Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Walt Disney. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Walt Disney was one of the most famous people ever to have lived. He has touched the lives of millions of children and adults. He holds the record for winning the most Academy Awards (26) and was an innovative film producer and animator. He created some of the most successful characters, movies and theme parks of the 20th Century.
Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago. He developed a great love of drawing as a youngster. When he was ten, he discovered the world of theatre and cinema and fell in love with it. He became the cartoonist for his high school newspaper. In 1920, he set up his own animation company and his “Laugh-O-Gram” cartoons became very popular.
Disney wanted more and so he moved to Hollywood. He developed a character based on a pet mouse he once had. He gave the mouse his own voice and personality. Disney’s wife named him Mickey. Disney put Mickey in his first movie with sound, ‘Steamboat Willie’. By 1930, Mickey Mouse was the world’s most popular cartoon character and Walt Disney was a household name.
Following on from Mickey’s success, Disney created characters such as Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. He then produced an animated feature-length version of Snow White, which was the most successful movie of 1938. Dozens more movies followed, including Fantasia and Bambi. Disney built up a global entertainment empire, including his Disneyland theme park. He died of cancer in 1966.
242 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.
famous
a.
well-liked
2
holds
b.
well-known
3.
innovative
c.
youth
4.
youngster
d.
started
5.
set up
e.
has
6.
popular
f.
cutting-edge
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
based on
g.
character
8.
personality
h.
edition
9.
a household name
i.
came after
10.
version
j.
centred around
11
followed
k
organization
12
empire
l
famous
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
He has touched the
a.
voice and personality
2
an innovative film
b.
own animation company
3.
He developed a great love of
c.
on a pet mouse
4.
fell in
d.
name
5.
he set up his
e.
producer and animator
6.
He developed a character based
f.
entertainment empire
7.
He gave the mouse his own
g.
lives of millions of children
8.
Walt Disney was a household
h.
drawing as a youngster
9.
an animated feature-length
i.
fell in love with it
10.
Disney built up a global
j.
version of Snow White
LISTENING GAP FILL
Walt Disney was one of the most famous people ______________. He has touched ______________ millions of children and adults. He holds the record for winning the most Academy Awards (26) and was an ______________ producer and animator. He created some of the most successful characters, ________________ parks of the 20th Century.
Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago. He developed ______________ drawing as a youngster. When he was ten, he ______________ world of theatre and cinema and ______________. He became the cartoonist for his high school newspaper. In 1920, ______________ animation company and his “Laugh-O-Gram” cartoons became very popular.
Disney wanted ______________ moved to Hollywood. He developed a character based on a pet mouse ____________. He gave the mouse his ______________ personality. Disney’s wife named him Mickey. Disney put Mickey in his first movie with sound, ‘Steamboat Willie’. By 1930, Mickey Mouse was the world’s most popular cartoon character and Walt Disney was ________________.
________________ Mickey’s success, Disney created characters such as Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. He then produced an animated _____________ version of Snow White, which was the most successful movie of 1938. ______________ movies followed, including Fantasia and Bambi. Disney ______________ entertainment empire, including his Disneyland theme park. He died of cancer in 1966.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Walt Disney was one of the most famous / fame people ever to have lived. He has touched the living / lives of millions of children and adults. He holds the record for / by winning the most Academy Awards (26) and was an innovative film producer and animator. He created some of the most successful characters, movies and theme parks with / of the 20th Century.
Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago. He developed a great lover / love of drawing as a youngster / youngish. When he was ten, he discovered the world of theatre and cinema and fallen / fell in love with it. He became the cartoonist for his high school newspaper. In 1920, he set up / on his own animation company and his “Laugh-O-Gram” cartoons became very popular.
Disney wanted more / most and so he moved to Hollywood. He developed a character based in / on a pet mouse he once had. He gave the mouse his own voice and personality. Disney’s wife named him Mickey. Disney put Mickey in his first movie by / with sound, ‘Steamboat Willie’. By 1930, Mickey Mouse was the world’s most popular cartoon character and Walt Disney was a household / house name.
Following / Follows on from Mickey’s success, Disney created characters such was / as Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. He then produced an animated feature-length version of Snow White, which was the most successful movie of 1938. Dozens / Dozen more movies followed, including Fantasia and Bambi. Disney built up a global entertainment colony / empire, including his Disneyland theme park. He died of cancer in 1966.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
oteudch the lives of millions of children
2.
He holds the roedrc for winning the most
3.
an innovative film cderurop
4.
ehmte parks
Paragraph 2
5.
He edleeopdv a great love of drawing
6.
he crevodieds the world of theatre
7.
the srcttioona for his high school newspaper
8.
he set up his own aaiotinmn company
Paragraph 3
9.
He developed a character bsdae on a pet mouse
10.
his own ciove and personality
11.
the world’s most ulorapp cartoon character
12.
Walt Disney was a oluhhedso name
Paragraph 4
13.
Finowlolg on from Mickey’s success…
14.
Dozens more movies lelodowf
15.
Disney built up a global entertainment pmiree
16.
He died of narecc in 1966
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
first movie with sound, ‘Steamboat Willie’. By 1930, Mickey Mouse was the world’s most
( )
Pluto. He then produced an animated feature-length version of Snow White, which was the most successful
( )
the lives of millions of children and adults. He holds the record for winning the most
( )
the world of theatre and cinema and fell in love with it. He became the cartoonist for his high school
( )
newspaper. In 1920, he set up his own animation company and his “Laugh-O-Gram” cartoons became very popular.
( )
Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago. He developed a great love of drawing as a youngster. When he was ten, he discovered
( )
characters, movies and theme parks of the 20th Century.
( )
once had. He gave the mouse his own voice and personality. Disney’s wife named him Mickey. Disney put Mickey in his
( )
popular cartoon character and Walt Disney was a household name.
( )
Following on from Mickey’s success, Disney created characters such as Donald Duck, Goofy, and
( )
entertainment empire, including his Disneyland theme park. He died of cancer in 1966.
( )
Disney wanted more and so he moved to Hollywood. He developed a character based on a pet mouse he
( )
movie of 1938. Dozens more movies followed, including Fantasia and Bambi. Disney built up a global
( )
Academy Awards (26) and was an innovative film producer and animator. He created some of the most successful
( 1 )
Walt Disney was one of the most famous people ever to have lived. He has touched
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
lives has the He of children millions of touched
2.
created He characters successful most the of some
3.
drawing youngster a of a developed love as He great
4.
world of theatre When he was ten , he discovered the
5.
high his for cartoonist the became He school
6.
once character a he a on mouse had based pet
7.
put movie Mickey with in sound his Disney first
8.
Walt name household a was Disney
9.
Donald Disney characters as Duck created such
10.
up global empire built a entertainment Disney
WALT DISNEY DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Walt Disney?
2.
Would you like to have met Walt Disney?
3.
What would you like to know about Walt Disney 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 Walt Disney. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. WALT DISNEY POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Walt Disney. 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 Walt Disney. 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 Walt Disney. 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 “Walt Disney expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
famous
a.
well-known
2
holds
b.
has
3.
innovative
c.
cutting-edge
4.
youngster
d.
youth
5.
set up
e.
started
6.
popular
f.
well-liked
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
based on
g.
centred around
8.
personality
h.
character
9.
a household name
i.
famous
10.
version
j.
edition
11
followed
k
came after
12
empire
l
organization
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
He has touched the
a.
lives of millions of children
2
an innovative film
b.
producer and animator
3.
He developed a great love of
c.
drawing as a youngster
4.
fell in
d.
love with it
5.
he set up his
e.
own animation company
6.
He developed a character based
f.
on a pet mouse
7.
He gave the mouse his own
g.
voice and personality
8.
Walt Disney was a household
h.
name
9.
an animated feature-length
i.
version of Snow White
10.
Disney built up a global
j.
entertainment empire
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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