The Reading / Listening - Brownface - Level 1

Canada's leader Justin Trudeau apologized for photos of him in brownface. He wore make-up to look like a brown-skinned person. This is racist. There is a photo of Mr Trudeau in brownface taken when he was a teacher in 2001 at an end-of-year school gala. He dressed as a character from Aladdin. Mr Trudeau said he was sorry for the photo. He told reporters: "I shouldn't have done it. I should have known better, but I didn't. And I'm really sorry."

The photo could mean trouble for Mr Trudeau. He wants to stay as Canada's leader. His rival said: "Like all Canadians, I was extremely shocked and disappointed when I learned of...Trudeau's actions this evening. Wearing brownface is an act of...racism. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019." He said Trudeau was "not fit to govern this country". Another politician said in public Trudeau was very friendly, but "behind closed doors" he was a different person.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Brownface - Level 0 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. to look like a brown-
  2. This is
  3. taken when he
  4. at an end-of-year
  5. dressed as a character
  6. Trudeau said
  7. I shouldn't
  8. I should have
  1. from Aladdin
  2. have done it
  3. racist
  4. known better
  5. was a teacher
  6. school gala
  7. skinned person
  8. he was sorry

Paragraph 2

  1. The photo could mean trouble
  2. He wants to stay
  3. I was extremely shocked
  4. Wearing brownface is
  5. It was just as racist
  6. not fit to govern
  7. in public Trudeau
  8. behind closed
  1. was very friendly
  2. for Mr Trudeau
  3. in 2001
  4. doors
  5. and disappointed
  6. an act of racism
  7. as Canada's leader
  8. this country

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Canada's leader Justin Trudeau apologized (1) ___________________ him in brownface. He wore make-up to look like a brown-skinned person. (2) ___________________. There is a photo of Mr Trudeau in brownface (3) ___________________ was a teacher in 2001 at an end-of-year school gala. He dressed (4) ___________________ from Aladdin. Mr Trudeau said he was (5) ___________________ photo. He told reporters: "I shouldn't have done it. I should have known better, but I didn't. And (6) ___________________."

The photo could (7) ___________________ Mr Trudeau. He wants to stay as Canada's leader. (8) ___________________: "Like all Canadians, I was (9) ___________________ disappointed when I learned of...Trudeau's actions this evening. Wearing brownface is an (10) ___________________. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019." He said Trudeau was "not (11) ___________________ this country". Another politician said in public Trudeau was very friendly, but "(12) ___________________" he was a different person.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Canada'sleaderJustinTrudeauapologizedforphotosofhiminbrownfac
e.Heworemake-uptolooklikeabrown-skinnedperson.Thisisracist.Th
ereisaphotoofMrTrudeauinbrownfacetakenwhenhewasateacherin2
001atanend-of-yearschoolgala.HedressedasacharacterfromAlad
din.MrTrudeausaidhewassorryforthephoto.Hetoldreporters:"Ishoul
dn'thavedoneit.Ishouldhaveknownbetter,butIdidn't.AndI'mreallyso
rry."ThephotocouldmeantroubleforMrTrudeau.HewantstostayasCa
nada'sleader.Hisrivalsaid:"LikeallCanadians,Iwasextremelyshocke
danddisappointedwhenIlearnedof...Trudeau'sactionsthisevening.W
earingbrownfaceisanactof...racism.Itwasjustasracistin2001asitisin
2019."HesaidTrudeauwas"notfittogovernthiscountry".Anotherpoliti
ciansaidinpublicTrudeauwasveryfriendly,but"behindcloseddoors"he
wasadifferentperson.

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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