Breaking News English Lesson: Tom Cruise

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Actor Tom Cruise finally gets an Oscar (20th November 2025)

The Reading / Listening - Tom Cruise - Level 3

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has finally won an Oscar. The 63-year-old actor was given a special award on Saturday. Mr Cruise was nominated for an Oscar four times at the Academy Awards, but he never won. Academy president Janet Yang explained why Cruise got his Oscar. She said he is one of the most famous and biggest money-earning actors of all time. She added that Cruise's "incredible commitment to filmmaking, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all". Cruise is famous for doing all of his own stunts. Many of them are very dangerous. Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke predicted Cruise would get four more Oscars in the next 20 years.

Tom Cruise was very happy to get an Oscar. In his acceptance speech, he said he felt very lucky to be a part of movies and cinema. He said: "Making films is not what I do, it is who I am." He added: "My love for cinema began at a very early age — as early as I can remember. I was just a little kid in a darkened theatre, and I remember that beam of light just cut across the room… Suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I knew." He said: "Cinema takes me around the world. No matter where we come from, in the [movie] theatre, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together. And that is the power of this art form." Cruise is most famous for the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun films.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Tom Cruise - Level 0, Tom Cruise - Level 1 or Tom Cruise - Level 2

Sources

https://variety.com/2025/awards/news/tom-cruise-honorary-oscar-speech-1236583348/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/11/17/tom-cruise-first-oscar-governors-awards/87280229007/
https://people.com/tom-cruise-honorary-oscar-at-2025-governors-awards-11850067

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. TOP ACTORS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about top actors. 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?
Hollywood / superstar / actor / award / president / famous / commitment / stunts /
happy / speech / cinema / films / a very early age / beam of light / power / art form
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. HOLLYWOOD: Students A strongly believe Hollywood movies are the best; Students B strongly believe they aren't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. AWARDS: Who should get an award for these things? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Who?	Why?
Movies
Music
Technology
Business
Influencing
Sport

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. SUPERSTAR: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "superstar". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. MOVIE GENRES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best movie genres at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Action
Horror
Comedy
Romance
Historical drama
Documentary
Fantasy anime
Mystery

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	superstar	a.	Very good or very surprising.
2.	award (noun)	b.	A strong promise to do something.
3.	nominated	c.	A very, very famous person.
4.	incredible	d.	Said what you think will happen in the future.
5.	commitment	e.	A special thing you get for doing something good.
6.	stunts	f.	Chosen as a possible winner.
7.	predicted	g.	Dangerous actions in movies.

Paragraph 2

8.	acceptance	h.	A thing people create, like a movie, music, painting, ballet, theatre, etc.
9.	darkened	i.	Saying “yes” to something or receiving something.
10.	beam (noun)	j.	Turned down the lights.
11.	no matter	k.	Have an emotion.
12.	feel (verb)	l.	It does not change the result.
13.	hope (verb)	m.	A line of light.
14.	art form	n.	Want something good to happen.

Before reading / listening

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

Tom Cruise won his second Oscar on Saturday night. T / F
The Academy president said Cruise was the most famous actor ever. T / F
The president said people were inspired by Cruise's commitment. T / F
An actor said Cruise would win four Oscars in the next 20 years. T / F
Cruise said he was fortunate to be a part of the movie world. T / F
Cruise didn't start to like movies until he was a teenager. T / F
Cruise said making Top Gun made him travel around the world. T / F
Cruise said the power of movies makes people hope together. T / F

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

award
nominated
of all time
inspired
predicted
speech
lucky
love
kid
hope

energized
guessed
dream
ever
fortunate
prize
passion
talk
recommended
child

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

Cruise was nominated
the most famous and biggest money-
Cruise's incredible commitment
Cruise is famous for doing all of his
Ethan Hawke predicted Cruise would
acceptance
as early as
beam
No matter
the power of this art

of light
get four more Oscars
I can remember
to filmmaking
speech
for an Oscar four times
where we come from
earning actors
form
own stunts

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

inspired
nominated
time
next
finally
dangerous
filmmaking
explained

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has (1) ______________________________________________ won an Oscar. The 63-year-old actor was given a special award on Saturday. Mr Cruise was (2) ______________________________________________ for an Oscar four times at the Academy Awards, but he never won. Academy president Janet Yang (3) ______________________________________________ why Cruise got his Oscar. She said he is one of the most famous and biggest money-earning actors of all (4) ______________________________________________. She added that Cruise's "incredible commitment to (5) ______________________________________________, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has (6) ______________________________________________ us all". Cruise is famous for doing all of his own stunts. Many of them are very (7) ______________________________________________. Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke predicted Cruise would get four more Oscars in the (8) ______________________________________________ 20 years.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

part
power
light
speech
hope
kid
love
world

Tom Cruise was very happy to get an Oscar. In his acceptance (9) ______________________________________________, he said he felt very lucky to be a (10) ______________________________________________ of movies and cinema. He said: "Making films is not what I do, it is who I am." He added: "My (11) ______________________________________________ for cinema began at a very early age — as early as I can remember. I was just a little (12) ______________________________________________ in a darkened theatre, and I remember that beam of (13) ______________________________________________ just cut across the room... Suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I knew." He said: "Cinema takes me around the (14) ______________________________________________. No matter where we come from, in the [movie] theatre, we laugh together, we feel together, we (15) ______________________________________________ together. And that is the (16) ______________________________________________ of this art form." Cruise is most famous for the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun films.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has finally ______
     a. win an Oscar
     b. wins an Oscar
     c. won an Oscar
     d. one an Oscar
2) The 63-year-old actor was given a special ______
     a. awards on Saturday
     b. award on Saturday
     c. awarded on Saturday
     d. a ward on Saturday
3) Academy president Janet Yang explained why Cruise ______
     a. gotten his Oscar
     b. got his Oscar
     c. forgot his Oscar
     d. get his Oscar
4) She said he is one of the most famous and biggest money-earning actors ______
     a. of all time
     b. of whole time
     c. of fall time
     d. offal time
5) Cruise is famous for doing all of ______
     a. his sown stunts
     b. his sewn stunts
     c. his zone stunts
     d. his own stunts

6) In his acceptance speech, he said he ______
     a. felt very lucked
     b. felt very luck
     c. felt very luckily
     d. felt very lucky
7) My love for cinema began at a ______
     a. very early age
     b. very early old
     c. very early young
     d. very early guage
8) I remember that beam of light just cut ______
     a. across the broom
     b. a cross the room
     c. lacrosse the room
     d. across the room
9) in the movie theatre, we laugh together, we feel together, ______
     a. we hopes together
     b. we hoping together
     c. we hope together
     d. we hopeful together
10) And that is the power of ______
     a. these art form
     b. this art form
     c. this art formed
     d. this art firm

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has (1) __________________________________________________ Oscar. The 63-year-old actor was given (2) __________________________________________________ on Saturday. Mr Cruise (3) __________________________________________________ an Oscar four times at the Academy Awards, but he never won. Academy president Janet Yang explained why Cruise got his Oscar. She said he is one of the most (4) __________________________________________________ money-earning actors of all time. She added that Cruise's "incredible commitment to filmmaking, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has (5) __________________________________________________". Cruise is famous for doing all of his own stunts. Many of them are very dangerous. Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke predicted Cruise would (6) __________________________________________________ Oscars in the next 20 years.

Tom Cruise was very happy to get an Oscar. In (7) __________________________________________________, he said he felt very lucky to be a part of movies and cinema. He said: "Making films is not what I do, it is who I am." He added: "My love for cinema began at a (8) __________________________________________________ — as early as I can remember. I was just a little kid in a darkened theatre, and I remember that (9) __________________________________________________ just cut across the room... Suddenly, the world was (10) __________________________________________________ than the one that I knew." He said: "Cinema takes me around the world. No matter where we come from, in the [movie] theatre, (11) __________________________________________________, we feel together, we hope together. And that is the power of (12) __________________________________________________." Cruise is most famous for the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun films.

Comprehension questions

How old is Tom Cruise?
How many times had Cruise been nominated for an Oscar?
What community does Cruise have an "incredible commitment" to?
What is Tom Cruise famous for doing?
What did another actor predict Cruise would do in the next 20 years?
How does Cruise think about being a part of movies and cinema?
When did Cruise first start to love cinema?
What did Cruise see in a theatre he sat in as a child?
Where does cinema take Cruise?
What three things did Cruise say people do together in a movie theatre?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How old is Tom Cruise?
a) 66
b) 65
c) 64
d) 63
2) How many times had Cruise been nominated for an Oscar?
a) 3
b) 4
c) 5
d) 6
3) What community does Cruise have an "incredible commitment" to?
a) the camera community
b) the acting community
c) the graphics community
d) the stunts community
4) What is Tom Cruise famous for doing?
a) playing difficult roles
b) directing and producing
c) his own stunts
d) different accents
5) What did another actor predict Cruise would do in the next 20 years?
a) become a fighter pilot
b) quit acting
c) become US President
d) win four Oscars

6) How does Cruise think about being a part of movies and cinema?
a) amazed
b) ok
c) lucky
d) good
7) When did Cruise first start to love cinema?
a) at a very early age
b) as a teenager
c) when he was 10
d) after he saw the Wizard of Oz
8) What did Cruise see in a theatre he sat in as a child?
a) his hero
b) a famous actress
c) a beam of light
d) an old movie camera
9) Where does cinema take Cruise?
a) to highs and lows
b) around the world
c) to another world
d)
10) What three things did Cruise say people do together in a movie theatre?
a) laugh, feel, and hope
b) eat, drink, and chat
c) buy a ticket, buy popcorn, and sleep
d) dream, cry, and wonder

Role play

Role A – Action
You think action is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): horror, romance or comedy.

Role B – Horror
You think horror is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): action, romance or comedy.

Role C – Romance
You think romance is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): horror, action or comedy.

Role D – Comedy
You think comedy is the best movie genre. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their genres. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): horror, romance or action.

After reading / listening

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

'actor'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'award'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

superstar

given

money

incredible

own

predicted

happy

films

age

beam

matter

power

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 - Tom Cruise

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'actor'?
What do you know about Tom Cruise?
Who are your favourite superstars?
Are Hollywood movies the best in the world?
Have you ever won an award?
Do you think you would be a good actor?
What do you think of going to the cinema?
Who are your favourite movie stars?
What's your favourite movie, and why?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'award'?
What do you think about what you read?
What Tom Cruise movies do you like?
Are you good at making speeches?
What would you like an award for?
How important are movies to you?
Which are better, movies or series on streaming channels?
What do you remember about your first trip to the cinema?
What questions would you like to ask Tom Cruise?

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)

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has (1) ____ won an Oscar. The 63-year-old actor was given a special award on Saturday. Mr Cruise was nominated (2) ____ an Oscar four times at the Academy Awards, but he never won. Academy president Janet Yang explained (3) ____ Cruise got his Oscar. She said he is one of the most famous and biggest money-(4) ____ actors of all time. She added that Cruise's "incredible commitment to filmmaking, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired (5) ____ all". Cruise is famous for doing all of his own stunts. Many of them are very dangerous. Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke (6) ____ Cruise would get four more Oscars in the next 20 years.

Tom Cruise was very happy to get an Oscar. In his (7) ____ speech, he said he felt very lucky to be a part of movies and cinema. He said: "Making films is (8) ____ what I do, it is who I am." He added: "My love for cinema began at a very early age — as early as I can remember. I was (9) ____ a little kid in a darkened theatre, and I remember that beam of light just cut across the room... Suddenly, the world was so much larger than the one that I (10) ____." He said: "Cinema takes me around the world. No matter where we come from, in the [movie] theatre, we laugh together, we (11) ____ together, we hope together. And that is the power of this art form." Cruise is (12) ____ famous for the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun films.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) finalist (b) finally (c) final (d) finalize
(a) at (b) for (c) by (d) as
(a) who (b) which (c) what (d) why
(a) earner (b) earning (c) earn (d) yearning
(a) they (b) us (c) we (d) their
(a) prediction (b) predicting (c) predicted (d) predict
(a) accept (b) acceptable (c) acceptance (d) accepts
(a) non (b) nor (c) not (d) no
(a) justice (b) adjust (c) justly (d) just
(a) knew (b) acted (c) was (d) largest
(a) feel (b) feeling (c) feels (d) feeler
(a) must (b) many (c) most (d) much

Spelling

Paragraph 1

given a special adawr
money-ginenra actors
Cruise's ibcdileren commitment
the theatrical ixeerpnece
doing all of his own usnstt
Hawke drpeicdet Cruise would get four more

Paragraph 2

In his peecaacntc speech
My love for anmice
a little kid in a rdnkdeae theatre
maeb of light
we glauh together
inmsois impossible

Put the text back together

(    )   award on Saturday. Mr Cruise was nominated for an Oscar four times at the Academy Awards, but he never
(    )   Ethan Hawke predicted Cruise would get four more Oscars in the next 20 years.
(    )   famous and biggest money-earning actors of all time. She added that Cruise's "incredible commitment
(    )   for cinema began at a very early age — as early as I can remember. I was just a little
(    )   for doing all of his own stunts. Many of them are very dangerous. Hollywood actor
(    )   form." Cruise is most famous for the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun films.
(    )   from, in the [movie] theatre, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together. And that is the power of this art
( 1 )   Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has finally won an Oscar. The 63-year-old actor was given a special
(    )   kid in a darkened theatre, and I remember that beam of light just cut across the room... Suddenly, the world was so much
(    )   larger than the one that I knew." He said: "Cinema takes me around the world. No matter where we come
(    )   lucky to be a part of movies and cinema. He said: "Making films is not what I do, it is who I am." He added: "My love
(    )   to filmmaking, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all". Cruise is famous
(    )   Tom Cruise was very happy to get an Oscar. In his acceptance speech, he said he felt very
(    )   won. Academy president Janet Yang explained why Cruise got his Oscar. She said he is one of the most

Put the words in the right order

superstar Hollywood Tom Cruise finally has an won Oscar .
The actor 63-year-old given was special a award .
most The and famous money-earning biggest actors .
famous He's doing for of all stunts his .
Get more four in Oscars next the 20 years .
Cruise very was to happy an get Oscar .
to Lucky a be of part movies .
larger Much the than that one knew I .
He cinema said him takes the around world .
is That power the this of form art .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has finally / finalist won an Oscar. The 63-year-old actor was given a especially / special award on Saturday. Mr Cruise was nominated at / for an Oscar four times at the Academy Awards, but he never won / winning. Academy president Janet Yang explained why Cruise got his Oscar. She said he is one / once of the most famous and biggest money-earning actors of whole / all time. She added that Cruise's "incredible commitment / commit to filmmaking, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all / every". Cruise is famous for doing all of his own stunts. Many of them / that are very dangerous. Hollywood actor Ethan Hawke predicted Cruise would get four more Oscars in the next / past 20 years.

Tom Cruise was very happy / happily to get an Oscar. In his accept / acceptance speech, he said he felt very lucky to be a part of movies and cinema. He said: "Making films is not what I done / do, it is who I am." He added: "My love for cinema began at / to a very early age — as early / fast as I can remember. I was just a little kid in a darkened theatre, and I remember that beam of light just / adjust cut across the room... Suddenly, the world was so much largest / larger than the one that I knew." He said: "Cinema takes me around the world. No matter / stuff where we come from, in the [movie] theatre, we laugh together, we feel / feeling together, we hope together. And that is the power of this art form." Cruise is must / most famous for the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun films.

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

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

H_llyw__d s_p_rst_r T_m Cr__s_ h_s f_n_lly w_n _n _sc_r. Th_ 63-y__r-_ld _ct_r w_s g_v_n _ sp_c__l _w_rd _n S_t_rd_y. Mr Cr__s_ w_s n_m_n_t_d f_r _n _sc_r f__r t_m_s _t th_ _c_d_my _w_rds, b_t h_ n_v_r w_n. _c_d_my pr_s_d_nt J_n_t Y_ng _xpl__n_d why Cr__s_ g_t h_s _sc_r. Sh_ s__d h_ _s _n_ _f th_ m_st f_m__s _nd b_gg_st m_n_y-__rn_ng _ct_rs _f _ll t_m_. Sh_ _dd_d th_t Cr__s_'s "_ncr_d_bl_ c_mm_tm_nt t_ f_lmm_k_ng, t_ th_ th__tr_c_l _xp_r__nc_, _nd t_ th_ st_nts c_mm_n_ty h_s _nsp_r_d _s _ll". Cr__s_ _s f_m__s f_r d__ng _ll _f h_s _wn st_nts. M_ny _f th_m _r_ v_ry d_ng_r__s. H_llyw__d _ct_r _th_n H_wk_ pr_d_ct_d Cr__s_ w__ld g_t f__r m_r_ _sc_rs _n th_ n_xt 20 y__rs.

T_m Cr__s_ w_s v_ry h_ppy t_ g_t _n _sc_r. _n h_s _cc_pt_nc_ sp__ch, h_ s__d h_ f_lt v_ry l_cky t_ b_ _ p_rt _f m_v__s _nd c_n_m_. H_ s__d: "M_k_ng f_lms _s n_t wh_t _ d_, _t _s wh_ _ _m." H_ _dd_d: "My l_v_ f_r c_n_m_ b_g_n _t _ v_ry __rly _g_ — _s __rly _s _ c_n r_m_mb_r. _ w_s j_st _ l_ttl_ k_d _n _ d_rk_n_d th__tr_, _nd _ r_m_mb_r th_t b__m _f l_ght j_st c_t _cr_ss th_ r__m... S_dd_nly, th_ w_rld w_s s_ m_ch l_rg_r th_n th_ _n_ th_t _ kn_w." H_ s__d: "C_n_m_ t_k_s m_ _r__nd th_ w_rld. N_ m_tt_r wh_r_ w_ c_m_ fr_m, _n th_ [m_v__] th__tr_, w_ l__gh t_g_th_r, w_ f__l t_g_th_r, w_ h_p_ t_g_th_r. _nd th_t _s th_ p_w_r _f th_s _rt f_rm." Cr__s_ _s m_st f_m__s f_r th_ M_ss__n: _mp_ss_bl_ _nd T_p G_n f_lms.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

hollywood superstar tom cruise has finally won an oscar the 63yearold actor was given a special award on saturday mr cruise was nominated for an oscar four times at the academy awards but he never won academy president janet yang explained why cruise got his oscar she said he is one of the most famous and biggest moneyearning actors of all time she added that cruises incredible commitment to filmmaking to the theatrical experience and to the stunts community has inspired us all cruise is famous for doing all of his own stunts many of them are very dangerous hollywood actor ethan hawke predicted cruise would get four more oscars in the next 20 years

tom cruise was very happy to get an oscar in his acceptance speech he said he felt very lucky to be a part of movies and cinema he said making films is not what i do it is who i am he added my love for cinema began at a very early age as early as i can remember i was just a little kid in a darkened theatre and i remember that beam of light just cut across the room suddenly the world was so much larger than the one that i knew he said cinema takes me around the world no matter where we come from in the movie theatre we laugh together we feel together we hope together and that is the power of this art form cruise is most famous for the mission impossible and top gun films

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

HollywoodsuperstarTomCruisehasfinallywonanOscar.The63-year-
oldactorwasgivenaspecialawardonSaturday.MrCruisewasnominate
dforanOscarfourtimesattheAcademyAwards,butheneverwon.Acade
mypresidentJanetYangexplainedwhyCruisegothisOscar.Shesaidhei
soneofthemostfamousandbiggestmoney-earningactorsofalltime.Sh
eaddedthatCruise's"incrediblecommitmenttofilmmaking,tothethea
tricalexperience,andtothestuntscommunityhasinspiredusall".Cruis
eisfamousfordoingallofhisownstunts.Manyofthemareverydangerou
s.HollywoodactorEthanHawkepredictedCruisewouldgetfourmoreOs
carsinthenext20years.TomCruisewasveryhappytogetanOscar.Inhis
acceptancespeech,hesaidhefeltveryluckytobeapartofmoviesandcin
ema.Hesaid:"MakingfilmsisnotwhatIdo,itiswhoIam."Headded:"Myl
oveforcinemabeganataveryearlyage—asearlyasIcanremember.Iwa
sjustalittlekidinadarkenedtheatre,andIrememberthatbeamoflightju
stcutacrosstheroom...Suddenly,theworldwassomuchlargerthanthe
onethatIknew."Hesaid:"Cinematakesmearoundtheworld.Nomatter
wherewecomefrom,inthe[movie]theatre,welaughtogether,wefeelto
gether,wehopetogether.Andthatisthepowerofthisartform."Cruiseis
mostfamousfortheMission:ImpossibleandTopGunfilms.

Free writing

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

A.I. actors will be better than human actors one day. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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. TOP ACTORS: Make a poster about top actors. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. A.I.: Write a magazine article about A.I. replacing human actors. 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 actors. Ask him/her three questions about acting. Give him/her three of your opinions on the idea of A.I. actors replacing human actors. 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

$US 9.99

Answers

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

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