Reading: Hello Kitty is Not a Cat 😮
Would you believe me if I told you that Hello Kitty wasn't a cat? The rumors are true. She's a girl!
When I was in my 20s, I lived in Japan and people of all ages loved Hello Kitty. She has been around for almost 50 years now and she is as popular as ever. But did you know that she isn’t actually a cat?? I have heard this rumour many times over the years but never really believed it. Well, now the truth is out. Hello Kitty is a girl.
You will find these articles, the reading comprehension questions, and the vocabulary very helpful for your language-learning journey. Read along and improve your grammar and vocabulary while learning something new at the same time!
Reading: Hello Kitty is Not a Cat!
Hello Kitty is not a cat, but a human third-grader from London, according to Sanrio, the company that created her. Despite having a cat-shaped head, whiskers, and a name that suggests she is a feline, Hello Kitty is described as a little girl who wears a big red bow and has a twin sister named Mimmy. This revelation has surprised and amused many fans, as they have always believed Hello Kitty to be a cat. Jill Koch, Sanrio's senior vice president of marketing and brand management, stated that Hello Kitty lives in the suburbs of London with her mom, dad, and twin sister. Additionally, Hello Kitty has a boyfriend and even owns a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty, further adding to the confusion.
Social media platforms are buzzing with disbelief and playful arguments. People are humorously arguing that Hello Kitty cannot be a human because she looks so much like a cat. Comments range from humorous denials to comparisons with other beloved cartoon characters, like Peppa Pig, insisting that their childhood memories cannot be changed so easily. One person wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that it feels like being "gaslit into thinking that’s not a cat," while another commented on Facebook, saying, "You can’t change our minds this late in the game. She’s a cat. Keropi is a frog ... and so on."
This is not the first time Hello Kitty's true identity has been revealed. In 2014, anthropologist Christine R Yano confirmed that Hello Kitty is indeed a little girl, not a cat. According to the company, her real name is Kitty White, and she was born on November 1 in the London suburbs. She enjoys making friends, travelling, and eating cookies, and she walks on two legs like a human. Unlike many popular characters who originated from television shows, movies, or comic books, Hello Kitty started appearing on products in 1974, and her popularity has grown ever since.
Hello Kitty has become a global icon since her creation and now appears on about 50,000 products sold in 130 countries, attracting a massive following. She has been featured in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, has a theme park in Tokyo, and even received a special birthday greeting from King Charles during a state banquet speech. Despite the debate over her identity, Sanrio's director, Jill Koch, emphasizes that Hello Kitty's core message has remained the same for half a century: promoting friendship, kindness, and inclusivity.
Now, read and answer the following questions:
1. What is the true identity of Hello Kitty according to Sanrio, and where is she said to live?
2. How did fans react on social media to the revelation that Hello Kitty is not a cat?
3. What did anthropologist Christine R Yano confirm about Hello Kitty's identity in 2014?
4. What are some of the ways Hello Kitty has been celebrated and incorporated into popular culture globally?
5. What is Hello Kitty's core message according to Sanrio's director, Jill Koch, and how long has this message remained consistent?
New Vocabulary
third-grader - a child in the third grade at primary school
revelation - a surprising and often previously unknown fact that is now known
amused - to find something funny or entertaining
gaslight - to trick or control someone by making them believe their memories or ideas are wrong
buzzing - something full of excitement or anticipation (in this context)
disbelief - unable to believe something that is true or real
humourous - funny, entertaining
denial - the act of denying something, or saying it isn’t true.
to reveal - to show or tell something
anthropologist - someone who studies humans and their actions
global icon - famous all over the world
debate - a formal discussion from both sides of the argument
banquet - a large formal dinner
inclusivity - the act of including everyone
For extra practice read the original source here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/hello-kitty-is-not-a-cat
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-Sarah