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Ballet

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• ballet
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• folk dancing

• hip-hop
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• your own

a.

The director of a Russian ballet company threw acid on a dancer.

T / F

b.

Police know what the attacker's face looks like from video cameras.

T / F

c.

The victim may be moved from a Moscow hospital to one in Belgium.

T / F

d.

The director was popular with staff, who agreed with all his decisions.

T / F

e.

The Bolshoi Ballet first started in the 18th century.

T / F

f.

The Bolshoi Ballet didn't become world famous until the 20th century.

T / F

g.

The Bolshoi Ballet is the world's second largest ballet group.

T / F

h.

Sergei Filin was artistic director of the Bolshoi for nearly 20 years.

T / F

1.

attacked

a.

care

2.

witnesses

b.

skill

3.

severe

c.

hard

4.

treatment

d.

authorization

5.

tough

e.

bystanders

6.

founded

f.

role

7.

permission

g.

ambushed

8.

technique

h.

prizes

9.

position

i.

started

10.

awards

j.

very bad

1.

someone threw

a.

witnesses

2.

there were no

b.

Prince permission

3.

doctors are battling

c.

style

4.

make many decisions about who dances

d.

in 1776

5.

his tough management

e.

athleticism of its dancers

6.

founded

f.

to save his eyesight

7.

Catherine II gave the

g.

of entertainment

8.

other forms

h.

acid in his face

9.

the amazing technique and

i.

many awards

10.

He won

j.

and who doesn't

The artistic (1) ____________ of Russia's Bolshoi Theatre is in hospital because someone threw (2) ____________ in his face. Sergei Filin, 42, was attacked outside his apartment building as he was going home from work. Moscow police say the attacker was (3) ____________ a mask and that there were no witnesses. Mr Filin has (4) ____________ burns on his face and doctors are battling to save his (5) ____________. A hospital spokesperson said Filin may have to go to a hospital in Belgium for more (6) ____________. The police believe the attacker works for the Bolshoi Ballet. Filin has to make many (7) ____________ about who dances and who doesn't. Many performers and staff have criticized him for his (8) ____________ management style.

treatment
wearing
eyesight
tough
acid
decisions
director
severe

The Bolshoi is a world-famous ballet company that was (9) ____________ in 1776 by Moscow prosecutor Prince Pyotr Urusov. Russia's Empress Catherine II gave the Prince (10) ____________ to organize theatre performances, masquerades, balls and other (11) ____________ of entertainment for ten years. It rose to (12) ____________ in the early 20th century because of the amazing technique and (13) ____________ of its dancers. Today, it is the (14) ____________ company in the world, with around 220 dancers. Mr Filin became the Bolshoi's principal dancer in 1990 and stayed in the (15) ____________ for nearly two decades. He became the company's artistic director in 2008. He won many (16) ____________, including the People's Artist of the Russian Federation award in 2001.

awards
fame
permission
largest
founded
athleticism
forms
position

1)

someone threw ______

a.  acid in his face
b.  acid on his face
c.  acid into his face
d.  acid inside his face

2)

the attacker was wearing a mask and that there ______

a.  was no witnesses
b.  were known witnesses
c.  were no witnesses
d.  was one witness

3)

doctors are battling ______

a.  to save his eye's sight
b.  to serve his eyesight
c.  to save this eyesight
d.  to save his eyesight

4)

Filin has to make many decisions about who dances ______

a.  and when doesn't
b.  and why doesn't
c.  and which doesn't
d.  and who doesn't

5)

staff have criticized him for his ______

a.  tough managing style
b.  tough man age meant stile
c.  tough management style
d.  tough management styles

6)

a world-famous ballet company that ______

a.  was funded in 1776
b.  was floundered in 1776
c.  were founded in 1776
d.  was founded in 1776

7)

theatre performances, masquerades, balls and other ______

a.  forms of entertainment
b.  forms of entertaining
c.  forms for entertainers
d.  form soft entertainment

8)

because of the amazing technique and ______

a.  athletics of its dancers
b.  athleticism for its dancers
c.  athleticism of its dancers
d.  athleticism of its dancer

9)

Today, it is the largest company in the world, ______.

a.  with around 212 dancers
b.  with around 220 dancers
c.  with around 222 dancers
d.  with around 200 dancers

10)

the People's Artist of the ______

a.  Russian Federation award
b.  Russian Federation awards
c.  Russian Federation awarded
d.  Russian Federation awarding

1.

Where is the artistic director of Russia's Bolshoi Theatre?

2.

Where was Sergei Filin attacked?

3.

What was the attacker wearing?

4.

How many witnesses were there?

5.

Why did staff criticize him?

6.

When was the ballet company first founded?

7.

For how many years did Prince Pyotr Urusov to organize ballets?

8.

When did the Bolshoi Ballet become world-famous?

9.

How many dancers does the company have?

10.

When did Filin become the company's artistic director?

1.

What is Sergei Filin's job?

6.

When was the Bolshoi Ballet founded?

a) doctor
b) ballet dancer
c) artistic director
d) artist and sculptor

a) 1775
b) 1776
c) 1777
d) 1778

2.

Where had Filin been just before he was attacked?

7.

Who let Prince Pyotr Urusov put on ballets?

a) work
b) the gym
c) at a dance lesson
d) a bar

a) Empress Catherine II
b) Empress Catherine III
c) Empress Catherine IV
d) Empress Catherine V

3.

What was the attacker wearing?

8.

When did the Bolshoi Ballet become world-famous?

a) a mask
b) a baseball cap
c) a fur hat
d) a face stocking

a) in the mid 20th century
b) in the late 19th century
c) in the early 20th century
d) in the mid 20th century

4.

What are doctors trying to save?

9.

For how long was Filin the principal dancer?

a) money
b) Filin's eyesight
c) time
d) Filin's life

a) 10 years
b) a decade
c) 12 years
d) nearly 20 years

5.

Who does the police think attacked Filin?

10.

When did he win a top Russian prize?

a) someone he met on Facebook
b) a past girlfriend
c) someone who hates ballet
d) a Bolshoi Ballet worker

a) 2001
b) 2002
c) 2003
d) 2004

Role  A – Ballet expert

You think ballet is the greatest art form in human history. Tell the others three reasons why. You think everyone should see a few ballets every year. You think it will make everyone more intelligent. You also think everyone should take ballet lessons in elementary school.

Role  B – Hip-hop dancer

You think ballet is only for rich people. You think hip-hop is the best form of dance in human history. Tell the others three reasons why. You think everyone should take hip-hop lessons in elementary school. It's a great form of exercise and today's kids love it.

Role  C – Ballet dancer

You think ballet is the greatest art form in human history. Tell the others three reasons why. You hate hip-hop. Tell the others three reasons why. BUT… ballet is vey tough. You have to practice for many hours a day. It's also painful. Parents usually make their children do ballet.

Role  D – Folk dance teacher

You think everyone should learn the folk dances of their country. Tell the others three reasons why. You think ballet doesn't teach children much and is for rich kids. Hip-hop is just noise and will not be popular in 20 years. Folk dances are an important part of a country's culture.

acid

attack

• threw
• home
• mask
• save
• Belgium
• tough

• 1776
• II
• 20th
• 220
• 1990
• 2001

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

Q.2.

Q.3.

Q.4.

Q.5.

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'ballet'?

c)

What do you think about the attack on Sergei Filin?

d)

What would it be like for a ballet director never to see again?

e)

What do you think of ballet?

f)

Which is better, ballet or hip-hop? Why?

g)

Who do you think attacked Mr Filin and why?

h)

How will the attack change Mr Filin's life?

i)

How tough do you think it is being a ballet dancer?

j)

How much competition is there among ballet dancers?

a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

What do you know about the Bolshoi Ballet?

c)

Is it important people look at ballet?

d)

What three adjectives best describe ballet?

e)

What's your favourite dance form?

f)

Do you like dancing? Why/Why not?

g)

What do you think of the fitness and athleticism of ballet dancers?

h)

What punishment should the attacker get?

i)

What advice would you give to Sergei Filin?

j)

What questions would you like to ask a ballet expert?

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

1.

(a)

artistic

(b)

artistry

(c)

artisan

(d)

arts

2.

(a)

throwing

(b)

thrown

(c)

threw

(d)

throws

3.

(a)

people

(b)

observers

(c)

witnesses

(d)

judges

4.

(a)

trouble

(b)

flame

(c)

hardly

(d)

severe

5.

(a)

treatment

(b)

treatable

(c)

treats

(d)

treated

6.

(a)

of

(b)

for

(c)

by

(d)

at

7.

(a)

founders

(b)

founder

(c)

founding

(d)

founded

8.

(a)

of

(b)

to

(c)

at

(d)

by

9.

(a)

parts

(b)

series

(c)

forms

(d)

games

10.

(a)

athletic

(b)

athletes

(c)

athletics

(d)

athleticism

11.

(a)

roll

(b)

move

(c)

place

(d)

position

12.

(a)

includes

(b)

including

(c)

included

(d)

inclusion

Paragraph 1

1.

astriict director

2.

apartment gudibnil

3.

there were no itsessnew

4.

esvree burns on his face

5.

go to a hospital in Belgium for more etaetrntm

6.

Filin has to make many soisnceid

Paragraph 2

7.

fdunode in 1776

8.

gave the Prince oipsesrnim

9.

amazing uniqeetch

10.

tistcilhame of its dancers

11.

for nearly two saeddce.

12.

He won many srwaad

(    )

threw acid in his face. Sergei Filin, 42, was attacked outside his apartment building as he was going

(    )

dances and who doesn't. Many performers and staff have criticized him for his tough management style.

(    )

The Bolshoi is a world-famous ballet company that was founded in 1776 by Moscow prosecutor

(    )

performances, masquerades, balls and other forms of entertainment for ten years. It rose to

(    )

Prince Pyotr Urusov. Russia's Empress Catherine II gave the Prince permission to organize theatre

(    )

dancers. Today, it is the largest company in the world, with around 220 dancers. Mr Filin became the Bolshoi's principal

(    )

eyesight. A hospital spokesperson said Filin may have to go to a hospital in Belgium for more treatment. The police

(    )

dancer in 1990 and stayed in the position for nearly two decades. He became the company's artistic director

(    )

witnesses. Mr Filin has severe burns on his face and doctors are battling to save his

(    )

fame in the early 20th century because of the amazing technique and athleticism of its

(  1  )

The artistic director of Russia's Bolshoi Theatre is in hospital because someone

(    )

believe the attacker works for the Bolshoi Ballet. Filin has to make many decisions about who

(    )

in 2008. He won many awards, including the People's Artist of the Russian Federation award in 2001.

(    )

home from work. Moscow police say the attacker was wearing a mask and that there were no

1.

because     acid     face     hospital     threw    his    In    someone     in.    

2.

attacker     say     a    was    Moscow    mask    the    police     wearing.    

3.

believe     works    Bolshoi    police    attacker    the    The     the     for.    

4.

decisions     dances     has    many    who    Filin    make     about     to.    

5.

criticized     management     him     for     Staff     his     have     tough.    

6.

A   1776    in   founded   was    that    company   ballet   world-famous.    

7.

entertainment     Balls     other     of     and     forms.    

8.

early     to     the     century     rose     in     20th     It     fame.    

9.

the    dancer    became     principal    1990    Filin    Bolshoi's    in    Mr.    

10.

He     director     became     in     the     2008     company's     artistic.    

TheartisticdirectorofRussia'sBolshoiTheatreisinhospitalbecausesomeonethrew
acidinhisface.SergeiFilin,42,wasattackedoutsidehisapartmentbuildingashewas
goinghomefromwork.Moscowpolicesaytheattackerwaswearingamaskandthat
therewerenowitnesses.MrFilinhassevereburnsonhisfaceanddoctorsarebattlingto
savehiseyesight.AhospitalspokespersonsaidFilinmayhavetogotoahospitalin
Belgiumformoretreatment.ThepolicebelievetheattackerworksfortheBolshoiBallet.
Filinhastomakemanydecisionsaboutwhodancesandwhodoesn't.Manyperformer
sandstaffhavecriticizedhimforhistoughmanagementstyle.TheBolshoiisaworld-
famousballetcompanythatwasfoundedin1776byMoscowprosecutorPrincePyotr
Urusov.Russia'sEmpressCatherineIIgavethePrincepermissiontoorganizetheat
reperformances,masquerades,ballsandotherformsofentertainmentforten
years.Itrosetofameintheearly20thcenturybecauseoftheamazingtechniqueand
athleticismofitsdancers.Today,itisthelargestcompanyintheworld,witharound
220dancers.MrFilinbecametheBolshoi'sprincipaldancerin1990andstayedin
thepositionfornearlytwodecades.Hebecamethecompany'sartisticdirectorin
2008.Hewonmanyawards,includingthePeople'sArtistoftheRussianFederation
awardin2001.

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

F

e

T

f

T

g

F

h

T

1.

attacked

a.

ambushed

2.

witnesses

b.

bystanders

3.

severe

c.

very bad

4.

treatment

d.

care

5.

tough

e.

hard

6.

founded

f.

started

7.

permission

g.

authorization

8.

technique

h.

skill

9.

position

i.

role

10.

awards

j.

prizes

1.

In hospital in Moscow

2.

Outside his apartment building

3.

A mask

4.

None

5.

For his tough management

6.

1776

7.

10

8.

In the early 20th century

9.

220

10.

1990

1.

c

2.

a

3.

a

4.

b

5.

d

6.

b

7.

a

8.

c

9.

d

10.

a