The Reading / Listening - Level 1

People are angry that the movie industry is run by "old white men". In the Oscar nominations, all 20 of the actors who could win an Oscar are white. There are no women in the directing or writing categories. A survey found that the members of the academy were 94 per cent white, largely male, with an average age of 62. The members decide who gets nominated for an Oscar. Critics say there is too little diversity in the Oscars.

A civil rights campaigner criticised the Academy for being like the Rocky Mountains – "the higher you get, the whiter it gets". He said: "The lack of diversity in [the] Oscar nominations is [terrible]." The movie nominated for this year's 'Best Picture' award is about racism, but no non-white actors are up for an award. The president of the Academy said the members do not look at an actor's colour or gender. She hoped Hollywood would become more diverse.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   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.

all 20

a.

decide

2.

the directing or

b.

age of 62

3.

members of the academy were

c.

of the actors

4.

largely

d.

little diversity

5.

an average

e.

writing categories

6.

he members

f.

male

7.

who gets nominated

g.

94 per cent white

8.

Critics say there is too

h.

for an Oscar


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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

A civil rights

a.

of diversity

2.

like the Rocky

b.

'Best Picture'

3.

the higher you get,

c.

Mountains

4.

The lack

d.

up for an award

5.

The movie nominated for this year's

e.

campaigner

6.

no non-white actors are

f.

become more diverse

7.

members do not look at an actor's

g.

the whiter it gets

8.

She hoped Hollywood would

h.

colour or gender

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

People (1) ___________________ movie industry is run by "old white men". In the Oscar nominations, (2) ___________________ who could win an Oscar are white. There (3) ___________________ the directing or writing categories. A survey (4) ___________________ members of the academy were 94 per cent white, largely male, with (5) ___________________ 62. The members decide who gets nominated for an Oscar. Critics say there is (6) ___________________ in the Oscars.

A (7) ___________________ criticised the Academy for being like the Rocky Mountains – "the higher you get, (8) ___________________". He said: "The (9) ___________________ in [the] Oscar nominations is [terrible]." The movie (10) ___________________ year's 'Best Picture' award is about racism, but no non-white actors (11) ___________________. The president of the Academy said the members do not look at an actor's (12) ___________________. She hoped Hollywood would become more diverse.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Peopleareangrythatthemovieindustryisrunby"oldwhitemen".Inthe
Oscarnominations,all20oftheactorswhocouldwinanOscararewhite.T
herearenowomeninthedirectingorwritingcategories.Asurveyfoundt
hatthemembersoftheacademywere94percentwhite,largelymale,wit
hanaverageageof62.ThemembersdecidewhogetsnominatedforanO
scar.CriticssaythereistoolittlediversityintheOscars.Acivilrightscamp
aignercriticisedtheAcademyforbeingliketheRockyMountains–
"thehigheryouget,thewhiteritgets".Hesaid:"Thelackofdiversityin[th
e]Oscarnominationsis[terrible]."Themovienominatedforthisyear's'
BestPicture'awardisaboutracism,butnonon-whiteactorsareupforana
ward.ThepresidentoftheAcademysaidthemembersdonotlookatanac
tor'scolourorgender.ShehopedHollywoodwouldbecomemoredivers
e.

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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