The Reading / Listening - Brownface - Level 2

Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has apologized for photos of him in brownface. This is using make-up to look like a brown-skinned person. It is a racist, offensive and disrespectful act. A photo of Mr Trudeau in brownface was given to Time magazine. It was taken when he was a teacher in 2001 at an end-of-year school gala. Trudeau put on dark brown make-up to dress 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 be re-elected as Canada's leader. His biggest rival told reporters: "Like all Canadians, I was extremely shocked and disappointed when I learned of Justin 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 added that Mr Trudeau was "not fit to govern this country". Another politician said "We see one Mr. Trudeau in public and I'll be honest with you, he seems really nice - very friendly, very warm....But behind closed doors, he seems like he's...different."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Brownface - Level 0 Brownface - Level 1   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. Justin Trudeau has
  2. using make-up to look like a
  3. It is a racist, offensive and
  4. It was taken when
  5. an end-of-year
  6. Trudeau put on dark
  7. dress as a character
  8. I should have
  1. disrespectful act
  2. known better
  3. he was a teacher
  4. brown make-up
  5. apologized
  6. from Aladdin
  7. school gala
  8. brown-skinned person

Paragraph 2

  1. He wants to be re-elected
  2. I was extremely shocked
  3. Wearing brownface is an
  4. It was just as
  5. not fit to govern this
  6. We see one Mr. Trudeau
  7. he seems
  8. behind
  1. really nice
  2. as Canada's leader
  3. country
  4. closed doors
  5. and disappointed
  6. racist in 2001
  7. in public
  8. act of racism

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, (1) ___________________ photos of him in brownface. This is using make-up (2) ___________________ a brown-skinned person. It is a racist, offensive (3) ___________________. A photo of Mr Trudeau in brownface was given to Time magazine. It was (4) ___________________ was a teacher in 2001 at an end-of-year school gala. Trudeau put on dark brown make-up to dress as a character from Aladdin. Mr Trudeau said he was (5) ___________________ photo. He told reporters: "I shouldn't have done it. I should (6) ___________________, but I didn't. And I'm really sorry."

The photo (7) ___________________ for Mr Trudeau. He wants to be re-elected as Canada's leader. His (8) ___________________ reporters: "Like all Canadians, I was extremely shocked and disappointed when (9) ___________________ Justin Trudeau's actions this evening. Wearing brownface is an (10) ___________________. It was just as racist in 2001 as it is in 2019." He added that Mr Trudeau was "not (11) ___________________ this country". Another politician said "We see one Mr. Trudeau in public and I'll be honest with you, he seems really nice - very friendly, very warm....But (12) ___________________, he seems like he's...different."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Canada'sPrimeMinister,JustinTrudeau,hasapologizedforphotosofhi
minbrownface.Thisisusingmake-uptolooklikeabrown-skinnedpers
on.Itisaracist,offensiveanddisrespectfulact.AphotoofMrTrudeauinbr
ownfacewasgiventoTimemagazine.Itwastakenwhenhewasateacher
in2001atanend-of-yearschoolgala.Trudeauputondarkbrownmake-
uptodressasacharacterfromAladdin.MrTrudeausaidhewassorryforth
ephoto.Hetoldreporters:"Ishouldn'thavedoneit.Ishouldhaveknown
better,butIdidn't.AndI'mreallysorry."Thephotocouldmeantroublefo
rMrTrudeau.Hewantstobere-electedasCanada'sleader.Hisbiggestri
valtoldreporters:"LikeallCanadians,Iwasextremelyshockedanddisa
ppointedwhenIlearnedofJustinTrudeau'sactionsthisevening.Wearin
gbrownfaceisanactof...racism.Itwasjustasracistin2001asitisin2019
."HeaddedthatMrTrudeauwas"notfittogovernthiscountry".Anotherp
oliticiansaid"WeseeoneMr.TrudeauinpublicandI'llbehonestwithyou,
heseemsreallynice-veryfriendly,verywarm....Butbehindcloseddoo
rs,heseemslikehe's...different."

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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