Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Noam Chomsky. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Noam Chomsky is an American author, lecturer, linguist, philosopher, and political commentator. He is a top professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His ideas completely changed teachers’ understanding of how we learn languages. Chomsky is well known for his prolific research and publications. He is cited as a source more often than any other living person.
Chomsky was born in 1928 in Pennsylvania, USA. The young Noam got into writing and politics at a very early age. When he was 10, he wrote an essay on the threat of fascism during the Spanish Civil War. Needless to say, he was a gifted student and he followed current events very closely. He graduated with an MA in philosophy and linguistics.
Chomsky received his Ph.D. in linguistics in 1955. His thesis helped shape today’s understanding of what language is and how we all learn it so naturally. He joined the teaching staff of MIT in 1955 and has remained there to this day. Chomsky has spent decades there researching and writing on language, psychology and politics and has influenced hundreds of researchers and academics.
Chomsky is a fierce critic of US foreign policy and continually questions the misuse of American power. He has strongly opposed all wars from Vietnam to Iraq. He is largely shunned by the media in the United States for being unpatriotic and has received death threats. However, he is in high demand for his ideas and speeches around the world.
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.
top
a.
talented
2
well known
b.
danger
3.
cited
c.
master’s degree
4.
threat
d.
famous
5.
gifted
e.
quoted
6.
MA
f.
leading
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
shape
g.
abuse
8.
remained
h.
affected
9.
influenced
i.
avoided
10.
fierce
j.
stayed
11
misuse
k
form
12
shunned
l
strong
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
teachers’ understanding of
a.
of researchers and academics
2
He is cited
b.
he was a gifted student
3.
Noam got into writing and politics
c.
threats
4.
he wrote an essay on
d.
as a source
5.
Needless to say,
e.
at a very early age
6.
shape today’s understanding
f.
US foreign policy
7.
influenced hundreds
g.
the threat of fascism
8.
Chomsky is a fierce critic of
h.
how we learn languages
9.
opposed all wars
i.
of what language is
10.
has received death
j.
from Vietnam to Iraq
LISTENING GAP FILL
Noam Chomsky is an American author, ________________, philosopher, and political commentator. He is a top professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His ________________ changed teachers’ understanding of how we learn languages. Chomsky is well known for his ________________ publications. He ________________ more often than any other living person.
Chomsky was born in 1928 in Pennsylvania, USA. ________________ into writing and politics at a very early age. When he was 10, he wrote an essay on the ________________ during the Spanish Civil War. Needless to say, he was ________________ he followed current events very closely. He graduated ________________ philosophy and linguistics.
Chomsky received his Ph.D. in linguistics in 1955. His thesis ________________ understanding of what language is and how we all learn it so naturally. He joined the teaching ________________ and has ________________ this day. Chomsky has spent decades there researching and writing on language, psychology and politics and has ________________ of researchers and academics.
Chomsky is ________________ US foreign policy and continually questions the misuse of American power. He has ________________ wars from Vietnam to Iraq. He is ________________ the media in the United States ________________ and has received death threats. However, he is in high demand for his ideas and speeches around the world.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Noam Chomsky is an American author, lecturer / lecture, linguist, philosopher, and political commentator. He is a top prof / professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His ideas / idea completely changed teachers’ understanding of how we learn languages. Chomsky is well known for his prolific research and publications. He is cited / sighted as a source more often than any other living person.
Chomsky was born in 1928 in Pennsylvania, USA. The young / youngest Noam got into writing / written and politics at a very early age. When he was 10, he wrote an essay on the threat of fascism during the Spanish Civil War. Needless to said / say, he was a gifted student and he followed current events very closely / closest. He graduated with an MA in philosophy and linguistics.
Chomsky received his Ph.D. in linguistics in 1955. His thesis helped shape / sharp today’s understanding of what language is and how we all learn it so neutrally / naturally. He joined the teaching staff of MIT in 1955 and has remained there to that / this day. Chomsky has spent decades there researching and writing on language, psychology and politics and has influenced hundreds of researchers / research and academics.
Chomsky is a fierce criticism / critic of US foreign policy and continually questions the misuse of American power. He has strongly opposed / opposition all wars from Vietnam to Iraq. He is largely shunned by / of the media in the United States for being unpatriotic and has received death threats. However, he is in high demand / supply for his ideas and speeches around the world.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
Noam Chomsky is an American uraoht
2.
pfrrooess of linguistics
3.
how we learn agneulsag
4.
He is cited as a scerou
Paragraph 2
5.
got into riintgw and politics at a very early age
6.
an essay on the hterta of fascism
7.
he was a fetgid student
8.
He uddertaga with an MA
Paragraph 3
9.
helped pedhas today’s understanding
10.
He dinoej the teaching staff of MIT
11.
Chomsky has spent decedas there
12.
He has infdenluec hundreds of researchers
Paragraph 4
13.
a fierce criict of US foreign policy
14.
He has strongly epodspo all wars
15.
shunned by the madie
16.
he is in high edamdn for his ideas and speeches
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
age. When he was 10, he wrote an essay on the threat of fascism during the Spanish Civil War. Needless to say, he was a
( )
and politics. He has influenced hundreds of researchers and academics.
( )
we learn languages. Chomsky is well known for his prolific research and
( )
gifted student and he followed current events very closely. He graduated with an MA in philosophy and linguistics.
( )
is and how we all learn it so naturally. He joined the teaching staff of MIT in 1955 and has remained there to this
( )
media in the United States for being unpatriotic and has received death
( )
threats. However, he is in high demand for his ideas and speeches around the world.
( )
Chomsky is a fierce critic of US foreign policy and continually questions the misuse of American
( 1 )
Noam Chomsky is an American author, lecturer, linguist, philosopher, and political commentator. He is a top professor
( )
of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His ideas completely changed teachers’ understanding of how
( )
power. He has strongly opposed all wars from Vietnam to Iraq. He is largely shunned by the
( )
publications. He is cited as a source more often than any other living person.
( )
day. Chomsky has spent decades there researching and writing on language, psychology
( )
Chomsky was born in 1928 in Pennsylvania, USA. The young Noam got into writing and politics at a very early
( )
Chomsky received his Ph.D. in linguistics in 1955. His thesis helped shape today’s understanding of what language
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
understanding how learn teachers’ of we languages
2.
living more than other person often any
3.
politics at a very early age Noam got into writing and
4.
he the wrote threat an of essay fascism on
5.
to a say gifted , student he Needless was
6.
researching there decades spent has Chomsky
7.
He researchers of hundreds influenced has
8.
US a foreign fierce policy critic Chomsky of is
9.
He wars all opposed strongly has
10.
shunned the He largely by media is
NOAM CHOMSKY DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Noam Chomsky?
2.
Would you like to meet Noam Chomsky?
3.
What would you like to know about Noam Chomsky 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 Noam Chomsky. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. NOAM CHOMSKY POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Noam Chomsky. 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 Noam Chomsky. 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 Noam Chomsky. 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 “Noam Chomsky expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
top
a.
leading
2
well known
b.
famous
3.
cited
c.
quoted
4.
threat
d.
danger
5.
gifted
e.
talented
6.
MA
f.
master’s degree
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
shape
g.
form
8.
remained
h.
stayed
9.
influenced
i.
affected
10.
fierce
j.
strong
11
misuse
k
abuse
12
shunned
l
avoided
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
teachers’ understanding of
a.
how we learn languages
2
He is cited
b.
as a source
3.
Noam got into writing and politics
c.
at a very early age
4.
he wrote an essay on
d.
the threat of fascism
5.
Needless to say,
e.
he was a gifted student
6.
shape today’s understanding
f.
of what language is
7.
influenced hundreds
g.
of researchers and academics
8.
Chomsky is a fierce critic of
h.
US foreign policy
9.
opposed all wars
i.
from Vietnam to Iraq
10.
has received death
j.
threats
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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