another. Click here to watch a YouTube video that shows us the special ball inside the ballpoint pen.

1. Watch the video.
2. Take notes.
3. Make a list with at least eight facts.

ESL reading activities: get the worksheet

Want to print out these listening skills exercises? Click to download the PDF worksheet.

Click to see the answers.