Javier Bardem's Life, Love, and Career

Dedicated to my former but very dear student Ana S.

Before you watch

 

. Look at the photo below. Do you know this man?

. What do you know about him? 

. Below, there’s a list of movies starring Javier Bardem and a list of the roles he played in these movies. Join with arrows. Then watch PART 1 (minutes 0:00- 4:00´) and check your predictions.

Which role did he play?

MOVIE                       CHARACTER

1. “No country for old men”                         a. a heartthrob
2. “Biutiful”                                                  b. Julia Roberts' love
3. “The Sea Inside”                                      c. a cold-hearted killer
4. "Before Night Falls."                                d. a quadriplegic fighting for the right to die
5. "Eat, Pray, Love."                                    e. A jailed Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas
6. Vicky Cristina Barcelona                         f. a hustler trying to make a life for his two children

Look at the mindmap below. What aspects of Bardem's life could the words and images refer to? Make predictions. Then, keep watching, check your predictions and  complete the mind-map as you go along.

 

What did you learn about Bardem after watching the video? Report to the class.

FOCUS ON VOCABULARY 

What do the words/ expressions in bold mean?

1.    "When you are doing a character, you have to put your judgments aside"

2.    The film runs through the back alleys of Barcelona, deep into a grim part of the city you don't see in the travel brochures

3.    He credits the group AC/DC for his fluency in English, in some respects

4.    He dedicated the award to Cruz - "My joy, my friend, my companion, my love" - a rare public display for the famously private couple.

5.    Like it or not, fame has found Javier Bardem, but he keeps it in perspective.

6.    "It doesn't help to create a better world, no? When people are talking about themselves on and on?

Follow up

 Get into groups of 3 read about Bardem's early life, career or  personal life. Then tell each other what you've found out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Bardem                                                 (Follow up)

KEY

1. C

2. F

3. D

4. E

5. B

6. A

http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-3445_162-7231013.html                          (Video transcript)

The Olympic Games for Political Propaganda

(Activity Prepared by Debbie Frankish. Thanks Debbie!)

Before you watch: QUIZ

1) In which year was the first Olympic Games recorded?

          a) 776 AD                       b) 352 AD             c) 776 BC                    d) 352 BC

2) In which Olympic sport are all events open to both me and women?

          a) horse riding              b) fencing                            c) gymnastics            d) rifle shooting

3) In which year were the first modern Olympic Games held?

          a) 1896                            b) 1926                                 c) 1886                         d) 1906

4) Where will the 2016 Olympic Games be held?

5) In the London Olympics in 1948, which 2 countries were not invited?

          a) China and Japan     b) Germany and Japan    c) France and Spain  d) Russia and Germany

6) What do the 5 Olympic rings represent?

7) Historically, how many Olympic medals has Argentina won?

          a) 30                                 b) 102                                    c) 66                             d) 127

8) In which sport has Argentina won most medals?

          a) rowing                        b) swimming                        c) shooting                 d) boxing

9) Which country leads the medals table of the most won?

          a) USA                              b) Russia                              c) China                       d) Germany

10) How many medals did Argentina win in Beijing in 2008?

          a) 5 gold 2 silver            b) 4 gold 2 bronze             c) 2 silver 4 bronze   d) 2 gold 4 bronze

Video 1: Jesse Owens (Berlin Olympics 1936) 

Discuss:

What do you know about Germany in1936?

What was Hitler’s theory on the superiority of race?

How might events like the Olympic Games be used as political propaganda? Can you think of examples of this happening?

Watch for main ideas:

Watch and listen for the answers to the following :

1) Why would the summer Olympics of 1936 be important for Hitler?

2) How many countries participated in the Berlin Olympics?

3) How did the events in the games refute Hitler´s theories?

4) Which 4 events did Jesse Owens win? What do we find out about his background?

5) How many medals did Afro-Americans win?

Video 3:  Munich  Olympic Games 1972: Massacre of Israeli Athletes.

Match up the collocations

1. heavy                a. a building        

2. meet the           b. fire to             

3. set                     c. an alarm

4. give                   d. reprisal

5. sound               e. demands

6. open                 f. criticism

7. break into        g. in to sb's demands

8. in                       h. consideration

9. take into           i. fire

Watch and say if the statements below are True or False.

1) 5 Israeli sportsmen were killed on September 11^th 1972.

2) The athletes were attacked by an Arab terrorist group.

3) Due to a coach, many Israelis were unhurt.

4) The terrorists wanted the German government to set Palestinian prisoners free.

5) It was agreed that the prisoners would be released.

6) Both hostages and terrorists were taken to an airport in Germany.

7) The outcome at the airport was a tragedy.

8) As a result of what happened the Olympics were called off.

9) The German police were blamed for the poor security.

10) Because of the events the Israeli government bombed strategic Palestinian sites.

11) The man being interviewed felt that the Israeli government committed a mistake.

12) The narrator felt that it was inevitable that such an event took place at the Olympics.

Paraphrase the following sentences, including the word in capitals :

1)  People repudiated Hitler's ideas of superiority..  WERE 

     Hitler's ideas  ……….......................………………………………………………………………………………....

2) Jesse Owens is famous for winning 4 gold medals and proving Hitler wrong.  BUT

     Jesse Owens not only ………………………………………………………………………………………………

3) The tragic events meant the games were postponed for a time.  MADE

     The tragic events  ……………….................................…………………………………………………………….

4) The German police received heavy criticism for the lack of security.  BLAMED

     The German police …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5) Possibly the German government didn´t imagine something so terrible could occur.  MIGHT

     The German government ……………………… ……………………………………………………………..

6) Israel refused to do what the terrorists wanted.  DEMANDS

     Israel refused ………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7) The government didn´t want to allow the terrorists to leave the country.  LET

     The government ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Final general discussion :

1) We have seen 2 different examples of political beliefs being displayed during the Olympic

     games, a sports competition that has nothing to do with politics.

     In your opinion is it acceptable for this to happen at such events?

2) Is the motto ‘Faster,Higher, Stronger’ a good one for the Olympics?

3) Would you consider the Olympics to be a ‘fair’ competition, or does money play an important role? Is this inevitable in international sports?

4) Are you watching the games in London? Which sports are you particularly interested in?

5) What benefits does hosting the Olympic Games bring to a country? Are there any disadvantages?

POSSIBLE FOLLOW UPS

- Listening: The business of the Olympics 

http://www.businessenglishpod.com/2012/07/29/business-english-news-18-the-business-of-the-olympics/

- Vocabulary: Sports Idioms commonly used in business

http://www.businessenglishpod.com/2007/08/12/bep-61-pp-american-sports-idioms-in-a-business-meeting/ 

http://www.speakforsuccess.net/a-bizspk.htm

KEY (Quiz)

1-c   2-a   3-a   4-Brazil   5-b(afterWW2)   6-the union of the 5 continents that participate   7-( the word 'gold'should be removed) the answer is c (12 gold  23 silver  26 bronze)

8-d   9-a(2549 medals)   10-d

Will import curbs revive Argentina's economy?

BEFORE YOU WATCH

Focus on Vocabulary

1.   How would you say the following in English? Make a wild guess.

Estatizar una empresa

Trabar las importaciones

Trabas a las importacions

Empezar acción legal

Esta movida

Pagar un precio alto

Estimular la economía local

Justificar la adquisición

Expropiarse de una empresa

Perderse inversiones extranjeras

El camino a seguir 

Importaciones por el valor de M600$

2.   Join with arrows and check your predictions

GROUP 1

1.    Adopt                                      a. legal proceedings at the WTO

2.    Restrict                                   b. on foreign investment

3.    Stimulate                                c. the domestic economy

4.    Nationalize/ seize                  d. the takeover

5.    Start                                        e. sovereignty

6.    Pay                                          f. a heavy price

7.    These moves                         g. have angered/ Incensed the EU

8.    Miss out                                  h. a Spanish owned oil company

9.    Justify                                      i. protectionist trade policies

10.  Recover                                 j .imports

GROUP 2

1.    Oil                                              a. attitude

2.    Import                                        b. crisis

3.    Unapologetic                            c. forward

4.    Free market                             d. curbs

5.    The way                                    e. fundamentalist

AFTER YOU WATCH

Watch the introduction and answer the following questions using the collocations above (until 1’ 23’’)

1.   What does the reporter say about Argentina concerning imports?

2.   What’s the aim of this move?

3.   How has the EU reacted toward the seizure of YPF?

4.   What do the critics argue?

5.   How does the government disregard the critics?

6.   What’s the government’s attitude according to the presenter?

7.   How does CFK justify the takeover?

Listen again and fill in the blanks

If you’re on the L_________________ for an IPhone or a pair of Nike trainers in Buenos Aires today, you might be out of L________________.

Supplies are low after the Argentinean government   R____________ Imports

The aim is to stimulate the D________________ economy.

Last month, President Cristina Kirchner’s government N________________ the country’s biggest oil company YPF, which had been owned by the Spanish company Repsol.

These M_______________ have angered the EU which started legal P________________ at the WTO on Friday. The EU argues that Argentina’s restrictions have already affected imports W______________over $600m and domestic critics argue the country will pay a H____________________price by M_____________ out on foreign investment.

But the government is unapologetic arguing that they seized YF to avoid an oil C___________________ with ministers dismissing critics as free market fundamentalists.

Is protectionism the way forward for Argentina amidst slow economic growth?

You’ll watch 3 people expressing their opinions. Watch and take notes.

ALDO CALIARI:

DIEGO GUELAR:

ALEX GIBSON:

Listen to the definition of "import curbs" and fill in the blanks.

IMPORT CURBS= The government requires all importers to obtain L__________________ that are not automatically R____________________ for products ranging from cars to electronics, and since February every import transaction has to be P______________________ and P______________________. The import substitution rule requires foreign companies to produce goods D_______________________ or lose market access, and all importers are required to balance imports with exports.

Focus on Vocabulary

1. Join with arrows and summarize what the speakers above say using as many as the collocations below.

1. To embark                           a. at his/ her word
2. Have the right                    b. the balance
3. Make sure                           c. great/ some pains to do sth
4. Take                                      d. something for granted
5. Renew                                  e. to regulate foreign investment
6. Register/ approve             f. on a policy of protectionist import duties/ on a new project
7. Exert                                     g. an import transaction
8. Take somebody                h. a licence/ a visa/ a passport
9. Tip                                         i. the domestic interests align with the foreign ones
10. Go to                                     j. control over how the country makes money

The seizure of YPF

Summarize each speaker’s opinion. You can use the words in the box.

Aldo:

Outrage              uproar              NATURAL RESOURCES          IN THE HANDS

IMPLEMENT A PRACTICE                     TREASURY                      CONTRIBUTION                        TAXING                 IMPLEMENT ROYALTIES                       FOREIGN OPERATED RESOURCE                    RALLY  AROUND (sb)                 SOURCE OF INCOME                DRAMATIC SITUATION                            BE DEPRIVED OF 

Diego:

IMPOSE a TARIFF on sth                 Take protectionist measures

overseas investment                    LACK OF confidence/ credibility

WORSEN                 SERIOUS DOMESTIC PROBLEM                  AT THIS MOMENT

Axel:

Needlessly complicated                        KEY POINT                              CONTROVERSIAL

PUT CRONIES IN POWER

Policies  

Who expresses the following ideas  Put A (Aldo) D (Diego) A (Axel)

1. Nationalistic policies are popular everywhere.
2. Nationalism isn’t the most accurate term to use in this case.
3. I don’t want to dodge the question.
4. More isn’t necessarily better.
5. The downside of all this is missed investment opportunities.
6. Argentina is falling behind Chile or Brazil.
7. You have to participate in the global economy to
8. Axel Kicillof  and Miguel Galuccio  are new  stars but they will be short-lived.
9. Isolation is a very serious mistake.
10. It’s very simplistic to say that countries like Venezuela or Ecuador are doing badly   because they don’t side with the US.
11. Unfortunately, we are repeating the same phenomenon.
12. Underdeveloped countries have to be more clumsy to undertake these protections.
13. These policies are trying to revert what has been done for many years.
14. It’s not a bad idea to bet on the domestic market.
15. Cristina will not succumb to pressure.

Go back to exercise 1 and translate the terms again. Any difference? 

DISCUSS (use the new vocab)

1. What's your take on all this? Do you side with any of the speakers? Why?
2.  What impact do you think these import curbs will have on our country?
3.  Do you think these new policies are the way forward? Why? Why not?


WRITING TASK (use the new vocab)

Imagine you work in the Argentine branch of an American company that imports most of its products and sells them locally. Imports have been curbed overnight and your company has been badly affected.
Your boss in the US has asked you to write a report giving him an overview of the situation, explaining how these measure have affected your company  and suggesting a workaround.

Write a report to him/ her.

Divide your report into:

1. Introduction  (aim of the report)
2. Background
3. Findings
4. Recommendations
5. Conclusion (optional)

The following link may help you:
http://www.google.com.ar/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=%22useful%20phrases%22%20to%20write%20a%20%22business%20report%22&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CFgQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewomaninchina.com%2F09_Business%2520Reports_Handout_NEM.doc&ei=lND1T8mLOezp0QHnxIj9Bg&usg=AFQjCNFG8AcAMZKCAyGaTix5OlvhQseA1w&cad=rja