Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Francis Firebrace. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Francis Firebrace is an Aboriginal storyteller of the Yorta Yorta people in Australia. As well as telling stories, he is an inspirational speaker, an entertainer and an artist. He also describes himself as a passionate humanitarian. He has entertained and inspired people from all over the world with his Dreamtime stories – traditional tales from his culture.
Francis was brought up in the Australian bush and lived a life very close to nature. When he was seven, he moved to a village of 300 people, which he thought was a city. He wasn’t used to seeing groups of more than ten. He grew up wanting to be white and said: “That was sad but it…gives me compassion for other people.”
Firebrace spent his twenties on the land hunting rabbits and kangaroos, and listening to his elders telling the stories that are passed down through generations. When he was 28, he moved to Canberra and got into filmmaking. He won an international film award, which changed his life 180 degrees. He now performs on television, at Sydney’s Opera House, and at festivals across the globe.
Firebrace says he is a “travelling storyteller” and gets his stories by swapping them with other tribal people. “All my stories are selected for their meanings and positive messages. The only way to make change is to go out there and give people another view of life. That's what I do through my stories, my paintings and my philosophy,” he said.
245 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
inspirational
a.
countryside
2
passionate
b.
relocated
3.
bush
c.
energetic
4.
brought up
d.
care
5.
moved
e.
motivational
6.
compassion
f.
raised
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
got into
g.
world
8.
180 degrees
h.
beliefs
9.
globe
i.
totally
10.
swapping
j.
hopeful
11
positive
k
took up
12
philosophy
l
exchanging
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
the Yorta Yorta
a.
from his culture
2
traditional tales
b.
with other tribal people
3.
Francis was brought up
c.
be white
4.
lived a life very
d.
people in Australia
5.
He grew up wanting to
e.
down through generations
6.
the stories that are passed
f.
close to nature
7.
changed his life
g.
and positive messages
8.
gets his stories by swapping them
h.
in the Australian bush
9.
selected for their meanings
i.
to go out there
10.
The only way to make change is
j.
180 degrees
LISTENING GAP FILL
Francis Firebrace is an Aboriginal ______________ Yorta Yorta people in Australia. ______________ telling stories, he is an inspirational speaker, an entertainer and an artist. He also _________________ a passionate humanitarian. He has entertained and inspired people from all over the world with his Dreamtime stories – traditional ___________________.
Francis was _________________ Australian bush and lived a life very close to nature. When he was seven, ______________ village of 300 people, which he thought was a city. He wasn’t ______________ groups of more than ten. He grew up _________________ and said: “That was sad but it…gives me compassion for other people.”
Firebrace _________________ on the land hunting rabbits and kangaroos, and listening to his _________________ stories that are passed on through generations. When he was 28, he moved to Canberra ______________ filmmaking. He won an international film award, which changed his ______________. He now performs on television, at Sydney’s Opera House, and at festivals across the globe.
Firebrace says he is a “travelling storyteller” and gets his stories by ______________ with other tribal people. “All my stories are selected _________________ and positive messages. The only way to make change _________________ and give people another view of life. That's what I do through my stories, my paintings ______________,” he said.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Francis Firebrace is an Aboriginal storyteller of the Yorta Yorta people in Australia. As good / well as telling stories, he is an inspirational speaker, an entertainer and an artist. He also describes himself is / as a passionate / passion humanitarian. He has entertained and inspired people from all over the world with his Dreamtime stories – traditional tails / tales from his culture.
Francis was brought / bring up in the Australian bush and lived a life very close to natural / nature. When he was seven, he moved to a village of 300 people, which he thought was a city. He wasn’t used to seeing groups / group of more than ten. He grew up wanted / wanting to be white and said: “That was sad but it…gives me compassion for other people.”
Firebrace spent his twenties / twenty on the land hunting rabbits and kangaroos, and listening to his elders telling the stories that are passed in / down through generations. When he was 28, he moved to Canberra and got / put into filmmaking. He won an international film award, which changed his life / live 180 degrees. He now performs on television, at Sydney’s Opera House, and at festivals across the globe.
Firebrace says he is a “travelling storyteller” and gets his stories by swapping / swapped them with other tribal people. “All my stories are selection / selected for their meanings and positive messages. The only way for / to make change is to go out there and give people another view of life. That's what I do threw / through my stories, my paintings and my philosophy,” he said.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
an Aboriginal lyrtotleers
2.
he is an inspirational praekse
3.
He also bceesrsdi himself as a passionate humanitarian
4.
traditional tales from his cutrlue
Paragraph 2
5.
Francis was ugbohrt up in the Australian bush
6.
he moved to a lagleiv of 300 people
7.
He wasn’t used to gisnee groups of more than ten
8.
He grew up wanting to be iweth
Paragraph 3
9.
Firebrace spent his setewtin on the land
10.
stories that are essadp on through generations
11.
he moved to Canberra and got into igmkfmianl
12.
festivals across the oebgl
Paragraph 4
13.
gets his stories by wnisppag them with other tribal people
14.
my stories are selected for their meanings and positive eegsssam
15.
give people another ivwe of life
16.
my poloyhihsp
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Francis was brought up in the Australian bush and lived a life very close to nature. When he was seven, he moved to a
( )
traditional tales from his culture.
( )
elders telling the stories that are passed on through generations. When he was 28, he moved to Canberra and got
( )
at Sydney’s Opera House, and at festivals across the globe.
( )
village of 300 people, which he thought was a city. He wasn’t used to seeing groups of more than ten. He grew up wanting
( )
stories, he is an inspirational speaker, an entertainer and an artist. He also describes himself as a passionate
( )
my stories, my paintings and my philosophy,” he said.
( )
into filmmaking. He won an international film award, which changed his life 180 degrees. He now performs on television,
( )
Firebrace spent his twenties on the land hunting rabbits and kangaroos, and listening to his
( )
swapping them with other tribal people. “All my stories are selected for their meanings and positive messages. The only
( )
Firebrace says he is a “travelling storyteller” and gets his stories by
( )
to be white and said: “That was sad but it…gives me compassion for other people.”
( )
way to make change is to go out there and give people another view of life. That's what I do through
( 1 )
Francis Firebrace is an Aboriginal storyteller of the Yorta Yorta people in Australia. As well as telling
( )
humanitarian. He has entertained and inspired people from all over the world with his Dreamtime stories –
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
Yorta the of storyteller Aboriginal an people Yorta
2.
as himself describes also He humanitarian passionate a
3.
brought was Francis bush Australian the in up
4.
seeing more He to of ten used groups than wasn’t
5.
be He up to white grew wanting
6.
twenties rabbits on Firebrace the spent land his hunting
7.
generations are telling passed the on stories through that
8.
with people stories them tribal his swapping other gets by
9.
meanings messages are their positive stories for and my selected
10.
there The only way to make change is to go out
FRANCIS FIREBRACE DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Francis Firebrace?
2.
Would you like to meet Francis Firebrace?
3.
What would you like to know about Francis Firebrace and why?
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 more information about Francis Firebrace. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. FRANCIS FIREBRACE POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Francis Firebrace. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Francis Firebrace. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he thinks about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Francis Firebrace. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Francis Firebrace expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
inspirational
a.
motivational
2
passionate
b.
energetic
3.
bush
c.
countryside
4.
brought up
d.
raised
5.
moved
e.
relocated
6.
compassion
f.
care
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
got into
g.
took up
8.
180 degrees
h.
totally
9.
globe
i.
world
10.
swapping
j.
exchanging
11
positive
k
hopeful
12
philosophy
l
beliefs
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
the Yorta Yorta
a.
people in Australia
2
traditional tales
b.
from his culture
3.
Francis was brought up
c.
in the Australian bush
4.
lived a life very
d.
close to nature
5.
He grew up wanting to
e.
be white
6.
the stories that are passed
f.
down through generations
7.
changed his life
g.
180 degrees
8.
gets his stories by swapping them
h.
with other tribal people
9.
selected for their meanings
i.
and positive messages
10.
The only way to make change is
j.
to go out there
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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