The Reading / Listening - Sydney Opera House - Level 6

There is public outcry in Australia over controversial plans to use the Sydney Opera House as a "billboard" to advertise a horse race. Tens of thousands of Australians have signed a petition to block the plans to project an advertisement for the Everest Cup onto the iconic white sails of the Opera House. The race is the richest horse race in the world. The decision to use the Opera House as a platform for the ad even has the backing of Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He said: "It's not like they're painting it on there. I mean, it's lights flashing up there for a brief moment of time....I don't understand why we tie ourselves up in knots about these things."

The former chief executive of the Opera House described the decision to promote the race on the world-famous landmark as "crass, inappropriate and offensive". He said: "I find it extraordinary that the state politicians on both sides have somehow decided that this is in the interests of Sydney, New South Wales or Australia to corrupt the way the Opera House works, to corrupt the art integrity of the building." The son of Peter Hall, the architect who helped complete the Opera House, said: "My father would have been sickened by it....He would not have condoned advertising on the building in any way. Lucky he's not around to see the desecration of our beautiful, iconic masterpiece."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Sydney Opera House - Level 4  or  Sydney Opera House - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/08/former-sydney-opera-house-boss-offensive-ad-horse-race
  • https://www.9news.com.au/2018/10/08/13/30/opera-house-sails-racing-everest-row
  • https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/media/major-protest-planned-against-plans-to-advertise-on-sydney-opera-house/news-story/5bb028bb1e27387b89bde144d02ed0de


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. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Sydney Opera House. 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?
       outcry / controversial / advertise / petition / opera house / sails / horse race / brief /
       chief executive / landmark / politicians / integrity / building / iconic / masterpiece
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ADVERTISING: Students A strongly believe there should never be advertising on world-famous sites; Students B strongly believe otherwise.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ADVERTS: What do you think of advertising for these things? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Is it OK?

Where is it OK and not OK?

Horse races

 

 

Casinos

 

 

Cigarettes

 

 

Alcohol

 

 

Fast food

 

 

Contraception

 

 
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. OPERA: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "opera". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. WORLD-FAMOUS SITES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Statue of Liberty
  • Mount Fuji
  • Machu Picchu
  • Masai Mara
  • Sydney Opera House
  • Louvre
  • Pyramids
  • Taj Mahal

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. outcry a. Causing or likely to give rise to public disagreement.
      2. controversial b. A formal written request signed by many people asking authorities to stop something happening or for a particular cause.
      3. billboard c. A strong expression of public disapproval or anger.
      4. petition d. Support or help.
      5. iconic e. A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something (usually something great).
      6. backing f. For a short time.
      7. brief g. A large outdoor board for displaying advertisements.

    Paragraph 2

      8. former h. Accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive.
      9. promote i. Lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence.
      10. landmark j. Causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry.
      11. crass k. Having previously filled a particular role or been a particular thing.
      12. offensive l. Give publicity to (a product, organization, or venture) so as to increase sales or public awareness.
      13. corrupt m. Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain or profit.
      14. condoned n. A building, object or feature of a landscape or town that is easily seen and recognized from a distance, or is famous.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. A billboard has been attached to the Sydney Opera House.     T / F
  2. Hundreds of thousands of people signed a petition against an advert.     T / F
  3. Australia's prime minister supports using the Opera House for the ad.     T / F
  4. The prime minister said people should tie knots if they are angry.     T / F
  5. A former opera house chief called the ad on the opera house offensive.    T / F
  6. The former chief said the ad was in the interests of Australia.     T / F
  7. The former chief said the ad corrupted how the opera house works.     T / F
  8. An architect's son said his father would not have supported the ad.     T / F

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

  1. outcry
  2. block
  3. richest
  4. backing
  5. brief
  6. crass
  7. corrupt
  8. integrity
  9. condoned
  10. desecration
  1. most lucrative
  2. allowed
  3. support
  4. degrade
  5. stupid
  6. protest
  7. good character
  8. dishonoring
  9. stop
  10. short

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

  1. signed a petition
  2. the iconic white
  3. the ad even has the backing
  4. for a brief moment
  5. why we tie ourselves
  6. promote the race on the world-
  7. crass, inappropriate
  8. this is in the interests
  9. He would not have condoned
  10. the desecration of our beautiful,
  1. of Sydney
  2. up in knots
  3. famous landmark
  4. sails of the Opera House
  5. iconic masterpiece
  6. to block the plans
  7. advertising on the building
  8. of time
  9. and offensive
  10. of Australia's Prime Minister

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
iconic
petition
knots
decision
brief
outcry
project
backing

There is public (1) ____________ in Australia over controversial plans to use the Sydney Opera House as a "billboard" to advertise a horse race. Tens of thousands of Australians have signed a (2) ____________ to block the plans to (3) ____________ an advertisement for the Everest Cup onto the (4) ____________ white sails of the Opera House. The race is the richest horse race in the world. The (5) ____________ to use the Opera House as a platform for the ad even has the (6) ____________ of Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He said: "It's not like they're painting it on there. I mean, it's lights flashing up there for a (7) ____________ moment of time....I don't understand why we tie ourselves up in (8) ____________ about these things."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
condoned
state
architect
former
sickened
interests
landmark
corrupt

The (9) ____________ chief executive of the Opera House described the decision to promote the race on the world-famous (10) ____________ as "crass, inappropriate and offensive". He said: "I find it extraordinary that the (11) ____________ politicians on both sides have somehow decided that this is in the (12) ____________ of Sydney, New South Wales or Australia to corrupt the way the Opera House works, to (13) ____________ the art integrity of the building." The son of Peter Hall, the (14) ____________ who helped complete the Opera House, said: "My father would have been (15) ____________ by it....He would not have (16) ____________ advertising on the building in any way. Lucky he's not around to see the desecration of our beautiful, iconic masterpiece."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  use the Sydney Opera House as a "billboard" to ______
     a.  advertises a horse race
     b.  advertised a horse race
     c.  advertise a horse race
     d.  advertise the horse race
2)  Tens of thousands of Australians have signed a petition to ______
     a.  blocks the plans
     b.  block the plans
     c.  blocked the plans
     d.  blocking the plans
3)  project an advertisement for the Everest Cup onto the ______
     a.  iconic white sails
     b.  icon nick white sails
     c.  air-con nick white sails
     d.  are con nick white sails
4)  The decision to use the Opera House as a ______ ad
     a.  platforms for the
     b.  platform for a
     c.  platform from the
     d.  platform for the
5)  I mean, it's lights flashing up there for a ______ time
     a.  brevity moment of
     b.  belief moments of
     c.  brief moment of
     d.  beef moment of

6)  described the decision to promote the race on the world-famous landmark ______
     a.  as grass
     b.  as class
     c.  as glass
     d.  as crass
7) politicians on both sides have somehow decided that this is in ______ Sydney
     a.  the interest of
     b.  this interests of
     c.  the interests of
     d.  them interests of
8)  corrupt the way the Opera House works, to corrupt the art ______ building
     a.  integrity off the
     b.  integrity of the
     c.  integrity of a
     d.  integrity off a
9)  the architect who helped complete the Opera House, said: "My father would _____ by it
     a.  have been sickened
     b.  have being sickened
     c.  have be in sickened
     d.  have bin sickened
10)  He would not have ______ on the building
     a.  cordoned advertising
     b.  condoned advertising
     c.  con domed advertising
     d.  condoned advertise in

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There (1) ___________________ in Australia over controversial plans to use the Sydney Opera House as a "billboard" to advertise a horse race. Tens of thousands of Australians have (2) ___________________ to block the plans to project an advertisement for the Everest Cup onto (3) ___________________ sails of the Opera House. The race is the richest horse race in the world. The decision to use the Opera House as a platform for (4) ___________________ has the backing of Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He said: "It's not like they're painting it on there. I mean, it's lights flashing up there (5) ___________________ moment of time....I don't understand why we tie ourselves (6) ___________________ about these things."

The former chief executive of the Opera House described the decision to (7) ___________________ on the world-famous landmark as "crass, inappropriate and offensive". He said: "I find it extraordinary that the state politicians (8) ___________________ have somehow decided that this is in the interests of Sydney, New South Wales or Australia to (9) ___________________ the Opera House works, to corrupt the art integrity of the building." The son of Peter Hall, (10) ___________________ helped complete the Opera House, said: "My father would have been sickened by it....He would (11) ___________________ advertising on the building in any way. Lucky he's not around to see the desecration of our (12) ___________________."

Comprehension questions

  1. What did people say the Sydney Opera House was being used as?
  2. What did tens of thousands of Australians do?
  3. What is the name of the horse race?
  4. How long did Australia's prime minister say lights would flash?
  5. What did the prime minister say people were tying up in knots?
  6. Who called the decision to advertise on the Sydney Opera House crass?
  7. What did politicians decide the ad was in the interests of?
  8. Who is Peter Hall?
  9. What might Peter Hall have felt about the ad?
  10. What did Peter Hall's son call the Sydney Opera House?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did people say the Sydney Opera House was being used as?
a) a race
b) an opera
c) a symbol
d) a billboard
2) What did tens of thousands of Australians do?
a) rode a horse
b) signed a petition
c) sang an operatic aria
d) ran around the opera house
3) What is the name of the horse race?
a) Sahara Cup
b) Barrier Reef Cup
c) Everest Cup
d) Amazon Cup
4) How long did Australia's prime minister say lights would flash?
a) a brief moment
b) three weeks
c) 24 hours
d) a week

5) What did the prime minister say people were tying up in knots?
a) boats
b) string
c) ourselves
d) arguments

6) Who called the decision to advertise on the Sydney Opera House crass?
a) a jockey
b) a former opera house chief
c) a singer
d) an architect
7) What did politicians decide the ad was in the interests of?
a) art
b) opera lovers
c) horses
d) Australia
8) Who is Peter Hall?
a) an architect
b) an opera singer
c) a horse racing jockey
d) a politician
9) What might Peter Hall have felt about the ad?
a) happiness
b) surprise
c) sickened
d) horrified

10) What did Peter Hall's son call the Sydney Opera House?
a) a giant boat
b) a masterpiece
c) Bob
d) an artwork

Role play

Role  A – Sydney Opera House
You think the Sydney Opera House is the world's greatest site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Pyramids, Taj Mahal or Statue of Liberty.

Role  B – Pyramids
You think the Pyramids are the world's greatest site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Sydney Opera House, Taj Mahal or Statue of Liberty.

Role  C – Taj Mahal
You think the Taj Mahal is the world's greatest site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Pyramids, Sydney Opera House or Statue of Liberty.

Role  D – Statue of Liberty
You think the Statue of Liberty is the world's greatest site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Pyramids, Taj Mahal or Sydney Opera House.

After reading / listening

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

'opera'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'house'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • former
    • find
    • interests
    • art
    • father
    • see
    • public
    • tens
    • richest
    • backing
    • painting
    • tie

    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 - Anger over horse race ad on Sydney Opera House

    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 word 'horse race'?
    3. What do you know about the Sydney Opera House?
    4. How controversial is it to advertise on the Sydney Opera House?
    5. Have you ever signed a petition?
    6. How effective are petitions?
    7. Do you think it is OK to advertise a horse race on the Opera House?
    8. Is it OK to advertise anything on famous world sites?
    9. Is the ad OK because it is just light projected on the Opera House?
    10. What do you tie yourself up in knots about?

    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 'opera house'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Why do people think the ad is inappropriate?
    5. Is it bad to promote horse racing?
    6. Does promoting horse racing lead to an increase in gambling?
    7. Should the architect be considered in this story?
    8. What do you think of opera?
    9. How beautiful is the Opera House as a masterpiece?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Australia's prime minister?

    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 (1) ____ outcry in Australia over controversial plans to use the Sydney Opera House as a "billboard" to advertise a horserace. Tens of thousands of Australians have (2) ____ a petition to block the plans to project an advertisement for the Everest Cup onto the iconic white sails of the Opera House. The race is the richest horse race in the world. The (3) ____ to use the Opera House as a platform for the ad even has the (4) ____ of Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He said: "It's not like they're painting it on there. I mean, it's lights flashing up there for a (5) ____ moment of time....I don't understand why we tie ourselves up in (6) ____ about these things."

    The former chief executive of the Opera House described the decision to promote the race on the world-famous landmark as "(7) ____, inappropriate and offensive". He said: "I find it extraordinary that the state politicians on both sides have somehow decided that this is (8) ____ the interests of Sydney, New South Wales or Australia to corrupt the (9) ____ the Opera House works, to corrupt the art integrity of the building." The son of Peter Hall, the architect who helped complete the Opera House, said: "My father would have been (10) ____ by it....He would not have condoned advertising on the building in (11) ____ way. Lucky he's not around to see the desecration of our beautiful, iconic (12) ____."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

          (a) public (b) publicity (c) publican (d) publicly
          (a) singed (b) signaled (c) signed (d) signage
          (a) decide (b) decides (c) deciding (d) decision
          (a) upping (b) backing (c) siding (d) fronting
          (a) beef (b) belief (c) believe (d) brief
          (a) knits (b) nuts (c) knots (d) nits
          (a) grass (b) crass (c) class (d) glass
          (a) in (b) on (c) at (d) by
          (a) way (b) why (c) which (d) where
          (a) sickly (b) sickness (c) sickened (d) sicken
          (a) right (b) methodology (c) present (d) way
          (a) masterly (b) masterpiece (c) master class (d) master plan

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. There is public oytrcu in Australia
    2. ltevricaosnor plans
    3. signed a tiineotp
    4. the incoci white sails
    5. for a ebrif moment
    6. we tie ourselves up in stkon

    Paragraph 2

    1. The former chief xevuticee
    2. mtpoero the race
    3. crass, inappropriate and feveniosf
    4. the art iyiernttg of the building
    5. the irchecatt who helped complete the Opera House
    6. He would not have eocdndon advertising

    Put the text back together

    (...)  painting it on there. I mean, it's lights flashing up there for a brief moment of time....I don't
    (  1  ) There is public outcry in Australia over controversial plans to use the Sydney Opera House as a "billboard" to advertise
    (...)  to project an advertisement for the Everest Cup onto the iconic white sails of the Opera House. The race
    (...)  architect who helped complete the Opera House, said: "My father would have been sickened
    (...)  by it....He would not have condoned advertising on the building in any way. Lucky he's not
    (...)  around to see the desecration of our beautiful, iconic masterpiece."
    (...)  is the richest horse race in the world. The decision to use the Opera House as a platform for the
    (...)  the way the Opera House works, to corrupt the art integrity of the building." The son of Peter Hall, the
    (...)  sides have somehow decided that this is in the interests of Sydney, New South Wales or Australia to corrupt
    (...)  understand why we tie ourselves up in knots about these things."
    (...)  famous landmark as "crass, inappropriate and offensive". He said: "I find it extraordinary that the state politicians on both
    (...)  a horse race. Tens of thousands of Australians have signed a petition to block the plans
    (...)  The former chief executive of the Opera House described the decision to promote the race on the world-
    (...)  ad even has the backing of Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He said: "It's not like they're

    Put the words in the right order

    1. in   controversial   Public   outcry   plans   .   Australia   over
    2. Australians   a   have   Thousands   of   petition   .   signed
    3. world   .   the   race   horse   richest   in   The
    4. up   a   brief   Lights   there   flashing   moment   .   for
    5. we   ourselves   in   knots   .   up   tie   Why
    6. world-famous   the   the   Promote   landmark   .   on   race
    7. have   both   politicians   sides   somehow   decided   .   on   State
    8. architect   the   complete   who   Opera   helped   House   .   The
    9. by   father   My   it   .   have   sickened   been   would
    10. around   the   Lucky   see   he's   not   to   desecration   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    There is public crying / outcry in Australia over controversial plans to use the Sydney Opera House as a "billboard" to advertise the / a horse race. Tens of thousands of Australians have signed / singed a petition to block the plans to project an advertisement for the Everest Cup into / onto the iconic white sails of the Opera House. The race is the richest / rich horse race in the world. The decides / decision to use the Opera House as a platform for the ad even has the fronting / backing of Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He said: "It's not like they're painting / panting it on there. I mean, it's lights flashing up there for a brief / belief moment of time....I don't understand why we tie ourselves up in knits / knots about these things."

    The former / firmer chief executive of the Opera House described the decision to promotion / promote the race on the world-famous landmark as "crass / grass, inappropriate and offensive". He said: "I find / finding it extraordinary that the state politicians on both / any sides have somehow decided that this is in the interest / interests of Sydney, New South Wales or Australia to corrupt the way the Opera House works, to corrupt the art integrity of the building." The son of Peter Hall, the architecture / architect who helped complete the Opera House, said: "My father would have been sickened / sicken by it....He would not have condoned / cordoned advertising on the building in any way. Lucky he's not around to see the desertification / desecration of our beautiful, iconic masterpiece."

    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 p_b l_c __ t c r y _n A_s t r_l__ _v_r c_n t r_v_r s__ l p l_n s t_ _s_ t h_ S y d n_y O p_r_ H__ s_ _s _ " b_l l b__ r d " t_ _d v_r t_s_ _ h_r s_ r_c_. T_n s _f t h__ s_n d s _f A_s t r_l__ n s h_v_ s_g n_d _ p_t_t__ n t_ b l_c k t h_ p l_n s t_ p r_j_c t _n _d v_r t_s_m_n t f_r t h_ E v_r_s t C_p _n t_ t h_ _c_n_c w h_t_ s__ l s _f t h_ O p_r_ H__ s_. T h_ r_c_ _s t h_ r_c h_s t h_r s_ r_c_ _n t h_ w_r l d . T h_ d_c_s__ n t_ _s_ t h_ O p_r_ H__ s_ _s _ p l_t f_r m f_r t h_ _d _v_n h_s t h_ b_c k_n g _f A_s t r_l__ ' s P r_m_ M_n_s t_r S c_t t M_r r_s_n . H_ s__ d : " I t ' s n_t l_k_ t h_y ' r_ p__ n t_n g _t _n t h_r_. I m__ n , _t ' s l_g h t s f l_s h_n g _p t h_r_ f_r _ b r__ f m_m_n t _f t_m_. . . . I d_n ' t _n d_r s t_n d w h y w_ t__ __ r s_l v_s _p _n k n_t s _b__ t t h_s_ t h_n g s . "

    T h_ f_r m_r c h__ f _x_c_t_v_ _f t h_ O p_r_ H__ s_ d_s c r_b_d t h_ d_c_s__ n t_ p r_m_t_ t h_ r_c_ _n t h_ w_r l d - f_m__ s l_n d m_r k _s " c r_s s , _n_p p r_p r__ t_ _n d _f f_n s_v_" . H_ s__ d : " I f_n d _t _x t r__ r d_n_r y t h_t t h_ s t_t_ p_l_t_c__ n s _n b_t h s_d_s h_v_ s_m_h_w d_c_d_d t h_t t h_s _s _n t h_ _n t_r_s t s _f S y d n_y , N_w S__ t h W_l_s _r A_s t r_l__ t_ c_r r_p t t h_ w_y t h_ O p_r_ H__ s_ w_r k s , t_ c_r r_p t t h_ _r t _n t_g r_t y _f t h_ b__ l d_n g . " T h_ s_n _f P_t_r H_l l , t h_ _r c h_t_c t w h_ h_l p_d c_m p l_t_ t h_ O p_r_ H__ s_, s__ d : " M y f_t h_r w__ l d h_v_ b__ n s_c k_n_d b y _t . . . . H_ w__ l d n_t h_v_ c_n d_n_d _d v_r t_s_n g _n t h_ b__ l d_n g _n _n y w_y . L_c k y h_' s n_t _r__ n d t_ s__ t h_ d_s_c r_t__ n _f __ r b___t_f_l , _c_n_c m_s t_r p__ c_. "

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    there is public outcry in australia over controversial plans to use the sydney opera house as a billboard to advertise a horse race tens of thousands of australians have signed a petition to block the plans to project an advertisement for the everest cup onto the iconic white sails of the opera house the race is the richest horse race in the world the decision to use the opera house as a platform for the ad even has the backing of australias prime minister scott morrison he said its not like theyre painting it on there i mean its lights flashing up there for a brief moment of time i dont understand why we tie ourselves up in knots about these things

    the former chief executive of the opera house described the decision to promote the race on the world famous landmark as crass inappropriate and offensive he said i find it extraordinary that the state politicians on both sides have somehow decided that this is in the interests of sydney new south wales or australia to corrupt the way the opera house works to corrupt the art integrity of the building the son of peter hall the architect who helped complete the opera house said my father would have been sickened by ithe would not have condoned advertising on the building in any way lucky hes not around to see the desecration of our beautiful iconic masterpiece"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ThereispublicoutcryinAustraliaovercontroversialplanstousetheSydn
    eyOperaHouseasa"billboard"toadvertiseahorserace.Tensofthousan
    dsofAustralianshavesignedapetitiontoblocktheplanstoprojectanadv
    ertisementfortheEverestCupontotheiconicwhitesailsoftheOperaHou
    se.Theraceistherichesthorseraceintheworld.ThedecisiontousetheO
    peraHouseasaplatformfortheadevenhasthebackingofAustralia'sPri
    meMinisterScottMorrison.Hesaid:"It'snotlikethey'repaintingitonthe
    re.Imean,it'slightsflashingupthereforabriefmomentoftime....Idon't
    understandwhywetieourselvesupinknotsaboutthesethings."Thefor
    merchiefexecutiveoftheOperaHousedescribedthedecisiontopromot
    etheraceontheworld-famouslandmarkas"crass,inappropriateandoff
    ensive".Hesaid:"Ifinditextraordinarythatthestatepoliticiansonboths
    ideshavesomehowdecidedthatthisisintheinterestsofSydney,NewSo
    uthWalesorAustraliatocorruptthewaytheOperaHouseworks,tocorru
    pttheartintegrityofthebuilding."ThesonofPeterHall,thearchitectwho
    helpedcompletetheOperaHouse,said:"Myfatherwouldhavebeensick
    enedbyit....Hewouldnothavecondonedadvertisingonthebuildingina
    nyway.Luckyhe'snotaroundtoseethedesecrationofourbeautiful,icon
    icmasterpiece."

    Free writing

    Write about Sydney Opera House for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    It's OK to use famous world landmarks to advertise horse races. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    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. SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE: Make a poster about Sydney Opera House. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. ADVERTISING: Write a magazine article about famous world landmarks like Sydney Opera House being used to advertise horse races or other sporting events. 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 Sydney Opera House. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. 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.)

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You