English Lesson on Penelope Cruz

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THE LESSON ON PENELOPE CRUZ

Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Penelope Cruz. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:


READ

Penelope Cruz is a Spanish actress who has won considerable critical acclaim for her role in Spanish and English movies. She is the first Spanish actress to be nominated for an Oscar. Cruz speaks four languages fluently. She also donates a considerable amount of money and time to charity. From 2001, Cruz had a three-year relationship with actor Tom Cruise.

Cruz was born in Madrid in 1974 to a hairdresser mother and motor mechanic father. She wanted to be a dancer as a child and studied classical ballet for nine years. Her younger sister Monica is a famous Spanish dancer. However, when Cruz was 15, she decided to get into acting after beating 300 other hopefuls at a talent agency audition.

Cruz first achieved fame in a Spanish pop video and then as a TV presenter. Her first major films were ‘Jamón, Jamón’ and ‘Belle Époque’, which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2000 she appeared with Matt Damon in ‘All the Pretty Horses’. She rose to fame by co-starring in ‘Vanilla Sky’, opposite Tom Cruise.

Cruz has received two Goya Awards and two European Film Awards for her work. She also won a Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, she was used as the face for L’Oreal’s worldwide advertising campaign and a year later, she launched her own fashion line in Spain. She wants to balance her life and work between Hollywood and Europe.

245 words

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.

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SYNONYM MATCH

Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?

Paragraphs 1 and 2
 

 

 

1.

considerable

a.

defeating

2

donates

b.

a lot of

3.

relationship

c.

engineer

4.

mechanic

d.

gives

5.

beating

e.

candidates

6.

hopefuls

f.

romance


Paragraphs 3 and 4
 

 

 

7.

achieved

g.

important

8.

major

h.

gained

9.

rose

i.

global

10.

worldwide

j.

started

11

launched

k

brand

12

line

l

shot up

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.

won considerable

a.

money and time to charity

2

donates a considerable amount of

b.

line in Spain

3.

studied classical

c.

in a Spanish pop video

4.

when she was 15, she

d.

advertising campaign

5.

beating 300 other hopefuls

e.

ballet for nine years

6.

Cruz first achieved fame

f.

critical acclaim

7.

She rose to fame by

g.

Hollywood and Europe

8.

the face for L’Oreal’s worldwide

h.

at a talent agency audition

9.

she launched her own fashion

i.

decided to get into acting

10.

balance her life and work between

j.

co-starring in ‘Vanilla Sky’

LISTENING GAP FILL

Penelope Cruz is a Spanish actress who has _______________ critical acclaim for her role in Spanish and English movies. She is the first Spanish actress _______________ for an Oscar. Cruz speaks four languages fluently. She _______________ considerable amount of money and time to charity. From 2001, Cruz had a three-year _______________ actor Tom Cruise.

Cruz was born in Madrid in 1974 to a hairdresser mother and motor _______________. She wanted to be a dancer _______________ studied classical ballet for nine years. Her younger sister Monica is a famous Spanish dancer. However, when Cruz was 15, she decided to _______________ after beating 300 other hopefuls at a ___________________.

Cruz first _______________ a Spanish pop video and then as a TV presenter. Her first _______________ ‘Jamón, Jamón’ and ‘Belle Époque’, which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2000 she _______________ Matt Damon in ‘All the Pretty Horses’. She _______________ co-starring in ‘Vanilla Sky’, opposite Tom Cruise.

Cruz _______________ Goya Awards and two European Film Awards for her work. She also won a Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, she was used _______________  L’Oreal’s worldwide advertising campaign and a year later, _______________ own fashion line in Spain. She wants to _______________ and work between Hollywood and Europe.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.

Penelope Cruz is a Spanish actress who has / was won considerable critical acclaim for her roll / role in Spanish and English movies. She is the first Spanish actress to / that be nominated for an Oscar. Cruz speaks four languages fluently. She also donates a considerable amount of money and time to charity. From 2001, Cruz had a three-year relation / relationship with actor Tom Cruise.

Cruz was born in Madrid in 1974 to a hairdresser mother and motor mechanic / mechanical father. She wanted to be a dancer as / was a child and studied classical ballet for nine years. Her younger sister Monica is a fame / famous Spanish dancer. However, when Cruz was 15, she decided to get into acting after beating 300 other hoping / hopefuls at a talent agency audition.

Cruz first achieved fame / famous in a Spanish pop video and then as a TV presenter. Her first major film / films were ‘Jamón, Jamón’ and ‘Belle Époque’, which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2000 she appealed / appeared with Matt Damon in ‘All the Pretty Horses’. She rose / risen to fame by co-starring in ‘Vanilla Sky’, opposite Tom Cruise.

Cruz has received / receiving two Goya Awards and two European Film Awards for her work. She also won a Best Actress reward / award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, she was used as the face / head for L’Oreal’s worldwide advertising campaign and a year later, she launched / lunched her own fashion line in Spain. She wants to balance her life and work between Hollywood and Europe.

SPELLING

The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.

Paragraph 1
 

1.

considerable iitcaclr acclaim

2.

Cruz speaks four languages lletynuf

3.

She also saondet a considerable amount of money

4.

Cruz had a three-year tisnrohilape with actor Tom Cruise


Paragraph 2
 

5.

motor hmnaceci father

6.

studied slsicaacl ballet for nine years

7.

etbngai 300 other hopefuls

8.

a tntela agency audition


Paragraph 3
 

9.

Cruz first diechaev fame in a Spanish pop video

10.

Her first omraj films

11.

she peeadrpa with Matt Damon

12.

co-starring in ‘Vanilla Sky’, sipeotop Tom Cruise


Paragraph 4
 

13.

Cruz has decrieev two Goya Awards

14.

worldwide advertising pncaamig

15.

she hulcndea her own fashion line

16.

alcnaeb her life

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

 

as a child and studied classical ballet for nine years. Her younger sister Monica is a famous Spanish dancer. However,

( 1 )

 

Penelope Cruz is a Spanish actress who has won considerable critical acclaim for her role in Spanish and

(    )

 

campaign and a year later, she launched her own fashion line in Spain. She wants to balance

(    )

 

English movies. She is the first Spanish actress to be nominated for an Oscar. Cruz speaks four languages

(    )

 

her life and work between Hollywood and Europe.

(    )

 

award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, she was used as the face for L’Oreal’s worldwide advertising

(    )

 

films were ‘Jamón, jamón’ and ‘Belle Époque’, which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign

(    )

 

Language Film. In 2000 she appeared with Matt Damon in ‘All the Pretty Horses’. She rose

(    )

 

Cruz first achieved fame in a Spanish pop video and then as a TV presenter. Her first major

(    )

 

when Cruz was 15, she decided to get into acting after beating 300 other hopefuls at a talent agency audition.

(    )

 

2001, Cruz had a three-year relationship with actor Tom Cruise.

(    )

 

to fame by co-starring in ‘Vanilla Sky’, opposite Tom Cruise.

(    )

 

Cruz was born in Madrid in 1974 to a hairdresser mother and motor mechanic father. She wanted to be a dancer

(    )

 

Cruz has received two Goya Awards and two European Film Awards for her work. She also won a Best Actress

(    )

 

fluently. She also donates a considerable amount of money and time to charity. From

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

first    to    for    the    actress    nominated    Oscar    Spanish   be    an

2.

-    year    relationship    with    actor    Tom    Cruise    a    three

3.

She    dancer    wanted    as    to    a    be    child    a

4.

is    Her    a    younger    famous    sister    Spanish    Monica    dancer

5.

into    acting    when    Cruz    was    15    ,    she    decided    to    get

6.

first    Spanish    achieved    pop    fame    video    in    Cruz    a

7.

co    by    fame    to    rose    She    Sky    Vanilla    in    starring    -

8.

worldwide    campaign    face    L’Oreal’s    advertising    the    for

9.

later    launched    fashion    year    she    own    a    ,    her    line

10.

life    her    balance    to    wants    She    work    and

PENELOPE CRUZ DISCUSSION

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

1.

What do you know about Penelope Cruz?

2.

Would you like to have met Penelope Cruz?

3.

What would you like to know about Penelope Cruz and why?

4.

___________________________________________________

5.

___________________________________________________

6.

___________________________________________________

7.

___________________________________________________

8.

___________________________________________________

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

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

1.

What did you learn from this text about Penelope Cruz?

2.

What questions would you like to have asked Penelope Cruz?

3.

What would her answers have been to those questions?

4.

___________________________________________________

5.

___________________________________________________

6.

___________________________________________________

7.

___________________________________________________

8.

___________________________________________________

PENELOPE CRUZ SURVEY

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

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out.  Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Penelope Cruz for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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 about Penelope Cruz. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. PENELOPE CRUZ POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Penelope Cruz. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?

4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Penelope Cruz. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she did every day and what she thought about.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to Penelope Cruz. Ask her three questions about her life. Tell her how important she is in today’s world and how she is missed. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Penelope Cruz expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
 

 

 

1.

considerable

a.

a lot of

2

donates

b.

gives

3.

relationship

c.

romance

4.

mechanic

d.

engineer

5.

beating

e.

defeating

6.

hopefuls

f.

candidates


Paragraphs 3 and 4
 

 

 

7.

achieved

g.

gained

8.

major

h.

important

9.

rose

i.

shot up

10.

worldwide

j.

global

11

launched

k

started

12

line

l

brand

PHRASE MATCH:

1.

won considerable

a.

critical acclaim

2

donates a considerable amount of

b.

money and time to charity

3.

studied classical

c.

ballet for nine years

4.

when she was 15, she

d.

decided to get into acting

5.

beating 300 other hopefuls

e.

at a talent agency audition

6.

Cruz first achieved fame

f.

in a Spanish pop video

7.

She rose to fame by

g.

co-starring in ‘Vanilla Sky’

8.

the face for L’Oreal’s worldwide

h.

advertising campaign

9.

she launched her own fashion

i.

line in Spain

10.

balance her life and work between

j.

Hollywood and Europe

ALL OTHER EXERCISES:

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