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My 1,000
Ideas
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Date: May 21, 2005

Level: Easier (Try the harder lesson.)

Downloads: Word Doc | PDF Doc | Listening

Audio: (2:10 - 254.4 KB - 16kbps)

To download the listening, right-click or option-click the link.

THE ARTICLE

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is going to sue a British newspaper that published photographs of him wearing his underpants. Saddam’s lawyer says the photos are illegal under international law. He said: “We will sue the newspaper and everyone who helped in showing these pictures.” The reason is because the Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war from “public curiosity”. The Sun newspaper replied by saying it would fight any legal action. The U.S. military is also furious over the photographs. It has promised to find the source of the pictures and has already started an investigation into this new photo scandal.

The Sun’s sister newspaper, the New York Post, also splashed the half-naked Saddam photos across its pages. Its story said: “the pictures capture a Saddam Hussein far removed from the man who once owned 100 palaces.” The Sun claims it got the photographs from a soldier who wanted to “deal a body blow to terrorists in Iraq.” A Sun spokesman said the pictures are important because they show “a sort of modern-day Adolf Hitler.” He said the images will still be famous at the end of this century. However, there are fears they will increase anti-American feeling in the Muslim world. Many Arabs will think the photos are another attack on their culture.

WARM-UPS

1. GUESS THE STORY: In pairs / groups, look at the newspaper headline. Guess what the story is about. Develop the story, try to add characters to it. Tell your story to another partner / group. Decide whose story is best.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics are most interesting and which are most boring.

Iraq / Saddam Hussein / tabloid newspapers / underpants / Geneva Convention / Iraq photo scandals / palaces / terrorists in Iraq / Adolf Hitler / Muslim world / Arab culture

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. SADDAM HUSSEIN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with Saddam Hussein. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

4. TWO–MINUTE PHOTO DEBATES: Face another student and engage in these fun 2-minute debates. Your teacher will time you and tell you to change partners.

  1. The photos should be published. vs. No. It’s wrong.
  2. The photos are against the Geneva Convention. vs. No problem.
  3. No one wants to see Saddam in his underwear. vs. I do.
  4. Tabloid newspapers only print scandals. vs. They print what the public wants to read.
  5. These photos will lead to more killing in Iraq. vs. That won’t happen.
  6. The newspaper should give Saddam compensation. vs. No way!
  7. The photo does not respect Arab culture. vs. No. The photo is quite normal.
  8. The photo will become famous forever. vs. The photo is too boring to become famous.

 
 

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.

Saddam Hussein is angry about his face being printed on underwear.

T / F

b.

Saddam is angry about newspaper photos of him and his underwear.

T / F

c.

A newspaper will fight Saddam and his lawyer.

T / F

d.

The U.S. military is angry over the publication of the photos.

T / F

e.

Saddam has been moved to one of his 100 palaces.

T / F

f.

The newspaper’s sports photographers took the photos.

T / F

g.

Adolf Hitler was also photographed in his underpants.

T / F

h.

Many Arabs will be angry about the photos.

T / F

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

a.

former

printed

b.

sue

semi

c.

published

interest

d.

prisoners of war

slap in the face

e.

curiosity

insult

f.

sister

ex

g.

capture

claim damages from

h.

half

POWs

i.

body blow

show

j.

attack

related

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.

published

curiosity

b.

illegal under

on their culture

c.

the Geneva

action

d.

public

international law

e.

legal

this century

f.

sister

blow

g.

half

photographs

h.

a body

newspaper

i.

at the end of

Convention

j.

another attack

naked

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the spaces in the text.

Saddam to sue over underwear photos

Former Iraqi ________ Saddam Hussein is going to sue a British newspaper that ________ photographs of him wearing his underpants. Saddam’s lawyer says the photos are ________ under international law. He said: “We will sue the newspaper and everyone who helped in showing these pictures.” The ________ is because the Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war from “public ________”. The Sun newspaper replied by saying it would fight any ________ action. The U.S. military is also ________ over the photographs. It has promised to find the ________ of the pictures and has already started an investigation into this new photo scandal.

 

 

illegal
legal
dictator
curiosity
source
reason
furious
published

The Sun’s ________ newspaper, the New York Post, also ________ the half-naked Saddam photos across its pages. Its story said: “the pictures ________ a Saddam Hussein far removed from the man who once ________ 100 palaces.” The Sun claims it got the photographs from a soldier who wanted to “________ a body blow to terrorists in Iraq.” A Sun spokesman said the pictures are ________ because they show “a sort of modern-day Adolf Hitler.” He said the images will still be famous at the end of this century. However, there are ________ they will increase anti-American feeling in the Muslim world. Many Arabs will think the photos are another attack on their ________.

 

capture
culture
deal
sister
fears
owned
important
splashed


 
 

AFTER READING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘public’ and ‘curiosity’.

  • 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 and talk about your answers to this exercise. After you agree, check your answers against the text. Research some of the words that are new to you.

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT SADDAM SURVEY: In pairs / groups write down questions about Saddam Hussein.

  • Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
  • Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
  • Make a mini-presentation to another group / the class on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

  • dictator
  • underpants
  • helped
  • curiosity
  • furious
  • scandal
  • sister
  • palaces
  • soldier
  • body blow
  • century
  • Arabs

 DISCUSSION

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

  1. What did you think when you read this headline?
  2. Do you want to see Saddam in his underpants?
  3. Are you interested in seeing anyone else in their underpants?
  4. Are photos of Saddam Hussein in his underwear shocking?
  5. Do you always read the latest news of Saddam Hussein?
  6. Does Saddam Hussein have human rights?
  7. Should the newspaper give Saddam compensation?
  8. How much money should Saddam get in compensation?
  9. Do you think photos of Saddam Hussein in his underpants will hurt the terrorists in Iraq?
  10. How would you feel about photos of you in your underwear being splashed across newspaper pages?

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

  1. Did you like reading this article?
  2. Are you interested what will happen to Saddam Hussein?
  3. What do you think of these photos being published?
  4. Is the newspaper wrong to publish the photos?
  5. Will these photos create anti-American feeling in Iraq?
  6. What do you think should happen to the photographer?
  7. Are a photo of Saddam in prison really news?
  8. The newspaper knew these photos would anger Arab people but still published them. What do you think?
  9. Will these pictures become famous forever?
  10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

  1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
  2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
  3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
  4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
  5. What did you like talking about?
  6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
  7. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

ROLE PLAY: Role play the following “court trial” about the photographs of Saddam Hussein in his underpants. Team up with classmates who have been assigned the same role to develop your roles and discuss ideas and “strategies” before the role play begins.

Introduce yourself to the other role players before the role play begins.

Role A – Saddam Hussein

You are very, very, very angry that someone took secret photos of you. It is against your human rights under the Geneva Convention – POWs must be protected from “public curiosity”. The photographs also attack your culture. This is also your chance to become famous again.

Role B – The newspaper publisher

You believe the photos are important news images. You think they will help remind people of the terror Saddam created in Iraq. You do not accept the photos are insulting to Arab culture. The photos were sent to you. You don’t know who sent them.

Role C – The army photographer

The newspaper publisher asked you to take the photos. They paid you lots of money. The publisher promised you that you were not doing anything wrong. But… now you might go to prison for 10 years for breaking the Geneva Convention. The publisher is the person who should go to prison in this case.

Role D – U.S. Military lawyer

You are furious that another photo scandal has happened. It gives the U.S. military a worse image. You want three things: (1) Saddam must never win this court case. (2) The newspaper must pay damages to the U.S. military. (3) The photographer must go to prison for 10 years.

Change roles and repeat the role play. Talk  about the differences between the two role plays.

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Saddam to sue over underwear photos

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein __ _____ __ ____ a British newspaper that published photographs of him wearing his underpants. Saddam’s lawyer says the photos ___ _______ ______ international law. He said: “We will sue the newspaper and everyone who helped in showing these pictures.” The reason is because the Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war ____ “_______ _______”. The Sun newspaper replied by saying it would fight any legal action. The U.S. military
___ _____ _______ _____ the photographs. It has promised to find the source of the pictures and has already started an investigation into this new photo scandal.

The Sun’s ______ ____________, the New York Post, also splashed the half-naked Saddam photos across its pages. Its story said: “the pictures capture a Saddam Hussein far removed from the ___ ____ ____ ______ 100 palaces.” The Sun claims it got the photographs from a soldier who wanted to “____ __ _____ _____ to terrorists in Iraq.” A Sun spokesman said the pictures are important because they show “a sort of modern-day Adolf Hitler.” He said the images will still be famous at the end of this century. However, there are fears they will increase anti-American feeling in the Muslim world. Many Arabs will think the photos are another
______ __ ______ ______.

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 information on Saddam Hussein. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. THOUGHTS: Write a short essay giving your opinion on the responsibility newspapers have when they publish Iraq-related photographs. Read your essay to your classmates in the next lesson.

4. LETTER: You are furious that two newspapers published photographs of Saddam Hussein in his underpants. Write a letter to the Sun or New York Post newspapers telling them your views. Tell them the future actions they should take. Show your letter to your classmates in the next lesson. Compare the things you wrote about.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. T

d. T

e. F

f. F

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.

former

ex

b.

sue

claim damages from

c.

published

printed

d.

prisoners of war

POWs

e.

curiosity

interest

f.

sister

related

g.

capture

show

h.

half

semi

i.

body blow

slap in the face

j.

attack

insult

PHRASE MATCH:

a.

published

photographs

b.

illegal under

international law

c.

the Geneva

Convention

d.

public

curiosity

e.

legal

action

f.

sister

newspaper

g.

half

naked

h.

a body

blow

i.

at the end of

this century

j.

another attack

on their culture

GAP FILL:

Saddam to sue over underwear photos

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is going to sue a British newspaper that published photographs of him wearing his underpants. Saddam’s lawyer says the photos are illegal under international law. He said: “We will sue the newspaper and everyone who helped in showing these pictures.” The reason is because the Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war from “public curiosity”. The Sun newspaper replied by saying it would fight any legal action. The U.S. military is also furious over the photographs. It has promised to find the source of the pictures and has already started an investigation into this new photo scandal.

The Sun’s sister newspaper, the New York Post, also splashed the half-naked Saddam photos across its pages. Its story said: “the pictures capture a Saddam Hussein far removed from the man who once owned 100 palaces.” The Sun claims it got the photographs from a soldier who wanted to “deal a body blow to terrorists in Iraq.” A Sun spokesman said the pictures are important because they show “a sort of modern-day Adolf Hitler.” He said the images will still be famous at the end of this century. However, there are fears they will increase anti-American feeling in the Muslim world. Many Arabs will think the photos are another attack on their culture.

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