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This worksheet opens with the lesson: 25 December 2026, 3:00 pm New York time. Back to the lesson

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Bright Lives English
Name: Date:

Jim Henson: He Made a Puppet From an Old Coat… Then Made the World Smile

Level A1 (Beginner) · Watch the video and do the online quiz at https://brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/jim-henson-kermit/

A Match the words to their meanings

  1. TV (noun)
  2. puppet (noun)
  3. coat (noun)
  4. frog (noun)
  5. green (adjective)
  6. ping-pong ball (noun)
  7. show (noun)
  8. voice (noun)
  1. a toy you move with your hand
  2. warm clothing for outside
  3. the sound you make when you speak
  4. the colour of grass
  5. a machine that shows moving pictures
  6. a small jumping animal
  7. a small, light white ball for table tennis
  8. a programme on TV

B Complete the sentences from the story

ping-pong ball · voice · frog · puppets · TV · green · show · coat

  1. Jim was Kermit's .
  2. He worked with on TV.
  3. He had a TV .
  4. When he was a boy, his family got a .
  5. Years later, Kermit became a .
  6. He took his mother's old .
  7. Today, Kermit is a frog.
  8. He made the eyes from a .

C Did you understand?

  1. Kermit was a frog from the first day.True / False
  2. What did he use for Kermit's eyes?
    1. Two buttons
    2. A ping-pong ball
    3. A TV
    4. Paper
  3. How long was his first TV show?
    1. One hour
    2. Two hours
    3. Five minutes
    4. One day
  4. Jim was Kermit's voice for 35 years.True / False

D Put the words in order

  1. He / made / coat / from / Kermit / old / an

E Grammar: made + noun + from + noun

We use it for to say what something was before. He made Kermit from an old coat. · He made the eyes from a ping-pong ball.

Example from the story: He made Kermit from an old coat.

  1. He made Kermit an old coat. (from / to / at)
  2. He the eyes from a ping-pong ball. (made / make / making)
  3. She made a bag from old . (jeans / happy / quickly)

F Your turn

Retell Jim Henson's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.

Transcript

A young man took his mother's old coat and a ping-pong ball.

He made a friend from them.

This is the story of Jim Henson.

Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.

TV. A TV shows moving pictures.

When he was a boy, his family got a TV.

Puppet. A puppet is a toy you move with your hand.

He worked with puppets on TV.

Coat. A coat is warm clothing for outside.

He took his mother's old coat.

Frog. A frog is a small jumping animal.

Years later, Kermit became a frog.

Green. Green is the colour of grass.

Today, Kermit is a green frog.

Now, one pattern: made this from that.

He made Kermit from an old coat.

Ready? Let's begin.

Jim Henson was born in America in 1936.

When he was a boy, his family got a TV.

At 17, he worked with puppets on TV.

At 18, he had a TV show: just five minutes long!

He needed a puppet.

He took his mother's old coat.

He made Kermit from an old coat.

He made the eyes from a ping-pong ball.

Years later, Kermit became a frog.

Today, Kermit is a green frog.

In 1969, Kermit was on "Sesame Street".

Jim was his voice for 35 years.

Let's review. When he was a boy, his family got a TV.

He worked with puppets on TV.

He took his mother's old coat.

Years later, Kermit became a frog.

Today, Kermit is a green frog.

And remember: he made Kermit from an old coat.

Jim Henson's story teaches us: old things can become wonderful.

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Answer key

A. 1e 2a 3b 4f 5d 6g 7h 8c

B. 1 voice · 2 puppets · 3 show · 4 TV · 5 frog · 6 coat · 7 green · 8 ping-pong ball

C. 1 False · 2 b · 3 c · 4 True

D. 1 He made Kermit from an old coat.

E. 1 from · 2 made · 3 jeans