Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Gore Vidal. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Gore Vidal was famous for speaking his mind on the hottest issues in America and around the world. He was a prolific novelist, essayist and screen and stage play writer. He also ran for the US Senate. He was related to former US President Jimmy Carter and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore. Vidal was a strong critic of the George W. Bush administration.
Vidal was born Eugene Luther Vidal Jr. in New York in 1925. His father worked in the US Air Force and his mother was an actress. He disliked his first name and changed it to Gore when he was a teenager. He was raised and educated in Washington D.C. and spent a great deal of time learning from his grandfather, Democratic Senator Thomas Gore.
Vidal's writing career began when he was nineteen. The book 'Williwaw' was about his experiences in the military. In 1948, aged 22, he wrote his ground-breaking 'The City and the Pillar', which shocked many Americans. It was the first American novel to focus on homosexuality. The New York Times refused to review his next five books. This established Vidal's reputation for his outspokenness.
For six decades Vidal wrote commentaries on American politics and society. He has a huge following of admirers, including critic Martin Amis, who said Vidal "is learned, funny and exceptionally clear-sighted. Even his blind spots are illuminating." Vidal was a member of the World Can't Wait organization, which demands the impeachment of George W. Bush for crimes against humanity. He died in August 2012.
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.
hottest
a.
reviewer
2
prolific
b.
brought up
3.
critic
c.
most topical
4.
teenager
d.
lots
5.
raised
e.
youth
6.
a great deal
f.
productive
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
ground-breaking
g.
image
8.
novel
h.
pioneering
9.
reputation
i.
reports
10.
commentaries
j.
prosecution
11
learned
k
book
12
impeachment
l
intelligent
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
1.
speaking his
a.
learning from his grandfather
2
He was related to former
b.
mind
3.
a strong critic of the
c.
outspokenness
4.
He disliked his first
d.
humanity
5.
spent a great deal of time
e.
of admirers
6.
the first American novel to focus
f.
George W. Bush administration
7.
The New York Times refused to
g.
on homosexuality
8.
Vidal's reputation for his
h.
US President Jimmy Carter
9.
He has a huge following
i.
name and changed it to Gore
10.
crimes against
j.
review his next five books
LISTENING GAP FILL
Gore Vidal was famous for _________________ on the hottest issues in America and around the world. He was _________________, essayist and screen and stage play writer. He also ran for the US Senate. He is _________________ US President Jimmy Carter and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore. Vidal was _________________ the George W. Bush administration.
Vidal was born Eugene Luther Vidal Jr. in New York in 1925. His father _________________ Air Force and his mother was an actress. He _________________ and changed it to Gore when he was a teenager. He was _________________ in Washington D.C. and ______________ of time learning from his grandfather, Democratic Senator Thomas Gore.
Vidal's _______________ when he was nineteen. The book 'Williwaw' was about his experiences in the military. In 1948, aged 22, he wrote _______________ 'The City and the Pillar', which shocked many Americans. It was the first American _______________ homosexuality. The New York Times refused to review his next five books. This established Vidal's _______________ outspokenness.
For six decades Vidal wrote _______________ American politics and society. He has a huge _______________, including critic Martin Amis, who said Vidal "is learned, funny and exceptionally clear-sighted. Even ________________ illuminating." Vidal was a member of the World Can't Wait organization, which demands the impeachment of George W. Bush _______________ humanity. He died in August 2012.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Gore Vidal was famous for speaking his brain / mind on the hottest issues / tissues in America and around the world. He was a prolific novelist, essayist and screen and stage play writer. He also ran to / for the US Senate. He was related to former US President Jimmy Carter and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore. Vidal was a strong critic / criticism of the George W. Bush administration.
Vidal was born Eugene Luther Vidal Jr. in New York in 1925. His father worked in /on the US Air Force and his mother was an actress. He disliked his first / last name and changed it to Gore when he was a teenager. He was risen / raised and educated in Washington D.C. and spent a great / greatly deal of time learning from his grandfather, Democratic Senator Thomas Gore.
Vidal's writing / written career began when he was nineteen. The book 'Williwaw' was about his experiences in the militia / military. In 1948, aged 22, he wrote his ground-breaking 'The City and the Pillar', which shocked many Americans. It was the first American novel / novelty to focus on homosexuality. The New York Times refused / refusal to review his next five books. This established Vidal's reputation for his outspokenness.
For six / sixty decades Vidal wrote commentaries on American politics and society. He has a huge follower / following of admirers, including critic Martin Amis, who said Vidal "is learned / learning, funny and exceptionally clear-sighted. Even his blind spots are illuminating." Vidal was a member of the World Can't Wait organization, which supplies / demands the impeachment of George W. Bush for crimes against humanity. He died in August 2012.
SPELLING
These jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
ipnseagk his mind
2.
He was a ocliipfr novelist
3.
He was ereldta to former US President Jimmy Carter
4.
a strong ctirci
Paragraph 2
5.
He kdsdliei his first name
6.
when he was a neetrgae
7.
eriads and educated in Washington D.C.
8.
espnt a great deal of time
Paragraph 3
9.
his experiences in the maiytlir
10.
ckesodh many Americans
11.
reeviw his next five books
12.
Vidal's itnoapuret for his outspokenness
Paragraph 4
13.
American picotlis
14.
He has a huge lfwliongo of admirers
15.
a ermebm of the World Can't Wait organization
16.
crimes against uiyathnm
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
an actress. He disliked his first name and changed it to Gore when he was a teenager. He was raised and
( 1 )
Gore Vidal was famous for speaking his mind on the hottest issues in America and around the world. He is a prolific
( )
novelist, essayist and screen and stage play writer. He also ran for the US Senate. He was related to former US
( )
Vidal's writing career began when he was nineteen. The book 'Williwaw' was about
( )
his experiences in the military. In 1948, aged 22, he wrote his ground-breaking 'The City and the Pillar', which shocked
( )
many Americans. It was the first American novel to focus on homosexuality. The New York Times refused to
( )
For six decades Vidal wrote commentaries on American
( )
politics and society. He has a huge following of admirers, including critic Martin Amis, who said Vidal "is learned,
( )
Vidal was born Eugene Luther Vidal Jr. in New York in 1925. His father worked in the US Air Force and his mother was
( )
President Jimmy Carter and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore. Vidal was a strong critic of the George W. Bush administration.
( )
funny and exceptionally clear-sighted. Even his blind spots are illuminating." Vidal was a member
( )
of the World Can't Wait organization, which demands the impeachment of
( )
educated in Washington D.C. and spent a great deal of time learning from his grandfather, Democratic Senator Thomas Gore.
( )
review his next five books. This established Vidal's reputation for his outspokenness.
( )
George W. Bush for crimes against humanity. He died in August 2012.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
hottest speaking mind the issues his on
2.
was President related Jimmy to Carter former He US
3.
He it changed and name first his disliked
4.
Washington was and in He raised educated
5.
spent deal learning grandfather great time his a of from
6.
was he when began career writing Vidal's nineteen
7.
on focus to novel American first the homosexuality
8.
Times refused next to his review five books The New York
9.
admirers has huge of He a following
10.
humanity against crimes for
GORE VIDAL DISCUSSION
STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Gore Vidal?
2.
Would you like to have met Gore Vidal?
3.
What would you like to know about Gore Vidal 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 Gore Vidal. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. GORE VIDAL POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Gore Vidal. 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 Gore Vidal. 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 a Gore Vidal expert. Ask him/her three questions about his life. Give him three of your opinions on Mr Vidal. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your "Gore Vidal expert" partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
hottest
a.
most topical
2
prolific
b.
productive
3.
critic
c.
reviewer
4.
teenager
d.
youth
5.
raised
e.
brought up
6.
a great deal
f.
lots
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
ground-breaking
g.
pioneering
8.
novel
h.
book
9.
reputation
i.
image
10.
commentaries
j.
reports
11
learned
k
intelligent
12
impeachment
l
prosecution
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
speaking his
a.
mind
2
He was related to former
b.
US President Jimmy Carter
3.
a strong critic of the
c.
George W. Bush administration
4.
He disliked his first
d.
name and changed it to Gore
5.
spent a great deal of time
e.
learning from his grandfather
6.
the first American novel to focus
f.
on homosexuality
7.
The New York Times refused to
g.
review his next five books
8.
Vidal's reputation for his
h.
outspokenness
9.
He has a huge following
i.
of admirers
10.
crimes against
j.
humanity
ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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