English Lesson on Michelle Bachelet

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THE LESSON ON MICHELLE BACHELET

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


READ

Michelle Bachelet was born in 1951. She is the first woman to become President of Chile. She won the 2006 election in a runoff, campaigning to help reduce the country’s huge gap between rich and poor. In 2008, ‘Time’ magazine ranked her fifteenth on its list of the world's 100 most influential people. She is a qualified surgeon and speaks five languages fluently.

Bachelet was born in Santiago, Chile. Her mother was an archaeologist and her father was an air force officer. She spent most of her childhood traveling around Chile, living on different military bases. She attended a prestigious girls-only public school and excelled in her studies. She started studying medicine in 1970. She said: "It was a concrete way of helping people cope with pain."

Augusto Pinochet came to power in a 1973 coup and her life changed forever. Her father died in 1974 after months of daily torture. Bachelet and her mother were also tortured. In 1975, they were exiled to Australia. A year later she went to the German Democratic Republic, where she completed her medical studies and learnt German.

In 1979, Bachelet returned to Chile and helped children whose parents were being tortured by Pinochet’s government. She became a consultant for the World Health Organization. She also earned a Master’s in military science. In 2002 Bachelet became Latin America’s first female Defence Minister. Four years later, she became president. A record number of foreign heads of states attended her swearing in ceremony.

247 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.

reduce

a.

licensed

2

huge

b.

shone

3.

qualified

c.

distinguished

4.

prestigious

d.

cut

5.

excelled

e.

handle

6.

cope with

f.

enormous


Paragraphs 3 and 4
 

 

 

7.

changed

g.

leaders

8.

exiled

h.

aided

9.

completed

i.

adviser

10.

helped

j.

transformed

11

consultant

k

expelled

12

heads of states

l

finished

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.

help reduce the country’s huge

a.

surgeon

2

fifteenth on its list of the world's

b.

months of daily torture

3.

She is a qualified

c.

people cope with pain

4.

She attended a prestigious

d.

power in a 1973 coup

5.

a concrete way of helping

e.

100 most influential people

6.

Augusto Pinochet came to

f.

the World Health Organization

7.

Her father died in 1974 after

g.

gap between rich and poor

8.

helped children whose parents

h.

heads of states attended

9.

She became a consultant for

i.

girls-only public school

10.

A record number of foreign

j.

were being tortured

LISTENING GAP FILL

Michelle Bachelet was born in 1951. She ________________ to become President of Chile. She won the 2006 election in a runoff, campaigning to help reduce the country’s ________________ rich and poor. In 2008, ‘Time’ magazine ranked her ________________ of the world's 100 most influential people. She is ________________ and speaks five languages fluently.

Bachelet was born in Santiago, Chile. Her mother was ________________ and her father was an air force officer. She spent ________________ traveling around Chile, living on different military bases. She attended a prestigious girls-only public school ________________ studies. She started studying medicine in 1970. She said: "It was ________________ helping people cope with pain."

Augusto Pinochet came to power ________________ and her life changed forever. Her father died in 1974 ________________ torture. Bachelet and her mother were also tortured. In 1975, ________________ to Australia. A year later she went to the German Democratic Republic, where she completed ________________ and learnt German.

In 1979, Bachelet returned to Chile and helped ________________ were being tortured by Pinochet’s government. She became a ________________ World Health Organization. She also earned a Master’s ________________. In 2002 Bachelet became Latin America’s first female Defence Minister. Four years later, she became president. A record number of foreign heads of states attended her ________________.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

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

Michelle Bachelet was born in 1951. She is a / the first woman to become President of Chile. She won / beat the 2006 election in a runoff, campaigning to help reduce the country’s huge crack / gap between rich and poor. In 2008, ‘Time’ magazine ranked her fifteenth on / of its list of the world's 100 most influential people. She is a qualified surgeon and speaks five languages fluently.

Bachelet was born in Santiago, Chile. Her mother was an / the archaeologist and her father was an air force officer. She spent most of / with her childhood traveling around Chile, living on different military bases. She attended a prestigious girls-only public school and excelled / excellent in her studies. She started studying medicine in 1970. She said: "It was a concrete / cement way of helping people cope with pain."

Augusto Pinochet came to power in a 1973 coup / coop and her life changed forever. Her father died / death in 1974 after months of daily torture. Bachelet and her mother were also tortuous /  tortured. In 1975, they were exiled to Australia. A year later she went to the German Democratic Republic, where she completion / completed her medical studies and learnt German.

In 1979, Bachelet returned to Chile and helped children that / whose parents were being tortured by Pinochet’s government. She became a consultant / consultancy for the World Health Organization. She also earned / learned a Master’s in military science. In 2002 Bachelet became Latin America’s first female Defence Minister. Four years later, she became president. A record / recorded number of foreign heads of states attended her swearing in ceremony.

SPELLING

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

Paragraph 1
 

1.

help ecdreu the country’s huge gap between rich and poor

2.

‘Time’ magazine enrkda her fifteenth on its list

3.

She is a iiluedaqf surgeon

4.

speaks five languages tlluefyn


Paragraph 2
 

5.

air force cefrofi

6.

She ednaettd a prestigious girls-only public school

7.

xcedelel in her studies

8.

a oenctrec way of helping people cope with pain


Paragraph 3
 

9.

her life changed reforve

10.

months of daily uoetrrt

11.

they were exeidl to Australia

12.

she completed her imadecl studies


Paragraph 4
 

13.

helped children ehsow parents were being tortured

14.

She became a tlcaonstun for the World Health Organization

15.

She also earned a Master’s in rymatiil science

16.

foreign eahsd of states

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

1  )

 

Michelle Bachelet was born in 1951. She is the first woman to become President of Chile. She won

(    )

 

most influential people. She is a qualified surgeon and speaks five languages fluently.

(    )

 

later she went to the German Democratic Republic, where she completed her medical studies and learnt German.

(    )

 

In 1979, Bachelet returned to Chile and helped children whose parents were being tortured

(    )

 

the 2006 election in a runoff, campaigning to help reduce the country’s huge gap between rich

(    )

 

medicine in 1970. She said: "It was a concrete way of helping people cope with pain."

(    )

 

Augusto Pinochet came to power in a 1973 coup and her life changed forever. Her father died in 1974 after months

(    )

 

and poor. In 2008, ‘Time’ magazine ranked her fifteenth on its list of the world's 100

(    )

 

Master’s in military science. In 2002 Bachelet became Latin America’s first female Defence Minister. Four years

(    )

 

of daily torture. Bachelet and her mother were also tortured. In 1975, they were exiled to Australia. A year

(    )

force officer. She spent most of her childhood traveling around Chile, living on different military

(    )

 

later, she became president. A record number of foreign heads of states attended her swearing in ceremony.

(    )

 

Bachelet was born in Santiago, Chile. Her mother was an archaeologist and her father was an air

(    )

 

bases. She attended a prestigious girls-only public school and excelled in her studies. She started studying

(    )

 

by Pinochet’s government. She became a consultant for the World Health Organization. She also earned a

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

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

1.

first   become   Chile   the   to   of   is   woman   President   She

2.

gap   reduce   between   the   rich   country’s   and   huge   poor

3.

childhood   spent   traveling   most   around   of   Chile   her   She

4.

She   -   attended   only   a   public   prestigious   school   girls

5.

concrete   cope   way   with   of   pain   helping   a   people

6.

a   in   power   to   came   Pinochet   coup   1973

7.

torture   died   after   daily   father   1974   of   Her   in   months

8.

were   they   ,   1975   In   Australia   to   exiled

9.

in   Master’s   a   earned   also   She   science   military

10.

of   attended   foreign   A   heads   record   of   number   states

MICHELLE BACHELET DISCUSSION (Write your questions)

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

1.

What do you know about Michelle Bachelet?

2.

Would you like to meet Michelle Bachelet?

3.

What would you like to know about Michelle Bachelet 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 Michelle Bachelet?

2.

What questions would you like to ask Michelle Bachelet?

3.

What would her answers be to those questions?

4.

___________________________________________________

5.

___________________________________________________

6.

___________________________________________________

7.

___________________________________________________

8.

___________________________________________________

THE MICHELLE BACHELET SURVEY

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

3. MICHELLE BACHELET POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Michelle Bachelet. 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 Michelle Bachelet. 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 Michelle Bachelet. 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 “Michelle Bachelet expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
 

 

 

1.

reduce

a.

cut

2

huge

b.

enormous

3.

qualified

c.

licensed

4.

prestigious

d.

distinguished

5.

excelled

e.

shone

6.

cope with

f.

handle


Paragraphs 3 and 4
 

 

 

7.

changed

g.

transformed

8.

exiled

h.

expelled

9.

completed

i.

finished

10.

helped

j.

aided

11

consultant

k

adviser

12

heads of states

l

leaders

PHRASE MATCH:

1.

help reduce the country’s huge

a.

gap between rich and poor

2

fifteenth on its list of the world's

b.

100 most influential people

3.

She is a qualified

c.

surgeon

4.

She attended a prestigious

d.

girls-only public school

5.

a concrete way of helping

e.

people cope with pain

6.

Augusto Pinochet came to

f.

power in a 1973 coup

7.

Her father died in 1974 after

g.

months of daily torture

8.

helped children whose parents

h.

were being tortured

9.

She became a consultant for

i.

the World Health Organization

10.

A record number of foreign

j.

heads of states attended

ALL OTHER EXERCISES:

Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.

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