The Reading / Listening - Level 1

A new Brad Pitt movie is in the headlines for scaring farm animals. The movie is called 'The Lost City of Z'. It is about a British soldier who disappeared in the Brazilian jungle in 1925 with his son. They were looking for a lost city called Z. Film makers wanted to make explosions and loud noises as special effects. However, farmers in the nearby town said the loud bangs frightened their animals. Mr Pitt is not acting in the film. He is the movie's producer.

Local people said the explosions slowly became louder. They said it sounded like a war. The noise shook windows. One farmer said his animals were "terrified". He said: "The dog was shivering under a chair….Another neighbour’s cow and calf jumped the hedge and the cows were crying in fear." Mr Pitt might do something special for the people. He loves animals. He might be sad if he knows the animals were scared because of his film.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/24/brad-pitt-movie-northern-ireland-farm-animals-frightened
    http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/09/brad-pitt-lost-city-of-z-animals
    http://mashable.com/2015/09/24/brad-pitt-scaring-chickens/#vUiPL2wTkZqC


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

in the

a.

jungle

2.

It is about a British soldier

b.

loud noises

3.

i n the Brazilian

c.

acting in the film

4.

They were looking

d.

effects

5.

make explosions and

e.

producer

6.

special

f.

for a lost city

7.

Mr Pitt is not

g.

headlines

8.

He is the movie's

h.

who disappeared



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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Local

a.

were "terrified"

2.

the explosions slowly became

b.

a war

3.

it sounded like

c.

louder

4.

The noise shook

d.

crying in fear

5.

One farmer said his animals

e.

people

6.

Another neighbour’s cow and

f.

he knows

7.

the cows were

g.

windows

8.

He might be sad if

h.

calf

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A new Brad Pitt movie (1) ___________________  for scaring farm animals. The movie is called 'The Lost City of Z'. It is about a British soldier (2) ___________________ the Brazilian jungle in 1925 with his son. They were looking (3) _________________ called Z. Film makers (4) ___________________ explosions and loud noises (5) ___________________. However, farmers in the nearby town said the loud bangs frightened their animals. Mr Pitt (6) ___________________ the film. He is the movie's producer.

Local people said the explosions (7) ___________________. They said it (8) ___________________ war. The noise shook windows. One farmer said his animals (9) __________________. He said: "The dog was shivering under a chair….Another neighbour’s cow and calf jumped the hedge and the cows (10) ___________________ fear." Mr Pitt might do something special for the people. He loves animals. (11) _______________ if he knows the animals were scared (12) __________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AnewBradPittmovieisintheheadlinesforscaringfarmanimals.Themo
vieiscalled'TheLostCityofZ'.ItisaboutaBritishsoldierwhodisappeared
intheBrazilianjunglein1925withhisson.Theywerelookingforalostcity
calledZ.Filmmakerswantedtomakeexplosionsandloudnoisesasspeci
aleffects.However,farmersinthenearbytownsaidtheloudbangsfright
enedtheiranimals.MrPittisnotactinginthefilm.Heisthemovie'sproduc
er.Localpeoplesaidtheexplosionsslowlybecamelouder.Theysaiditso
undedlikeawar.Thenoiseshookwindows.Onefarmersaidhisanimalsw
ere"terrified".Hesaid:"Thedogwasshiveringunderachair….Anothern
eighbour’scowandcalfjumpedthehedgeandthecowswerecryinginfea
r."MrPittmightdosomethingspecialforthepeople.Helovesanimals.He
mightbesadifheknowstheanimalswerescaredbecauseofhisfilm.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about farm animals 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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