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Sophia Loren poses nude for calendar

Date: July 9, 2006
Level: Easier (Try the harder lesson.)
Downloads: Word Doc | PDF Doc | Listening
Audio: (1:37 - 190.2 KB - 16kbps)

 
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THE ARTICLE

Sexy photographs of Hollywood movie actress Sophia Loren have shocked the entertainment world. Ms Loren, 71, posed nude for the famous Pirelli calendar. Sources say she wore nothing except for a large pair of diamond earrings. Loren will be the oldest model to appear in the calendar, which is famous for attracting the world’s most beautiful and glamorous models and actresses to appear naked on its pages. The Pirelli tire manufacturer has produced the calendar every year since 1964. It cannot be bought in the shops, but is given as a present to around 33,000 high profile customers and celebrities worldwide.

A Pirelli spokesperson said: "I can confirm that Sophia Loren has posed for the 2007 Pirelli calendar. The pictures were shot…in America and she looks fantastic - You wouldn't think she is nearly 72 years old." The Reuters news agency said Loren “had a lot of fun, like a young girl”, in the photo studio. It is a big change for Ms Loren. She has never before shown her body in her 90-film acting career, that has lasted 50 years. In fact, she has enjoyed her image as one of Hollywood’s sexiest stars and kept her clothes on. She once said: "You have to be born a sex symbol. You don't become one. If you are born with it, you will have it even when you are 100 years old."

WARM-UPS

1. SOPHIA LOREN: Walk around the class and talk to many students. Find out what they know about Sophia Loren. Ask people who is the most beautiful actress or model in the world. Share your findings with new partners.

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

Photographs / Hollywood / shock / posing nude / diamond earrings / calendars / tires / celebrities / photo studios / big changes / sex symbols / being 100 years old

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

3. AT 71?: With your partner(s), decide which of the following things a 71-year-old should or should not do. Give each thing a score from 10 (no problem) to 1 (a big problem). Change partners and compare your answers.

____ Pose naked for calendars

____ Wear hip-hop clothes

____ Collect Disney items

____ Go on dates

____ Skateboard

____ Work on a farm

____ Raise children

____ Go to rock concerts

4. BIG CHANGES: Write down (or brainstorm) three big changes members of your class might take in their lives. Talk about them with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you found out.

5. NUDITY: Which of the arguments below do you agree with? Talk about them with your partner(s).

  1. I would never pose nude for the camera. Not for all the money in the world.
  2. Posing nude for a calendar is the same as pornography.
  3. The job of a model is an important one.
  4. It’s not right for 70-year-old people to pose naked for fashion.
  5. Nudity should be banned from magazines, movies, calendars, advertising, etc.
  6. It’s unfair that most photographs taken of the naked body are of women.
  7. I would not like it if one of my grandparents wanted to be a nude model.
  8. Painting or drawing the naked body is not bad. Photographing it is bad.

6. SEX SYMBOLS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the phrase ‘sex symbol’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.

Movie actress Sophia Loren has posed for Playboy magazine.

T / F

b.

Sophia Loren is the second oldest model to appear in the calendar.

T / F

c.

Sophia Loren has been a model for calendars since 1964.

T / F

d.

The Pirelli calendar costs over one hundred US dollars.

T / F

e.

Shooting for the photographs was done in America.

T / F

f.

Ms. Loren said she felt like a young girl while being photographed.

T / F

g.

Ms. Loren has refused many offers to appear nude in movies.

T / F

h.

Ms. Loren said that you have to be born a sex symbol.

T / F

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

a.

photographs

half a century

b.

nude

maker

c.

famous

huge

d.

manufacturer

naked

e.

bought

taken

f.

spokesperson

purchased

g.

shot

pictures

h.

fantastic

representative

i.

big

wonderful

j.

50 years

well known

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

a.

posed

since 1964

b.

she wore nothing except

fantastic

c.

attracting the world’s

in America

d.

every year

nude for the famous Pirelli calendar

e.

given as

change for Ms Loren

f.

The pictures were shot

for a large pair of diamond earrings

g.

she looks

sex symbol

h.

It is a big

a present

i.

her 90-film acting career,

most beautiful and glamorous models

j.

"You have to be born a

that has lasted 50 years

WHILE READING / LISTENING

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

Sophia Loren poses nude for calendar

Sexy photographs of Hollywood movie actress Sophia Loren have _________ the entertainment world. Ms Loren, 71, _________ nude for the famous Pirelli calendar. Sources say she wore nothing _________ for a large pair of diamond earrings. Loren will be the oldest model to _________ in the calendar, which is famous for _________ the world’s most beautiful and glamorous models and actresses to appear _________ on its pages. The Pirelli tire manufacturer has _________ the calendar every year since 1964. It cannot be bought in the shops, but is given as a present to around 33,000 _________ profile customers and celebrities worldwide.

 

 

attracting
except
produced
high
shocked
appear
posed
naked

A Pirelli spokesperson said: "I can _________ that Sophia Loren has posed for the 2007 Pirelli calendar. The pictures were _________ …in America and she looks fantastic - You wouldn't think she is _________ 72 years old." The Reuters news agency said Loren “had a lot of fun, like a young girl”, in the photo studio. It is a big _________ for Ms Loren. She has never _________ shown her body in her 90-film acting career, that has _________ 50 years. In fact, she has enjoyed her image as one of Hollywood’s sexiest stars and kept her clothes on. She _________ said: "You have to be born a sex symbol. You don't _________ one. If you are born with it, you will have it even when you are 100 years old."

 

before
become
shot
change
lasted
confirm
nearly
once

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Sophia Loren poses nude for calendar

Sexy photographs of Hollywood movie actress Sophia Loren ____________ the entertainment world. Ms Loren, 71, posed nude for the famous Pirelli calendar. Sources say she wore nothing ____________ a large pair of diamond earrings. Loren will be the oldest model to appear in the calendar, which is ____________ attracting the world’s most beautiful and glamorous models and actresses ____________ naked on its pages. The Pirelli tire manufacturer has produced the calendar every year since 1964. It cannot ____________ in the shops, but is given as a present ____________ 33,000 high profile customers and celebrities worldwide.

A Pirelli spokesperson said: "I can confirm that Sophia Loren has ____________ the 2007 Pirelli calendar. The pictures were shot…in America and she looks fantastic - You ____________ she is nearly 72 years old." The Reuters news agency said Loren “had a lot of fun, like a young girl”, in the photo studio. It is a big change for Ms Loren. She has ____________ shown her body in her 90-film acting career, ____________  50 years. In fact, she has enjoyed her image as one of Hollywood’s sexiest stars and kept her clothes on. She once said: "You have ____________ a sex symbol. You don't become one. If you are born with it, you will have it ____________ you are 100 years old."

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

  • 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 “NUDITY” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about nudity.

  • 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:

  • shocked
  • except
  • oldest
  • pages
  • shops
  • profile
  • shot
  • girl
  • change
  • 50 years
  • clothes
  • born

DISCUSSION

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

  1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
  2. What do you think of nude photographs?
  3. Why do you think Sophia Loren did the photos at the age of 71?
  4. What would you think if a close elderly relative decided to do the same thing?
  5. Do you think calendars showing naked women are necessary in the twenty-first century?
  6. Would you like to be a photographer working on the Pirelli calendar?
  7. Do you agree that you are born a sex symbol?
  8. Does the world need sex symbols?
  9. What do people think about nudity in your country?
  10. Do you think Loren’s photograph will help Pirelli sell more tires?

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. What is the lowest amount of money you would accept for posing naked for the camera?
  4. Do you think there’s a difference between calendars showing naked women or men and adult magazines showing naked people?
  5. Do you think fans of Ms. Loren will be upset?
  6. Would you like to see the photograph of the naked Sophia Loren?
  7. Do you think a 71-year-old’s naked body can look “fantastic”?
  8. Are people who pose nude for photographs weak or brave?
  9. Have you ever made any big changes in your life?
  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

LEGEND INTERVIEW: Role play the following interview with your partner.

Student A is a famous 71-year-old actor who has posed naked for a fashion calendar. It is the first time for this actor to have shown his/her naked body.

Student B is an entertainment magazine reporter.

Look at these prompts and think of questions and answers for the interview. Conduct the interview.

Movie career

______________________________________________________________________

Pornography

______________________________________________________________________

Reasons why

______________________________________________________________________

Fans

______________________________________________________________________

Nudity

______________________________________________________________________

71-year-old bodies

______________________________________________________________________

Sex symbols

______________________________________________________________________

Being old

______________________________________________________________________

Playboy / Play girl

______________________________________________________________________

Future assignments

______________________________________________________________________

Change roles and repeat the role play. Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays.

After the role play, talk about whether you believed what you were saying in your roles.

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 about the Pirelli Calendar. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s).

3. NUDITY GUIDELINES: Make a list of guidelines about how much nudity there can be on TV, movies, advertisements, magazines, etc. Show your guidelines to your classmates in the next lesson. Which guidelines did you agree or disagree with?

4. LETTER: Write a letter to Sophia Loren. Tell her what you think of her posing naked for a calendar. Show your letter to your classmates in the next lesson. Your classmates will write a reply.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. F

c. F

d. F

e. T

f. T

g. T

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.

photographs

pictures

b.

nude

naked

c.

famous

well known

d.

manufacturer

maker

e.

bought

purchased

f.

spokesperson

representative

g.

shot

taken

h.

fantastic

wonderful

i.

big

huge

j.

50 years

half a century

PHRASE MATCH:

a.

posed

nude for the famous Pirelli calendar

b.

she wore nothing except

for a large pair of diamond earrings

c.

attracting the world’s

most beautiful and glamorous models

d.

every year

since 1964

e.

given as

a present

f.

The pictures were shot

in America

g.

she looks

fantastic

h.

It is a big

change for Ms Loren

i.

her 90-film acting career,

that has lasted 50 years

j.

"You have to be born a

sex symbol

GAP FILL:

Sophia Loren poses nude for calendar

Sexy photographs of Hollywood movie actress Sophia Loren have shocked the entertainment world. Ms Loren, 71, posed nude for the famous Pirelli calendar. Sources say she wore nothing except for a large pair of diamond earrings. Loren will be the oldest model to appear in the calendar, which is famous for attracting the world’s most beautiful and glamorous models and actresses to appear naked on its pages. The Pirelli tire manufacturer has produced the calendar every year since 1964. It cannot be bought in the shops, but is given as a present to around 33,000 high profile customers and celebrities worldwide.

A Pirelli spokesperson said: "I can confirm that Sophia Loren has posed for the 2007 Pirelli calendar. The pictures were shot…in America and she looks fantastic - You wouldn't think she is nearly 72 years old." The Reuters news agency said Loren “had a lot of fun, like a young girl”, in the photo studio. It is a big change for Ms Loren. She has never before shown her body in her 90-film acting career, that has lasted 50 years. In fact, she has enjoyed her image as one of Hollywood’s sexiest stars and kept her clothes on. She once said: "You have to be born a sex symbol. You don't become one. If you are born with it, you will have it even when you are 100 years old."

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