The Reading / Listening - Pink - Level 6

Singer-songwriter Pink has got involved in a sexism row in the sport of beach handball. She has come to the aid of the Norwegian women's team after they were fined for not wearing bikini bottoms during the 2021 European Beach Handball Championships. The singer has offered to pay the fines handed out to Norway's competitors for wearing "improper clothing". Male competitors were allowed to wear shorts, but the women were required to wear bikinis. The European Handball Federation (EHF) fined the team $1,765 for not complying with the regulations. Pink took to Twitter and offered to pay the fine. She added that the EHF should be fined "for sexism".

The Norwegian Handball Federation president said the bikinis were "not appropriate clothing for the activity when the women are playing in the sand". The team's request to wear shorts during the championships was turned down. Male players were allowed to play in sports shirts and shorts no longer than 10cm above the knee; while women were expected to wear midriff-baring tops and bikini bottoms "with a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg". Norway's Minister of Culture called the discriminatory dress rule "antiquated" and "completely ridiculous". It questioned: "How many attitude changes are needed in the old-fashioned international patriarchy of sports?"

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Pink - Level 4  or  Pink - Level 5

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/26/sport/pink-norwegian-handball-fine-intl-scli-spt/index.html
  • https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jul/26/pink-offers-to-pay-fines-for-norwegian-womens-beach-handball-team-sexist
  • https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/olympics/pink-offers-to-cover-norwegian-women-s-beach-handball-team-fine-for-not-playing-in-bikinis/ar-AAMzFIL


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. BEACH HANDBALL: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about beach handball. 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?
       sexism / sport / beach / handball / bikini / fine / clothing / competitors / team /
       president / appropriate / sand / championships / knee / angle / ridiculous / attitude
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. SEXIST: Students A strongly believe requiring female athletes to wear bikinis is sexist; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SPORTSWEAR: What do you think of the things these athletes wear? How could they be improved? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Sportswear

Improvements

Soccer players

 

 

Baseball players

 

 

Gymnasts

 

 

Ice hockey players

 

 

Skateboarders

 

 

Golfers

 

 
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. PINK: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "pink". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. BEACH ACTIVITIES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best beach activities at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Handball
  • Volleyball
  • Sunbathing
  • Building sandcastles
  • Beachcombing
  • Barbecue
  • Jogging
  • Collecting shells

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. involved a. Acting in accordance with a wish or command.
      2. handed out b. Not in accordance with accepted rules or standards, especially of morality or honesty.
      3. improper c. Given.
      4. federation d. Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.
      5. complying e. Caused a person or group to experience or participate in an activity or situation.
      6. regulation f. An organization or group within which smaller divisions have some degree of internal autonomy.
      7. sexism g. A rule or directive made and kept by an authority.

    Paragraph 2

      8. appropriate h. Rejected or refused.
      9. turned down i. Making or showing an unfair or prejudicial distinction between different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
      10. midriff j. A part of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
      11. baring k. The area of the front of the body between the chest and the waist.
      12. discriminatory l. Old-fashioned or outdated.
      13. antiquated m. Uncovering a part of the body or other thing and exposing it to view.
      14. patriarchy n. Suitable or proper in the circumstances.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The singer Pink is in trouble after she wore a bikini in a handball game.   T / F
  2. Norwegian beach handball players were fined at the Tokyo Olympics.     T / F
  3. The European Handball Federation fined the Norwegian team.     T / F
  4. Pink said the European Handball Federation should be fined for sexism.   T / F
  5. Norway's handball federation said bikinis were appropriate clothing.     T / F
  6. Male handball players can wear shorts 10cm below the knee.     T / F
  7. Female handball players are expected to expose their stomachs.     T / F
  8. Norway's Ministry of Culture suggested sport is too male dominated.     T / F

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

  1. row
  2. aid
  3. fined
  4. allowed
  5. complying with
  6. appropriate
  7. request
  8. discriminatory
  9. antiquated
  10. ridiculous
  1. suitable
  2. permitted
  3. absurd
  4. assistance
  5. call
  6. outdated
  7. argument
  8. observing
  9. chauvinistic
  10. penalised

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

  1. Singer-songwriter Pink has got involved
  2. She has come to the aid of the
  3. improper
  4. fined the team $1,765 for not complying
  5. She added that the EHF should be
  6. not appropriate clothing
  7. The team's request
  8. women were expected to wear midriff-
  9. the discriminatory dress
  10. the old-fashioned international patriarchy
  1. clothing
  2. rule
  3. fined for sexism
  4. of sports
  5. baring tops
  6. in a sexism row
  7. for the activity
  8. to wear shorts
  9. with the regulations
  10. Norwegian women's team

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
aid
sexism
improper
complying
involved
fine
handed
required

Singer-songwriter Pink has got (1) _____________________in a sexism row in the sport of beach handball. She has come to the (2) _____________________of the Norwegian women's team after they were fined for not wearing bikini bottoms during the 2021 European Beach Handball Championships. The singer has offered to pay the fines (3) _____________________out to Norway's competitors for wearing (4) _____________________clothing". Male competitors were allowed to wear shorts, but the women were (5) _____________________to wear bikinis. The European Handball Federation (EHF) fined the team $1,765 for not (6) _____________________with the regulations. Pink took to Twitter and offered to pay the (7) _____________________. She added that the EHF should be fined "for (8) _____________________".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
dress
turned
expected
patriarchy
appropriate
ridiculous
angle
longer

The Norwegian Handball Federation president said the bikinis were "not (9) _____________________clothing for the activity when the women are playing in the sand". The team's request to wear shorts during the championships was (10) _____________________down. Male players were allowed to play in sports shirts and shorts no (11) _____________________than 10cm above the knee; while women were (12) _____________________to wear midriff-baring tops and bikini bottoms "with a close fit and cut on an upward (13) _____________________toward the top of the leg". Norway's Minister of Culture called the discriminatory (14) _____________________rule "antiquated" and "completely (15) _____________________". It questioned: "How many attitude changes are needed in the old-fashioned international (16) _____________________of sports?"

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Singer-songwriter Pink has got involved in ______
     a.  a sexism brow
     b.  a sexism low
     c.  a sexism allow
     d.  a sexism row
2)  offered to pay the fines handed out to Norway's competitors for ______
     a.  wear in improper clothing
     b.  wearing improper clothing
     c.  wearing improperly clothing
     d.  wearing improper clothe in
3) competitors were allowed to wear shorts, but the women were ______ bikinis
     a.  require it to wear
     b.  enquired to wear
     c.  inquired to wear
     d.  required to wear
4)  The European Handball Federation (EHF) fined the team $1,765 ______
     a.  for not implying
     b.  for not comply in
     c.  for not replying
     d.  for not complying
5)  Pink took to Twitter and offered to ______
     a.  pay them fines
     b.  pay them fine
     c.  pay the fine
     d.  pay the fined

6)  The Norwegian Handball Federation president said the bikinis were ______
     a.  not appropriately clothing
     b.  not appropriate clothing
     c.  not appropriacy clothing
     d.  not appropriated clothing
7)  The team's request to wear shorts during the championships ______
     a.  was turned up
     b.  was burned down
     c.  was turned down
     d.  was spurned up
8)  to wear midriff-baring tops and bikini bottoms "with a close fit and cut on ______
     a.  an up word angle
     b.  an upper dangle
     c.  an awkward angle
     d.  an upward angle
9)  Norway's Minister of Culture called the discriminatory ______
     a.  dress rule antiquated
     b.  address rule antiquated
     c.  dresser rule antiquated
     d.  dressed rule antiquated
10) many attitude changes are needed in the old-fashioned international ______
     a.  matriarchy of sports
     b.  patriarchy of sports
     c.  pate archery of sports
     d.  pay tree anarchy of sports

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Singer-songwriter Pink has (1) ____________________ a sexism row in the sport of beach handball. She has come to (2) ____________________ the Norwegian women's team after they were (3) ____________________ wearing bikini bottoms during the 2021 European Beach Handball Championships. The singer has offered to pay the fines handed out to Norway's competitors for (4) ____________________. Male competitors were allowed to wear shorts, but the women (5) ____________________ wear bikinis. The European Handball Federation (EHF) fined the team $1,765 for not complying with the regulations. Pink took to Twitter and offered to pay the fine. She added that the EHF should be (6) ____________________.

The Norwegian Handball Federation president said the bikinis were "not (7) ____________________ the activity when the women are playing in the sand". The team's (8) ____________________ shorts during the championships was turned down. Male players were allowed to play in sports shirts and (9) ____________________ than 10cm above the knee; while women were expected to wear (10) ____________________ and bikini bottoms "with a close fit and cut on (11) ____________________ toward the top of the leg". Norway's Minister of Culture called the discriminatory dress rule "antiquated" and "completely ridiculous". It questioned: "How many attitude changes are needed in (12) ____________________ international patriarchy of sports?"

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of row does the article say pink got involved in?
  2. When was the handball team fined for not wearing bikini bottoms?
  3. What was the team fined for wearing?
  4. How much was the handball team fined?
  5. What did Pink say the European Handball Federation should be fined for?
  6. What did a handball federation say bikinis were not good for?
  7. What happened to the team's request to wear shorts?
  8. How much above the knee should men's shorts be?
  9. Who called the bikini bottoms discriminatory?
  10. What did Norway's Minister of Culture say was old fashioned?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What kind of row does the article say pink got involved in?
a) a financial row
b) a sexism row
c) a handball rules row
d) a bikini colour row
2) When was the handball team fined for not wearing bikini bottoms?
a) 2019
b) 2020
c) earlier this week
d) 2021
3) What was the team fined for wearing?
a) shorts
b) leggings
c) body suits
d) long T-shirts
4) How much was the handball team fined?
a) $1,756
b) $1,567
c) $1,765
d) $1,675
5) What did Pink say the European Handball Federation should be fined for?
a) stupidity
b) sexism
c) being antiquated
d) ridiculousness

6) What did the Norwegian Handball Federation say bikinis were not good for?
a) winning
b) spectators
c) playing in the sand
d) mental health
7) What happened to the team's request to wear shorts?
a) it got lost
b) it was successful
c) it is being considered
d) it was turned down
8) How much above the knee should men's shorts be?
a) 10cm
b) 12cm
c) 8cm
d) 14cm
9) Who called the bikini bottoms discriminatory?
a) Norway's Minister of Culture
b) the team captain
c) the head of the Olympics
d) the men's team
10) What did Norway's Minister of Culture say was old fashioned?
a) bikini bottoms
b) the international patriarchy of sports
c) single-sex sports teams
d) dress rules

Role play

Role  A – Handball
You think handball is the best beach activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as enjoyable. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): sunbathing, building sandcastles or jogging.

Role  B – Sunbathing
You think sunbathing is the best beach activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as enjoyable. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): handball, building sandcastles or jogging.

Role  C – Building Sandcastles
You think building sandcastles is the best beach activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as enjoyable. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): sunbathing, handball or jogging.

Role  D – Jogging
You think jogging is the best beach activity. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as enjoyable. Also, tell the others which is the least fun of these (and why): sunbathing, building sandcastles or handball.

After reading / listening

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

'pink'

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

    • and 'handball'.

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

    • • 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:

    • involved
    • aid
    • handed
    • clothing
    • complying
    • added
    • activity
    • request
    • longer
    • fit
    • dress
    • old

    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 - Pink

    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 'pink'?
    3. What do you know about the singer Pink?
    4. What do you think about beach handball?
    5. What are the best things to wear when playing beach handball?
    6. How sexist is it to for female athletes to have to wear bikinis?
    7. What do you think of Pink for offering to pay the fines?
    8. What do you think of the handball players for disregarding the rules?
    9. How much fun do you think beach handball is?
    10. What advice do you have for the handball players?

    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 'handball'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about beach handball?
    5. Should the handball players have been fined?
    6. Why are there different rules for what men and women can wear?
    7. Which is more fun, beach handball or regular handball?
    8. What is your favourite beach activity?
    9. Why do you think Pink intervened in this situation?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Pink?

    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)

    Singer-songwriter Pink has got involved in a sexism (1) ____ in the sport of beach handball. She has come to the (2) ____ of the Norwegian women's team after they were fined for not wearing bikini bottoms (3) ____ the 2021 European Beach Handball Championships. The singer has offered to pay the fines handed out to Norway's competitors for wearing "(4) ____ clothing". Male competitors were allowed to wear shorts, but the women were required to wear bikinis. The European Handball Federation (EHF) fined the team $1,765 (5) ____ not complying with the regulations. Pink took to Twitter and offered to pay the fine. She added that the EHF should (6) ____ fined "for sexism".

    The Norwegian Handball Federation president said the bikinis were "not (7) ____ clothing for the activity when the women are playing in the sand". The team's request to wear shorts during the championships was (8) ____ down. Male players were allowed to play in sports shirts and shorts no (9) ____ than 10cm above the knee; while women were expected to wear midriff-baring tops and bikini bottoms "with a close (10) ____ and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg". Norway's Minister of Culture called the discriminatory (11) ____ rule "antiquated" and "completely ridiculous". It questioned: "How many attitude changes are needed (12) ____ the old-fashioned international patriarchy of sports?"

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     oar     (b)     row     (c)     stroke     (d)     boat    
    2. (a)     assist     (b)     aid     (c)     calm     (d)     hand    
    3. (a)     among     (b)     awhile     (c)     while     (d)     during    
    4. (a)     proper     (b)     improper     (c)     properly     (d)     property    
    5. (a)     but     (b)     so     (c)     by     (d)     for    
    6. (a)     pay     (b)     have     (c)     be     (d)     receive    
    7. (a)     appropriate     (b)     appropriates     (c)     appropriated     (d)     appropriacy    
    8. (a)     handed     (b)     palmed     (c)     turned     (d)     scored    
    9. (a)     longing     (b)     lengthy     (c)     lengthen     (d)     longer    
    10. (a)     fit     (b)     knee     (c)     ankle     (d)     slice    
    11. (a)     dress     (b)     skirt     (c)     wear     (d)     clothe    
    12. (a)     in     (b)     of     (c)     as     (d)     but

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. ovilnevd in a sexism row
    2. handball aphnioscihmps
    3. wearing morppier clothing
    4. male pcietmtoors
    5. women were uqrieerd to wear bikinis
    6. not omlciypng with the regulations

    Paragraph 2

    1. the bikinis were not pprapiroate clothing
    2. xeetcped to wear midriff-baring tops
    3. rdiiisctanomry dress rule
    4. tiuqaanetd
    5. completely diucrliuos
    6. international traiprahcy of sports

    Put the text back together

    (...)  bottoms during the 2021 European Beach Handball Championships. The singer has offered to pay the fines handed
    (...)  allowed to wear shorts, but the women were required to wear bikinis. The European Handball Federation
    (...)  the aid of the Norwegian women's team after they were fined for not wearing bikini
    (...)  clothing for the activity when the women are playing in the sand". The team's request to wear shorts during
    (...)  (EHF) fined the team $1,765 for not complying with the regulations. Pink took to Twitter and
    (...)  offered to pay the fine. She added that the EHF should be fined "for sexism".
    (...)  out to Norway's competitors for wearing "improper clothing". Male competitors were
    (  1  ) Singer-songwriter Pink has got involved in a sexism row in the sport of beach handball. She has come to
    (...)  longer than 10cm above the knee; while women were expected to wear midriff-baring tops and bikini bottoms "with a close
    (...)  the championships was turned down. Male players were allowed to play in sports shirts and shorts no
    (...)  The Norwegian Handball Federation president said the bikinis were "not appropriate
    (...)  fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg". Norway's Minister of Culture called the discriminatory dress
    (...)  rule "antiquated" and "completely ridiculous". It questioned: "How many attitude
    (...)  changes are needed in the old-fashioned international patriarchy of sports?"

    Put the words in the right order

    1. involved   got   Pink   in   has   sexism   a   row   .
    2. were   for   They   wearing   not   fined   bikini   bottoms   .
    3. singer   to   offered   has   pay   The   the   fines   .
    4. the   team   for   not   complying   Fined   with   regulations   .
    5. EHF   be   should   The   fined   for   sexism   .
    6. bikinis   weren't   appropriate   clothing   for   The   the   activity   .
    7. to   Their   shorts   wear   request   during   the   championships   .
    8. were   expected   to   Women   midriff-baring   wear   tops   .
    9. toward   Upward   top   the   angles   of   the   leg   .
    10. the   old-fashioned   international   In   of   patriarchy   sports   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Singer-songwriter Pink has got involved on / in a sexism row in the sport of / at beach handball. She has come to the aid of / at the Norwegian women's team after they were fined for not worn / wearing bikini bottoms during the 2021 European Beach Handball Championships. The singer has offered to pay the fines footed / handed out to Norway's competitors for wearing "improperly / improper clothing". Male competitors were allowed to wear shorts, but the women were required / requiring to wear bikinis. The European Handball Federation (EHF) fined the team $1,765 for not compliance / complying with the regulations. Pink took / gave to Twitter and offered to pay the fine. She added that the EHF should be found / fined "for sexism".

    The Norwegian Handball Federation president said the bikinis were "not appropriacy / appropriate clothing for the activity when the women are playing in the sand". The team's request / required to wear shorts during the championships was turned off / down. Male players were allowed to play on / in sports shirts and shorts no lengthen / longer than 10cm above the knee; while women were expected to wear midriff-baring above / tops and bikini bottoms "with a close fit and cut / slice on an upward angle / border toward the top of the leg". Norway's Minister of Culture called the discriminatory dress / clothe rule "antiquated" and "completely ridiculous". It questioned: "How many attitude changes are needed at / in the old-fashioned international patriarchy of sports?"

    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)

    S_ng_r-s_ngwr_t_r  P_nk  h_s  g_t  _nv_lv_d  _n  _  s_x_sm  r_w  _n  th_  sp_rt  _f  b__ch  h_ndb_ll.  Sh_  h_s  c_m_  t_  th_  __d  _f  th_  N_rw_g__n  w_m_n's  t__m  _ft_r  th_y  w_r_  f_n_d  f_r  n_t  w__r_ng  b_k_n_  b_tt_ms  d_r_ng  th_  2021  __r_p__n  B__ch  H_ndb_ll  Ch_mp__nsh_ps.  Th_  s_ng_r  h_s  _ff_r_d  t_  p_y  th_  f_n_s  h_nd_d  __t  t_  N_rw_y's  c_mp_t_t_rs  f_r  w__r_ng  "_mpr_p_r  cl_th_ng".  M_l_  c_mp_t_t_rs  w_r_  _ll_w_d  t_  w__r  sh_rts,  b_t  th_  w_m_n  w_r_  r_q__r_d  t_  w__r  b_k_n_s.  Th_  __r_p__n  H_ndb_ll  F_d_r_t__n  (_HF)  f_n_d  th_  t__m  $1,765  f_r  n_t  c_mply_ng  w_th  th_  r_g_l_t__ns.  P_nk  t__k  t_  Tw_tt_r  _nd  _ff_r_d  t_  p_y  th_  f_n_.  Sh_  _dd_d  th_t  th_  _HF  sh__ld  b_  f_n_d  "f_r  s_x_sm".

    Th_  N_rw_g__n  H_ndb_ll  F_d_r_t__n  pr_s_d_nt  s__d  th_  b_k_n_s  w_r_  "n_t  _ppr_pr__t_  cl_th_ng  f_r  th_  _ct_v_ty  wh_n  th_  w_m_n  _r_  pl_y_ng  _n  th_  s_nd".  Th_  t__m's  r_q__st  t_  w__r  sh_rts  d_r_ng  th_  ch_mp__nsh_ps  w_s  t_rn_d  d_wn.  M_l_  pl_y_rs  w_r_  _ll_w_d  t_  pl_y  _n  sp_rts  sh_rts  _nd  sh_rts  n_  l_ng_r  th_n  10cm  _b_v_  th_  kn__;  wh_l_  w_m_n  w_r_  _xp_ct_d  t_  w__r  m_dr_ff-b_r_ng  t_ps  _nd  b_k_n_  b_tt_ms  "w_th  _  cl_s_  f_t  _nd  c_t  _n  _n  _pw_rd  _ngl_  t_w_rd  th_  t_p  _f  th_  l_g".  N_rw_y's  M_n_st_r  _f  C_lt_r_  c_ll_d  th_  d_scr_m_n_t_ry  dr_ss  r_l_  "_nt_q__t_d"  _nd  "c_mpl_t_ly  r_d_c_l__s".  _t  q__st__n_d:  "H_w  m_ny  _tt_t_d_  ch_ng_s  _r_  n__d_d  _n  th_  _ld-f_sh__n_d  _nt_rn_t__n_l  p_tr__rchy  _f  sp_rts?"

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    singersongwriter pink has got involved in a sexism row in the sport of beach handball she has come to the aid of the norwegian womens team after they were fined for not wearing bikini bottoms during the 2021 european beach handball championships the singer has offered to pay the fines handed out to norways competitors for wearing improper clothing male competitors were allowed to wear shorts but the women were required to wear bikinis the european handball federation ehf fined the team 1765 for not complying with the regulations pink took to twitter and offered to pay the fine she added that the ehf should be fined for sexism

    the norwegian handball federation president said the bikinis were not appropriate clothing for the activity when the women are playing in the sand the teams request to wear shorts during the championships was turned down male players were allowed to play in sports shirts and shorts no longer than 10cm above the knee while women were expected to wear midriffbaring tops and bikini bottoms with a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg norways minister of culture called the discriminatory dress rule antiquated and completely ridiculous it questioned how many attitude changes are needed in the oldfashioned international patriarchy of sports

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Singer-songwriterPinkhasgotinvolvedinasexismrowinthesportofbe
    achhandball.ShehascometotheaidoftheNorwegianwomen'steamaft
    ertheywerefinedfornotwearingbikinibottomsduringthe2021Europea
    nBeachHandballChampionships.Thesingerhasofferedtopaythefines
    handedouttoNorway'scompetitorsforwearing"improperclothing".M
    alecompetitorswereallowedtowearshorts,butthewomenwererequir
    edtowearbikinis.TheEuropeanHandballFederation(EHF)finedthetea
    m$1,765fornotcomplyingwiththeregulations.PinktooktoTwitterand
    offeredtopaythefine.SheaddedthattheEHFshouldbefined"forsexism
    ".TheNorwegianHandballFederationpresidentsaidthebikiniswere"no
    tappropriateclothingfortheactivitywhenthewomenareplayinginthes
    and".Theteam'srequesttowearshortsduringthechampionshipswast
    urneddown.Maleplayerswereallowedtoplayinsportsshirtsandshorts
    nolongerthan10cmabovetheknee;whilewomenwereexpectedtowea
    rmidriff-baringtopsandbikinibottoms"withaclosefitandcutonanup
    wardangletowardthetopoftheleg".Norway'sMinisterofCulturecalledt
    hediscriminatorydressrule"antiquated"and"completelyridiculous".I
    tquestioned:"Howmanyattitudechangesareneededintheold-fashio
    nedinternationalpatriarchyofsports?"

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Female handball players should not have to wear bikini bottoms.  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. BEACH HANDBALL: Make a poster about beach handball. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. UNISEX: Write a magazine article about making beach handball clothes unisex, so there are no differences between men and women. 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 beach handball. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on female handball players having to wear bikini bottoms. 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

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    Answers

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

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