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12 Sept 2026
Alamy
The Great Lake With Two Names: Lake Ontario, Lake America
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) A famous lake has two different official names.
b) The lake dried up completely last year.
c) People found a new island inside the lake.
Ask:
(1) Have you ever seen a large lake or river near your town?
(2) Why do you think places sometimes change their official names?
VOCABULARY
border (/ˈbɔː.dər/, noun)
Meaning: An official line that divides two countries or areas.
Example: The famous lake sits right on the border between two nations.
decide (/dɪˈsaɪd/, verb)
Meaning: To choose something after thinking about options.
Example: The leaders decide to use a new name on their official map.
difference (/ˈdɪf.ər.əns/, noun)
Meaning: The way in which two things are not the same.
Example: There is a big difference between the two online maps today.
famous (/ˈfeɪ.məs/, adjective)
Meaning: Known by a very large number of people.
Example: Lake Ontario is a famous body of water in North America.
government (/ˈɡʌv.ən.mənt/, noun)
Meaning: The group of official people who rule a country.
Example: Each government chooses the words for its own geography books.
nature (/ˈneɪ.tʃər/, noun)
Meaning: The physical world including plants, animals, rivers, and lakes.
Example: Children love studying nature and learning about big lakes.
Lake Ontario is a very big lake in North America. It sits on the border between Canada and the United States. Many children learn about this famous lake in school. The water is deep and blue. Fish live in the water, and birds fly above it.
Now, something unusual is happening. One government wants to call the water Lake America. The other country still uses the name Lake Ontario. Because of this, online maps show two different words. People look at their phone screens and feel confused. However, the water stays exactly the same.
Nature does not care about human labels. The fish keep swimming happily. The fresh wind still blows across the waves every day. Boats cross the cool water every morning. Teachers explain that humans choose the words, but nature stays quiet and beautiful. It is one big lake with two different names.
President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America (Credit: Getty Images)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Which name do you like better, Lake Ontario or Lake America?
2. Do you know any places that have more than one name?
3. Why do people use maps on their mobile phones?
4. What animals live near big lakes in your country?
5. Would you like to travel on a boat across a huge lake?
FILL IN THE GAPS
FILL THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank: border, decide, famous, government
Lake Ontario is a very big lake in North America. It sits on the _______(1) between Canada and the United States. Many children learn about this _______(2) lake in school. The water is deep and blue. Fish live in the water, and birds fly above it.
Now, something unusual is happening. One _______(3) wants to call the water Lake America. The other country still uses the name Lake Ontario. Because of this, online maps show two different words. People look at their phone screens and feel confused. The leaders _______(4) to write new words, but the water stays exactly the same.
Nature does not care about human labels. The fish keep swimming happily. The fresh wind still blows across the waves every day. Boats cross the cool water every morning. Teachers explain that humans choose the words, but nature stays quiet and beautiful. It is one big lake with two different names.
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of this story?
a) Fish in North America are moving to a new lake.
b) A famous lake has two names because two countries use different words.
c) Boats are no longer allowed to cross big lakes.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
(1) Lake Ontario sits on the border between two countries. T/F
(2) Both countries agree on the exact same name today. T/F
(3) The fish change their behavior because of the new name. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Put these story details in the correct order from 1 to 3:
( ) Online maps start showing two different names for the same water.
( ) Children learn about the famous lake sitting on the border.
( ) Teachers explain that nature stays beautiful despite human labels.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
(1) border
(2) famous
(3) government
(4) nature
(5) difference
a) well known by many people
b) the line between two countries
c) the leaders of a nation
d) the way things are not the same
e) plants, animals, rivers, and outdoor spaces
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
(1) The lake is very _______, so many tourists visit it every summer.
a) famous
b) border
(2) The two countries share a long _______ in North America.
a) difference
b) border
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
(1) Unscramble the sentence:
A) lake / B) is / C) big / D) Lake Ontario / E) a
(2) Unscramble the sentence:
A) fly / B) birds / C) water / D) above / E) the
ANSWER KEY
Warm Up Answer: a
Section 1: (1) border (2) famous (3) government (4) decide
Section 2: b
Section 3: (1) T (2) F (3) F
Section 4: 2, 1, 3
Section 5: (1) b, (2) a, (3) c, (4) e, (5) d
Section 6: (1) a, (2) b
Section 7: (1) D-B-E-C-A (Lake Ontario is a big lake.) (2) B-A-D-E-C (Birds fly above the water.)
Section 8: Open student responses.
Thank you for your feedback!