Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Naguib Mahfouz. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Naguib Mahfouz was born in 1911 and died in 2006. He was an Egyptian novelist and winner of the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. He is considered as the father of modern Arabic literature and is popular throughout the Arab world. Many of his books were about Egyptian nationalism. He said politics “is the very axis of our thinking”.
Mahfouz came from a lower middle-class Muslim family in Cairo, the youngest of seven children. He had a very strict Islamic upbringing. He later wondered how “an artist would emerge from that family". Mahfouz was an avid reader and spent his early years with his head buried in books. His interests included traditional Arab literature and Western classics and detective stories.
He graduated in philosophy from the University of Cairo and decided to be a professional writer. He got a job in the Ministry of Culture, where he stayed until 1972, as a movie censor. While working as a civil servant, Mahfouz wrote 34 novels, 350 short stories, dozens of movie scripts and five plays. Many of his works were made into Arabic-language movies.
Mahfouz was not a stranger to controversy. Many Arab countries banned his books because of his support of Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. He also supported Salman Rushdie after Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini condemned the author to death. Mahfouz received many death threats, and he survived an assassination attempt in 1994. He is the only Arabic-language writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
246 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.
novelist
a.
centre
2
popular
b.
come out
3.
axis
c.
well-liked
4.
upbringing
d.
author
5.
emerge
e.
keen
6.
avid
f.
childhood
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
censor
g.
disputes
8.
civil servant
h.
writings
9.
works
i.
government official
10.
controversy
j.
examiner
11
condemned
k
killing
12
assassination
l
sentenced
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
He is considered as the father
a.
censor
2
He said politics “is the very
b.
classics and detective stories
3.
Mahfouz came from a lower
c.
into Arabic-language movies
4.
his head buried
d.
to controversy
5.
Arab literature and Western
e.
middle-class Muslim family
6.
movie
f.
attempt in 1994
7.
Many of his works were made
g.
axis of our thinking”
8.
Mahfouz was not a stranger
h.
in books
9.
Many Arab countries banned
i.
of modern Arabic literature
10.
he survived an assassination
j.
his books
LISTENING GAP FILL
Naguib Mahfouz was born in __________________ 2006. He was an Egyptian novelist and winner of the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. He __________________ father of modern Arabic literature and is __________________ Arab world. Many of his books were about Egyptian nationalism. He said politics “__________________ thinking”.
Mahfouz came from __________________ Muslim family in Cairo, the youngest of seven children. He had a very strict Islamic upbringing. He later wondered how “an artist would emerge from that family". Mahfouz __________________ and spent his early years with his head __________________. His interests included traditional Arab literature and Western __________________ stories.
He __________________ from the University of Cairo and decided to be a professional writer. He got a job in the Ministry of Culture, where he stayed until 1972, __________________. While working __________________, Mahfouz wrote 34 novels, 350 short stories, dozens of movie scripts and five plays. Many of his __________________ into Arabic-language movies.
Mahfouz was not a __________________. Many Arab countries banned his books __________________ of Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. He also supported Salman Rushdie after Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini __________________ to death. Mahfouz received many death threats, and he survived __________________ in 1994. He is the only Arabic-language writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Naguib Mahfouz was born in 1911 and died / dead in 2006. He was an Egyptian novelist and winner of the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. He is considered as / was the father of modern Arabic literature and is popular thought / throughout the Arab world. Many of his books were about Egyptian nationalism. He said politics “is the very axis / axe of our thinking”.
Mahfouz came from a lower middle-class Muslim family in Cairo, the youngest of seven children. He had a very strict / strictly Islamic upbringing. He later wondered how “an artist would emerge from that family". Mahfouz was an amid / avid reader and spent his early years with his head buried / bury in books. His interests included traditional Arab literature and Western classics / classical and detective stories.
He graduated in philosophy from the University of Cairo and decided to be a professional writer. He got a job in the Ministry of Culture, where he stayed / staid until 1972, as a movie sensor / censor. While working as a civil servant, Mahfouz wrote 34 novels, 350 short stories, dozens / dozen of movie scripts and five plays. Many of his workings / works were made into Arabic-language movies.
Mahfouz was not a stronger / stranger to controversy. Many Arab countries banned his books because of his support of Egypt’s peace / piece treaty with Israel. He also supported Salman Rushdie after Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini condemned the author to dead / death. Mahfouz received many death threats, and he survival / survived an assassination attempt in 1994. He is the only Arabic-language writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
an Egyptian lontevsi
2.
the father of odermn Arabic literature
3.
pualopr throughout the Arab world
4.
He said iliotcps “is the very axis of our thinking”
Paragraph 2
5.
Mahfouz came from a lower emdldi-class Muslim family
6.
the useytong of seven children
7.
Mahfouz was an avid raeder
8.
edcvtteei stories
Paragraph 3
9.
He graduated in ishphlyoop
10.
a movie oersnc
11.
dnzseo of movie scripts
12.
his okwrs
Paragraph 4
13.
Mahfouz was not a reagnsrt to controversy
14.
Many Arab countries bnaend his books
15.
death tetsrah
16.
he survived an assassination pttmeta
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Khomeini condemned the author to death. Mahfouz received many death threats, and he survived
( )
Mahfouz was not a stranger to controversy. Many Arab countries banned his books because of his
( )
Islamic upbringing. He later wondered how “an artist would emerge from that family". Mahfouz was an avid
( )
support of Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel. He also supported Salman Rushdie after Iran’s Ayatollah
( )
the Arab world. Many of his books were about Egyptian nationalism. He said politics “is the very axis of our thinking”.
( )
servant, Mahfouz wrote 34 novels, 350 short stories, dozens of movie
( )
traditional Arab literature and Western classics and detective stories.
( )
an assassination attempt in 1994. He is the only Arabic-language writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
( )
Mahfouz came from a lower middle-class Muslim family in Cairo, the youngest of seven children. He had a very strict
( )
in the Ministry of Culture, where he stayed until 1972, as a movie censor. While working as a civil
( )
scripts and five plays. Many of his works were made into Arabic-language movies.
( )
Nobel Prize for Literature. He is considered as the father of modern Arabic literature and is popular throughout
( )
He graduated in philosophy from the University of Cairo and decided to be a professional writer. He got a job
( 1 )
Naguib Mahfouz was born in 1911 and died in 2006. He was an Egyptian novelist and winner of the 1988
( )
reader and spent his early years with his head buried in books. His interests included
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
literature Arabic modern of father the
2.
Many nationalism Egyptian about were books his of
3.
lower class Mahfouz a - family from middle Muslim came
4.
Islamic He a strict upbringing had very
5.
years head books early his in his with buried spent
6.
servant , Mahfouz wrote While working 34 as a civil novels
7.
- were language made movies into his Arabic works
8.
Mahfouz not stranger controversy was a to
9.
books his banned countries Arab Many
10.
1994 survived assassination in he an attempt
NAGUIB MAHFOUZ DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Naguib Mahfouz?
2.
Would you like to have met Naguib Mahfouz?
3.
What would you like to know about Naguib Mahfouz 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 Naguib Mahfouz. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. NAGUIB MAHFOUZ POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Naguib Mahfouz. 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 Naguib Mahfouz. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he did every day and what he 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 Naguib Mahfouz. Ask him three questions about his life. Tell him how important he is in today’s world. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Naguib Mahfouz expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
novelist
a.
author
2
popular
b.
well-liked
3.
axis
c.
centre
4.
upbringing
d.
childhood
5.
emerge
e.
come out
6.
avid
f.
keen
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
censor
g.
examiner
8.
civil servant
h.
government official
9.
works
i.
writings
10.
controversy
j.
disputes
11
condemned
k
sentenced
12
assassination
l
killing
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
He is considered as the father
a.
of modern Arabic literature
2
He said politics “is the very
b.
axis of our thinking”
3.
Mahfouz came from a lower
c.
middle-class Muslim family
4.
his head buried
d.
in books
5.
Arab literature and Western
e.
classics and detective stories
6.
movie
f.
censor
7.
Many of his works were made
g.
into Arabic-language movies
8.
Mahfouz was not a stranger
h.
to controversy
9.
Many Arab countries banned
i.
his books
10.
he survived an assassination
j.
attempt in 1994
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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