Dr. Seuss Was Not a Doctor
Who was Theo Lesieg?
Interesting Facts in Easy English
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- penname: a made up name that an author sometimes uses
- maiden name: a woman’s last name before marriage
- nerd: a person who seems overly intellectual and/or socially awkward
- honorary: earned without the usual requirements
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Dr. Seuss Was Not A Doctor
Comprehension Questions
- Who was Dr. Seuss?
- What was his real name?
- What did Dr. Seuss like to invent?
Discussion Questions: Do you think that famous people deserve honorary degrees from universities? Why or why not?
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Dr. Seuss Was Not A Doctor
Dr. Seuss, one of the world’s best-known children’s story writers, was not a doctor. He did, however, receive an honorary doctorate from Dartmouth University in 1956. The writer’s penname “Seuss” came from his mother’s maiden name. According to some stories, Dr. Seuss’s father wanted him to be a doctor. The writer’s real name was Theodor Geisel, and he also wrote under Theo Lesieg, which was his last name in reverse. In addition to making up many names for himself, Dr. Seuss invented many words. While many of his made-up words did not stick, the word “nerd” is one that has stood the test of time. The first recorded instance of the word “nerd” was in Dr. Seuss’s book “If I Ran the Zoo”.
- Dr. Seuss was a famous children’s book writer.
- His real name was Theodore Geisel.
- Dr. Seuss liked to invent words.
