Famous People Lessons: English Lesson on King Bhumipol

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THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand is the world’s longest-serving head of state. He is also the longest-serving monarch in Thai history. He was born in the United States in 1927 and was educated in Switzerland. He is an excellent musician, artist, and sailor. He is greatly loved by his people. Many Thais see him as semi-divine.

Bhumibol came to Thailand for the first time in 1928. He completed his elementary education in Bangkok and in 1933 moved to Switzerland. He graduated from the University of Lausanne. His elder brother was crowned King of Thailand in 1935 and Bhumipol became heir to the throne. He became King Rama IX following the death of his brother in 1946.

King Bhumipol had very little power in the early years and was largely a symbol. It was many decades into his reign before he decided to intervene in Thai politics. In 1992, there was a coup attempt in Bangkok. Many protesting university students were killed in the streets. Bhumipol appeared with the coup leader on Thai television. This led to elections, which brought democracy to Thailand.

Bhumipol repeated his rare television appearance in April 2006 during another political crisis. The government asked him to choose a prime minister. He said: "Asking for a royally-appointed prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon me, a mess. It is irrational." Although his health is a concern today, he continues to help the poor in Thailand, especially those in rural areas.

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.	serving	a.	finished
2	monarch	b.	next in line
3.	semi-	c.	king
4.	completed	d.	working
5.	heir	e.	after
6.	following	f.	half
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	reign	g.	illogical
8.	intervene	h.	select
9.	coup	i.	rule
10.	rare	j.	overthrow
11	choose	k	unusual
12	irrational	l	get involved

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.	the world’s longest-serving	a.	the death of his brother
2	Many Thais see him	b.	minister is undemocratic
3.	He completed his elementary	c.	democracy to Thailand
4.	His elder brother was crowned	d.	head of state
5.	He became King Rama IX following	e.	education in Bangkok
6.	he decided to intervene	f.	crisis
7.	This led to elections, which brought	g.	concern today
8.	political	h.	as semi-divine
9.	Asking for a royally-appointed prime	i.	King of Thailand in 1935
10.	his health is a	j.	in Thai politics

LISTENING GAP FILL

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand ______________ longest-serving head of state. He is also the longest-serving ______________ history. He was born in the United States in 1927 and was educated in Switzerland. He is an excellent musician, artist, and sailor. He is ______________ his people. Many Thais see _________________.

Bhumibol came to Thailand _______________ 1928. He completed his elementary education in Bangkok ________________ to Switzerland. He graduated from the University of Lausanne. His elder brother was crowned King of Thailand in 1935 and Bhumipol ________________ throne. He became King Rama IX following ______________ brother in 1946.

King Bhumipol had very little power ______________ and was largely a symbol. It was many decades ______________ before he decided to intervene in Thai politics. In 1992, there ______________ attempt in Bangkok. Many protesting university students were killed in the streets. Bhumipol appeared with the coup leader on Thai television. ______________ elections, which brought democracy to Thailand.

Bhumipol repeated his rare television appearance in April 2006 during another ______________. The government asked him to choose a prime minister. He said: "Asking for a ________________ prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon me, a mess. ______________." Although his health _________________, he continues to help the poor in Thailand, especially those in rural areas.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

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

King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand is the world’s / worlds longest-serving head of state. He is also the longest-serving monarchy / monarch in Thai history. He was born in the United States in 1927 and was educated in Switzerland. He is an excel / excellent musician, artist, and sailor. He is greatly loved by his people. Many Thais see him as semi- / hemi-divine.

Bhumibol came to Thailand for the first time / times in 1928. He completed his elementary education in Bangkok and in 1933 moved / removed to Switzerland. He graduated from the University of Lausanne. His elder brother was / has crowned King of Thailand in 1935 and Bhumipol became heir to the throne. He became King Rama IX follow / following the death of his brother in 1946.

King Bhumipol had very little power in the early year / years and was largely a symbol / symbolic. It was many decades into his reign before he decided to intervene in Thai politics. In 1992, there was a coop / coup attempt in Bangkok. Many protesting university students were killed in the streets. Bhumipol appeared with the coup leader on Thai television. This led to elections, which brought / bought democracy to Thailand.

Bhumipol repeated / repeating his rare television appearance in April 2006 during another political crises / crisis. The government asked him to choose a prime minister. He said: "Asking for a royally-appointed prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon you / me, a mess. It is irrational." Although his health is a concern today, he continues to help the poor in Thailand, especially those / them in rural areas.

SPELLING

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

Paragraph 1
1.	the world’s longest-veinrgs head of state
2.	dceeadtu in Switzerland
3.	He is an cltexlene musician, artist, and sailor
4.	Many Thais see him as imes divine
Paragraph 2
5.	elementary undieacto
6.	He raatugded from the University of Lausanne
7.	His elder brother was cownder King of Thailand in 1935
8.	Bhumipol became ehir to the throne
Paragraph 3
9.	largely a lsomby
10.	there was a upco attempt
11.	university students were killed in the ssrtete
12.	This led to elections, which brought aoycecdrm to Thailand
Paragraph 4
13.	Bhumipol etaeedpr his rare television appearance
14.	political cisrsi
15.	odprna me
16.	in rlrua areas

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	royally-appointed prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon me, a mess. It is irrational." Although his
( )	attempt in Bangkok. Many protesting university students were killed in the streets. Bhumipol appeared with the coup
( )	health is a concern today, he continues to help the poor in Thailand, especially those in rural areas.
( )	crisis. The government asked him to choose a prime minister. He said: "Asking for a
( )	King Bhumipol had very little power in the early years and was largely a
( )	throne. He became King Rama IX following the death of his brother in 1946.
( )	symbol. It was many decades into his reign before he decided to intervene in Thai politics. In 1992, there was a coup
( )	leader on Thai television. This led to elections, which brought democracy to Thailand.
( )	elementary education in Bangkok and in 1933 moved to Switzerland. He graduated from the University of Lausanne. His
( )	monarch in Thai history. He was born in the United States in 1927 and was educated in Switzerland. He is an
( )	Bhumibol came to Thailand for the first time in 1928. He completed his
( )	Bhumipol repeated his rare television appearance in April 2006 during another political
( 1 )	King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand is the world’s longest-serving head of state. He is also the longest-serving
( )	excellent musician, artist, and sailor. He is greatly loved by his people. Many Thais see him as semi-divine.
( )	elder brother was crowned King of Thailand in 1935 and Bhumipol became heir to the

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

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

1.	longest world’s the state of head serving -
2.	is loved his He greatly by people
3.	He his education Bangkok completed elementary in
4.	in elder crowned Thailand His was of 1935 brother King
5.	King Rama IX following the death of his brother He became
6.	years power Bhumipol in had the very early little
7.	students university protesting streets the in killed were
8.	to which to led , democracy This elections brought Thailand
9.	concern a is health his today
10.	he Thailand in poor the help to continues

KING BHUMIBOL DISCUSSION

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

KING BHUMIBOL SURVEY

Write five questions about King Bhumibol 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 King Bhumibol 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 King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. KING BHUMIBOL POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of King Bhumibol. 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 King Bhumibol. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he 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 King Bhumibol. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “King Bhumibol expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	serving	a.	working
2	monarch	b.	king
3.	semi-	c.	half
4.	completed	d.	finished
5.	heir	e.	next in line
6.	following	f.	after
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	reign	g.	rule
8.	intervene	h.	get involved
9.	coup	i.	overthrow
10.	rare	j.	unusual
11	choose	k	select
12	irrational	l	illogical

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	the world’s longest-serving	a.	head of state
2	Many Thais see him	b.	as semi-divine
3.	He completed his elementary	c.	education in Bangkok
4.	His elder brother was crowned	d.	King of Thailand in 1935
5.	He became King Rama IX following	e.	the death of his brother
6.	he decided to intervene	f.	in Thai politics
7.	This led to elections, which brought	g.	democracy to Thailand
8.	political	h.	crisis
9.	Asking for a royally-appointed prime	i.	minister is undemocratic
10.	his health is a	j.	concern today

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 King Bhumipol