A growing library of level-graded English lessons for classroom or self-study, with reading, listening, vocabulary, activities, and discussion practice from A1 to B2.
Lesson Info
In this lesson:
- Warm-up Prediction task and general discussion questions.
- Vocab List Useful words and meanings.
- Reading Read the main text.
- Listen and Fill Gaps Listen for missing words.
- True or False Check understanding.
- Put Events in Order Arrange events from the story into the order they happened.
- Vocab Match Connect words to meanings.
- Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
- Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.
Think Ahead: Why do you think the man wears very long jeans?
a) He is entering an unusual clothing competition.
b) He lost a bet with his friends.
c) He is trying to become invisible.

Ask: (1) Do you like wearing jeans? (2) Why are jeans popular?
VOCAB LIST
Reading
Carter Anderson is a 27-year-old building engineer from Portland, Oregon. He is not a giant, but his jeans are huge. For the last two months, he has worn jeans with 100-inch legs every day. They are the length of a tall Christmas tree. When he unrolls them, the legs look like the waving tube men at car dealerships.
Carter is part of a "raw denim community." This group loves jeans made from special unwashed cotton. They believe wearing jeans daily changes them. The dark blue fabric fades and gets special lines called "whiskers." Carter says it is his hobby. He starts with plain jeans and makes them unique just by wearing them.
There is a famous contest called the Indigo Invitational. People wear their jeans for a year to see who makes the best fades. Carter bought his giant jeans for $400 for this contest. He wears them daily and takes photos for the judges. He thinks the long legs will make amazing fade patterns. He wears them bunched up at his ankles, looking like crushed Coke cans.
Carter shares his hobby on TikTok. He was surprised that many people watch him. He makes videos doing things in his long jeans, like swimming, rock climbing, and golfing. He even visited a trampoline park. He wants to try stranger activities soon. He hopes to win the contest next September. The prize is a free pair of jeans.
Man Wears Super Long Jeans for Competition
Warm-up ā Read & Listen ā Check Understanding ā Language ā Use It
Think Ahead: Why do you think the man wears very long jeans?
a) He is entering an unusual clothing competition.
b) He lost a bet with his friends.
c) He is trying to become invisible.
Ask: (1) Do you like wearing jeans? (2) Why are jeans popular?
-
Engineer (n.)
-
Community (n.)
-
Fabric (n.)
-
Fade (v.)
-
Unique (adj.)
-
Contest (n.)
-
Judges (n.)
-
Trampoline (n.)
-
Hobby (n.)

Carter Anderson is a 27-year-old building engineer from Portland, Oregon. He is not a giant, but his jeans are huge. For the last two months, he has worn jeans with 100-inch legs every day. They are the length of a tall Christmas tree. When he unrolls them, the legs look like the waving tube men at car dealerships.
Carter is part of a "raw denim community." This group loves jeans made from special unwashed cotton. They believe wearing jeans daily changes them. The dark blue fabric fades and gets special lines called "whiskers." Carter says it is his hobby. He starts with plain jeans and makes them unique just by wearing them.
There is a famous contest called the Indigo Invitational. People wear their jeans for a year to see who makes the best fades. Carter bought his giant jeans for $400 for this contest. He wears them daily and takes photos for the judges. He thinks the long legs will make amazing fade patterns. He wears them bunched up at his ankles, looking like crushed Coke cans.
Carter shares his hobby on TikTok. He was surprised that many people watch him. He makes videos doing things in his long jeans, like swimming, rock climbing, and golfing. He even visited a trampoline park. He wants to try stranger activities soon. He hopes to win the contest next September. The prize is a free pair of jeans.
Two ways to use this audio:
- Method 1: Listen for the main idea: what is the article about in one sentence? Listen a second time for more details, then try the Understanding activities below.
- Method 2: Read the article first to learn the vocabulary and ideas. Then look at the gap-fill sentences to see what to listen for, and listen to fill them in.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
Carter Anderson is a 27-year-old building (1) from Portland, Oregon. He is not a giant, but his jeans are huge. For the last two months, he has worn jeans with 100-inch legs every day. They are the length of a tall Christmas tree. When he unrolls them, the legs look like the waving tube men at car dealerships.
Carter is part of a "raw denim (2) ." This group loves jeans made from special unwashed cotton. They believe wearing jeans daily changes them. The dark blue fabric fades and gets special lines called "whiskers." Carter says it is his (3) . He starts with plain jeans and makes them unique just by wearing them.
There is a famous (4) called the Indigo Invitational. People wear their jeans for a year to see who makes the best fades. Carter bought his giant jeans for $400 for this contest. He wears them daily and takes photos for the judges. He thinks the long legs will make amazing fade (5) . He wears them bunched up at his ankles, looking like crushed Coke cans.
Carter shares his hobby on TikTok. He was (6) that many people watch him. He makes videos doing things in his long jeans, like swimming, rock climbing, and golfing. He even visited a trampoline park. He wants to try stranger activities soon. He hopes to win the contest next September. The prize is a free pair of jeans.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. Carter's jeans are 100 inches long. TRUEFALSE True
2. Carter washes his jeans every day. TRUEFALSE False
3. The competition lasts for one month. TRUEFALSE False
4. Carter wore the jeans while swimming. TRUEFALSE True
Put Events in Order
Put the events in the order they happened, from first to last.
- 1 Carter buys giant jeans for $400.
- 2 He wears the jeans every day.
- 3 After time, the jeans show fades and whiskers.
- 4 Carter may win the Indigo Invitational.
Put Events in Order
Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (4):
- After time, the jeans show fades and whiskers.
- Carter buys giant jeans for $400.
- Carter may win the Indigo Invitational.
- He wears the jeans every day.
- Carter buys giant jeans for $400.
- He wears the jeans every day.
- After time, the jeans show fades and whiskers.
- Carter may win the Indigo Invitational.
Vocab Match
Drag each vocabulary word to its matching definition:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Vocab Match
Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.
1. Communitye) A group of people who have the same interests.
2. Fabricd) Cloth or material used for making clothes.
3. Fadec) To lose color and become lighter.
4. Uniqueb) Being the only one of its kind; special.
5. Contesta) A competition or game that people try to win.
a) A competition or game that people try to win.
b) Being the only one of its kind; special.
c) To lose color and become lighter.
d) Cloth or material used for making clothes.
e) A group of people who have the same interests.
Discussion Questions
- Do you have a favorite item of clothing? What is it?
- Would you wear the same clothes every day for a year?
- Carter went swimming and rock climbing in his jeans. What should he try next?
- How much do jeans cost? Is $400 too much?
- What is the strangest fashion you have seen?
- What do you think about "raw denim"?
- Have you ever entered a contest? Did you win?
- Do you watch videos on TikTok? What kind?
- Is fashion important to you?
- Do you prefer new clothes or clothes that you have worn for a long time?
Discussion Questions
- Do you have a favorite item of clothing? What is it?
- Would you wear the same clothes every day for a year?
- Carter went swimming and rock climbing in his jeans. What should he try next?
- How much do jeans cost? Is $400 too much?
- What is the strangest fashion you have seen?
- What do you think about "raw denim"?
- Have you ever entered a contest? Did you win?
- Do you watch videos on TikTok? What kind?
- Is fashion important to you?
- Do you prefer new clothes or clothes that you have worn for a long time?
Answers
Think Ahead: a
Listening: (1) engineer, (2) community, (3) hobby, (4) contest, (5) patterns, (6) surprised
True or False:
- True. The article states that he has worn jeans with 100-inch legs every day.
- False. He wears 'raw denim' which is unwashed, and the goal is to fade them by wearing them.
- False. People wear their jeans for a year for the competition.
- True. He makes videos of himself doing activities like swimming in his long jeans.
Put Events in Order:
- Carter buys giant jeans for $400.
- He wears the jeans every day.
- After time, the jeans show fades and whiskers.
- Carter may win the Indigo Invitational.
Vocabulary:
- Community: A group of people who have the same interests.
- Fabric: Cloth or material used for making clothes.
- Fade: To lose color and become lighter.
- Unique: Being the only one of its kind; special.
- Contest: A competition or game that people try to win.