In a move that has set gossip columnists’ tongues and keyboards ablaze, Brad Pitt has applied to become the adoptive father of Angelina Jolie’s two children. He formally filed to become the legal dad to the children at a court in Los Angeles on Friday. If his petition is successful, the two children’s names will change to Maddox Jolie-Pitt and Zahara Jolie-Pitt. Jolie adopted Maddox, aged four, from Cambodia and Zahara, ten months, from Ethiopia. Pitt’s publicist confirmed that Brad Pitt “is in the process of becoming the adoptive father of both children”. Media reports commented on Pitt’s happiness over the adoption, saying that: “The ink isn’t even dry on the adoption papers, and Brad is literally jumping for joy.”

Pitt, 41, was married to actress Jennifer Anniston until their four-year marriage ended due to irreconcilable differences earlier this year. He met Jolie while shooting the movie Mr and Mrs Smith. Pitt has refuted all claims that Jolie was the reason for his divorce. Rumors are now rife that the adoption is the first step on the road to the couple getting married, although both Jolie and Pitt have constantly denied there is any truth in such speculation. The superstar duo has been a hot item in news stories throughout this year. Pitt accompanied Jolie to Ethiopia back in July to pick up Zahara. The two also traveled to quake-stricken areas of Pakistan following the devastating earthquake in October. Jolie is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

WARM-UPS

1. CHILDREN: In pairs / groups, talk about children. Do you like them? Do you want any? What are the best and worst things about children at the following ages?

• 6 months old
• 2 years old
• 5 years old
• 10 years old
• 15 years old

2. BOYS OR GIRLS? If you have children, would you prefer boys or girls? What are the biggest differences between boys and girls? Use the words below to help your conversations:

Sports Clothes Behavior and attitude Cuteness

Character Toys and games Topics of conversation Other

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

Gossip / tongues / Brad Pitt / Angelina Jolie / adoption / children’s names / happiness / jumping for joy / divorce / Ethiopia / Pakistan / refugees

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

4. COMMENTS ON ADOPTION: What do you think of these comments on adoption? Talk about them with your partner(s).

1. Adoption should be encouraged more in my country.
2. There are big risks in adopting children.
3. Children who are adopted have been specially chosen.
4. Parents would not love their adopted children as much as their natural ones.
5. People should only adopt children who are the same race and color.
6. It’s wrong for parents to tell a child he or she is adopted.
7. It’s much better to adopt a baby than a young child.
8. Adoption should be encouraged in countries with low birthrates.

5. ADOPTION: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with adoption. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. QUICK DEBATE: Have a quick debate with your partner about adoption. Students A think adopting children from poor countries is best, Students B think adopting children from your own country is best.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Brad Pitt has successfully adopted Angelina Jolie’s children.	T / F
b.	A petition was filed at a Los Angeles court to prevent the adoption.	T / F
c.	Angelina Jolie gave birth to her children in Ethiopia and Cambodia.	T / F
d.	Media reports say Brad Pitt is jumping for joy.	T / F
e.	Brad Pitt was divorced this year due to irreconcilable differences.	T / F
f.	Brad Pitt has said Angelina Jolie was the reason for his divorce.	T / F
g.	Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have announced their weddings plans.	T / F
h.	Angelina Jolie is an ambassador for the United Nations.	T / F

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

a.	columnists	rumors
b.	ablaze	application
c.	filed	filming
d.	petition	on fire
e.	jumping	clashing
f.	irreconcilable	hit
g.	shooting	leaping
h.	refuted	journalists
i.	speculation	denied
j.	stricken	applied

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

a.	a move that has set gossip columnists’	rife that the adoption is…
b.	Brad Pitt has applied to	dry on the adoption papers
c.	He formally filed to become the	the movie Mr and Mrs Smith
d.	If his petition is successful,	become the adoptive father
e.	The ink isn’t even	ambassador for the U.N.
f.	marriage ended due to irreconcilable	tongues and keyboards ablaze
g.	shooting	the two children’s names will change
h.	Rumors are now	truth in such speculation
i.	constantly denied there is any	legal dad to the children
j.	Jolie is a goodwill	differences

WHILE READING / LISTENING

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

Brad Pitt to adopt Angelina Jolie’s kids

In a move that has __________ gossip columnists’ tongues and keyboards __________, Brad Pitt has applied to become the adoptive father of Angelina Jolie’s two children. He formally __________ to become the legal dad to the children at a court in Los Angeles on Friday. If his __________ is successful, the two children’s names will change to Maddox Jolie-Pitt and Zahara Jolie-Pitt. Jolie adopted Maddox, aged four, from Cambodia and Zahara, ten months, from Ethiopia. Pitt’s __________ confirmed that Brad Pitt “is in the process of becoming the adoptive father of both children”. Media reports commented on Pitt’s __________ over the adoption, saying that: “The __________ isn’t even dry on the adoption papers, and Brad is __________ jumping for joy.”		literally petition ablaze publicist set happiness filed ink
Pitt, 41, was married to actress Jennifer Anniston until their four-year marriage ended due to __________ differences earlier this year. He met Jolie while __________ the movie Mr and Mrs Smith. Pitt has refuted all claims that Jolie was the reason for his divorce. Rumors are now __________ that the adoption is the first __________ on the road to the couple getting married, although both Jolie and Pitt have constantly denied there is any truth in such __________. The superstar duo has been a __________ item in news stories throughout this year. Pitt __________ Jolie to Ethiopia back in July to pick up Zahara. The two also traveled to quake-stricken areas of Pakistan following the __________ earthquake in October. Jolie is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.		accompanied shooting hot step speculation irreconcilable devastating rife

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Brad Pitt to adopt Angelina Jolie’s kids

In a move that ____ ____ gossip columnists’ tongues and keyboards ________, Brad Pitt has applied to become the adoptive father of Angelina Jolie’s two children. He formally _______ to become the legal dad to the children at a court in Los Angeles on Friday. If his _______ is successful, the two children’s names will change to Maddox Jolie-Pitt and Zahara Jolie-Pitt. Jolie adopted Maddox, aged four, from Cambodia and Zahara, ten months, from Ethiopia. Pitt’s _______ confirmed that Brad Pitt “is in the process of becoming the adoptive father of both children”. Media reports commented on Pitt’s happiness over the adoption, saying that: “The _______ isn’t even _______ on the adoption papers, and Brad is literally jumping _____ _____.”

Pitt, 41, was married to actress Jennifer Anniston until their four-year marriage ended due to _____________ differences earlier this year. He met Jolie while shooting the movie Mr and Mrs Smith. Pitt has _________ all claims that Jolie was the reason for his divorce. Rumors are now _____ that the adoption is the first step on the road to the couple getting married, although both Jolie and Pitt have constantly ________ there is any truth in such speculation. The superstar _____ has been a hot item in news stories throughout this year. Pitt accompanied Jolie to Ethiopia back in July to pick up Zahara. The two also traveled to quake-__________ areas of Pakistan following the devastating earthquake in October. Jolie is a __________ ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

• 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. STUDENT “ADOPTION” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about adoption, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups 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:

set formally petition process reports ink

differences shooting claims constantly pick up ambassador

DISCUSSION

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

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. Is adoption common in your country?
3. What do you think of adoption?
4. What do you think of Brad Pitt adopting Angelina Jolie’s children?
5. What happens if the biological parents turn up ten years later and ask for their child back?
6. Do you know anyone who was adopted?
7. What problems are do you think there might be with adoption?
8. Do you think parents who adopt have the same kind of love for their adopted child as natural parents have for their child?
9. Should people adopt children from the same race?
10. When was the last time you jumped for joy?

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

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. When should you tell a child he / she was adopted?
4. What checks should adoption agencies conduct on prospective parents?
5. Should same-sex couples and single people be allowed to adopt?
6. Would you prefer to adopt a child from your own country or a very poor country?
7. Do you think international adoption would be a useful solution for under-populated countries?
8. What questions do you think a child has when he / she finds out he / she was adopted?
9. Should brothers and sisters be split apart for adoption?
10. Did you like this discussion?

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

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

ADOPTION RULES: You are you government’s new Adoption Secretary. Your job is to make rules for adoption relating to the issues below. With the other “Adoption Secretaries” in your group, discuss and make the rules for adoption.

ISSUES	RULES
Age of child	1. 2.
Brothers and sisters	1. 2.
Trial adoption period	1. 2.
Rights of biological parents	1. 2.
Inter-racial adoption	1. 2.
Same-sex-couple adoption	1. 2.

• Change partners and compare and share your ideas.
• Give each other feedback on how to improve your ideas.
• Give presentations on your ideas to other groups / the rest of the class.
• In pairs / groups, discuss the content and quality of the presentations and vote on the one you thought was best.
• Which of the rules you heard do you think should be implemented?

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 more information on Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?

3. ADOPTION: Make a poster outlining the advantages and disadvantages of adoption. Show your posters to your classmates in your next lesson. Did you all think of similar things?

4. LETTER TO BRAD: Write a letter to Brad Pitt. Tell him what you think of his desire to be the adoptive father of Angelina Jolie’s children. Give him advice on how to be a good father. Show what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all think of similar things?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. F

c. F

d. T

e. T

f. F

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	columnists	journalists
b.	ablaze	on fire
c.	filed	applied
d.	petition	application
e.	jumping	leaping
f.	irreconcilable	clashing
g.	shooting	filming
h.	refuted	denied
i.	speculation	rumors
j.	stricken	hit

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	a move that has set gossip columnists’	tongues and keyboards ablaze
b.	Brad Pitt has applied to	become the adoptive father
c.	He formally filed to become the	legal dad to the children
d.	If his petition is successful,	the two children’s names will change
e.	The ink isn’t even	dry on the adoption papers
f.	marriage ended due to irreconcilable	differences
g.	shooting	the movie Mr and Mrs Smith
h.	Rumors are now	rife that the adoption is…
i.	constantly denied there is any	truth in such speculation
j.	Jolie is a goodwill	ambassador for the U.N.

GAP FILL:

Brad Pitt to adopt Angelina Jolie’s kids

In a move that has set gossip columnists’ tongues and keyboards ablaze, Brad Pitt has applied to become the adoptive father of Angelina Jolie’s two children. He formally filed to become the legal dad to the children at a court in Los Angeles on Friday. If his petition is successful, the two children’s names will change to Maddox Jolie-Pitt and Zahara Jolie-Pitt. Jolie adopted Maddox, aged four, from Cambodia and Zahara, ten months, from Ethiopia. Pitt’s publicist confirmed that Brad Pitt “is in the process of becoming the adoptive father of both children”. Media reports commented on Pitt’s happiness over the adoption, saying that: “The ink isn’t even dry on the adoption papers, and Brad is literally jumping for joy.”

Pitt, 41, was married to actress Jennifer Anniston until their four-year marriage ended due to irreconcilable differences earlier this year. He met Jolie while shooting the movie Mr and Mrs Smith. Pitt has refuted all claims that Jolie was the reason for his divorce. Rumors are now rife that the adoption is the first step on the road to the couple getting married, although both Jolie and Pitt have constantly denied there is any truth in such speculation. The superstar duo has been a hot item in news stories throughout this year. Pitt accompanied Jolie to Ethiopia back in July to pick up Zahara. The two also traveled to quake-stricken areas of Pakistan following the devastating earthquake in October. Jolie is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

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