The Reading / Listening - Brownface - Level 0

Canada's Justin Trudeau apologized for photos of him in brownface. He looked like a brown-skinned person. This is racist. One photo was taken when he was a teacher in 2001. He dressed as a character from Aladdin. Mr Trudeau said: "I shouldn't have done it. I should have known better, but I didn't. And I'm really sorry."

The photo is bad news for Mr Trudeau. He wants to stay as Canada's leader. His rival said all Canadians were shocked by the photo. He said: "Brownface was...just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019." He said Trudeau was "not fit" to be Canada's leader. Another politician said Trudeau was a different person "behind closed doors".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Brownface - Level 1,  Brownface - Level 2   or  Brownface - Level 3

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/18/americas/justin-trudeau-brownface-photo-canada/index.html
  • https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-2
  • https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/trudeaus-brownface-mistake-could-cost-him-in-b-c-swing-ridings-expert-says


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. Trudeau apologized
  2. He looked like a brown-
  3. This is
  4. One photo was
  5. when he was a teacher
  6. He dressed as a character
  7. I shouldn't
  8. I should have
  1. have done it
  2. racist
  3. known better
  4. skinned person
  5. taken
  6. for photos
  7. from Aladdin
  8. in 2001

Paragraph 2

  1. The photo is bad
  2. stay as Canada's
  3. all Canadians were
  4. Brownface is just
  5. He said Trudeau
  6. Another
  7. Trudeau was a different
  8. behind closed
  1. shocked
  2. politician
  3. doors
  4. was not fit
  5. person
  6. leader
  7. as racist in 2001
  8. news for Mr Trudeau

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Canada's Justin Trudeau (1) ___________________ of him in brownface. He (2) ___________________ brown-skinned person. (3) ___________________. One photo was taken (4) ___________________ a teacher in 2001. He dressed as a character from Aladdin. Mr Trudeau said: "I shouldn't (5) ___________________ I should have known better, but I didn't. And (6) ___________________."

The photo is (7) ___________________ Mr Trudeau. He wants to stay as Canada's leader. His (8) ___________________ Canadians were (9) ___________________ photo. He said: "Brownface is... (10) ___________________ in 2001 as it was in 2019." He said Trudeau was (11) ___________________ be Canada's leader. Another politician said Trudeau was a different person "(12) ___________________".

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Canada'sJustinTrudeauapologizedforphotosofhiminbrownface.Helo
okedlikeabrown-skinnedperson.Thisisracist.Onephotowastakenw
henhewasateacherin2001.HedressedasacharacterfromAladdin.MrT
rudeausaid:"Ishouldn'thavedoneit.Ishouldhaveknownbetter,butIdi
dn't.AndI'mreallysorry."ThephotoisbadnewsforMrTrudeau.Hewants
tostayasCanada'sleader.HisrivalsaidallCanadianswereshockedbyth
ephoto.Hesaid:"Brownfaceis...justasracistin2001asitwasin2019."H
esaidTrudeauwas"notfit"tobeCanada'sleader.Anotherpoliticiansaid
Trudeauwasadifferentperson"behindcloseddoors".

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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