Hollywood heart-throb Tom Cruise has asked his girlfriend Katie Holmes to marry him. Tom popped the question at a very romantic setting – the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. The couple have had a whirlwind romance. They only told the world they were in love in April. Since then, Hollywood’s gossip reporters have been writing about the pair nonstop. Of course, not all the news has been true. Some tabloids filled dozens of their columns about Tom and Katie. Many said that the relationship was a publicity stunt. Gossip columnists want to believe Tom is just helping Katie to become a star.

At a Paris press conference Tom only had eyes for his new leading lady. She happily showed her huge diamond engagement ring to picture-hungry photographers. Tom told reporters: “Today is a magnificent day for me. I’m engaged to a magnificent woman.” He also said: “I’m so happy I just can’t restrain myself.” This brought back memories of Tom’s appearance on a recent Oprah Winfrey show. He punched the floor and yelled, “I am in love. I am in love.” Tom was always very secretive about his feelings for his ex-wife Nicole Kidman. With Katie, it must be true love.

WARM-UPS

1. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE: In pairs / groups, talk about which actors and actresses are the most beautiful in the world. Is anyone more beautiful than Katie Holmes or more handsome than Tom Cruise? Are Hollywood actors the best looking? Are there better looking people in the studios of Bollywood, Korea, Hong Kong, South Africa or Brazil?

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

Hollywood / movie stars / dreams coming true / marriage proposals / Eiffel Tower / gossip / diamonds / paparazzi / magnificent men and women / love / secrets

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. DIAMOND RINGS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with diamond rings. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

4. PROPOSALS: Talk with your partner(s) about the best way to ask someone to marry you. Agree on a score from 1 – 10 (10 is best) for each of the following. Try talking to both male and female students. Then talk about real life and what happened to you / might happen to you regarding marriage proposals.

1. At the Eiffel Tower.
2. In moonlight.
3. With champagne.
4. And chocolates and strawberries.
5. The guy down on one knee.
6. A string quartet playing romantic music in the background.
7. A huge diamond engagement ring.
8. Fireworks when she/he says yes.
9. A walk along the Champs Elysees.
10. A penthouse hotel suite after.

5. TOM’S MOVIES: Talk about these Tom Cruise movies. Is he a good actor?

War of the Worlds (2005), Collateral (2004), The Last Samurai (2003), Minority Report (2002), Vanilla Sky (2001), Mission: Impossible II (2000), Magnolia (1999), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Jerry Maguire (1996), Mission: Impossible (1996), Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), The Firm (1993), A Few Good Men (1992), Far and Away (1992), Days of Thunder (1990), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Rain Man (1988), Cocktail (1988), The Color of Money (1986), Top Gun (1986)

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Tom Cruise proposes to make 8 more Mission Impossible movies.	T / F
b.	Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have had a very short romance.	T / F
c.	Their romance has kept gossip columnists very busy.	T / F
d.	Tom Cruise is marrying Katie Holmes to rescue her acting career.	T / F
e.	Ms. Holmes didn’t want photographers to see her engagement ring.	T / F
f.	At a press conference, Tom said Katie was a magnetic woman.	T / F
g.	Tom Cruise recently punched Oprah Winfrey and yelled at her.	T / F
h.	Tom has always been very open with the press about his love life.	T / F

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

a.	heart-throb	control
b.	popped the question	short
c.	whirlwind	gossip newspapers
d.	tabloids	wonderful
e.	columnists	guarded
f.	huge	idol
g.	magnificent	enormous
h.	restrain	shouted
i.	yelled	proposed
j.	secretive	writers

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

a.	Hollywood	the question
b.	popped	back memories
c.	whirlwind	be true love
d.	gossip	about his feelings
e.	publicity	heart-throb
f.	press	restrain myself
g.	I just can’t	stunt
h.	brought	romance
i.	very secretive	conference
j.	it must	reporters

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the correct spaces.

Tom Cruise proposes in Paris

Hollywood heart-______ Tom Cruise has asked his girlfriend Katie Holmes to marry him. Tom ______ the question at a very romantic ______ – the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. The couple have had a ______ romance. They only told the world they were in love in April. Since then, Hollywood’s gossip reporters have been writing about the pair ______. Of course, not all the news has been true. Some tabloids filled ______ of their columns about Tom and Katie. Many said that the relationship was a publicity ______. Gossip columnists want to believe Tom is just helping Katie to become a ______.		dozens setting star throb nonstop popped stunt whirlwind
At a Paris ______ conference Tom only had ______ for his new leading lady. She happily showed her ______ diamond engagement ring to picture-______ photographers. Tom told reporters: “Today is a ______ day for me. I’m engaged to a magnificent woman.” He also said: “I’m so happy I just can’t ______ myself.” This brought back ______ of Tom’s appearance on a recent Oprah Winfrey show. He punched the floor and yelled, “I am in love. I am in love.” Tom was always very ______ about his feelings for his ex-wife Nicole Kidman. With Katie, it must be true love.		eyes restrain press memories hungry secretive magnificent huge

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

• 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 gap fill. 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. STUDENT MARRIAGE PROPOSAL SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about marriage proposals and engagements.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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

heart-throb popped whirlwind nonstop dozens stunt

eyes picture-hungry magnificent memories yelled secretive

 DISCUSSION

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

1. Were you excited when you saw this headline?
2. Did you automatically want to read the article?
3. Do you like Hollywood news (or news of other movie stars)?
4. What is your opinion of Tom Cruise?
5. What do you think of this whirlwind romance?
6. Do you think they’ll both live happily ever after - together?
7. Is a diamond engagement ring necessary?
8. Have you ever been so happy you couldn’t restrain yourself?
9. Are you secretive about talking about your feelings for other people or would you yell, “I am in love” for the whole world to hear?
10. Would it be risky to marry a Hollywood superstar?

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

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. Did you believe in love at first sight?
3. Where do you think is the best place to pop the question?
4. What do you think of Hollywood gossip reporters?
5. Do you think it’s true love for Tom and Katie or might it be a publicity stunt?
6. Have you ever fallen in love with (or met) someone magnificent?
7. Do you think Tom is a good actor?
8. Who do you like better, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz or Katie Holmes?
9. Is there such a thing a true love?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
5. What did you like talking about?
6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
7. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

THE PERFECT PROPSOAL: In pairs / groups, decide on what is needed to make the greatest marriage proposal ever. Everything must be perfectly romantic (?). Write notes on what you agree in the table below.

FACTORS	THE PERFECT CONDITIONS
Country / Place
Time of day
Where (under a palm tree, in a restaurant…)
Food involved?
A ring?
Music?
Words spoken?
Down on one knee?
One other special, special idea

• Change partners and explain what you discussed with your previous partner(s).
• With your new partners combine your conditions to make a newer, super-improved perfect proposal plan.
• Return to your original partner and talk about the changes you made to your original proposal.

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Tom Cruise proposes in Paris

Hollywood heart-throb Tom Cruise ___ _____ ____ girlfriend Katie Holmes to marry him. Tom ______ ___ ________ at a very romantic setting – the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. The couple have had __ _________ _______. They only told the world they were in love in April. Since then, Hollywood’s gossip reporters have ____ _______ _____ the pair nonstop. Of course, not all the news has been true. Some tabloids ______ ______ __ their columns about Tom and Katie. Many said that the relationship was __ _________ _____. Gossip columnists want to believe Tom __ ____ _______ Katie to become a star.

At a Paris press conference Tom only had eyes for his ___ _______ ____. She happily showed her huge diamond engagement ring to _______-______ ____________. Tom told reporters: “Today is a magnificent day for me. I’m engaged to _ ___________ _____.” He also said: “I’m so happy I just ____ ________ _______.” This brought back memories of Tom’s appearance on a recent Oprah Winfrey show. He _______ ___ ______ and yelled, “I am in love. I am in love.” Tom was always ____ __________ _____ his feelings for his ex-wife Nicole Kidman. With Katie, it must be true love.

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. THE ENGAGEMENT: Search the Internet and find more information on the whirlwind romance and engagement of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. TOM CRUISE: Create a profile on Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. Include different categories other than his acting (his religious beliefs, his youth, his romances, etc). Show your profiles to your classmates in your next lesson. Did everyone have the same categories and information?

4. DIARY / SCHEDULE: Imagine you are the boyfriend or girlfriend of a superstar actor. Write the entry in your diary / journal for one day in your romance.  Read your entry to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all write about similar things?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. T

d. F

e. F

f. F

g. F

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	heart-throb	idol
b.	popped the question	proposed
c.	whirlwind	short
d.	tabloids	gossip newspapers
e.	columnists	writers
f.	huge	enormous
g.	magnificent	wonderful
h.	restrain	control
i.	yelled	shouted
j.	secretive	guarded

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	Hollywood	heart-throb
b.	popped	the question
c.	whirlwind	romance
d.	gossip	reporters
e.	publicity	stunt
f.	press	conference
g.	I just can’t	restrain myself
h.	brought	back memories
i.	very secretive	about his feelings
j.	it must	be true love

GAP FILL:

Tom Cruise proposes in Paris

Hollywood heart-throb Tom Cruise has asked his girlfriend Katie Holmes to marry him. Tom popped the question at a very romantic setting – the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. The couple have had a whirlwind romance. They only told the world they were in love in April. Since then, Hollywood’s gossip reporters have been writing about the pair nonstop. Of course, not all the news has been true. Some tabloids filled dozens of their columns about Tom and Katie. Many said that the relationship was a publicity stunt. Gossip columnists want to believe Tom is just helping Katie to become a star.

At a Paris press conference Tom only had eyes for his new leading lady. She happily showed her huge diamond engagement ring to picture-hungry photographers. Tom told reporters: “Today is a magnificent day for me. I’m engaged to a magnificent woman.” He also said: “I’m so happy I just can’t restrain myself.” This brought back memories of Tom’s appearance on a recent Oprah Winfrey show. He punched the floor and yelled, “I am in love. I am in love.” Tom was always very secretive about his feelings for his ex-wife Nicole Kidman. With Katie, it must be true love.

 

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