Famous People Lessons: English Lesson on Ingrid Betancourt

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THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

Ingrid Betancourt is a Colombian-French politician and formerly the world’s most famous hostage. She was kidnapped in 2002 by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) while campaigning to be president. Her six years in captivity in the Colombian jungle attracted media attention worldwide. She was rescued in July 2008 in a daring operation by Colombian security forces.

Betancourt was born in Colombia’s capital Bogota in 1961. Her mother was a politician and former Miss Colombia. Her father was also a politician and was high up in UNESCO. Ingrid attended elite schools in France, England and Colombia. After graduating, she married a fellow student and they had two children. Her diplomat husband meant she traveled constantly and lived in different countries.

Her political career began in 1990. She distributed condoms to the poor in her election campaign. Her motto was she would be like a condom against corruption. She was elected to government in 1994 and launched her Green Oxygen Party. Four years later she became a Senator. In February 2002, she ignored government warnings and tried to campaign in FARC-held territory.

The FARC had no plan to kidnap Betancourt. She walked straight into their hands. She became the FARC’s most valuable hostage. Her 2,321 days in captivity were full of reports about her ill health and wretched living conditions. A video released in 2007 showed her looking desperately frail. Following her daring rescue, she received the Legion of Honour from French President Sarkozy.

244 words

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

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.	formerly	a.	confinement
2	captivity	b.	in a senior position
3.	daring	c.	upper class
4.	elite	d.	continuously
5.	constantly	e.	previously
6.	high up	f.	bold
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	distributed	g.	took no notice of
8.	motto	h.	miserable
9.	ignored	i.	weak
10.	valuable	j.	handed out
11	wretched	k	slogan
12	frail	l	precious

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.	formerly the world’s most	a.	into their hands
2	six years	b.	up in UNESCO
3.	attracted media attention	c.	condoms to the poor
4.	high	d.	frail
5.	she married	e.	famous hostage
6.	She distributed	f.	living conditions
7.	she ignored	g.	a fellow student
8.	She walked straight	h.	in captivity
9.	her ill health and wretched	i.	government warnings
10.	looking desperately	j.	worldwide

LISTENING GAP FILL

Ingrid Betancourt is a Colombian-French politician _________________ world’s most famous hostage. She was kidnapped in 2002 by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) _________________ be president. Her six years in captivity in the Colombian jungle _________________ worldwide. She was rescued in July 2008 in _________________ by Colombian security forces.

Betancourt was born in Colombia’s capital Bogota in 1961. Her mother was a __________________ Miss Colombia. Her father was also a politician and was high up in UNESCO. Ingrid _________________ in France, England and Colombia. After graduating, she ________________ student and they had two children. Her diplomat husband meant she _________________ and lived in different countries.

Her __________________ in 1990. She distributed condoms to the poor in _________________. Her motto was she would be like a condom _________________. She was elected to government in 1994 and launched her Green Oxygen Party. Four years later she became a Senator. In February 2002, she ignored government warnings and _______________ in FARC-held territory.

The FARC _________________ kidnap Betancourt. She walked straight into their hands. She became the FARC’s _________________. Her 2,321 days in captivity were full of reports _________________ and wretched living conditions. A video released in 2007 showed her looking desperately frail. Following _________________, she received the Legion of Honour from French President Sarkozy.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

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

Ingrid Betancourt is a Colombian-French politician and former / formerly the world’s most famous hostage. She was kidnapped / kidnapping in 2002 by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) while campaigning to be president. Her six years in captive / captivity in the Colombian jungle attracted media attention worldwide. She was rescued in July 2008 in / for a daring operation by Colombian security forces.

Betancourt was born in Colombia’s capital Bogota in 1961. Her mother was / as a politician and former Miss Colombia. Her father was also a politician and was high / tall up in UNESCO. Ingrid attended elite / elitism schools in France, England and Colombia. After graduating, she married a fellow student and they had two children. Her diplomat husband meant she traveled constantly and lived in / all different countries.

Her political career began in 1990. She distributed / distribution condoms to the poor in her elected / election campaign. Her motto was she would be like a condom against corruption. She was elected to / with government in 1994 and launched her Green Oxygen Party. Four years later she became a Senator. In February 2002, she ignited / ignored government warnings and tried to campaign in FARC-held territory.

The FARC had no / know plan to kidnap Betancourt. She walked straight into / up their hands. She became the FARC’s most valuable hostage. Her 2,321 days in captivity were full of reports about her ill / illlness health and wretched living conditions. A video released in 2007 showed her looking desperately / desperation frail. Following her daring rescue, she received the Legion of Honour from French President Sarkozy.

SPELLING

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

Paragraph 1
1.	the world’s most famous ashgeto
2.	She was nppkidaed in 2002
3.	attracted eidma attention worldwide
4.	security rcesof
Paragraph 2
5.	Betancourt was born in Colombia’s acaiplt Bogota
6.	Ingrid attended tilee schools
7.	she married a wellfo student
8.	lived in rnfdteief countries
Paragraph 3
9.	Her clipiolta career began in 1990
10.	tocleein campaign
11.	She was lcedtee to government in 1994
12.	she ignored government ninagswr
Paragraph 4
13.	She walked straight into their dsahn
14.	ill lahhet
15.	looking desperately ilrfa
16.	her daring scuere

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	hands. She became the FARC’s most valuable hostage. Her 2,321 days in captivity were full of reports about her ill
( )	like a condom against corruption. She was elected to government in 1994 and launched her Green Oxygen Party. Four
( 1 )	Ingrid Betancourt is a Colombian-French politician and formerly the world’s most famous hostage. She was kidnapped in 2002
( )	husband meant she traveled constantly and lived in different countries.
( )	The FARC had no plan to Kidnap Betancourt. She walked straight into their
( )	Betancourt was born in Colombia’s capital Bogota in 1961. Her mother was a politician and former Miss
( )	rescued in July 2008 in a daring operation by Colombian security forces.
( )	by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) while campaigning to be president. Her six years in
( )	warnings and tried to campaign in FARC-held territory.
( )	Her political career began in 1990. She distributed condoms to the poor in her election campaign. Her motto was she would be
( )	Colombia. Her father was also a politician and was high up in UNESCO. Ingrid attended elite
( )	health and wretched living conditions. A video released in 2007 showed her looking desperately
( )	years later she became a Senator. In February 2002, she ignored government
( )	frail. Following her daring rescue, she received the Legion of Honour from French President Sarkozy.
( )	schools in France, England and Colombia. After graduating, she married a fellow student and they had two children. Her diplomat
( )	captivity in the Colombian jungle attracted media attention worldwide. She was

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

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

1.	the in captivity in years six jungle Colombian
2.	in in operation rescued 2008 daring was July a She
3.	was Miss a Colombia politician Her and mother former
4.	After student fellow a married she , graduating
5.	husband she constantly diplomat meant traveled Her
6.	Her 1990 in began career political
7.	ignored she , 2002 February In warnings government
8.	The Betancourt kidnap to plan no had FARC
9.	the most hostage became FARC’s valuable She
10.	wretched her living ill conditions health reports and about

INGRID BETANCOURT DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	What do you know about Ingrid Betancourt?
2.	Would you like to meet Ingrid Betancourt?
3.	What would you like to know about Ingrid Betancourt 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 Ingrid Betancourt?
2.	What questions would you like to ask Ingrid Betancourt?
3.	What would her answers be to those questions?
4.	___________________________________________________
5.	___________________________________________________
6.	___________________________________________________
7.	___________________________________________________
8.	___________________________________________________

INGRID BETANCOURT SURVEY

Write five questions about Ingrid Betancourt 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 Ingrid Betancourt 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 Ingrid Betancourt. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. INGRID BETANCOURT POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Ingrid Betancourt. 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 Ingrid Betancourt. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she does every day and what she thinks 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 Ingrid Betancourt. Ask her three questions about her life. Give her three suggestions on what she should do in her future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Ingrid Betancourt expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	formerly	a.	continuously
2	captivity	b.	confinement
3.	daring	c.	bold
4.	elite	d.	upper class
5.	constantly	e.	previously
6.	high up	f.	in a senior position
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	distributed	g.	handed out
8.	motto	h.	slogan
9.	ignored	i.	took no notice of
10.	valuable	j.	precious
11	wretched	k	miserable
12	frail	l	weak

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	formerly the world’s most	a.	famous hostage
2	six years	b.	in captivity
3.	attracted media attention	c.	worldwide
4.	high	d.	up in UNESCO
5.	she married	e.	a fellow student
6.	She distributed	f.	condoms to the poor
7.	she ignored	g.	government warnings
8.	She walked straight	h.	into their hands
9.	her ill health and wretched	i.	living conditions
10.	looking desperately	j.	frail

ALL OTHER EXERCISES:

Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.

Famous People Lessons.com English Lesson Plan on Ingrid Betancourt