The Reading / Listening - Auschwitz - Level 6

An online store has come under a storm of criticism for selling items with images of Auschwitz-Birkenau - the Nazi German concentration camp. The website Redbubble has apologized for selling skirts, pillows, bags and other products that had photos of Auschwitz printed on them. The Auschwitz Memorial Museum tweeted that the products were "disturbing and disrespectful". It asked: "Do you really think that selling such products as pillows, mini skirts or tote bags with the images of Auschwitz - a place of enormous human tragedy where over 1.1 million people were murdered - is acceptable?" Redbubble quickly responded and said it was taking "immediate action to remove" the items.

It is estimated that at least 1.3 million people were sent to and incarcerated in the concentration camp in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Over 90 per cent of these were Jews. The Nazis murdered 1.1 million of the detainees between 1940-45. Poles, Romani, Russian prisoners of war and others were also killed. Most of the 1.1 million died in the gas chambers. Others died of starvation, hard labor and disease. Redbubble said it, "takes a strong stance against racism and violence, including the atrocities committed in Nazi concentration camps". A Twitter user wrote: "How very disrespectful to the memories of those murdered by the Nazis and the pain of their families."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Auschwitz - Level 4  or  Auschwitz - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.snopes.com/ap/2019/05/08/auschwitz-museum-protests-camp-photos-on-skirts-and-pillows/
  • https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/shop-selling-disturbing-auschwitz-miniskirts-15013468
  • https://www.thejc.com/news/world/website-removes-auschwitz-themed-skirts-and-cushions-after-outcry-1.483879


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. AUSCHWITZ: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about Auschwitz. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       online store / storm / criticism / concentration camp / museum / images / tragedy /
       World War II / prisoners of war / starvation / hard labor / atrocities / memories / pain
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. PRODUCTS: Students A strongly believe people should be prosecuted for selling products related to tragedy; Students B strongly believe otherwise.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. TRAGEDIES: What do you know about these tragedies? How should they be remembered?  Go online and then complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What You Know

How To Remember It

The Black Death

 

 

The Slave Trade

 

 

The Holocaust

 

 

The Partition of India

 

 

North Korea Famine

 

 

Cambodia Genocide

 

 

MY e-BOOK
See a sample

5. APOLOGY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "apology". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. REMEMBERING: Rank these with your partner. Put the best ways of remembering tragedies at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Prayer
  • A worldwide memorial day
  • A global museum
  • An Internet site
  • Lessons in school
  • A minute's silence
  • A website
  • Other ____________

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. criticism a. Causing anxiety; worrying.
      2. concentration camp b. The expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes.
      3. disturbing c. Very large in size, quantity, or extent.
      4. enormous d. An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe.
      5. tragedy e. A place where large numbers of people are deliberately imprisoned. The term is associated with the Nazi death camps during WWII.
      6. acceptable f. Acted or behaved in reaction to someone or something.
      7. responded g. Able to be tolerated or allowed.

    Paragraph 2

      8. estimated h. Imprisoned or confined.
      9. incarcerated i. The attitude of a person or organization toward something; a standpoint.
      10. detainee j. Roughly calculated or judged the value, number, quantity, or extent of.
      11. starvation k. A person held in custody, especially for political reasons.
      12. stance l. An extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury.
      13. atrocity m. Suffering or death caused by hunger.
      14. committed n. Carried out a mistake, crime, or immoral act.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. There is a storm of criticism over photos of Auschwitz on goods.     T / F
  2. There were pillows with images of Auschwitz for sale on a website.     T / F
  3. An Auschwitz museum said the products for sale were disturbing.     T / F
  4. The website is dragging its feet over removing the offensive items.     T / F
  5. Just less than 90 per cent of those sent to Auschwitz were Jews.     T / F
  6. Russian prisoners of war were also sent to Auschwitz.     T / F
  7. The website said it will think more about racism from now.     T / F
  8. The article says a Facebook user called the items disrespectful.     T / F

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

  1. storm
  2. products
  3. disturbing
  4. enormous
  5. responded
  6. estimated
  7. incarcerated
  8. starvation
  9. atrocities
  10. pain
  1. approximated
  2. huge
  3. suffering
  4. worrying
  5. extreme hunger
  6. barrage
  7. horrors
  8. reacted
  9. goods
  10. locked up

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. An online store has come under a
  2. other products that had
  3. the products were disturbing
  4. a place of enormous
  5. taking immediate action to
  6. incarcerated in the
  7. The Nazis murdered 1.1 million
  8. Russian prisoners
  9. gas
  10. a strong stance
  1. concentration camp
  2. human tragedy
  3. against racism
  4. storm of criticism
  5. of the detainees
  6. and disrespectful
  7. chambers
  8. remove the items
  9. of war
  10. photos of Auschwitz

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
pillows
images
quickly
storm
immediate
disturbing
apologized
tragedy

An online store has come under a (1) ____________ of criticism for selling items with images of Auschwitz-Birkenau - the Nazi German concentration camp. The website Redbubble has (2) ____________ for selling skirts, (3) ____________, bags and other products that had photos of Auschwitz printed on them. The Auschwitz Memorial Museum tweeted that the products were "(4) ____________ and disrespectful". It asked: "Do you really think that selling such products as pillows, mini skirts or tote bags with the (5) ____________ of Auschwitz - a place of enormous human (6) ____________ where over 1.1 million people were murdered - is acceptable?" Redbubble (7) ____________ responded and said it was taking "(8) ____________ action to remove" the items.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
stance
detainees
pain
during
committed
chambers
estimated
war

It is (9) ____________ that at least 1.3 million people were sent to and incarcerated in the concentration camp in German-occupied Poland (10) ____________ World War II. Over 90 per cent of these were Jews. The Nazis murdered 1.1 million of the (11) ____________ between 1940-45. Poles, Romani, Russian prisoners of (12) ____________ and others were also killed. Most of the 1.1 million died in the gas (13) ____________. Others died of starvation, hard labor and disease. Redbubble said it, "takes a strong (14) ____________ against racism and violence, including the atrocities (15) ____________ in Nazi concentration camps". A Twitter user wrote: "How very disrespectful to the memories of those murdered by the Nazis and the (16) ____________ of their families."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  An online store has come under a ______
     a.  strum of criticism
     b.  storm of criticism
     c.  stem of criticism
     d.  steam of criticism
2)  The website Redbubble has apologized for selling skirts, pillows, bags ______
     a.  and other product
     b.  and other products
     c.  and another products
     d.  and others products
3)  The Auschwitz Memorial Museum tweeted that the products were disturbing ______
     a.  end disrespectfully
     b.  non disrespect fully
     c.  end this respectful
     d.  and disrespectful
4)  Auschwitz - a place of enormous ______
     a.  human tragic
     b.  humane tragedy
     c.  human trajectory
     d.  human tragedy
5)  Redbubble quickly responded and said it was taking ______
     a.  immediate action
     b.  immediately actions
     c.  immediate actioned
     d.  immediately action

6)  The Nazis murdered 1.1 million ______
     a.  of the detainees
     b.  of them detainees
     c.  of there detainees
     d.  of their detainees
7)  prisoners of war and others were also killed. Most of the 1.1 million died in ______
     a.  the aghast chambers
     b.  the gaseous chambers
     c.  the gas chambers
     d.  the glass chambers
8)  Redbubble said it takes a ______
     a.  strong stands
     b.  strong stance
     c.  strong starts
     d.  strong dance
9)  against racism and violence, including the ______
     a.  atrocities comet tread
     b.  atrocities committee
     c.  atrocities commit it
     d.  atrocities committed
10)  disrespectful to the memories of those murdered by the Nazis and the ______ families
     a.  explain of their
     b.  pained of their
     c.  pain of their
     d.  pane of their

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

An online store has come under a (1) ___________________ for selling items with images of Auschwitz-Birkenau - the Nazi German concentration camp. The website Redbubble (2) ___________________ selling skirts, pillows, bags and other products that had photos of Auschwitz printed on them. The Auschwitz Memorial Museum tweeted that the (3) ___________________ and disrespectful". It asked: "Do you really think that selling such products as pillows, mini skirts or tote bags (4) ___________________ of Auschwitz - a place of enormous human tragedy where over 1.1 million people were (5) ___________________?" Redbubble quickly responded and said it was taking "(6) ___________________ remove" the items.

It is (7) ___________________ least 1.3 million people were sent to and incarcerated in the concentration camp in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Over 90 per cent of these were Jews. The Nazis murdered 1.1 million (8) ___________________ between 1940-45. Poles, Romani, Russian prisoners of war and others were also killed. Most of the 1.1 million died in (9) ___________________. Others died of starvation, hard labor and disease. Redbubble said it, "takes (10) ___________________ against racism and violence, including the (11) ___________________ Nazi concentration camps". A Twitter user wrote: "How very disrespectful to the memories of those murdered by the Nazis and (12) ___________________ their families."

Comprehension questions

  1. What has an online store come under a storm of?
  2. What is the name of the online store?
  3. What did the Auschwitz Memorial Museum call the products?
  4. How many people were murdered at Auschwitz?
  5. What kind of action did the website say it was taking?
  6. How many people were sent to Auschwitz?
  7. What percentage of Auschwitz detainees were Jews?
  8. What kind of work killed many people in Auschwitz?
  9. What kind of stance did the website say it was taking?
  10. What platform did someone use to call the website disrespectful?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What has an online store come under a storm of?
a) orders
b) criticism
c) lightning
d) thunder
2)  What is the name of the online store?
a) Bubblered
b) Bubbled
c) Blubbered
d) Redbubble
3) What did the Auschwitz Memorial Museum call the products?
a) disturbing and disrespectful
b) disturbing and horrific
c) horrific and disrespectful
d) horrific and terrible
4) How many people were murdered at Auschwitz?
a) exactly 1.1 million
b) just over 1.1 million
c) over 1.1 million
d) around 1.1 million
5) What kind of action did the website say it was taking?
a) illegal action
b) immediate action
c) retrospective action
d) no further action

6) How many people were sent to Auschwitz?
a) at least 1.3 million
b) just fewer than 1.3 million
c) exactly 1.3 million
d) around 1.3 million
7) What percentage of Auschwitz detainees were Jews?
a) 70 per cent
b) over 99%
c) over 90 per cent
d) exactly 90 per cent
8) What kind of work killed many people in Auschwitz?
a) hard labor
b) menial work
c) night work
d) skilled work
9) What kind of stance did the website say it was taking?
a) a strong stance
b) a fighting stance
c) a relaxed stance
d) a natural stance
10) What platform did someone use to call the website disrespectful?
a) Instagram
b) Facebook
c) YouTube
d) Twitter

Role play

Role  A – Prayer
You think prayer is the best way to remember tragedy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their ways aren't as effective. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): a memorial day, a minute's silence or a school lesson.

Role  B – A Memorial Day
You think a memorial day is the best way to remember tragedy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their ways aren't as effective. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): prayer, a minute's silence or a school lesson.

Role  C – A Minute's Silence
You think a minute's silence is the best way to remember tragedy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their ways aren't as effective. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): a memorial day, prayer or a school lesson.

Role  D – School Lesson
You think a school lesson is the best way to remember tragedy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their ways aren't as effective. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): a memorial day, a minute's silence or prayer.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'online'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'store'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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 how they were used in the text:

    • least
    • during
    • war
    • labor
    • strong
    • pain
    • storm
    • other
    • disturbing
    • such
    • place
    • action

    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 - Online store slammed for selling Auschwitz skirts

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'Auschwitz'?
    3. How much does the store deserve the storm of criticism?
    4. Why did someone thing bags with Auschwitz images would sell?
    5. What do you know about Auschwitz?
    6. Who would buy the products with the Auschwitz images?
    7. Should there be laws against using Auschwitz images?
    8. What three adjectives best describe this story?
    9. What advice do you have for the website?
    10. Do you think the website has done enough?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'war'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How can the website fully make amends?
    5. How can we take a strong stance against racism and violence?
    6. What things do you take a strong stance against?
    7. Would you like to visit the Auschwitz Memorial Museum?
    8. Should people be prosecuted for selling Auschwitz images?
    9. How can we remember those who died in concentration camps?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the website owner?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    An online store has come under a storm of (1) ____ for selling items with images of Auschwitz-Birkenau - the Nazi German concentration camp. The website Redbubble has (2) ____ for selling skirts, pillows, bags and (3) ____ products that had photos of Auschwitz printed on them. The Auschwitz Memorial Museum tweeted that the products were "disturbing and disrespectful". It asked: "Do you really think that selling (4) ____ products as pillows, mini skirts or tote bags with the images of Auschwitz - a place of enormous human (5) ____ where over 1.1 million people were murdered - is acceptable?" Redbubble quickly (6) ____ and said it was taking "immediate action to remove" the items.

    It is estimated that at least 1.3 million people were sent to and (7) ____ in the concentration camp in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Over 90 per cent of these were Jews. The Nazis murdered 1.1 million of the (8) ____ between 1940-45. Poles, Romani, Russian prisoners (9) ____ war and others were also killed. Most of the 1.1 million died in the gas chambers. Others died of starvation, (10) ____ labor and disease. Redbubble said it, "takes a strong stance against racism and violence, including the atrocities (11) ____ in Nazi concentration camps". A Twitter user wrote: "How (12) ____ disrespectful to the memories of those murdered by the Nazis and the pain of their families."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     criticism     (b)     critic     (c)     critical     (d)     critically    
    2. (a)     apologetic     (b)     apologies     (c)     apologized     (d)     apology    
    3. (a)     another     (b)     others     (c)     other     (d)     the others    
    4. (a)     those     (b)     all     (c)     like     (d)     such    
    5. (a)     tragedy     (b)     trajectory     (c)     tragic     (d)     trigonometry    
    6. (a)     despondent     (b)     responded     (c)     responsive     (d)     desperation    
    7. (a)     incompetents     (b)     incorporated     (c)     inculcated     (d)     incarcerated    
    8. (a)     deters     (b)     detainees     (c)     defines     (d)     disdains    
    9. (a)     off     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     to    
    10. (a)     hardly     (b)     hard     (c)     harden     (d)     hardy    
    11. (a)     remitted     (b)     emitted     (c)     committed     (d)     admitted    
    12. (a)     so     (b)     very     (c)     real     (d)     over

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. come under a storm of iccimrtsi
    2. the Nazi German cetionroatcnn camp
    3. the products were tigbsrdinu
    4. a place of enormous human dgrteay
    5. Redbubble quickly neeropsdd
    6. taking tdmmeaeii action

    Paragraph 2

    1. 1.1 million of the tieeaesnd
    2. Russian oipsnsrre of war
    3. Others died of oratsanitv
    4. takes a strong stance against racism and veinoecl
    5. the cteisaitor committed
    6. cetlerpfsudis to the memories

    Put the text back together

    (...)  committed in Nazi concentration camps". A Twitter user wrote: "How very disrespectful
    (...)  in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Over 90 per cent of these were Jews. The Nazis murdered
    (...)  to the memories of those murdered by the Nazis and the pain of their families."
    (...)  It is estimated that at least 1.3 million people were sent to and incarcerated in the concentration camp
    (...)  killed. Most of the 1.1 million died in the gas chambers. Others died of starvation, hard labor
    (...)  1.1 million of the detainees between 1940-45. Poles, Romani, Russian prisoners of war and others were also
    (  1  )  An online store has come under a storm of criticism for selling items with images of Auschwitz-Birkenau - the Nazi German
    (...)  and disease. Redbubble said it, "takes a strong stance against racism and violence, including the atrocities
    (...)  that selling such products as pillows, mini skirts or tote bags with the images
    (...)  of Auschwitz - a place of enormous human tragedy where over 1.1 million people were murdered -
    (...)  concentration camp. The website Redbubble has apologized for selling skirts, pillows, bags and
    (...)  other products that had photos of Auschwitz printed on them. The Auschwitz Memorial Museum
    (...)  tweeted that the products were "disturbing and disrespectful". It asked: "Do you really think
    (...)  is acceptable?" Redbubble quickly responded and said it was taking "immediate action to remove" the items.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. items   .   storm   for   criticism   of   Under   a   selling
    2. printed   them   .   on   Products   with   of   photos   Auschwitz
    3. were   disturbing   .   museum   products   that   tweeted   The   the
    4. tragedy   .   place   enormous   -   Auschwitz   a   of   human
    5. the   to   items   .   taking   remove   immediate   action   It's
    6. German-occupied  Incarcerated  camp  concentration  the  in  in  Poland.
    7. the   1.1   The   million   of   Nazis   murdered   detainees   .
    8. a   racism   .   stance   takes   Redbubble   against   strong
    9. the   in   camps  .  committed   concentration  Nazi  atrocities  Including
    10. Nazis   .   of   by   The   murdered   the   memories   those

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    An online store has come under a strum / storm of criticism for selling items with images of Auschwitz-Birkenau - the Nazi German concentration camp. The website Redbubble has apologies / apologized for selling skirts, pillows, bags and another / other products that had photos of Auschwitz printed on / in them. The Auschwitz Memorial Museum tweeted that / what the products were "disturbing and disrespectful / disrespectfully". It asked: "Do you really think that selling so / such products as pillows, mini skirts or tote bags with the images of Auschwitz - a place of enormously / enormous human tragedy where over 1.1 million people were murdered - is acceptable?" Redbubble fast / quickly responded and said it was taking / taken "immediate action to remove" the items.

    It is estimation / estimated that at least 1.3 million people were sent to and incarcerated in the concentration camp in / on German-occupied / -occupation Poland during World War II. Over 90 per cent of these were Jews. The Nazis murdered 1.1 million of the detainees / detains between 1940-45. Poles, Romani, Russian prisoners off / of war and others were also killed. Most of the 1.1 million died in the gas chambers. Others died of starvation / starve, hard labor and diseased / disease. Redbubble said it, "takes a strong stance against racism / racist and violence, including the atrocities committed / commission in Nazi concentration camps". A Twitter user wrote: "How very disrespectful to the memories of those murdered by the Nazis and the painful / pain of their families."

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    A n _n l_n_ s t_r_ h_s c_m_ _n d_r _ s t_r m _f c r_t_c_s m f_r s_l l_n g _t_m s w_t h _m_g_s _f A_s c h w_t z - B_r k_n__ - t h_ N_z_ G_r m_n c_n c_n t r_t__ n c_m p . T h_ w_b s_t_ R_d b_b b l_ h_s _p_l_g_z_d f_r s_l l_n g s k_r t s , p_l l_w s , b_g s _n d _t h_r p r_d_c t s t h_t h_d p h_t_s _f A_s c h w_t z p r_n t_d _n t h_m . T h_ A_s c h w_t z M_m_r__ l M_s__ m t w__ t_d t h_t t h_ p r_d_c t s w_r_ " d_s t_r b_n g _n d d_s r_s p_c t f_l " . I t _s k_d : " D_ y__ r__ l l y t h_n k t h_t s_l l_n g s_c h p r_d_c t s _s p_l l_w s , m_n_ s k_r t s _r t_t_ b_g s w_t h t h_ _m_g_s _f A_s c h w_t z - _ p l_c_ _f _n_r m__ s h_m_n t r_g_d y w h_r_ _v_r 1 . 1 m_l l__ n p__ p l_ w_r_ m_r d_r_d - _s _c c_p t_b l_? " R_d b_b b l_ q__ c k l y r_s p_n d_d _n d s__ d _t w_s t_k_n g "_m m_d__ t_ _c t__ n t_ r_m_v_" t h_ _t_m s .

    I t _s _s t_m_t_d t h_t _t l__ s t 1 . 3 m_l l__ n p__ p l_ w_r_ s_n t t_ _n d _n c_r c_r_t_d _n t h_ c_n c_n t r_t__ n c_m p _n G_r m_n -_c c_p__ d P_l_n d d_r_n g W_r l d W_r I I . O v_r 9 0 p_r c_n t _f t h_s_ w_r_ J_w s . T h_ N_z_s m_r d_r_d 1 . 1 m_l l__ n _f t h_ d_t__ n__ s b_t w__ n 1 9 4 0 - 4 5 . P_l_s , R _ m _ n _, R_s s__ n p r_s_n_r s _f w_r _n d _t h_r s w_r_ _l s_ k_l l_d . M_s t _f t h_ 1 . 1 m_l l__ n d__ d _n t h_ g_s c h_m b_r s . O t h_r s d__ d _f s t_r v_t__ n , h_r d l_b_r _n d d_s__ s_. R_d b_b b l_ s__ d _t , " t_k_s _ s t r_n g s t_n c_ _g__ n s t r_c_s m _n d v__ l_n c_, _n c l_d_n g t h_ _t r_c_t__ s c_m m_t t_d _n N_z_ c_n c_n t r_t__ n c_m p s " . A T w_t t_r _s_r w r_t_: " H_w v_r y d_s r_s p_c t f_l t_ t h_ m_m_r__ s _f t h_s_ m_r d_r_d b y t h_ N_z_s _n d t h_ p__ n _f t h__ r f_m_l__ s . "

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    an online store has come under a storm of criticism for selling items with images of auschwitzbirkenau the nazi german concentration camp the website redbubble has apologized for selling skirts pillows bags and other products that had photos of auschwitz printed on them the auschwitz memorial museum tweeted that the products were disturbing and disrespectful it asked do you really think that selling such products as pillows mini skirts or tote bags with the images of auschwitz a place of enormous human tragedy where over 11 million people were murdered is acceptable redbubble quickly responded and said it was taking immediate action to remove the items

    it is estimated that at least 13 million people were sent to and incarcerated in the concentration camp in germanoccupied poland during world war ii over 90 per cent of these were jews the nazis murdered 11 million of the detainees between 194045 poles Romani russian prisoners of war and others were also killed most of the 11 million died in the gas chambers others died of starvation hard labor and disease redbubble said it takes a strong stance against racism and violence including the atrocities committed in nazi concentration camps a twitter user wrote how very disrespectful to the memories of those murdered by the nazis and the pain of their families"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Anonlinestorehascomeunderastormofcriticismforsellingitemswithi
    magesofAuschwitz-Birkenau-theNaziGermanconcentrationcamp.T
    hewebsiteRedbubblehasapologizedforsellingskirts,pillows,bagsand
    otherproductsthathadphotosofAuschwitzprintedonthem.TheAusch
    witzMemorialMuseumtweetedthattheproductswere"disturbingandd
    isrespectful".Itasked:"Doyoureallythinkthatsellingsuchproductsasp
    illows,miniskirtsortotebagswiththeimagesofAuschwitz-aplaceofeno
    rmoushumantragedywhereover1.1millionpeopleweremurdered-isa
    cceptable?"Redbubblequicklyrespondedandsaiditwastaking"immed
    iateactiontoremove"theitems.Itisestimatedthatatleast1.3millionpe
    opleweresenttoandincarceratedintheconcentrationcampinGerman-
    occupiedPolandduringWorldWarII.Over90percentofthesewereJews
    .TheNazismurdered1.1millionofthedetaineesbetween1940-45.Pol
    es,Romani,Russianprisonersofwarandotherswerealsokilled.Mostoft
    he1.1milliondiedinthegaschambers.Othersdiedofstarvation,hardla
    boranddisease.Redbubblesaidit,"takesastrongstanceagainstracism
    andviolence,includingtheatrocitiescommittedinNaziconcentrationca
    mps".ATwitteruserwrote:"Howverydisrespectfultothememoriesofth
    osemurderedbytheNazisandthepainoftheirfamilies."

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    We should ban all products that contain images that are in bad taste. Discuss.

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    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 out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. AUSCHWITZ: Make a poster about Auschwitz. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BAD TASTE: Write a magazine article about banning all bad taste products from stores. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on Auschwitz. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how we can increase awareness of the horrors of the Holocaust. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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