Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Maya Angelou. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Maya Angelou is part of the fabric of modern America. She has told her story of being a key part of the civil rights movement through poetry, novels and film. She is best known for her six autobiographies, most notably ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. In 1993, President Bill Clinton asked her to recite one of her poems at his inauguration.
Angelou was born in Missouri in 1928 into a deeply segregated society. Her parent’s divorce meant she was sent back and forth between her mother and grandmother. Her mother’s boyfriend raped her when she was eight. His later murder left Angelou mute for five years. She studied drama and literature at school, and three weeks after graduating, gave birth to her son.
Angelou struggled to survive for many years. She experienced poverty, crime, prostitution and her son being kidnapped. She won a scholarship to study dance. Her career as a singer and dancer took off. She moved to New York and acted in Broadway plays. She also met Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and became active in the civil rights movement.
Angelou became, and is to this day, a prolific writer. She also toured the USA giving lectures, appeared in TV series and wrote songs. Her screenplay, ‘Georgia, Georgia’ was the first written by a black woman to be made into a movie. Angelou has been highly honored for her significant cultural contributions and has over 30 honorary degrees. She is an American legend.
249 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.
key
a.
say aloud
2
movement
b.
divided
3.
recite
c.
political group
4.
segregated
d.
killing
5.
back and forth
e.
important
6.
murder
f.
to and fro
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
survive
g.
icon
8.
acted
h.
productive
9.
took off
i.
get by
10.
prolific
j.
extraordinary
11
significant
k
became successful
12
legend
l
performed
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
Maya Angelou is part of the fabric
a.
one of her poems
2
her story of being a key part of
b.
cultural contributions
3.
Bill Clinton asked her to recite
c.
survive for many years
4.
a deeply segregated
d.
day, a prolific writer
5.
she was sent back
e.
took off
6.
Angelou struggled to
f.
of modern America
7.
Her career as a singer and dancer
g.
society
8.
Angelou became, and is to this
h.
and forth
9.
the first written by a black woman
i.
the civil rights movement
10.
highly honored for her significant
j.
to be made into a movie
LISTENING GAP FILL
Maya Angelou is part of the _______________ America. She has told her story of being a _______________ civil rights movement through poetry, novels and film. She is best known for her six autobiographies, _______________ ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. In 1993, President Bill Clinton asked her _______________ her poems at his inauguration.
Angelou was born in Missouri in 1928 into a _______________ society. Her parent’s divorce meant she was _______________ between her mother and grandmother. Her mother’s boyfriend raped her when she was eight. His _______________ Angelou mute for five years. She studied drama and literature at school, and three weeks after graduating, _______________ son.
Angelou struggled _______________ many years. She experienced poverty, crime, prostitution _______________ kidnapped. She won a scholarship to study dance. Her career as a singer and _______________. She moved to New York and acted in Broadway plays. She also met Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and _______________ the civil rights movement.
Angelou became, _______________, a prolific writer. She also toured the USA _______________, appeared in TV series and wrote songs. Her screenplay, ‘Georgia, Georgia’ was _________________ a black woman to be made into a movie. Angelou has _________________ for her significant cultural contributions and has over 30 honorary degrees. She is an American legend.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Maya Angelou is part of the cloth / fabric of modern America. She has told her story of being a key / lock part of the civil rights movement through poetry, novels and film. She is best known for her six autobiographies, most notes / notably ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. In 1993, President Bill Clinton asked her to recite one of her poetry / poems at his inauguration.
Angelou was born in Missouri in 1928 into a deeply / deepness segregated society. Her parent’s divorce meant / mean she was sent back and for / forth between her mother and grandmother. Her mother’s boyfriend raped her when she was eight. His later murder right / left Angelou mute for five years. She studied drama and literature at school, and three weeks after graduating, gave birth to her son.
Angelou struggled for / to survive for many years. She experienced poverty, criminal / crime, prostitution and her son being kidnapped. She won a scholarship to study dance. Her career as / was a singer and dancer took off. She moved to New York and acted in Broadway plays. She also met Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and became active / actively in the civil rights movement.
Angelou became, and is to then / this day, a prolific writer. She also toured / touring the USA giving lectures, appeared in TV series and wrote songs. Her screenplay, ‘Georgia, Georgia’ was the first written / wrote by a black woman to be made into a movie. Angelou has been highly honored for / to her significant cultural contributions and has over 30 honorary degrees. She is an American legend.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
part of the rbcifa of modern America
2.
civil rthisg movement
3.
through torpye, novels and film
4.
President Bill Clinton asked her to ieertc one of her poems
Paragraph 2
5.
a ypedle segregated society
6.
Her parent’s idoverc
7.
She studied drama and ratiturele
8.
gave rtbih to her son
Paragraph 3
9.
Angelou struggled to rvseiuv
10.
She experienced teyovrp, crime, prostitution…
11.
Her ecerra as a singer and dancer took off
12.
acted in Broadway aylps
Paragraph 4
13.
a prolific rterwi
14.
the first tnrtiwe by a black woman
15.
Angelou has been hghily honored
16.
She is an American dengle
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
contributions and has over 30 honorary degrees. She is an American legend.
( )
a movie. Angelou has been highly honored for her significant cultural
( )
eight. His later murder left Angelou mute for five years. She studied drama and literature at
( )
became active in the civil rights movement.
( )
movement through poetry, novels and film. She is best known for her six autobiographies, most notably ‘I Know Why
( 1 )
Maya Angelou is part of the fabric of modern America. She has told her story of being a key part of the civil rights
( )
the Caged Bird Sings’. In 1993, President Bill Clinton asked her to recite one of her poems at his inauguration.
( )
Angelou struggled to survive for many years. She experienced poverty, crime, prostitution and her son being
( )
series and wrote songs. Her screenplay, ‘Georgia, Georgia’ was the first written by a black woman to be made into
( )
forth between her mother and grandmother. Her mother’s boyfriend raped her when she was
( )
school, and three weeks after graduating, gave birth to her son.
( )
kidnapped. She won a scholarship to study dance. Her career as a singer and dancer took off. She moved to New York
( )
Angelou was born in Missouri in 1928 into a deeply segregated society. Her parent’s divorce meant she was sent back and
( )
and acted in Broadway plays. She also met Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and
( )
Angelou became, and is to this day, a prolific writer. She also toured the USA giving lectures, appeared in TV
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
part of the fabric of modern America
2.
a key part of the civil rights movement
3.
Bill Clinton asked her to recite one of her poems
4.
she was sent back and forth
5.
three weeks after graduating gave birth to her son
6.
Angelou struggled to survive for many years
7.
Her career as a singer and dancer took off
8.
She moved to New York and acted in Broadway plays
9.
highly honored for her significant cultural contributions
10.
She is an American legend
MAYA ANGELOU DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Maya Angelou?
2.
Would you like to have met Maya Angelou?
3.
What would you like to know about Maya Angelou 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 Maya Angelou. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAYA ANGELOU POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Maya Angelou. 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 Maya Angelou. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she did every day and what she thought 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 Maya Angelou. Ask her three questions about her life. Tell her how important she is in today’s world and how she is missed. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Maya Angelou expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
key
a.
important
2
movement
b.
political group
3.
recite
c.
say aloud
4.
segregated
d.
divided
5.
back and forth
e.
to and fro
6.
murder
f.
killing
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
survive
g.
get by
8.
acted
h.
performed
9.
took off
i.
became successful
10.
prolific
j.
productive
11
significant
k
extraordinary
12
legend
l
icon
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
Maya Angelou is part of the fabric
a.
of modern America
2
her story of being a key part of
b.
the civil rights movement
3.
Bill Clinton asked her to recite
c.
one of her poems
4.
a deeply segregated
d.
society
5.
she was sent back
e.
and forth
6.
Angelou struggled to
f.
survive for many years
7.
Her career as a singer and dancer
g.
took off
8.
Angelou became, and is to this
h.
day, a prolific writer
9.
the first written by a black woman
i.
to be made into a movie
10.
highly honored for her significant
j.
cultural contributions
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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