The Reading / Listening - Star Wars - Level 3

There is good news for fans of the Star Wars movies. There will be another episode. It will be the ninth film to be made. The name of the new Star Wars movie was announced in Chicago. It is called "The Rise of Skywalker". There is a two-minute trailer of the movie for people to watch. The trailer is now on YouTube. It gives people a taste of what the new movie will be like. The trailer was first posted on Twitter, with the words: "Every generation has a legend." The new film will have an all-star cast. Actor Mark Hamill will play Luke Skywalker, and the late Carrie Fisher will play Princess Leia. Fisher died in 2016, but the filmmakers were able to use previously unseen footage from the movie "The Force Awakens".

The Star Wars movies are among the most successful films ever made. The first one was released in 1977 and was made by the film-maker George Lucas. Over forty years later, they are still hugely popular. Lucas' company Lucasfilm made the first six movies. Disney bought the company in 2012 for just over $4 billion. In 2018, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated to be around $65 billion. Film critic Roger Ebert said the first Star Wars movie changed Hollywood and influenced how movies were made for decades after. The original Star Wars movie began a new generation of films that used a lot of special effects and high-energy action scenes.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Star Wars - Level 0 Star Wars - Level 1   or  Star Wars - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-47915206
  • https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/official-title-new-star-wars-rise-skywalker-171431869.html
  • https://io9.gizmodo.com/in-the-jawdropping-first-trailer-for-star-wars-the-ris-1832561630


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. STAR WARS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Star Wars. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       good news / fans / Star Wars / movie / trailer / generation / legend / cast / filmmaker
       successful / popular / value / film critic / Hollywood / decade / special effects / action
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SCIENCE FICTION: Students A strongly believe science fiction is the best movie genre; Students B strongly believe it isn't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. MOVIE JOBS: What are the good and bad things about these movie jobs? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good Things

Bad Things

Actor

 

 

Producer

 

 

Director

 

 

Stunt performer

 

 

Make-up artist

 

 

Camera operator

 

 

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. FAN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "fan". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MOVIES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best kinds of movies at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • horror
  • love story
  • action
  • biography
  • science fiction
  • comedy
  • animation
  • spy movie

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. fan a. All of the people born and living at about the same time.
      2. episode b. Told to someone / people about something for the first time.
      3. announced c. A separate part of the story in a book, movie, TV show, etc.
      4. trailer d. At an earlier time; before.
      5. generation e. A person who has a strong interest in or liking for a person, team or thing.
      6. legend f. A very short video about a movie or program to let people know what the movie or program is like.
      7. previously g. A very, very famous person, especially in a particular job or area.

    Paragraph 2

      8. among h. Liked by many people.
      9. released i. A period of ten years.
      10. hugely j. A name used for many different products or businesses.
      11. popular k. Made a movie, song, book, phone, etc., available for people to look at, listen to, read or buy.
      12. franchise l. The first or earliest.
      13. decade m. Being a member or part of a larger group of things or people.
      14. original n. Very, very, very.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article says there is good news for Star Wars fans.     T / F
  2. The next Star Wars movie will be number eight in the series.     T / F
  3. There is a 90-secong trailer of the movie on YouTube.     T / F
  4. The new movie contains scenes from three other Star Wars movies.     T / F
  5. The first Star Wars movie was released over 40 years ago.     T / F
  6. Disney bought the makers of Star Wars for $4 billion in 2012.     T / F
  7. The Star Wars franchise is thought to be worth nearly $20 billion now.     T / F
  8. The first Star Wars movie started a focus in movies on special effects.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. fans
  2. episode
  3. announced
  4. taste
  5. legend
  6. released
  7. hugely
  8. estimated
  9. influenced
  10. generation
  1. brought out
  2. flavor
  3. crop
  4. judged
  5. chapter
  6. affected
  7. followers
  8. extremely
  9. star
  10. made public

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. There is good news for fans
  2. It will be the ninth film to
  3. There is a two-minute
  4. The new film will have an
  5. previously unseen
  6. among the most successful
  7. The first one was released
  8. Over forty years later, they are still
  9. estimated to be
  10. films that used a lot of special
  1. in 1977
  2. footage from the movie
  3. effects
  4. films ever made
  5. trailer of the movie
  6. hugely popular
  7. of the Star Wars movies
  8. around $65 billion
  9. all-star cast
  10. be made

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
taste
play
episode
fans
previously
posted
trailer
late

There is good news for (1) ____________ of the Star Wars movies. There will be another (2) ____________. It will be the ninth film to be made. The name of the new Star Wars movie was announced in Chicago. It is called "The Rise of Skywalker". There is a two-minute (3) ____________ of the movie for people to watch. The trailer is now on YouTube. It gives people a (4) ____________ of what the new movie will be like. The trailer was first (5) ____________ on Twitter, with the words: "Every generation has a legend." The new film will have an all-star cast. Actor Mark Hamill will (6) ____________ Luke Skywalker, and the (7) ____________ Carrie Fisher will play Princess Leia. Fisher died in 2016, but the filmmakers were able to use (8) ____________ unseen footage from the movie "The Force Awakens".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
just
generation
released
hugely
effects
decades
among
estimated

The Star Wars movies are (9) ____________ the most successful films ever made. The first one was (10) ____________ in 1977 and was made by the film-maker George Lucas. Over forty years later, they are still (11) ____________ popular. Lucas' company Lucasfilm made the first six movies. Disney bought the company in 2012 for (12) ____________ over $4 billion. In 2018, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was (13) ____________ to be around $65 billion. Film critic Roger Ebert said the first Star Wars movie changed Hollywood and influenced how movies were made for (14) ____________ after. The original Star Wars movie began a new (15) ____________ of films that used a lot of special (16) ____________ and high-energy action scenes.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  good news for fans of the Star Wars movies. There will ______
     a.  be another episodes
     b.  be another epics ode
     c.  be another epic soda
     d.  be another episode
2)  It gives people a taste of what the new movie ______
     a.  will be like
     b.  will be likes
     c.  will be liked
     d.  will be likely
3)  The new film will have an ______
     a.  all-star caste
     b.  all-star cars
     c.  all-star cast
     d.  all-star carts
4) Mark Hamill will play Luke Skywalker, and the late Carrie Fisher ______ Leia
     a.  will pray Princess
     b.  will play Princess
     c.  will ply Princess
     d.  will ploy Princess
5)  the filmmakers were able to use previously ______
     a.  onesie footage
     b.  once seen footage
     c.  unseen footage
     d.  unseeing footage

6)  The Star Wars movies are among the most successful ______ made
     a.  films never
     b.  films every
     c.  films ever
     d.  films even
7)  Over forty years later, they are still ______
     a.  hugely populate
     b.  hugely popular
     c.  hugely popularity
     d.  hugely polar
8)  the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated ______ $65 billion
     a.  to be abound
     b.  to be around
     c.  to be a rounds
     d.  to be are round
9) changed Hollywood and influenced how movies were made ______ after
     a.  for decades
     b.  for decadence
     c.  four decades
     d.  four the decades
10)  a new generation of films that used a lot of ______
     a.  special effect
     b.  specially effects
     c.  specially effect
     d.  special effects

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There is good news for fans of the Star Wars movies. There will (1) ___________________. It will be the ninth film to be made. The name of the new Star Wars movie (2) ___________________ Chicago. It is called "The Rise of Skywalker". There is a two-minute trailer of the movie for people to watch. The trailer is now on YouTube. It gives (3) ___________________ of what the new movie will be like. The trailer was first posted on Twitter, with the words: "Every generation (4) ___________________." The new film will have (5) ___________________. Actor Mark Hamill will play Luke Skywalker, and the late Carrie Fisher will play Princess Leia. Fisher died in 2016, but the filmmakers were able to use previously (6) ___________________ the movie "The Force Awakens".

The Star Wars movies are among the most successful (7) ___________________. The first one was released in 1977 and was made by the film-maker George Lucas. Over forty years later, they are (8) ___________________. Lucas' company Lucasfilm made the first six movies. Disney bought the company in 2012 for just over $4 billion. In 2018, the (9) ___________________ the Star Wars franchise was estimated (10) ___________________ $65 billion. Film critic Roger Ebert said the first Star Wars movie changed Hollywood and influenced how movies were made (11) ___________________. The original Star Wars movie began a new generation of films that used a lot (12) ___________________ and high-energy action scenes.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of news is there for Star Wars fans?
  2. How many Star Wars movies have already been made?
  3. How long is the trailer for the new Star Wars movie?
  4. What does the trailer say every generation has?
  5. When did the actor Carrie Fisher pass away?
  6. When was the original Star Wars movie released?
  7. What is the name of the company that made the first Star Wars?
  8. How much did Disney buy the Star Wars company for?
  9. How much was the Star Wars franchise worth in 2018?
  10. What kind of effects did the first Star Wars use?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of news is there for Star Wars fans?
a) exciting news
b) good news
c) bad news
d) tragic news
2) How many Star Wars movies have already been made?
a) 5
b) 6
c) 7
d) 8
3) How long is the trailer for the new Star Wars movie?
a) two minutes
b) 90 seconds
c) one minute
d) three minutes
4) What does the trailer say every generation has?
a) trouble
b) a war
c) a legend
d) a star
5) When did the actor Carrie Fisher pass away?
a) earlier this year
b) 2016
c) last year
d) 2017

6) When was the original Star Wars movie released?
a) 1977
b) 1976
c) 1978
d) 1975
7) What is the name of the company that made the first Star Wars?
a) Starfilm
b) Disney
c) Lucasfilm
d) Death Star Productions
8) How much did Disney buy the Star Wars company for?
a) $4 billion
b) $6 billion
c) $8 billion
d) $10 billion
9) How much was the Star Wars franchise worth in 2018?
a) $65 billion
b) $66 billion
c) $63 billion
d) $64 billion
10) What kind of effects did the first Star Wars use?
a) 4D
b) surround sound
c) holograms
d) special effects

Role play

Role  A – Science Fiction
You think science fiction is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): horror, a love story or comedy.

Role  B – Horror
You think horror is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): science fiction, a love story or comedy.

Role  C – Love Story
You think a love story is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): horror, science fiction or comedy.

Role  D – Comedy
You think comedy is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): horror, a love story or science fiction.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'star'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'wars'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • most
    • forty
    • 2012
    • 65
    • after
    • lot
    • news
    • ninth
    • two
    • taste
    • cast
    • able

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Name of new Star Wars movie announced

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the movie name 'Star Wars'?
    3. What do you think of the Star Wars movies?
    4. Do you have a favorite Star Wars movie?
    5. What do you think of science fiction movies?
    6. Do you like movie trailers?
    7. Who is the legend of your generation?
    8. Who is your favourite actor and why?
    9. What do you think of there being nine Star Wars movies?
    10. What do you think of the name of the new movie?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'movie'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Why are the Star Wars movies so popular?
    5. How many more Star Wars movies do you think there will be?
    6. What do you think of Disney?
    7. What do you know about Hollywood?
    8. Do you like movies with lots of special effects?
    9. Do you prefer science fiction films or real-life films?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the movie producers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    There is good news for (1) ____ of the Star Wars movies. There will be another episode. It will be the ninth film to be made. The name of the new Star Wars movie was (2) ____ in Chicago. It is called "The Rise of Skywalker". There is a two-minute (3) ____ of the movie for people to watch. The trailer is now on YouTube. It gives people a taste of what the new movie will be (4) ____. The trailer was first posted on Twitter, with the words: "Every generation has a legend." The new film will have an all-star cast. Actor Mark Hamill will play Luke Skywalker, and the (5) ____ Carrie Fisher will play Princess Leia. Fisher died in 2016, but the filmmakers were able to use previously unseen (6) ____ from the movie "The Force Awakens".

    The Star Wars movies are among the most successful films (7) ____ made. The first one was released in 1977 and was made by the film-maker George Lucas. Over forty years later, they are still (8) ____ popular. Lucas' company Lucasfilm made the first six movies. Disney bought the company in 2012 for (9) ____ over $4 billion. In 2018, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated to (10) ____ around $65 billion. Film critic Roger Ebert said the first Star Wars movie changed Hollywood and influenced how movies were made for decades (11) ____. The original Star Wars movie began a new generation of films that used a lot of special (12) ____ and high-energy action scenes.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     fan     (b)     fans     (c)     fun     (d)     fins    
    2. (a)     announce     (b)     announced     (c)     announces     (d)     announcing    
    3. (a)     tracker     (b)     trawler     (c)     thriller     (d)     trailer    
    4. (a)     likes     (b)     like     (c)     liked     (d)     likely    
    5. (a)     lately     (b)     late     (c)     belated     (d)     latter    
    6. (a)     bandage     (b)     baggage     (c)     footage     (d)     adage    
    7. (a)     never     (b)     every     (c)     ever     (d)     even    
    8. (a)     huge     (b)     hugs     (c)     hugely     (d)     hug    
    9. (a)     justice     (b)     adjust     (c)     justly     (d)     just    
    10. (a)     do     (b)     have     (c)     rise     (d)     be    
    11. (a)     after     (b)     later     (c)     then     (d)     hence    
    12. (a)     affects     (b)     reflects     (c)     effects     (d)     infects

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. There will be another dipeeso
    2. nednacoun in Chicago
    3. a two-minute ltraeri of the movie
    4. Every generation has a lgdnee
    5. The new film will have an tlas-lra cast
    6. unseen aotofeg from the movie

    Paragraph 2

    1. among the most fuluscsesc films
    2. they are still ugyhle popular
    3. for just over $4 bnilloi
    4. the Star Wars airshefcn
    5. movies were made for dceased after
    6. a lot of special ftecsfe

    Put the text back together

    (...)  watch. The trailer is now on YouTube. It gives people a taste of what the new movie will be like. The trailer was first
    (...)  posted on Twitter, with the words: "Every generation has a legend." The new film will have an all-
    (...)  star cast. Actor Mark Hamill will play Luke Skywalker, and the late Carrie Fisher will play Princess Leia. Fisher died
    (...)  critic Roger Ebert said the first Star Wars movie changed Hollywood and influenced
    (...)  in 2016, but the filmmakers were able to use previously unseen footage from the movie "The Force Awakens".
    (...)  how movies were made for decades after. The original Star Wars movie began a new generation
    (...)  called "The Rise of Skywalker". There is a two-minute trailer of the movie for people to
    (...)  released in 1977 and was made by the film-maker George Lucas. Over forty years later, they are still hugely
    (...)  The Star Wars movies are among the most successful films ever made. The first one was
    (...)  popular. Lucas' company Lucasfilm made the first six movies. Disney bought the company in 2012 for just
    (...)  of films that used a lot of special effects and high-energy action scenes.
    1  ) There is good news for fans of the Star Wars movies. There will be another episode. It will be the ninth
    (...)  over $4 billion. In 2018, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated to be around $65 billion. Film
    (...)  film to be made. The name of the new Star Wars movie was announced in Chicago. It is

    Put the words in the right order

    1. be   It   be   the   ninth   will   made   .   to
    2. a   two-minute   There   is   of   trailer   movie   .   the
    3. Twitter   .   was   on   first   The   trailer   posted
    4. film   The   all-star   an   have   cast   .   new   will
    5. from   Use   previously   movie   .   the   unseen   footage
    6. most   ever   made   .   successful   films   Among   the
    7. later,   popular   .   Forty   hugely   still   they   are   years
    8. the   Star   of   franchise   .   The   total   Wars   value
    9. made   movies   decades   Influenced   were   how   for   after   .
    10. that   effects   .   a   used   lot   of   special   Films

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    There is good news for fan / fans of the Star Wars movies. There will be another episode. It will be the nth / ninth film to be made. The name of the new Star Wars movie was announced on / in Chicago. It is called "The Rise of Skywalker". There is a two-minute trailer / trail of the movie for people to watch. The trailer is now on YouTube. It gives people a tasty / taste of what the new movie will be like. The trailer was first posted / posting on Twitter, with the words: "Every generational / generation has a legend." The new film will have an all-star cast / cost. Actor Mark Hamill will play Luke Skywalker, and the lately / late Carrie Fisher will play Princess Leia. Fisher died in 2016, but the filmmakers were able to use previously / previous unseen footage from the movie "The Force Awakens".

    The Star Wars movies are among / between the most successful films ever made. The first one is / was released in 1977 and was made by / from the film-maker George Lucas. Over forty years later, they are still hugely / hug popular. Lucas' company Lucasfilm made the first six movies. Disney bought the company in 2012 for just / justly over $4 billion. In 2018, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated to do / be around $65 billion. Film critic Roger Ebert said the first Star Wars movie changed Hollywood and influenced / influence how movies were made for decades after / before. The original Star Wars movie began anew / a new generation of films that used a lot of special effects and high-energy action scenes / sins.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    T h_r_ _s g__ d n_w s f_r f_n s _f t h_ S t_r W_r s m_v__ s . T h_r_ w_l l b_ _n_t h_r _p_s_d_. I t w_l l b_ t h_ n_n t h f_l m t_ b_ m_d_. T h_ n_m_ _f t h_ n_w S t_r W_r s m_v__ w_s _n n__ n c_d _n C h_c_g_. I t _s c_l l_d " T h_ R_s_ _f S k y w_l k_r " . T h_r_ _s _ t w_- m_n_t_ t r__ l_r _f t h_ m_v__ f_r p__ p l_ t_ w_t c h . T h_ t r__ l_r _s n_w _n Y__ T_b_. I t g_v_s p__ p l_ _ t_s t_ _f w h_t t h_ n_w m_v__ w_l l b_ l_k_. T h_ t r__ l_r w_s f_r s t p_s t_d _n T w_t t_r , w_t h t h_ w_r d s : " E v_r y g_n_r_t__ n h_s _ l_g_n d . " T h_ n_w f_l m w_l l h_v_ _n _l l - s t_r c_s t . A c t_r M_r k H_m_l l w_l l p l_y L_k_ S k y w_l k_r , _n d t h_ l_t_ C_r r__ F_s h_r w_l l p l_y P r_n c_s s L___. F_s h_r d__ d _n 2 0 1 6 , b_t t h_ f_l m m_k_r s w_r_ _b l_ t_ _s_ p r_v___s l y _n s__ n f__ t_g_ f r_m t h_ m_v__ " T h_ F_r c_ A w_k_n s " .

    T h_ S t_r W_r s m_v__ s _r_ _m_n g t h_ m_s t s_c c_s s f_l f_l m s _v_r m_d_. T h_ f_r s t _n_ w_s r_l__ s_d _n 1 9 7 7 _n d w_s m_d_ b y t h_ f_l m - m_k_r G__ r g_ L_c_s . O v_r f_r t y y__ r s l_t_r , t h_y _r_ s t_l l h_g_l y p_p_l_r . L_c_s ' c_m p_n y L_c_s f_l m m_d_ t h_ f_r s t s_x m_v__ s . D_s n_y b__ g h t t h_ c_m p_n y _n 2 0 1 2 f_r j_s t _v_r $ 4 b_l l__ n . I n 2 0 1 8 , t h_ t_t_l v_l__ _f t h_ S t_r W_r s f r_n c h_s_ w_s _s t_m_t_d t_ b_ _r__ n d $ 6 5 b_l l__ n . F_l m c r_t_c R_g_r E b_r t s__ d t h_ f_r s t S t_r W_r s m_v__ c h_n g_d H_l l y w__ d _n d _n f l__ n c_d h_w m_v__ s w_r_ m_d_ f_r d_c_d_s _f t_r . T h_ _r_g_n_l S t_r W_r s m_v__ b_g_n _ n_w g_n_r_t__ n _f f_l m s t h_t _s_d _ l_t _f s p_c__ l _f f_c t s _n d h_g h -_n_r g y _c t__ n s c_n_s .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    there is good news for fans of the star wars movies there will be another episode it will be the ninth film to be made the name of the new star wars movie was announced in chicago it is called the rise of skywalker there is a twominute trailer of the movie for people to watch the trailer is now on youtube it gives people a taste of what the new movie will be like the trailer was first posted on twitter with the words every generation has a legend the new film will have an allstar cast actor mark hamill will play luke skywalker and the late carrie fisher will play princess leia fisher died in 2016 but the filmmakers were able to use previously unseen footage from the movie the force awakens

    the star wars movies are among the most successful films ever made the first one was released in 1977 and was made by the filmmaker george lucas over forty years later they are still hugely popular lucas company lucasfilm made the first six movies disney bought the company in 2012 for just over 4 billion in 2018 the total value of the star wars franchise was estimated to be around 65 billion film critic roger ebert said the first star wars movie changed hollywood and influenced how movies were made for decades after the original star wars movie began a new generation of films that used a lot of special effects and highenergy action scenes

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ThereisgoodnewsforfansoftheStarWarsmovies.Therewillbeanother
    episode.Itwillbetheninthfilmtobemade.ThenameofthenewStarWars
    moviewasannouncedinChicago.Itiscalled"TheRiseofSkywalker".The
    reisatwo-minutetrailerofthemovieforpeopletowatch.Thetrailerisn
    owonYouTube.Itgivespeopleatasteofwhatthenewmoviewillbelike.T
    hetrailerwasfirstpostedonTwitter,withthewords:"Everygenerationh
    asalegend."Thenewfilmwillhaveanall-starcast.ActorMarkHamillwil
    lplayLukeSkywalker,andthelateCarrieFisherwillplayPrincessLeia.Fis
    herdiedin2016,butthefilmmakerswereabletousepreviouslyunseenfo
    otagefromthemovie"TheForceAwakens".TheStarWarsmoviesaream
    ongthemostsuccessfulfilmsevermade.Thefirstonewasreleasedin19
    77andwasmadebythefilm-makerGeorgeLucas.Overfortyyearslater
    ,theyarestillhugelypopular.Lucas'companyLucasfilmmadethefirstsi
    xmovies.Disneyboughtthecompanyin2012forjustover$4billion.In2
    018,thetotalvalueoftheStarWarsfranchisewasestimatedtobearound
    $65billion.FilmcriticRogerEbertsaidthefirstStarWarsmoviechanged
    Hollywoodandinfluencedhowmoviesweremadefordecadesafter.The
    originalStarWarsmoviebegananewgenerationoffilmsthatusedalotof
    specialeffectsandhigh-energyactionscenes.

    Free writing

    Write about Star Wars for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    All movies should be about real life. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. STAR WARS: Make a poster about Star Wars. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. MOVIES: Write a magazine article about only making movies about real life. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on Star Wars. Ask him/her three questions about the movies. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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