The Reading / Listening - Barbie - Level 1

"Barbie" is the biggest film of the year. It has broken box office records. It made the most money for a non-superhero movie. Ticket sales worldwide were over $356 million. "Barbie" also made the most money for a movie directed by a woman. It was directed by Greta Gerwig. She also co-wrote "Barbie". There will be sequels to the movie, so fans should get ready for "Barbie 2" and "Barbie 3". There may also be a movie about Barbie's friend Ken.

Barbie started as a fashion doll, created by businesswoman Ruth Handler in 1959. It became one of the best-selling toys ever made. It has sold over a billion dolls worldwide. Since the 1980s, Barbie has starred in video games and TV series. In Gerwig's film, Barbie leaves her near-perfect world of Barbieland to live in the human world. Movie experts like "Barbie" because it is so original. Many people are getting tired of superhero films.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Barbie - Level 0 Barbie - Level 2   or  Barbie - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.axios.com/2023/07/23/barbie-box-office-opening-sales
  • https://apnews.com/article/barbie-box-office-greta-gerwig-record-0e0cbd8116aff87798575c8af691d8b3
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the biggest
  2. a non-
  3. Ticket sales
  4. a movie directed by
  5. It was directed
  6. There will be sequels
  7. fans should get
  8. a movie about
  1. to the movie
  2. worldwide
  3. ready
  4. film of the year
  5. Barbie's friend Ken
  6. a woman
  7. superhero movie
  8. by Greta Gerwig

Paragraph 2

  1. Barbie started as
  2. It became one of the best-
  3. It has sold over a billion
  4. Since
  5. Barbie has starred
  6. Barbie leaves her near-
  7. live in the
  8. people are getting tired
  1. perfect world
  2. dolls worldwide
  3. in video games
  4. of superhero films
  5. a fashion doll
  6. human world
  7. selling toys
  8. the 1980s

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

"Barbie" (1) ___________________ film of the year. It has broken box office records. It (2) ___________________ money for a non-superhero movie. Ticket (3) ___________________ over $356 million. "Barbie" also made the most money for a movie directed by woman. It (4) ___________________ Greta Gerwig. She also co-wrote "Barbie". There will (5) ___________________ the movie, so fans should get ready for "Barbie 2" and "Barbie 3". There may also be (6) ___________________ Barbie's friend Ken.

Barbie started as (7) ___________________, created by businesswoman Ruth Handler in 1959. It became one of the best-selling (8) ___________________. It has sold over a billion dolls worldwide. Since the 1980s, Barbie (9) ___________________ video games and TV series. In Gerwig's film, Barbie leaves (10) ___________________ world of Barbieland to live in (11) ___________________. Movie experts like "Barbie" because it is so original. Many people are (12) ___________________ superhero films.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

"Barbie"isthebiggestfilmoftheyear.Ithasbrokenboxofficerecords.It
madethemostmoneyforanon-superheromovie.Ticketsalesworldwid
ewereover$356million."Barbie"alsomadethemostmoneyforamovie
directedbywoman.ItwasdirectedbyGretaGerwig.Shealsoco-wrot
e"Barbie".Therewillbesequelstothemovie,sofansshouldgetreadyfor"
Barbie2"and"Barbie3".TheremayalsobeamovieaboutBarbie'sfriend"
Ken".Barbiestartedasafashiondoll,createdbybusinesswomanRuthH
andlerin1959.Itbecameoneofthebest-sellingtoysevermade.Ithassol
doverabilliondollsworldwide.Sincethe1980s,Barbiehasstarredinvide
ogamesandTVseries.InGerwig'sfilm,Barbieleaveshernear-perfectw
orldofBarbielandtoliveinthehumanworld.Movieexpertslike"Barbie"b
ecauseitissooriginal.Manypeoplearegettingtiredofsuperherofilms.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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