The Reading / Listening - Level 2

People in the movie world are angry that the movie industry is run by "old white men". People complained after the Oscar nominations came out because all 20 of the actors who could win an Oscar are white. There are no women in the directing or writing categories. The Los Angeles Times carried out a survey on who the members of the Academy are. The members choose the men and women who are nominated for an Oscar. The survey found that the members of the academy were 94 per cent white, largely male, with an average age of 62. Critics say there is too little diversity in the Oscars.

Civil rights campaigner Al Sharpton criticised the Academy. He said: "The movie industry is like the Rocky Mountains - the higher you get, the whiter it gets." He added that: "The lack of diversity in [the] Oscar nominations is [terrible]." He pointed out that a movie nominated for this year's 'Best Picture' award, 'Selma,' was about racism, but no non-white actors were up for an award. The president of the Academy said the members do nominate the best people, regardless of their colour or gender. However, she hoped Hollywood would become more diverse.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30862139
  • http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/academy-president-speaks-oscars-firestorm-article-1.2082198
  • http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/15/us-awards-oscars-diversity-idUSKBN0KO2L920150115


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

People in the movie world

a.

actors who could win

2.

after the Oscar nominations

b.

age of 62

3.

all 20 of the

c.

94 per cent white

4.

carried

d.

are angry

5.

nominated

e.

out a survey

6.

members of the academy were

f.

little diversity

7.

an average

g.

for an Oscar

8.

Critics say there is too

h.

came out


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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

civil

a.

the whiter it gets

2.

Al Sharpton criticised

b.

white actors

3.

The movie industry is like the

c.

the Academy

4.

the higher you get,

d.

people

5.

The lack

e.

rights campaigner

6.

no non-

f.

become more diverse

7.

nominate the best

g.

Rocky Mountains

8.

she hoped Hollywood would

h.

of diversity

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

People in the movie (1) ___________________ that the movie industry (2) ___________________ white men". People complained after the Oscar nominations (3) ___________________ all 20 of the actors who could win an Oscar are white. There are no women in the directing or writing categories. The Los Angeles Times carried (4) ___________________ who the members of the Academy are. The members choose the men and women (5) ___________________ for an Oscar. The survey found that the members of the academy were 94 per cent white, largely male, with an average age of 62. Critics say there is (6) ___________________ in the Oscars.

Civil rights campaigner Al Sharpton criticised the Academy. He said: "The movie (7) ___________________ Rocky Mountains - the higher you get, (8) ___________________." He added that: "The lack of diversity in [the] Oscar nominations (9) ___________________ pointed out that a movie nominated for this year's 'Best Picture' award, 'Selma,' (10) ___________________, but no non-white actors (11) ___________________. The president of the Academy said the members do nominate the best people, (12) ___________________ colour or gender. However, she hoped Hollywood would become more diverse.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Peopleinthemovieworldareangrythatthemovieindustryisrunby"oldw
hitemen".PeoplecomplainedaftertheOscarnominationscameoutbec
auseall20oftheactorswhocouldwinanOscararewhite.Therearenowo
meninthedirectingorwritingcategories.TheLosAngelesTimescarried
outasurveyonwhothemembersoftheAcademyare.Thememberschoo
sethemenandwomenwhoarenominatedforanOscar.Thesurveyfound
thatthemembersoftheacademywere94percentwhite,largelymale,wi
thanaverageageof62.CriticssaythereistoolittlediversityintheOscars.
CivilrightscampaignerAlSharptoncriticisedtheAcademy.Hesaid:"Th
emovieindustryisliketheRockyMountains-thehigheryouget,thewhi
teritgets."Headdedthat:"Thelackofdiversityin[the]Oscarnomination
sis[terrible]."Hepointedoutthatamovienominatedforthisyear's'Best
Picture'award,'Selma,'wasaboutracism,butnonon-whiteactorsw
ereupforanaward.ThepresidentoftheAcademysaidthemembersdon
ominatethebestpeople,regardlessoftheircolourorgender.However,s
hehopedHollywoodwouldbecomemorediverse.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about movies for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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