Speakup in Class, Remembering Paul Newman

Before do the exercises, I posted again, just listen to the podcast and do the lesson, good luck. 

Remembering Paul Newman

Source: Speak Up

Language level: Advanced

Speaker: Chuck Rollando

Standard: American accent

As you know, Hollywood legend Paul Newman died in 2008 at the age of 83. Yet he was more than just a film star: he was also a racing driver and a political activist who said he felt proud when he learnt that he was number 19 on Richard Nixon’s enemies list. More importantly, he was philanthropist whose “Newman’s Own” food company gave more than $200 million to charity.

As a tribute to him, here are some excerpts from an interview he gave in 2006, when he was promoting one of his last films, the animated feature Cars, for which he provided the voice of Doc Hudson. Newman was asked what was the secret to making a good movie:

Paul Newman

(Standard: American accent)

Well, there are so many ingredients that go into making a film. That’s one of the reasons, incidentally, why I like racing. I mean, it’s a very simple sense of winning. It’s down to a thousandth of a second now, and electronically, and that’s a very uncomplicated conclusion. There’s so many things that go into making a film: the director, the actors that you’re working with, the time that you have to rehearse, whether you catch up with a character in time.

There are so many different ingredients that go into making a performance. It’s pretty hard to tell which performer performed the best. Somebody may have started out with a piece of junk and brought it up to past mediocrity so that it was pretty damn good. And another guy starts out with a beautiful script, a deliciously-defined character, a marvelous director, a comfortable schedule, he’s got everything going for him: I would give the credit to the guy in front of him.

THE EARLY DAYS OF TV

Newman then reminisced about his experiences in the 1950s, when he worked in television:

Paul Newman:

Live television, in those days, was really exciting because you didn’t have a hell of a lost time to work on things, and if there was a mistake made, it was not retrievable by having another take. So I think that working under that kind of pressure was a good experience for any actor; and some funny thing happened, too. Sets felt down. I can remember Walter Cronkite in a thing  called You Are There and Joana of Arc was being burned at the stake and the fire began to crackle and then they cut away to Walter Cronkite in the 20^th century setting and said, “And you were there.” And, little by little, the smoke from the set started to filter into the broadcast room and there was Walter!

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66

Newman then talked about the time he and his wife, Joanne Woodward, drove along Route 66, the famous road which provided the setting for Cars:

Paul Newman:

Actually, we started up north and we drove to Las Vegas. And it said “All you can eat for a-buck-and-a-quarter,” I think. And we went into these casinos and the spreads were extraordinary; I mean, fresh shrimp – I’m talking 1951 –fresh shrimp and lobster, and a table laid out lie you’d never seen before. And we had a lovely meal and then Joanne put 160 bucks in the slot machine and I lost about $400 playing blackjack. So that meal was not really a-buck-and-a-quarter!

COMMITMENT

In conclusion Newman was asked what advice he had for the many people who felt disillusioned with politics:

Paul Newman:

Be engaged. I was campaigning at the University of Cincinnati and they admitted with a certain amount of shame that the students there, only 19 per cent of the eligible students had voted in the 2004 election. But they had taken polls, the polls had looked good, but the kids were on cell phones and they weren’t being polled and the figures were going to be staggering because the kids were engaged. Figures came out: 19 per cent. So, if people who have the privilege of voting don’t vote, then you have to ask if…if they’re really getting what they deserve. We have less of a percentage of eligible voters voting then vote in Iraq. I think that’s shameful.

So, if people get engaged, they can make the changes: they don’t get engaged, then we just have a chauffeurup there motoring us wherever he wants to go, instead of us, you know, giving the directions.

BEFORE YOU READ.

TASK 1. Speaking. With your partner(s) discuss these questions.

a)    Do you like movies? Why (not)?

b)    What are your favourite movies? Why?

c)    What types of movie do you hate? Why?

d)    Do you like the movies with Paul Newman? Why (not)?

e)    Do you think Paul Newman was a good actor or was he overrated? Why ?

f)    Do you think the world will ever see a movie star like Paul Newman again? Why (not)?

TASK 2. Glossary. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the vocabulary in the glossary before you do the reading TASKS. Work with your partner(s). Try this idea:

a) Cover the Portuguese words/phrases and look at the English words/expressions only. Do you know any of these words/expressions in English? Write your ideas. Check them with other members of the class.

b) Look at the glossary and check your ideas. How many are correct?

c) Test yourself and/or your partner(s). It is not important to memorise the vocabulary, but to be familiar with it. 

READING

a)TASK 3.  Prediction. Work with your partners and answer these questions. Make notes. If you don’t know, guess!

b)

1. When did Paul Newman die:
2. How old was he:
3. What was he famous for? (4 answers?	Ph____________
	P__________ A_____________
	F___________S_____________
	R___________D____________

TASK 4.  Reading for Specific Information.

Now read the very first paragraph as quickly as you can. How many answers did you know/guess correctly?

TASK 5. Reading for Detailed information. Now read all of the article/interview with Paul Newman (2006) and answer these questions:

a)    How easy/difficult does Paul Newman think making a movie is, and why?

b)    Are Paul Newman’s memories of his early days in TV essentially positive or negative, and why?

c)    Why did a meal at Las Vegas not cost Paul Newman $1.25? What happened? 

d)    What is Paul Newman’s view on voting, particularly amongst young people?

AFTER YOU READ

TASK 6. Speaking and writing. Discuss some/all of these questions with your partner(s). If you like, you can write your opinions for homework and show them to your teacher.

a)    How much of the information in this interview/article was new to you?

b)    Has your opinion of Paul Newman changed since reading this article? Why (not)?

c)    Do you think all famous people should be philanthropists? Why (not)?

d)    Do you think everyone in a democracy should vote? Why (not)?

e)    Are famous people in your country politically active? What do you think of this?

Jack Benny, 1894-1974: He Won Hearts Mostly by Making Fun of Himself

Source: http://www.manythings.org/voa/people

I'm Sarah Long. And I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program PEOPLE IN AMERICA.

Today, we tell the story of Jack Benny. He was one of America's best-loved funnymen during the twentieth century.

(MUSIC)

Jack Benny was one of the most famous names in show business for more than fifty years. He started as a serious musician, before he discovered he could make people laugh.

Jack Benny became famous nationwide in the nineteen thirties as a result of his weekly radio program. His programs were among the most popular on American radio, and later on television.

Jack Benny won the hearts of Americans by making fun of himself. He was known not as someone who said funny things, but as someone who said things in a funny way.

Jack Benny was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February fourteenth, eighteen ninety-four. His parents, Meyer and Emma Kubelsky, were religious Jews. They had moved to the United States from eastern Europe. They named their first child Benjamin.

Benjamin Kubelsky and his family lived in Waukeegan , Illinois. Benjamin was a quiet boy. For much of the time, his parents were busy working in his father's store. As a child, Benjamin, or Benny as his friends called him, learned to play the violin. Benny was such a good violin player that, for a time, he wanted to become a musician.

While in school, Benny got a job as a violin player with the Barrison Theater, the local vaudeville house. Vaudeville was the most popular form of show business in the United States in the early nineteen hundreds. Vaudeville shows presented short plays, singers, comedians who made people laugh and other acts.

Benny worked at the Barrison Theater -- sometimes during school hours. He left high school before completing his studies. The piano player for the theater was a former vaudeville performer named Cora Salisbury. For a short time, she and Benny formed their own performing act. Later, he and another piano player had their own act.

At first, Benny changed his name to Ben K. Benny. However, that name was similar to another actor who played a violin. So, he chose the name Jack Benny.

(MUSIC)

The United States entered World War One in nineteen seventeen. Benny joined the Navy and reported to the Great Lakes Naval Station. He continued using his violin to perform for sailors at the naval station. In one show, he was chosen more for his funny jokes than for his skill with the violin. That experience made him believe that his future job was as a comedian, not in music.

After leaving the Navy, Benny returned to vaudeville. His performances won him considerable popularity during the nineteen twenties. He traveled across the country with other well-known performers, including the Marx Brothers.

In Nineteen Twenty-Seven, Benny married Sadie Marks, a sales girl from the May Company store in Los Angeles. Mrs. Benny soon became part of the traveling show. She used the name Mary Livingstone.

Jack Benny appeared in a few Hollywood films, but then left California and moved to New York. He had a leading part in the Broadway show, "Vanities."

Benny made his first appearance on radio in Nineteen Thirty-Two. He was invited to appear on a radio show presented by newspaper reporter Ed Sullivan. Benny opened with this announcement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Jack Benny talking. There will be a short break while you say, who cares?"

However, many listeners did care. Within a short period, Benny had his own radio show. It continued for twenty-three years.

ANNOUNCER: "The Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, with Mary Livingstone, Phil Harris, Rochester, Dennis Day, and yours truly, Don Wilson ... "

(MUSIC)

Jack Benny developed a show business personality that had all the qualities people dislike. He was known for being so stingy he refused to spend any of his money, unless forced to do so. He always was concerned about money. For example, he would put on a jeweler's glass to examine the diamond on a wealthy woman he had just met.

In another example, a robber points a gun at Benny.

(JACK BENNY PROGRAM)

ROBBER: "This is a stick-up."

BENNY: "Mr. , put down that gun."

ROBBER: "Shut up. I said this is a stick-up. Now, come on. Your money or your life."

(LAUGHTER)

ROBBER: "Look, bud. I said, your money or your life!"

BENNY: "I'm thinking it over."

(LAUGHTER / MUSIC)

On his shows, Jack Benny often spoke of his appearance, especially his baby blue eyes. As he grew older, he always claimed to be thirty-nine years old.

Benny was known as a comedian with great timing. He seemed to know the perfect time to tell a joke and when to remain silent. The way he looked at other actors and his use of body movements were world famous. He also was skilled at using his violin to make people laugh.

Jack Benny was one of the first comedians who was willing to let other people share some of the laughs. He rarely made jokes that hurt other people. Instead, he would let the other actors on the show tell jokes about him.

Many of the actors in Benny's show became almost as famous as he was. They would criticize Benny's refusal to replace his ancient automobile. They made fun of the pay telephone that he added to his house.

This is a telephone discussion between Benny and his trusted employee, Rochester.

BENNY: "Hello …"

ROCHESTER: "Hello, Mr. Benny. This is Rochester …"

(APPLAUSE)

BENNY: "Rochester, I'm in the middle of the program."

ROCHESTER: "I know, boss, but this is very important. The man from the life insurance company was here about that policy you're taking out and he asked me a lot of questions."

BENNY: "Well, I hope you answered them right."

ROCHESTER: "Oh, I did. When he asked me your height, I said five-foot-ten."

BENNY: "Uh, huh."

ROCHESTER: "Your weight, one-hundred-sixty-four."

BENNY: "Uh, huh."

ROCHESTER: "Your age, thirty-nine."

BENNY: "Uh, huh."

ROCHESTER: "We had quite a roundtable discussion on that one."

(LAUGHTER)

BENNY: "Wait a minute, Rochester. Why should there be any question about my age?"

ROCHESTER: "Oh, it wasn't a question. It was the answer we had trouble with."

(LAUGHTER)

Jack Benny said: "The show itself is the important thing. As long as people think the show is funny, it does not matter who tells the jokes." He also made fun of the paid announcements broadcast during his radio show that were designed to sell products. They often provided some of the funniest moments in the show.

Most performers never would make fun of the businesses that helped pay for the show.

Over the years, Jack Benny did well financially. In nineteen forty-eight, he moved his show from the National Broadcasting Company to the Columbia Broadcasting System. As part of the agreement, CBS paid more than two million dollars to a company in which Benny had a controlling interest.

Much later, the Music Corporation of America bought Benny's production company. Benny received almost three million dollars in MCA stock shares.

In real life, he was the opposite of the person he played in his show. He was known to be very giving and someone people liked having as their employer. He also could play the violin very well.

Jack Benny entered the new medium of television in nineteen fifty. Five years later, he dropped his radio program to spend more time developing his television show. At first, his appearances on television were rare. By nineteen sixty, the Benny show was a weekly television program. It continued until nineteen sixty-five.

Benny appeared in about twenty films during his life. A few became popular. But most were not. In nineteen sixty-three, Benny returned to Broadway for the first time since nineteen thirty-one. He performed to large crowds.

Jack Benny received many awards during his lifetime. The publication "Motion Picture Daily" voted him the country's best radio comedian four times. In nineteen fifty-seven, he won a special award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the best continuing performance. He also won the Academy's television award for the best comedy series in nineteen fifty-nine.

Perhaps the one honor that pleased him most was that his hometown of Waukeegan named a school for him. This was a special honor for a man who had never finished high school.

Jack Benny continued to perform and to do a few television specials after his weekly series ended. He died of cancer on December twenty-sixth, nineteen seventy-four. His friend, comedian Bob Hope, spoke at the funeral about the loss felt by Benny's friends and fans. He said: "Jack Benny was stingy to the end. He gave us only eighty years."

(MUSIC)

This Special English program was written by and produced by George Grow. I'm Sarah Long. And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another PEOPLE IN AMERICA program on the Voice of America.

Speakup in Class, The return of Sting.

Before answer question please listen to the audio 

Source: SPEAKUP

For more info check it out and listen to the audio next go to the exercises http://englishtips-self-taught.blogspot.com/2011/02/sting.html

THE RETURN OF STING (B2) – Speak Up – Issue 280

GETTING STARTED. 

TASK 1. Speaking. With your partner(s) discuss these questions.

a)    What’s your favourite kind of music? Tell your partner(s).

b)    Do you like Sting? Why (not)?

c)    Do you like “The Police”? Why (not)?

d)    Do you prefer Sting as a solo artist or as a member of  “The Police”? Why?

e)    What do you think of bands that break up and then re-form years later?

f)    Do you think music today is better than music in the past, generally? Why (not)?

LISTENING

TASK 2. Prediction. You are going to listen to a recording about Sting.

Before you listen, work with your partner and discuss possible answers to these questions. Make some notes. If you aren’t sure, guess.

a) What are Sting’s views on religion, generally?

b) Does Sting spend Christmas in a traditional way?

c) What is Sting’s attitude towards money?

d) Does Sting like football?

e) Does Sting want to do more concerts with the Police?

TASK 3. Listening for Specific Information: Listen to all of the recording, without reading, and check your ideas from TASK 2.

Check your answers before completing the remaining TASKS.

READING

TASK 4. Prediction #2.  Before you read all of the article, look at these answers, and write possible questions. Discuss your ideas with your partner(s).

a) “If on a Winter’s Night”

b) Magically

c) A time of tension

d) A pathology

e) 2007.

f) 2.7 million.

TASK 5: Reading for Detailed Information: Read all of the text and write questions to the answers in TASK 4.

F.C.E. EXAM PRACTICE

(Paper 3: Use of English, Part 4)

TASK 6. Here are some pairs of sentences related to the topic of the article. Complete the second sentence in each pair so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given (IN CAPITALS AND BOLD). Do NOT change the word given.

You must use between two and five words.

1)	Sting started playing music in 1975
	BEEN
	Sting.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1975.

2)	Sting has so many millions of pounds that he can't count them.
	SUCH
	Sting.has . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  money that he can't count it.

 

3)	Sting still finds celebrating Christmas strange
	GOT
	Sting.still . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   celebrating Christmas.

4)	Sting is too young to retire
	ENOUGH
	Sting.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   to retire.

 

5)	Sting has finally  managed to produce a CD of Christmas songs.
	SUCCEDED
	Sting.has finally . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   a CD of Christmas songs.

 

6)	Sting doesn't want to reunite the Police
	AVOID
	Sting.wants . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   the Police.

 

7)	I'd prefer you not to borrow my Police CDs
	DID
	I'd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   borrow my Police CDs.

 

8)	Sting's new CD isn't nearly as boring as I'd expected it to be
	MORE
	Sting's.new CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   I'd expected it to be.

 TASK 7 . Discuss these questions with your partners

1.    Why do you think Sting doesn’t want to continue working with the Police?

2.    Do you agree with him? Why (not)?

3.    Do you believe Sting when he says he is not concerned with making more and more money? Why (not)?

4.    Do you think it is right for some musicians to make so much money? Why (not)?