The Reading / Listening - Cultural Appropriation - Level 4

Kim Kardashian West angered Japan with her new lingerie brand called 'Kimono Intimates'. People are accusing her of cultural appropriation. They say the lingerie disrespects Japanese culture. The kimono is an iconic symbol in Japan. It is worn on special occasions, like weddings and graduations. A Japanese woman explained to the BBC: "It's...passed on in families through the generations." People say it is Japan's national dress.

There is a backlash against Kardashian on social media. The lingerie has no resemblance to kimonos. Kardashian is trying to trademark kimono-worded brands, like "Kimono Body" and "Kimono World". A Twitter user wrote: "What a disgusting thing to use the word 'kimono'. It's disrespectful to Japanese culture. True cultural appropriation." Another person tweeted: "I feel this name choice is simply ignorant."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Cultural Appropriation - Level 5 or  Cultural Appropriation - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48767678
  • https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3016135/kim-kardashians-kimohno-provokes-social-media-stir-and
  • https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/kim-kardashian-kimono-intl-scli/index.html


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. her new lingerie
  2. accusing her of
  3. The kimono is an iconic
  4. It is worn on special
  5. weddings
  6. It's passed
  7. through the
  8. it is Japan's national
  1. generations
  2. occasions
  3. dress
  4. cultural appropriation
  5. on in families
  6. brand
  7. and graduations
  8. symbol

Paragraph 2

  1. There is a backlash
  2. The lingerie has no resemblance
  3. trademark kimono-worded
  4. on social
  5. a disgusting thing to use
  6. It's disrespectful to Japanese
  7. True cultural
  8. this name choice is simply
  1. culture
  2. media
  3. the word 'kimono'
  4. ignorant
  5. appropriation
  6. against Kardashian
  7. to kimonos
  8. brands

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Kim Kardashian West angered Japan with (1) ___________________ brand called 'Kimono Intimates'. People are (2) ___________________ cultural appropriation. They say the lingerie disrespects Japanese culture. The kimono (3) ___________________ symbol in Japan. It is worn (4) ___________________, like weddings and graduations. A Japanese woman explained to the BBC: "It's... (5) ___________________ families through the generations." People say it is (6) ___________________.

There is (7) ___________________ Kardashian on social media. The lingerie (8) ___________________ to kimonos. Kardashian is (9) ___________________ kimono-worded brands, like "Kimono Body" and "Kimono World". A Twitter user wrote: "What (10) ___________________ to use the word 'kimono'. (11) ___________________ Japanese culture. True cultural appropriation." Another person tweeted: "I feel this name choice (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

KimKardashianWestangeredJapanwithhernewlingeriebrandcalled'K
imonoIntimates'.Peopleareaccusingherofculturalappropriation.The
ysaythelingeriedisrespectsJapaneseculture.Thekimonoisaniconicsy
mbolinJapan.Itiswornonspecialoccasions,likeweddingsandgraduati
ons.AJapanesewomanexplainedtotheBBC:"It's...passedoninfamilie
sthroughthegenerations."PeoplesayitisJapan'snationaldress.Therei
sabacklashagainstKardashianonsocialmedia.Thelingeriehasnorese
mblancetokimonos.Kardashianistryingtotrademarkkimono-worde
dbrands,like"KimonoBody"and"KimonoWorld".ATwitteruserwrote:"
Whatadisgustingthingtousetheword'kimono'.It'sdisrespectfultoJap
aneseculture.Trueculturalappropriation."Anotherpersontweeted:"I
feelthisnamechoiceissimplyignorant."

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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