The Reading / Listening - Michelle Obama - Level 5

Michelle Obama's autobiography has shot to the top of Amazon's bestseller lists. The in-depth memoir of her life and time at the White House is the fastest-selling book of 2018. The 448-page book is called 'Becoming'. Amazon calls it: "An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States." The book's publisher said: "We are thrilled by the extraordinary response to Ms Obama's beautifully rendered and deeply personal memoir, and we are confident that 'Becoming' will inspire millions of readers."

Ms Obama said: "Becoming is never giving up on the idea that there's more growing to be done." A reviewer wrote: "Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood [in] Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address." The autobiography and nationwide book tour have started talk of her running for President in 2020. One of her aides said: "Let me be very clear, it will never happen."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Michelle Obama - Level 4 or  Michelle Obama - Level 6

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/20/media/michelle-obama-book-sales/index.html
  • https://www.latimes.com/books/la-et-jc-obama-bestseller-20181119-story.html
  • https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Michelle-Obama/dp/1524763136


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. shot to the top of Amazon's
  2. The in-depth memoir
  3. the fastest-selling book
  4. The 448-
  5. An intimate, powerful, and
  6. We are thrilled by the
  7. deeply personal
  8. inspire millions
  1. extraordinary response
  2. of 2018
  3. of readers
  4. of her life
  5. memoir
  6. inspiring memoir
  7. bestseller lists
  8. page book

Paragraph 2

  1. there's more growing
  2. Michelle Obama invites readers
  3. the experiences that have
  4. balancing the demands
  5. time spent at the world's most
  6. running for President
  7. Let me be
  8. it will never
  1. in 2020
  2. of motherhood
  3. happen
  4. into her world
  5. very clear
  6. to be done
  7. shaped her
  8. famous address

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Michelle Obama's autobiography (1) ___________________ the top of Amazon's bestseller lists. The in-depth memoir (2) ___________________ and time at the White House is the fastest-selling book of 2018. The 448-page (3) ___________________ 'Becoming'. Amazon calls it: "An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir (4) ___________________ First Lady of the United States." The book's publisher said: "(5) ___________________ by the extraordinary response to Ms Obama's beautifully rendered and deeply personal memoir, and (6) ___________________ that 'Becoming' will inspire millions of readers."

Ms Obama said: "Becoming is never (1) ___________________ the idea that there's more growing to be done." A reviewer wrote: "Michelle Obama (2) ___________________ her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood [in] Chicago to her years (3) ___________________ balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's (4) ___________________." The autobiography and nationwide book tour have started talk (5) ___________________ for President in 2020. One of her aides said: "Let me (6) ___________________, it will never happen."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

MichelleObama'sautobiographyhasshottothetopofAmazon'sbestsell
erlists.Thein-depthmemoirofherlifeandtimeattheWhiteHouseisthe
fastest-sellingbookof2018.The448-pagebookiscalled'Becoming'.
Amazoncallsit:"Anintimate,powerful,andinspiringmemoirbythefor
merFirstLadyoftheUnitedStates."Thebook'spublishersaid:"Weareth
rilledbytheextraordinaryresponsetoMsObama'sbeautifullyrendered
anddeeplypersonalmemoir,andweareconfidentthat'Becoming'willin
spiremillionsofreaders."MsObamasaid:"Becomingisnevergivingupo
ntheideathatthere'smoregrowingtobedone."Areviewerwrote:"Mich
elleObamainvitesreadersintoherworld,chroniclingtheexperiencesth
athaveshapedher-fromherchildhood[in]Chicagotoheryearsasanexe
cutivebalancingthedemandsofmotherhoodandwork,tohertimespent
attheworld'smostfamousaddress."Theautobiographyandnationwid
ebooktourhavestartedtalkofherrunningforPresidentin2020.Oneofh
eraidessaid:"Letmebeveryclear,itwillneverhappen."

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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