06/11/2015 The Emotional Robot 1 of 13

(c) Jaime Selwood ENW Episode 219 TECHNOLOGY

ENW 229 Introduction

This week’s English News Weekly podcast reports on the

controversy surrounding the nominees for this year’s

Academy Award Ceremony. The Oscars will be handed out

next month, but for the second year in a row all of the 20

acting nominees are Caucasian. What has been the response

to this all white list of names?

English News Weekly will explain all…

22

EPISODE 229

2016

Boycott Over ‘White’ Oscars?

http://pod.flare.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/cms/enw.php

HOMEPAGE

FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ENW1975

twitter.com/enwpodcast

TWITTER

JANUARY

THE ENGLISH NEWS WEEKLY PODCAST

FLASHBACK – ENW 87: IT’S OSCAR TIME

Contents Pages

Part 1 | Warm Ups

Odd-One-Out Page 1

Brainstorm Page 1

Black Oscar Winners Page 1 / 2

Quiz | This Week Page 2

Part 2 | Before Listening / Reading

Jumbled Words Page 3

True or False Page 3

Vocabulary |Synonyms Page 3

Part 3 | Listening / Reading

The News Story |354 Words Page 4

What Do You Think..? Page 4

Part 4 | After Listening / Reading

Q & A Page 5

A & Q Page 5

Part 5 | Extra Stuff

Extra English I Page 6

7 to Chinwag Page 6

Writing Activity Page 7

And Finally….

Did You Know? Page 7

TV Links Page 8

The Answers Pages 8-10

| A1 This symbol = Listening activity in the podcast.

| A1 ポッドキャストに含まれているリスニング演習。

1 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

[201601-03] | Boycott Over ‘White’ Oscars? | January 22nd

2016

| PART 1 | Warm Ups |

Warm Up | 1 Odd 1 Out

Look at the four words below, which word is different from the other three?

Write your reason in the box underneath. Check your answer later.

a) Flicks b) Movies c) Pictures d) Theatre

My Reason… _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Warm Up | 2 Brainstorm

How many different words can you connect to the word in the box? Can you think of at least 10 words? Why do you think this?

|Hollywood|

Warm Up | 3 Black Oscar Winners

Since the first Academy Award Ceremony in 1921 there have only been a few

Academy Award winners who have not been white / Caucasian.

Match the actor below with their correct name on page 3.

1: 2: 3: C Sidney Poitier 4: 5:

6: 7: 8: 9: 10:

2 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

Black Actors | Academy Award Winners

Read the list of famous black actors and actresses who have won an Academy

Award. A – E is a list of male actors and F – J is a list of female ones.

One answer has been done for you!

A Cuba Gooding jr. F Halle Berry

B Forest Whitaker G Jennifer Hudson

C Denzel Washington H Mo’Nique

D Jamie Foxx I Hattie McDaniel

E Sidney Poitier J Lupita Nyong’o

Warm Up | 4 | A1 Quiz

Read the questions about this week’s news story.

Remember if you don’t know – use the internet to help or GUESS!

1: At the 2016 Academy Awards Ceremony who will be hosting the event?

A: Chris Rock b: Denzel Washington c: Whoopee Goldberg

2: What city will be hosting the 2016 Academy Award Ceremony?

a: New York b: Los Angeles c: San Francisco

3: As of 2016 how many academy award ceremonies have there been?

a: 78 b: 88 c: 98

4: How many non-white actors / actress were nominated for an Oscar in 2016?

a: 0 b: 3 c: 5

5: What year was the first Academy Awards ceremony held?

a: 1929 b: 1931 c: 1933

6: Who was the first non-white actor to win an acting award at the Oscars?

a: Mo’Nique b: Hattie McDaniel c: Sidney Poitier

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

E1: How many categories will the 88th Academy Award Ceremony have in 2016?

a: 12 b: 24 c: 36

E2: What month will the 2016 Academy Awards’ ceremony be held in?

a: January b: February c: March

E3: Chris Rock will be hosting the 2016 Academy Award Ceremony, which is his photo?

a: b: c:

END OF PART 1

3 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

| PART 2 | Before Listening |

Pre-Listening / Reading | 1 Jumbled Sentences

The sentence below is from a paragraph in the news story.

Un-jumble the words and put them into the correct order.

her video decision award page

to this expressing Pinkett- message

Ms her a ceremony year’s

Facebook released boycott on Smith

2 Does Hollywood Have a Diversity Problem?

After the wreck was___ _______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Pre-Listening / Reading | 2 | A2 True or False

Read the headline of News Story ~ Does Hollywood Have a Diversity Problem?

Look at the 5 statements. Guess if you think 1 – 5 are True or False!

1 2016 will be the 87th Academy Awards Ceremony. [T] [F]

2 Spike Lee published a letter on Facebook page criticising the Oscars. [T] [F]

3 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences organise the Oscars. [T] [F]

4 Chris Rock will host the 2016 Academy Award ceremony. [T] [F]

5 There are no black presidents of Hollywood studios. [T] [F]

Pre-Listening / Reading | 3 Synonyms

A synonym is a word with a similar meaning.

Match the 10 words on the left with their synonyms on the right.

All the synonyms in black are from the News Stories.

1 Consecutive 6 Ceremony A Humourist F Reproach

2 Comedian 7 Highlighting B Chief G Prominence

3 Begging 8 Director C Group H Competitor

4 Criticism 9 Organisation D Rite I Recommend

5 Contender 10 Nominate E Pleading J Serial

END OF PART 2

4 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

| PART 3 | Listening |

Listening / Reading | | Listening Does Hollywood Have a Diversity Problem?

Which Word? | Help

Listen / Read the news story below and check your understanding.

Choose the correct answer from the vocabulary box.

A: consecutive C: Begging E: Facebook G: highlighting I: organisation

B: comedian D: criticism F: ceremony H: director J: nominate

229 Does Hollywood Have a Diversity Problem?

1

For the second year in a row the movie industry’s big award 1: ______ – The

Oscars has not selected any black actors or directors as nominees. This decision

by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences the 2: _____ that decides

who wins the golden Oscar statuette each year has received a lot of criticism from

some of the most successful artists.

2

Spike Lee an African-American director who has made many films that have

examined race relations in the United States led the 3: _____ of this year’s

Academy Award nominations. Mr Lee published a letter on his Instagram page

which expressed surprise and anger at the decision to not 4: ______ any non-

white actors at the 88th Academy Awards Ceremony held on February 28th.

3 Mr Lee who received an Honorary Academy Award at the 87th Oscar Ceremony

in 2015 wrote, “How is it possible for the 2nd 5: _____ year all 20 contenders under the

actor category are white? 40 white actors in 2 years. And no flava at all?” Mr Lee

continued by 6: ______ his speech from the 2015 Academy Award Ceremony, “It

is easier for an African-American to be President of the United States than be president of

a Hollywood Studio”.

4 Joining Mr Lee in expressing anger at the all-white nominee list was Jada Pinkett-

Smith an actress and businesswoman. Ms Pinkett-Smith released a video

message on her 7: _____ page expressing her decision to boycott this year’s award

ceremony. Ms Pinkett-Smith said, “8: ______ for acknowledgement, diminishes

dignity and diminishes power, and we are a dignified people and we are powerful.” After

just one day more than 4.5 million people had watched her online video message.

5 This year’s Academy Award ceremony which will be held at the Dolby Theatre

in Los Angeles and the host is African-American 9: ______ and actor Chris Rock.

Mr Rock is only one of five black artists to have hosted the prestigious awards

ceremony. The last black actor to win an acting award was in 2013. Lupita

Nyong’o won Best Supporting Actress for the movie 12 Years as a Slave,

although her black co-star and 10: _____, who were both nominated, did not win.

[354 Words]

END OF PART 3

5 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

| PART 4 | After Listening |

Post-Listening / Reading | 1 | A3 Q & A

How much can you remember from News Story?

Read / Listen to the questions below and choose the correct answer.

If you can’t remember any answers, guess!

Q1 How many actors have been nominated for Oscars?

Q2 Who was the last black actor to win an actin Academy Award?

Q3 How many people watched Ms Pinkett-Smith’s Facebook video?

Q4 What is the name of the venue for this year’s Oscar ceremony?

Q5 What social media companies are mentioned in the news story?

Q6 How many black artists have presented the Oscar Ceremony?

E1 What year was the last black actor nominated for an Oscar?

E2 How many people are mentioned in the news story?

Post-Reading | 2 A & Q

How much can you remember from the news story?

Read the answers below and write the correct question.

There is more than one possible correct question for each one!

A1 Oscar statuette. ______________________________________________?

A2 2013. ______________________________________________?

A3 Spike Lee. ______________________________________________?

A4 A.M.P.A.S. ______________________________________________?

A5 12 Years as a

Slave

______________________________________________?

END OF PART 4

6 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

| PART 5 | Extra Stuff |

English Extra I English Idioms with the word ‘Black’ I

‘The English language has some interesting words and phrases that uses the

word ‘black’.

Examples:

As black as a raven = Something that is totally black or dark.

Clear as black and white = Speak in a way that has a positive effect.

Can you match the ‘phrase’’ with the correct meaning?

Food & Drink Idioms Meanings & Examples 1 As black as a raven A Bruise on a person’s face usually over the eye.

2 Beyond the black stump B Expression of anger, hatred, or utter contempt

3 Black gold C Completely black; or without light or colour.

4 black eye D An indication of censure or failure.

5 A black hole E A list of names for possible future dates.

6 A black look F The worst member of the family.

7 A black mark G Without any room for confusion or ambiguity

8 Black sheep of the family H Something/Someone who is evil or very bad.

9 A black tie event. I Oil / Petroleum.

10 The Blacklist J Extremely remote or uncivilised.

11 A little black book K Alist of the names of banned people;

12 Paint black L A great void or abyss.

13 Clear as black and white M Occasion where a person wears a tuxedo/dress.

7 to Chinwag This Week’s ENW Podcast

ENW Podcast Topic | Does Hollywood Have a Diversity Problem?

Ask / Answer the questions below on this week’s ENW Podcast Topic!

1 What did you think of this week’s podcast topic when you first read it?

2 What is your favourite Hollywood movie? Why?

3 What genre of movie do you dislike the most? Why?

4 What is your opinion about the Oscar nominees?

5 What was the first movie you watched at the cinema? Opinion?

6 What was the most recent movie you watched? Why?

EX FREE QUESTION!

7 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

Writing This Week

What is the most important award you have ever won / want to win?

Give reasons as to why you feel it is the most important.

What do you think about the decision to have only white actors as Oscar nominees?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

END OF PART 5

And Finally | X & Z | A4 Did You Know…?

The End

8 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

Visual | TV Links

ABC News | (USA) 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pX7L3HdFY4 [04:06]

Ziggy Stardust First Appearance.

ABC News | (USA) 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjMaZtZSLIo [02:20] All White Oscar Nominee List

You Tube | (UK)

3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7t4pTNZshA [01:40]

Hattie McDaniel – The first African-American Oscar Winner

Podcast | Key

| A1 These activities are audio and can be listened to on the podcast.

Answers | Part 1 Warm Up 1-4

Warm Up 1 | Odd-1-Out

D – Theatre A / B / C – are all other words than you can use for ‘movies’.

Warm Up 3 | Black Academy Award Winning Actors

1 – J 3 – C 5 – C 7 – F 9 – B

2 – A 4 – I 6 – G 8 – D 10 - H

A1 Warm Up 4 | Quiz

1 – A 2 – A 3 – B 4 – A 5 – A 6 – B

E1 – B E2 – B E3 – B

Answers | Part 1 Warm Up 1-4

Jumbled Sentences

Ms Pinkett-Smith released a video message on her Facebook page expressing her decision to

boycott this year’s award ceremony

A2 True or False

1 – F 2 – F 3 – T 4 – T 5 – T

Synonyms

1 – J 2 – A 3 – E 4 – F 5 – H

6 – D 7 – G 8 – B 9 – C 10 – I

9 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

Answers | Part 3 Listening

229 Does Hollywood Have a Diversity Problem?

1

For the second year in a row the movie industry’s big award ceremony – The Oscars has not

selected any black actors or directors as nominees. This decision by the Academy of Motion

Picture Arts and Sciences the organisation that decides who wins the golden Oscar statuette

each year has received a lot of criticism from some of the most successful artists.

2

Spike Lee an African-American director who has made many films that have examined race

relations in the United States led the criticism of this year’s Academy Award nominations. Mr

Lee published a letter on his Instagram page which expressed surprise and anger at the decision

to not nominate any non-white actors at the 88th Academy Awards Ceremony held on February

28th.

3 Mr Lee who received an Honorary Academy Award at the 87th Oscar Ceremony in 2015 wrote,

“How is it possible for the 2nd consecutive year all 20 contenders under the actor category are white? 40

white actors in 2 years. And no flava at all?” Mr Lee continued by highlighting his speech from the

2015 Academy Award Ceremony, “It is easier for an African-American to be President of the United

States than be president of a Hollywood Studio”.

4 Joining Mr Lee in expressing anger at the all-white nominee list was Jada Pinkett-Smith an

actress and businesswoman. Ms Pinkett-Smith released a video message on her Facebook page

expressing her decision to boycott this year’s award ceremony. Ms Pinkett-Smith said, “Begging

for acknowledgement, diminishes dignity and diminishes power, and we are a dignified people and we are

powerful.” After just one day more than 4.5 million people had watched her online video

message.

5 This year’s Academy Award ceremony which will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles

and the host is African-American comedian and actor Chris Rock. Mr Rock is only one of five

black artists to have hosted the prestigious awards ceremony. The last black actor to win an

acting award was in 2013. Lupita Nyong’o won Best Supporting Actress for the movie 12 Years

as a Slave, although her black co-star and director, who were both nominated, did not win.

[354 Words]

Answers | Part 4 Post-Listening / Reading

A3 Q & A

1 – 20 5 – Instagram & Facebook

2 – Lupita Nyong’o 6 – 5

3 – 4.5m E1 – 2013

4 – Dolby Theatre E2 – 4

A & Q | Example Questions

A1 – What do Academy Award winners win?

A2 – What year did Lupita Nyong’o win an Academy Award?

A3 – Which African-American director has written an open letter?

A4 – What is the abbreviation for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science?

A5 – What was the name of the movie that Lupita Nyong’o starred in 2013?

10 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

English Extra

1 – C 4 – A 7 – D 10 – K 13 - G

2 – J 5 – L 8 – F 11 – E

3 – I 6 – C 9 – M 12 - H

And Finally X & Z

A4 – X: However / Z: won

Extra Bit

This Week’s ENW Images

11 | The English News Weekly Podcast | © Jaime Selwood 2016

©2011 - 2016 | Ep. 229| Boycott over ‘White’ Oscars? Entertainment

Episode 229

MAIN PHOTO:

http://binhtrung.org/a10830/david-bowie-sao-troi-ruc-sang-khong-bao-gio-ngu

LINKS:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/88th_Academy_Awards

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/awards/calls-for-oscars-boycott-over-white-

nominations/ar-BBonWls?li=AA5a2k&ocid=mailsignoutmd

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/read-spike-lees-open-letter-promising-to-

boycott-the-oscars-we-cant-act-wtf-20160118

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Lee

http://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/movies/oscarssowhite-spike-lee-says-he-will-boycott-

academy-awards-n498991

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jada_Pinkett_Smith

http://www.ranker.com/list/all-oscar-hosts/oscar-grouch

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/black