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My 1,000
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Date: Oct 6, 2007
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1,000 IDEAS FOR ESL CLASSES: Breaking News English.com's e-Book

THE ARTICLE

Diana’s last hours seen by London court

Jurors at a London court have been shown previously unreleased video footage of the last moments of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her partner Dodi Al Fayed. The ten-year-old scenes were shown at the British inquest into the deaths of Diana, Dodi and their driver Henri Paul. The new images have been carefully edited and pieced together from 31 security cameras inside Paris’ Ritz Hotel. The couple were seen rushing into the hotel on the evening they both died in a tragic car crash in a Paris tunnel. They were swarmed by paparazzi and onlookers and dived into the hotel to avoid the photographers’ flashes. The new pictures reveal Diana and Dodi sharing intimate moments in the hotel’s elevator on the way to their fateful car journey.

The focus of the inquest is now on the actions of Henri Paul, the head of security at the Paris Ritz. There is speculation that he tipped off the paparazzi to exactly when and from where Diana would leave the hotel the evening she died. Dodi’s father, Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed, claims Paul was an agent for the British secret services, who wanted Diana dead. He refuses to believe Mr. Paul was drunk and maintains blood tests were faked to fool the world. Mr Paul was seen having several drinks in the hotel bar hours before he got behind the wheel. However, the leading judge in the case, Lord Justice Scott Baker, said the videos show Paul "coming down the stairs, bending down and balancing whilst tying his shoelaces, and that there is no indication that his movements were affected by alcohol." The case continues.

WARM-UPS

1. PRINCESSES: Walk around the class and talk to other students about princesses. Change partners often. After you finish, sit with your original partner(s) and share what you found out.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

jurors / courts / video footage / security cameras / car crashes / paparazzi / speculation / secret services / being drunk / blood tests / tying one’s shoelaces

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. OPINIONS: What you think these peoples’ opinions might be of the causes of the deaths of Diana and Dodi in 1997? Discuss this with your partner(s).

  • Prince William
  • Prince Charles
  • Mohammed al Fayed
  • Queen Elizabeth
  • The British secret service
  • A photographer who chased Diana’s car
  • The barman of the Ritz Hotel in Paris
  • The surviving passenger of the crash

4. LIFE OF A ROYAL: Imagine you are a royal - a prince or princess, an emperor or empress, a sultan or sultana, a sheikh or sheikhah. Talk to the other “royals” in the class about these things:

  • The good things about your life
  • The bad things about your life
  • The other royals in your family
  • Other royals in other countries
  • Countries that have no royal family
  • Clothes
  • Official duties
  • Dinner
  • Charity work
  • Other _____________

5. PAPARAZZI: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “paparazzi”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. QUICK DEBATE: Students A think monarchies are a great idea. Students B believe they are a bad idea. Debate this with your partners. Change partners often.


 
 

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.

An inquest into why Diana died is taking place in London.

T / F

b.

A court jury is watching videos that were first shown in 2001.

T / F

c.

The video images were taken inside the tunnel where Diana died.

T / F

d.

The images show Diana and Dodi being intimidated in an elevator.

T / F

e.

People now think Diana’s driver told the paparazzi security details.

T / F

f.

The owner of Harrods believes Britain’s secret service killed Diana.

T / F

g.

Diana’s driver went to the hotel bar but did not have a drink.

T / F

h.

A video shows the driver being unable to balance on some stairs.

T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

1.

previously

a.

joined

2

inquest

b.

sign

3.

pieced together

c.

flocked

4.

swarmed

d.

centre of attention

5.

reveal

e.

informed

6.

focus

f.

hitherto

7.

speculation

g.

show

8.

tipped off

h.

deceive

9.

fool

i.

inquiry

10.

indication

j.

conjecture

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

1.

previously unreleased video footage

a.

off the paparazzi

2

The new images have been carefully

b.

intimate moments

3.

They were swarmed

c.

the wheel

4.

Diana and Dodi sharing

d.

of the last moments of Diana

5.

on the way to their

e.

whilst tying his shoelaces

6.

There is speculation that he tipped

f.

edited and pieced together

7.

blood tests were faked

g.

were affected by alcohol

8.

hours before he got behind

h.

fateful car journey

9.

bending down and balancing

i.

to fool the world

10.

there is no indication that his movements

j.

by paparazzi and onlookers

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Diana’s last hours seen by London court
 

Jurors at a London court have been __________ previously unreleased video footage of the last __________ of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her partner Dodi Al Fayed. The ten-year-old __________ were shown at the British inquest into the deaths of Diana, Dodi and their driver Henri Paul. The new images have been carefully __________ and pieced together from 31 security cameras inside Paris’ Ritz Hotel. The couple were seen __________ into the hotel on the evening they both died in a tragic car crash in a Paris tunnel. They were swarmed by paparazzi and __________ and dived into the hotel to avoid the photographers’ flashes. The new pictures __________ Diana and Dodi sharing intimate moments in the hotel’s elevator on the way to their __________ car journey.

 

 

 

onlookers
scenes
shown
fateful
edited
moments
reveal
rushing

The __________ of the inquest is now on the actions of Henri Paul, the head of security at the Paris Ritz. There is speculation that he __________ off the paparazzi to exactly when and from where Diana would __________ the hotel the evening she died. Dodi’s father, Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed, claims Paul was an agent for the British secret services, who wanted Diana dead. He refuses to believe Mr. Paul was drunk and __________ blood tests were faked to fool the world. Mr Paul was seen having several drinks in the hotel bar hours before he got __________ the wheel. However, the leading judge in the case, Lord Justice Scott Baker, said the videos show Paul "coming down the stairs, bending down and __________ whilst tying his shoelaces, and that there is no __________ that his movements were __________ by alcohol." The case continues.

 

 

affected maintains
tipped
indication
behind
focus
balancing
leave

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Diana’s last hours seen by London court

Jurors at a London court ____________________________ unreleased video footage of the last moments of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her partner Dodi Al Fayed. The ____________________________ at the British inquest into the deaths of Diana, Dodi and their driver Henri Paul. The new images have been carefully ____________________________ from 31 security cameras inside Paris’ Ritz Hotel. The couple were seen rushing into the hotel on the evening they both died in a tragic car crash in a Paris tunnel. They ____________________________ and onlookers and dived into the hotel to avoid the photographers’ flashes. The new pictures reveal Diana and Dodi ____________________________ the hotel’s elevator on the way to their fateful car journey.

The focus of the inquest ____________________________ Henri Paul, the head of security at the Paris Ritz. There is speculation that he tipped off the paparazzi to ____________________________ Diana would leave the hotel the evening she died. Dodi’s father, Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed, claims Paul ____________________________ secret services, who wanted Diana dead. He refuses to believe Mr. Paul was drunk and maintains blood ____________________________ world. Mr Paul was seen having several drinks in the hotel bar hours ____________________________. However, the leading judge in the case, Lord Justice Scott Baker, said the videos show Paul "coming down the stairs, _______________________________ tying his shoelaces, and that there is no indication that his movements were affected by alcohol." The case continues.


 
 

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘last’ and ‘moment’.

last

moment

 

 

 

 

  • Share your findings with your partners.
  • Make questions using the words you found.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

  • Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

  • previously
  • ten-year-old
  • edited
  • rushing
  • swarmed
  • fateful
  • focus
  • speculation
  • agent
  • fool
  • shoelaces
  • indication

STUDENT PRINCESS DIANA SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Diana in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What do you know about how Diana, Dodi and Henri Paul died?

c)

Why do you think this inquest has begun, ten years after Diana’s death?

d)

Have you seen any of the previously unreleased video footage on the news?

e)

What do you know about the conclusions of other inquiries into the deaths?

f)

What do you think of the paparazzi for swarming around Diana everywhere she went?

g)

What do you remember about the death of Diana and the others?

h)

Are there paparazzi in your country who chase royalty and celebrities?

i)

Why do you think it has taken ten years to see the security video?

--------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)

Did you like reading this article?

b)

What do you know about Diana, Princes of Wales?

c)

Do you think the driver Henri Paul was responsible for the deaths?

d)

What do you think of Mohammed Al Fayed’s claim that the British secret service killed Diana and his son?

e)

Do you know any other conspiracy theories about Diana’s death?

f)

Do you think Henri Paul was OK to drive if he could tie his shoelaces on the stairs?

g)

Do you think the truth will ever be known about Diana’s death?

h)

What questions would you like to ask the survivor of the crash?

i)

Did you like this discussion?

LANGUAGE

CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.

Diana’s last hours seen by London court

Jurors at a London court have been shown previously (1) ____ video footage of the last moments of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her partner Dodi Al Fayed. The ten-year-old (2) ____ were shown at the British inquest (3) ____ the deaths of Diana, Dodi and their driver Henri Paul. The new images have been carefully (4) ____ and pieced together from 31 security cameras inside Paris’ Ritz Hotel. The couple were seen rushing into the hotel on the evening they both died in a (5) ____ car crash in a Paris tunnel. They were swarmed by paparazzi and onlookers and dived into the hotel to avoid the photographers’ flashes. The new pictures reveal Diana and Dodi sharing intimate moments in the hotel’s elevator on the way to their (6) ____ car journey.

The focus of the inquest is now (7) ____ the actions of Henri Paul, the head of security at the Paris Ritz. There is speculation that he tipped (8) ____ the paparazzi to exactly when and from where Diana would leave the hotel the evening she died. Dodi’s father, Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed, claims Paul was an agent for the British secret services, who wanted Diana dead. He refuses to believe Mr. Paul was (9) ____ and maintains blood tests were faked to (10) ____ the world. Mr Paul was seen having several drinks in the hotel bar hours before he got behind the (11) ____. However, the leading judge in the case, Lord Justice Scott Baker, said the videos show Paul "coming down the stairs, bending down and balancing whilst tying his shoelaces, and that there is (12) ____ indication that his movements were affected by alcohol." The case continues.

1.

(a)

unrefined

(b)

unregulated

(c)

unrehearsed

(d)

unreleased

2.

(a)

scenery

(b)

scene

(c)

scenes

(d)

scenic

3.

(a)

into

(b)

onto

(c)

unto

(d)

so to

4.

(a)

edition

(b)

edited

(c)

editing

(d)

editor

5.

(a)

tragic

(b)

tragedy

(c)

tragically

(d)

target

6.

(a)

fete

(b)

fate

(c)

fateful

(d)

fatally

7.

(a)

on

(b)

in

(c)

out

(d)

by

8.

(a)

on

(b)

in

(c)

out

(d)

off

9.

(a)

drinker

(b)

drink

(c)

drank

(d)

drunkard

10.

(a)

fool

(b)

foolish

(c)

foolhardy

(d)

foolproof

11.

(a)

car key

(b)

seat

(c)

tyre / tire

(d)

wheel

12.

(a)

none

(b)

no

(c)

not

(d)

no one

WRITING: 

Write about Diana for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 the inquest into the deaths of Diana, Dodi and Henri Paul. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. DIANA: Make a poster about the life and death of Diana, Princes of Wales. 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 Diana and the things she did for charity. Include imaginary interviews with another prince or princess and a British citizen.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down new words and expressions.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the head of the inquest in London. Ask him three questions about the inquest. Give him three pieces of advice on what he should do to get to the truth. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. F

c. F

d. F

e. T

f. T

g. F

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.

previously

a.

hitherto

2

inquest

b.

inquiry

3.

pieced together

c.

joined

4.

swarmed

d.

flocked

5.

reveal

e.

show

6.

focus

f.

centre of attention

7.

speculation

g.

conjecture

8.

tipped off

h.

informed

9.

fool

i.

deceive

10.

indication

j.

sign

PHRASE MATCH:

1.

previously unreleased video footage

a.

of the last moments of Diana

2

The new images have been carefully

b.

edited and pieced together

3.

They were swarmed

c.

by paparazzi and onlookers

4.

Diana and Dodi sharing

d.

intimate moments

5.

on the way to their

e.

fateful car journey

6.

There is speculation that he tipped

f.

off the paparazzi

7.

blood tests were faked

g.

to fool the world

8.

hours before he got behind

h.

the wheel

9.

bending down and balancing

i.

whilst tying his shoelaces

10.

there is no indication that his movements

j.

were affected by alcohol

GAP FILL:

Diana’s last hours seen by London court

Jurors at a London court have been shown previously unreleased video footage of the last moments of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her partner Dodi Al Fayed. The ten-year-old scenes were shown at the British inquest into the deaths of Diana, Dodi and their driver Henri Paul. The new images have been carefully edited and pieced together from 31 security cameras inside Paris’ Ritz Hotel. The couple were seen rushing into the hotel on the evening they both died in a tragic car crash in a Paris tunnel. They were swarmed by paparazzi and onlookers and dived into the hotel to avoid the photographers’ flashes. The new pictures reveal Diana and Dodi sharing intimate moments in the hotel’s elevator on the way to their fateful car journey.

The focus of the inquest is now on the actions of Henri Paul, the head of security at the Paris Ritz. There is speculation that he tipped off the paparazzi to exactly when and from where Diana would leave the hotel the evening she died. Dodi’s father, Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed, claims Paul was an agent for the British secret services, who wanted Diana dead. He refuses to believe Mr. Paul was drunk and maintains blood tests were faked to fool the world. Mr Paul was seen having several drinks in the hotel bar hours before he got behind the wheel. However, the leading judge in the case, Lord Justice Scott Baker, said the videos show Paul "coming down the stairs, bending down and balancing whilst tying his shoelaces, and that there is no indication that his movements were affected by alcohol." The case continues.

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - d

2 -c

3 - a

4 - b

5 - a

6 - c

7 -b

8 - d

9 -c

10 - a

11 - d

12 - b

 

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