Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Michael Moore. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Michael Moore is an award-winning American director, author, and political commentator. He has spent over a decade making controversial movie documentaries about the problems in American society. He is especially critical of the presidency of President George W. Bush. He has also criticized globalization and large corporations, gun ownership and the American health care system.
Moore is the director and producer of three of the top five money-making documentaries of all time. ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ examined the political climate after the 2001 attacks; ‘Sicko’ highlighted the ills of American healthcare; and ‘Bowling for Columbine’ probed America’s widespread gun culture and its relation to violence. He uses a mixture of hard-hitting fact and humour in all of his work.
Moore became famous in 1989 for his film ‘Roger and Me’. It was about what happened to his hometown after General Motors closed its car factories there and opened new ones in Mexico. ‘Roger’ is Roger B. Smith, former CEO of General Motors. The film established Moore as a teller of uncomfortable truths about his nation and a serious investigative journalist and filmmaker.
In 2005 Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. His appetite for making movies and writing about society seems as strong as ever. He has earned a reputation as being America’s most fearless social critic. He will surely make more movies on the major issues of our time and at the same time fight for the small man.
244 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.
commentator
a.
extensive
2
controversial
b.
ever
3.
criticized
c.
problems
4.
of all time
d.
hot
5.
ills
e.
analyst
6.
widespread
f.
attacked
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
closed
g.
hunger
8.
opened
h.
important
9.
investigative
i.
shut down
10.
influential
j.
inquiring
11
appetite
k
brave
12
fearless
l
set up
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
political
a.
gun culture
2
especially
b.
fearless social critic
3.
the political climate
c.
fact and humour
4.
probed America’s widespread
d.
truths about his nation
5.
a mixture of hard-hitting
e.
journalist
6.
a teller of uncomfortable
f.
critical of
7.
a serious investigative
g.
after the 2001 attacks
8.
the world's 100
h.
for making movies
9.
His appetite
i.
commentator
10.
America’s most
j.
most influential people
LISTENING GAP FILL
Michael Moore _____________________ American director, author, and _____________________. He has spent over a decade making controversial movie documentaries about the problems in American society. He is _____________________ the presidency of President George W. Bush. _____________________ globalization and large corporations, gun ownership and the American health care system.
Moore is the director and producer _____________________ money-making documentaries of all time. ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ examined ____________________ the 2001 attacks; ‘Sicko’ ___________________ American healthcare; and ‘Bowling for Columbine’ probed America’s widespread gun culture _____________________. He uses a mixture of hard-hitting fact and humour in all of his work.
Moore became famous in 1989 for his film ‘Roger and Me’. __________________ happened to his hometown after General Motors _____________________ and opened new ones in Mexico. ‘Roger’ is Roger B. Smith, former CEO of General Motors. The film established Moore as a _____________________ truths about his nation and a ________________ journalist and filmmaker.
In 2005 Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. _____________________ movies and writing about society seems as strong as ever. He has _____________________ being America’s most fearless social critic. He will surely make more movies _________________ our time and at the same time _____________________.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Michael Moore is an award-winning American direction / director, author, and political commentator. He has spending / spent over a decade making controversial movie documentaries about the problems in American society. He is especially criticize / critical of the presidency of President George W. Bush. He has also criticized globalization and large corporations, gun ownership and the American health careless / care system.
Moore is the director and producer of three of the top five money-making documentaries of every / all time. ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ examined the political climate / weather after the 2001 attacks; ‘Sicko’ highlighted the ills / colds of American healthcare; and ‘Bowling for Columbine’ probed America’s widespread gun culture and their / its relation to violence. He uses a mixture of hard-hitting fact and humour in all of his work.
Moore became famous / fame in 1989 for his film ‘Roger and Me’. It was about what happened to his hometown after General Motors closed its car factories there and opened new one / ones in Mexico. ‘Roger’ is Roger B. Smith, former CEO of General Motors. The film established Moore as a tale / teller of uncomfortable truths about his nation and a serious / series investigative journalist and filmmaker.
In 2005 Time magazine named him one of the world / world's 100 most influential people. His appetite / hungry for making movies and writing about society seems as strong as even / ever. He has earned a reputation as being America’s most fearless social critic. He will surely make more movies in / on the major issues of our time and at the same time fight for the small man.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
an wrada-winning American director
2.
spent over a cdeade
3.
especially clatrici of
4.
gun nisepwohr
Paragraph 2
5.
money-anmkgi documentaries
6.
the political mctiale after the 2001 attacks
7.
America’s widespread gun lreutcu
8.
a xrumeit of hard-hitting fact and humour
Paragraph 3
9.
what happened to his enwhtoom
10.
General Motors closed its car eoracitsf there
11.
a teller of uncomfortable hsrtut
12.
a oreiuss investigative journalist
Paragraph 4
13.
the world's 100 most influential oelpep
14.
writing about ocysiet
15.
America’s most fearless aoslic critic
16.
the major ssuies of our time
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
critical of the presidency of President George W. Bush. He has also criticized globalization and large
( )
issues of our time and at the same time fight for the small man.
( )
Moore is the director and producer of three of the top five money-making documentaries of all time. ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’
( )
CEO of General Motors. The film established Moore as a teller of uncomfortable
( )
corporations, gun ownership and the American health care system.
( )
hometown after General Motors closed its car factories there and opened new ones in Mexico. ‘Roger’ is Roger B. Smith, former
( 1 )
Michael Moore is an award-winning American director, author, and political commentator. He has
( )
examined the political climate after the 2001 attacks; ‘Sicko’ highlighted the ills of American healthcare; and ‘Bowling for Columbine’
( )
In 2005 Time magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. His appetite
( )
Moore became famous in 1989 for his film ‘Roger and Me’. It was about what happened to his
( )
truths about his nation and a serious investigative journalist and filmmaker.
( )
as being America’s most fearless social critic. He will surely make more movies on the major
( )
for making movies and writing about society seems as strong as ever. He has earned a reputation
( )
spent over a decade making controversial movie documentaries about the problems in American society. He is especially
( )
probed America’s widespread gun culture and its relation to violence. He uses a mixture of hard-hitting fact and humour in all of his work.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
director award Michael Moore winning is American an
2.
the in society about problems American documentaries
3.
documentaries time five making all top of the money
4.
political the examined attacks 2001 the after climate
5.
probed gun America’s culture widespread
6.
is Smith ‘Roger’ B Roger
7.
of teller a nation his about truths uncomfortable
8.
movies His and appetite writing for about making society
9.
America’s a most reputation fearless as social being critic
10.
on issues time movies major our more the of make
MICHAEL MOORE DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Michael Moore?
2.
Would you like to meet Michael Moore?
3.
What would you like to know about Michael Moore 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 Michael Moore. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MICHAEL MOORE POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Michael Moore. 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 Michael Moore. 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 Michael Moore. 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 “Michael Moore expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
commentator
a.
analyst
2
controversial
b.
hot
3.
criticized
c.
attacked
4.
of all time
d.
ever
5.
ills
e.
problems
6.
widespread
f.
extensive
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
closed
g.
shut down
8.
opened
h.
set up
9.
investigative
i.
inquiring
10.
influential
j.
important
11
appetite
k
hunger
12
fearless
l
brave
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
political
a.
commentator
2
especially
b.
critical of
3.
the political climate
c.
after the 2001 attacks
4.
probed America’s widespread
d.
gun culture
5.
a mixture of hard-hitting
e.
fact and humour
6.
a teller of uncomfortable
f.
truths about his nation
7.
a serious investigative
g.
journalist
8.
the world's 100
h.
most influential people
9.
His appetite
i.
for making movies
10.
America’s most
j.
fearless social critic
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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