Reading Smart B: Unit 43

Section 2---Unit 43 Science and Technology

Oodles of Google Doodles

Like most corporations, Google takes its logo seriously, but it takes fun just as seriously. The standard Google home-page logo is sometimes replaced with "doodles"---fun and creative changes made to the logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, or important people.

The first doodle was created in August 1998, when Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin drew a stick figure behind the logo to tell users they were heading to a festival. Since then, doodles have become popular, with the stick figure gradually paving the way for more complex drawings and even videos and interactive games.

Doodles started out celebrating popular holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, but today, they highlight a range of events and anniversaries. In 2010, for example, the Google logo was transformed into a fully playable version of Pac-Man to celebrate the video game's 30th anniversary. Some doodles, such as the one honoring the one-hundredth birthday of Alan Turing, pay tribute to outstanding people who may have been forgotten.

By clicking on a doodle, users are brought to links to information about the event that inspired the logo transformation. Doodles, therefore, to learn about people and things that have helped give users a fun way shape our world.

Google users from around the world are welcome to suggest new doodle ideas. The company once received a suggestion from a French astronomer, who stated that Venus would be seen crossing the sun on the following day. In less than 24 hours, one of the o's in the logo was changed to a sun with a little black dot moving slowly around it.

To check out all the doodles that have ever appeared over the years, go to the Google website. You may even learn some interesting facts along the way.

Reading Comprehension

(   ) 1. Why was the first doodle ever created?

(A) To show people the art of drawing stick figures

(B) To tell people that the creators of Google were going somewhere

(C) To announce the release of a new interactive game

(D) To launch a new function of Google

(   ) 2. What will happen after clicking on a doodle?

(A) You will be given more information about the event the doodle is representing.

(B) You will be entered into a prize drawing.

(C) You will be brought to a site with other similar drawings of the event.

(D) You will be asked to take a test about the event.

(   ) 3. What is the article mainly about?

(A) The very first Google Doodle (B) How to make a Google Doodle

(C) The creators of Google Doodles (D) The evolution of Google Doodles

(   ) 4. Which of the following is true, according to the article?

(A) Google doodles only appear as drawings and interactive games.

(B) Anybody who uses Google can make a doodle suggestion.

(C) Google didn't start using doodles to celebrate holidays until 2010.

(D) The first doodle was created to celebrate a popular holiday.