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Unusual fashion gets you more respect (26th March, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Researchers at the Harvard Business School claim that people who do not follow "normal fashion" get more respect from others. Doctoral student Silvia Bellezza and two of her colleagues examined how we view the social status and competence of people who do not conform to "normal" ways of dressing. They discovered that the more outlandishly people dress, the more respect they get. Participants in the research considered others who had a "weirder" fashion to be more unique. Researchers said that rather than think badly of someone scruffily dressed, many people believe that dressing down is a sign of confidence. Ms Bellezza said: "If you're willing to deviate, there are upsides."

Bellezza conducted a number of experiments to test how people reacted to non-conformity. In one, people in different types of clothes shopped at expensive boutiques in Milan. One group wore casual sports clothes, while the other donned expensive-looking outfits. The sales assistants assumed the ones in the sports gear were the bigger spenders. In another test, students rated an unshaven, T-shirt-clad professor above an academic wearing a suit and tie. Bellezza says high-profile entrepreneurs who dress down may be responsible for changing our perceptions. In particular, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wearing of hoodies and the late Steve Jobs' trademark jeans, sneakers and polo neck tops.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/people-who-dress-weird-get-more-respect-2014-3
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304017604579445140870078088
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11223173

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. FASHION: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about fashion. Change partners often and share your findings.

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

researchers / fashion / colleagues / conform / unique / scruffily dressed / confidence / experiments / expensive boutiques / outfits / bigger spenders / entrepreneurs

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. PERCEPTIONS: How should these people dress and why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What?	Why?
10-year-olds at school
Teenagers
University students
Convenience store staff
Wedding guests
Grandparents

4. FOLLOWING FASHION: Students A strongly believe people who follow fashion lack their own creativity; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. CLOTHES: Rank these with your partner. Put your favourite clothes at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• suit

• T-shirts

• pyjamas / pajamas

• sportswear

• national dress

• uniforms

• designer fashion

• smart casual

6. RESPECT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "respect". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Researchers from Oxford University conducted the study on fashion.	T / F
b.	Three people carried out the research.	T / F
c.	People thought those who dressed weirdly were unique.	T / F
d.	The study concluded that dressing down is a sign of confidence.	T / F
e.	One experiment looked at sales assistant perceptions in Milan.	T / F
f.	A group of people in sportswear were deemed to be bigger spenders.	T / F
g.	Students ranked a professor in a suit higher than one in a T-shirt.	T / F
h.	The article says CEOs should not wear hoodies or jeans and sneakers.	T / F

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

1.	claim	a.	evaluated
2.	colleagues	b.	untidily
3.	view	c.	wore
4.	scruffily	d.	carried out
5.	upsides	e.	co-workers
6.	conducted	f.	understanding
7.	donned	g.	assert
8.	rated	h.	deceased
9.	perception	i.	look at
10.	late	j.	benefits

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	people who do not follow "normal	a.	looking outfits
2.	conform to "normal"	b.	is a sign of confidence
3.	think badly of someone	c.	to non-conformity
4.	people believe that dressing down	d.	our perceptions
5.	If you're willing to deviate,	e.	fashion" get more respect
6.	test how people reacted	f.	spenders
7.	the other donned expensive-	g.	scruffily dressed
8.	the bigger	h.	there are upsides
9.	an unshaven, T-shirt-	i.	ways of dressing
10.	responsible for changing	j.	clad professor

GAP FILL

Researchers at the Harvard Business School (1) ____________ that people who do not follow "normal fashion" get more respect from others. Doctoral student Silvia Bellezza and two of her (2) ____________ examined how we view the social (3) ____________ and competence of people who do not conform to "normal" ways of dressing. They discovered that the more (4) ____________ people dress, the more respect they get. Participants in the research considered others who had a "weirder" fashion to be more (5) ____________. Researchers said that rather than think badly of someone (6) ____________ dressed, many people believe that dressing down is a (7) ____________ of confidence. Ms Bellezza said: "If you're willing to deviate, there are (8) ____________."

scruffily
upsides
status
outlandishly
claim
sign
colleagues
unique

Bellezza conducted a (9) ____________ of experiments to test how people reacted to non-conformity. In one, people in different types of clothes shopped at expensive (10) ____________ in Milan. One group wore casual sports clothes, while the other (11) ____________ expensive-looking outfits. The sales assistants (12) ____________ the ones in the sports gear were the bigger (13) ____________. In another test, students rated an unshaven, T-shirt-clad professor above an (14) ____________ wearing a suit and tie. Bellezza says high-profile entrepreneurs who dress down may be (15) ____________ for changing our perceptions. In particular, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wearing of hoodies and the (16) ____________ Steve Jobs' trademark jeans, sneakers and polo neck tops.

spenders
donned
responsible
assumed
number
late
boutiques
academic

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	people who do not ______
	a. follow "normal fashionistas" b. follow "normal fashion victims" c. follow "normal fashion" d. follow "normal fashionable"
2)	two of her colleagues examined how we view the social ______
	a. status and competencies b. status and competence c. status and competency d. status and competences
3)	Participants in the research considered others who had a "weirder" fashion ______
	a. to be more uniquely b. to be more you meek c. to be most unique d. to be more unique
4)	Researchers said that rather than think badly of someone ______
	a. scruffy dressed b. scruff ill dressed c. scruffily dresses d. scruffily dressed
5)	If you're willing to deviate, there ______
	a. are upsets b. are up states c. are upsides d. are upscales
6)	a number of experiments to test how people reacted ______
	a. to non-contagious b. to non-conformity c. to non-conventional d. to non-conductor
7)	In one, people in different types of clothes shopped at ______
	a. expensive booties b. expensive boutiques c. expensive boo ticks d. expensive beauties
8)	…while the other donned expensive-______
	a. look in outfits b. looking outfits c. looking outfit d. look in outfit
9)	students rated an unshaven, T-shirt-______
	a. clad professor b. clap professor c. clam professor d. clog professor
10)	Mark Zuckerberg's wearing of hoodies and the late Steve Jobs' ______
	a. trademark jeans b. trademarked jeans c. trademark sjeans d. traded mark jeans

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Researchers at the Harvard Business School (1) ___________________ do not follow "normal fashion" get more respect from others. Doctoral student Silvia Bellezza and two (2) ___________________ how we view the social status and competence of people who do not conform to "normal" ways of dressing. They discovered that the more (3) ___________________, the more respect they get. Participants in the research considered others who had a "weirder" fashion (4) ___________________. Researchers said that rather than think badly of someone (5) ___________________, many people believe that dressing down is a sign of confidence. Ms Bellezza said: "If you're (6) ___________________, there are upsides."

Bellezza conducted a number of experiments to (7) ___________________ to non-conformity. In one, people in different types of clothes shopped at (8) ___________________ Milan. One group wore casual sports clothes, while the other (9) ___________________ outfits. The sales assistants assumed the ones in the sports gear were the bigger spenders. In another test, students (10) ___________________, T-shirt-clad professor above an academic wearing a suit and tie. Bellezza says high-profile entrepreneurs who dress down (11) ___________________ changing our perceptions. In particular, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wearing of hoodies and the late Steve Jobs' (12) ___________________ and polo neck tops.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	Where do the researchers who conducted this survey work?
2.	What kind of student is Silvia Bellezza?
3.	What do more outlandishly-dressed people get?
4.	What did people think about others with a "weirder" fashion?
5.	What is dressing down a sign of?
6.	What did researchers test people's reactions to?
7.	Who thought people dressed in sportswear were bigger spenders?
8.	What did an unshaven professor wear?
9.	Who might be responsible for changing our perceptions?
10.	What did the article say Mark Zuckerberg wore?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	Where do the researchers who conducted this survey work?	6.	What did researchers test people's reactions to?
	a) Stanford b) Harvard c) Yale d) Oxford		a) a new fashion brand b) expensive boutiques c) non-conformity d) shopping
2.	What kind of student is Silvia Bellezza?	7.	Who thought people dressed in sportswear were bigger spenders?
	a) a grade-A student b) a promising one c) a disruptive one d) a doctoral student		a) nine celebrities b) sports coaches c) the researchers d) sales assistants
3.	What do more outlandishly-dressed people get?	8.	What did an unshaven professor wear?
	a) more respect b) more looks c) more hassle d) more money		a) a T-shirt b) a five-o'clock shadow c) nothing d) a designer suit
4.	What did people think about others with a "weirder" fashion?	9.	Who might be responsible for changing our perceptions?
	a) they should conform b) they need to go back to school c) they are more unique d) they are too weird		a) well-known business leaders b) our friends c) researchers d) fashion designers
5.	What is dressing down a sign of?	10.	What did the article say Mark Zuckerberg wore?
	a) having no fashion sense b) confidence c) laziness d) being poor		a) pyjamas (UK) / pajamas (USA) b) hoodies c) orange d) ties

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Suit

You think a suit is the best thing to wear. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their clothes. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these to wear (and why): jeans and T-shirts, pyjamas or sportswear.

Role B – Jeans and T-shirt

You think jeans and T-shirts is the best thing to wear. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their clothes. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these to wear (and why): a suit, pyjamas or sportswear.

Role C – Pyjamas (UK) / Pajamas (USA)

You think pyjamas are the best thing to wear. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their clothes. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these to wear (and why): jeans and T-shirts, a suit or sportswear.

Role D – Sportswear

You think sportswear is the best thing to wear. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their clothes. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these to wear (and why): pyjamas, jeans and T-shirt or a suit.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'fashion' and 'respect'.

fashion

respect

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

follow
status
normal
unique
down
upsides

test
shopped
assumed
unshaven
changing
late

FASHION SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about fashion in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

FASHION DISCUSSION

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

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'fashion'?
c)	Do you judge people by what they wear?
d)	What do you think if someone wears a suit?
e)	How do you think people judge you by what you wear?
f)	Do you believe the research that says people who dress down have more confidence?
g)	Are people who follow fashion a little like sheep?
h)	What do you think of people who dress really weirdly?
i)	Would you really like to go crazy with your fashion?
j)	What are the upsides to dressing down?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Is non-conformity good or bad?
c)	Why does society generally look at non-conformists as bad?
d)	Is fashion a waste of money?
e)	Do you prefer suits or sports gear?
f)	What image does an unshaven man give?
g)	What image does a woman in a suit give?
h)	Can women wear more outlandish clothes than men?
i)	Is it good that CEOs wear hoodies and sneakers?
j)	What questions would you like to ask the researcher?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Researchers at the Harvard Business School (1) ____ that people who do not follow "normal fashion" get more respect (2) ____ others. Doctoral student Silvia Bellezza and two of her colleagues examined how we view the social status and (3) ____ of people who do not conform to "normal" ways of dressing. They discovered that the more outlandishly people dress, the more respect they get. Participants in the research considered others who had a "weirder" fashion to be more (4) ____. Researchers said that rather than think badly of someone (5) ____ dressed, many people believe that dressing down is a sign of confidence. Ms Bellezza said: "If you're willing to (6) ____, there are upsides."

Bellezza conducted a (7) ____ of experiments to test how people reacted to non-conformity. In one, people in different types of clothes shopped at expensive boutiques in Milan. One group wore (8) ____ sports clothes, while the other donned expensive-looking outfits. The sales assistants assumed the ones in the sports (9) ____ were the bigger spenders. In another test, students rated an unshaven, T-shirt-(10) ____ professor above an academic wearing a suit and tie. Bellezza says high-profile entrepreneurs who dress down may be responsible (11) ____ changing our perceptions. In particular, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's (12) ____ of hoodies and the late Steve Jobs' trademark jeans, sneakers and polo neck tops.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	clam	(b)	claim	(c)	claimant	(d)	chasm
2.	(a)	for	(b)	from	(c)	of	(d)	by
3.	(a)	competencies	(b)	competences	(c)	incompetent	(d)	competence
4.	(a)	mystique	(b)	unique	(c)	clique	(d)	opaque
5.	(a)	scruffy	(b)	scruffily	(c)	scruff	(d)	scuff
6.	(a)	devour	(b)	devoid	(c)	deviate	(d)	develop
7.	(a)	numerous	(b)	numeral	(c)	number	(d)	numbered
8.	(a)	wearing	(b)	wears	(c)	wore	(d)	wear
9.	(a)	equipment	(b)	cog	(c)	tackle	(d)	gear
10.	(a)	clad	(b)	glad	(c)	clap	(d)	slap
11.	(a)	for	(b)	of	(c)	at	(d)	to
12.	(a)	wore	(b)	wears	(c)	wearing	(d)	wear

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	two of her leogsulaec
2.	social status and npeocemtce
3.	reewird fashion
4.	fiycsulrf dressed
5.	a sign of diccnfonee
6.	If you're willing to eevdait
Paragraph 2
7.	how people reacted to non-omcrytnfio
8.	expensive uebustqoi
9.	sales tnaasistss
10.	an asnunhev, T-shirt-clad professor
11.	responsible for changing our eipcosetprn
12.	Steve Jobs' datramerk jeans

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	gear were the bigger spenders. In another test, students rated an unshaven, T-shirt-clad professor above an
( )	respect from others. Doctoral student Silvia Bellezza and two of her colleagues examined how we view the social
( )	academic wearing a suit and tie. Bellezza says high-profile entrepreneurs who dress
( )	outlandishly people dress, the more respect they get. Participants in the research considered
( )	types of clothes shopped at expensive boutiques in Milan. One group wore casual sports
( )	of confidence. Ms Bellezza said: "If you're willing to deviate, there are upsides."
( )	of hoodies and the late Steve Jobs' trademark jeans, sneakers and polo neck tops.
( )	down may be responsible for changing our perceptions. In particular, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wearing
( )	clothes, while the other donned expensive-looking outfits. The sales assistants assumed the ones in the sports
( )	others who had a "weirder" fashion to be more unique. Researchers said that rather than think
( )	status and competence of people who do not conform to "normal" ways of dressing. They discovered that the more
( )	badly of someone scruffily dressed, many people believe that dressing down is a sign
( 1 )	Researchers at the Harvard Business School claim that people who do not follow "normal fashion" get more
( )	Bellezza conducted a number of experiments to test how people reacted to non-conformity. In one, people in different

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	not follow normal fashion get more respect People who do.
2.	how the examined view status colleagues we social Her.
3.	of Rather someone than scruffily think dressed badly.
4.	sign of confidence People believe that dressing down is a.
5.	upsides you're deviate are If to there willing ,.
6.	a Bellezza experiments number conducted of.
7.	non how - people conformity reacted to Test.
8.	were the bigger spenders The ones in the sports gear.
9.	unshaven an rated Students professor clad – T-shirt , .
10.	responsible be may down dress who Entrepreneurs.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Researchers at the Harvard Business School claim / exclaim that people who do not follow "normal fashion" get more respect from the others / others. Doctoral / Doctored student Silvia Bellezza and two of her colleagues examined how we view the society / social status and competence of people who do not conform to "normal" ways of dressing / dresses. They discovered that the more / most outlandishly people dress, the more respect they get. Participants in the research considerable / considered others who had a "weirder" fashion to be more unique / unicorn-like. Researchers said that rather than think bad / badly of someone scruffily dressed, many people believe that dressing down is a sign of confidence. Ms Bellezza said: "If you're willing to deviate, there are upsides / insides."

Bellezza conducted / contracted a number of experiments to test how people reacted / reaction to non-conformity. In one, people in different types of clothes shopped / shopping at expensive boutiques in Milan. One group wore casual sports clothes, while the other domed / donned expensive-looking outfits. The sales assistants assumed / resumed the ones in the sports gear were the bigger spenders. In another test, students bated / rated an unshaven, T-shirt-clad professor above / higher an academic wearing a suit and tie. Bellezza says high-profile entrepreneurs who dress down may be responsible for changing our receptions / perceptions. In particular, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's wearing / dressing of hoodies and the late Steve Jobs' trademark / logo jeans, sneakers and polo neck tops.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

R_s__rch_rs _t th_ H_rv_rd B_s_n_ss Sch__l cl__m th_t p__pl_ wh_ d_ n_t f_ll_w "n_rm_l f_sh__n" g_t m_r_ r_sp_ct fr_m _th_rs. D_ct_r_l st_d_nt S_lv__ B_ll_zz_ _nd tw_ _f h_r c_ll__g__s _x_m_n_d h_w w_ v__w th_ s_c__l st_t_s _nd c_mp_t_nc_ _f p__pl_ wh_ d_ n_t c_nf_rm t_ "n_rm_l" w_ys _f dr_ss_ng. Th_y d_sc_v_r_d th_t th_ m_r_ __tl_nd_shly p__pl_ dr_ss, th_ m_r_ r_sp_ct th_y g_t. P_rt_c_p_nts _n th_ r_s__rch c_ns_d_r_d _th_rs wh_ h_d _ "w__rd_r" f_sh__n t_ b_ m_r_ _n_q__. R_s__rch_rs s__d th_t r_th_r th_n th_nk b_dly _f s_m__n_ scr_ff_ly dr_ss_d, m_ny p__pl_ b_l__v_ th_t dr_ss_ng d_wn _s _ s_gn _f c_nf_d_nc_. Ms B_ll_zz_ s__d: "_f y__'r_ w_ll_ng t_ d_v__t_, th_r_ _r_ _ps_d_s."

B_ll_zz_ c_nd_ct_d _ n_mb_r _f _xp_r_m_nts t_ t_st h_w p__pl_ r__ct_d t_ n_n-c_nf_rm_ty. _n _n_, p__pl_ _n d_ff_r_nt typ_s _f cl_th_s sh_pp_d _t _xp_ns_v_ b__t_q__s _n M_l_n. _n_ gr__p w_r_ c_s__l sp_rts cl_th_s, wh_l_ th_ _th_r d_nn_d _xp_ns_v_-l__k_ng __tf_ts. Th_ s_l_s _ss_st_nts _ss_m_d th_ _n_s _n th_ sp_rts g__r w_r_ th_ b_gg_r sp_nd_rs. _n _n_th_r t_st, st_d_nts r_t_d _n _nsh_v_n, T-sh_rt-cl_d pr_f_ss_r _b_v_ _n _c_d_m_c w__r_ng _ s__t _nd t__. B_ll_zz_ s_ys h_gh-pr_f_l_ _ntr_pr_n__rs wh_ dr_ss d_wn m_y b_ r_sp_ns_bl_ f_r ch_ng_ng __r p_rc_pt__ns. _n p_rt_c_l_r, F_c_b__k C__ M_rk Z_ck_rb_rg's w__r_ng _f h__d__s _nd th_ l_t_ St_v_ J_bs' tr_d_m_rk j__ns, sn__k_rs _nd p_l_ n_ck t_ps.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

researchers at the harvard business school claim that people who do not follow "normal fashion" get more respect from others doctoral student silvia bellezza and two of her colleagues examined how we view the social status and competence of people who do not conform to "normal" ways of dressing they discovered that the more outlandishly people dress the more respect they get participants in the research considered others who had a "weirder" fashion to be more unique researchers said that rather than think badly of someone scruffily dressed many people believe that dressing down is a sign of confidence ms bellezza said "if you're willing to deviate there are upsides"

bellezza conducted a number of experiments to test how people reacted to non-conformity in one people in different types of clothes shopped at expensive boutiques in milan one group wore casual sports clothes while the other donned expensive-looking outfits the sales assistants assumed the ones in the sports gear were the bigger spenders in another test students rated an unshaven t-shirt-clad professor above an academic wearing a suit and tie bellezza says high-profile entrepreneurs who dress down may be responsible for changing our perceptions in particular facebook ceo mark zuckerberg's wearing of hoodies and the late steve jobs' trademark jeans sneakers and polo neck tops

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ResearchersattheHarvardBusinessSchoolclaimthatpeoplewhodonotfollow"
normalfashion"getmorerespectfromothers.DoctoralstudentSilviaBellezzaa
ndtwoofhercolleaguesexaminedhowweviewthesocialstatusandcompetence
ofpeoplewhodonotconformto"normal"waysofdressing.Theydiscoveredthatt
hemoreoutlandishlypeopledress,themorerespecttheyget.Participantsinther
esearchconsideredotherswhohada"weirder"fashiontobemoreunique.Resea
rcherssaidthatratherthanthinkbadlyofsomeonescruffilydressed,manypeopl
ebelievethatdressingdownisasignofconfidence.MsBellezzasaid:"Ifyou'rewill
ingtodeviate,thereareupsides."Bellezzaconductedanumberofexperimentst
otesthowpeoplereactedtonon-conformity.Inone,peopleindifferenttypesofcl
othesshoppedatexpensiveboutiquesinMilan.Onegroupworecasualsportsclot
hes,whiletheotherdonnedexpensive-lookingoutfits.Thesalesassistantsass
umedtheonesinthesportsgearwerethebiggerspenders.Inanothertest,stude
ntsratedanunshaven,T-shirt-cladprofessoraboveanacademicwearingasuit
andtie.Bellezzasayshigh-profileentrepreneurswhodressdownmayberespon
sibleforchangingourperceptions.Inparticular,FacebookCEOMarkZuckerber
g'swearingofhoodiesandthelateSteveJobs'trademarkjeans,sneakersandpol
onecktops.

FREE WRITING

Write about fashion for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

It's better to be dressed down than dressed up. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 out more about fashion and how people judge you by it. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. FASHION: Make a poster about fashion. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. DRESSED DOWN: Write a magazine article about dressing down. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to a fashion expert. Ask him/her three questions about fashion. Give him/her three of your opinions on why we follow fashion. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

F

e

T

f

T

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	claim	a.	assert
2.	colleagues	b.	co-workers
3.	view	c.	look at
4.	scruffily	d.	untidily
5.	upsides	e.	benefits
6.	conducted	f.	carried out
7.	donned	g.	wore
8.	rated	h.	evaluated
9.	perception	i.	understanding
10.	late	j.	deceased

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Harvard Business School
2.	A doctoral student
3.	More respect
4.	More unique
5.	Confidence
6.	Non-conformity
7.	Sales assistants
8.	A T-shirt
9.	High-profile entrepreneurs
10.	Hoodies

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

d

3.

a

4.

c

5.

b

6.

c

7.

d

8.

a

9.

a

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Unusual fashion gets you more respect (26th March, 2014)

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