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Academy Awards

Date: Mar 29 2001

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives awards to the best movies and best performances in movies. The awards, called Oscars, honor filmmakers and actors who create magnificent motion pictures.
This year, the nominees for best picture were:
Chocolat
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Erin Brockovich
Gladiator
Traffic *
For best actor:
Javier Bardem – BEFORE NIGHT FALLS
Russell Crowe - GLADIATOR
Tom Hanks - CAST AWAY
Ed Harris - POLLOCK
Geoffrey Rush - QUILLS
For best actress:
Joan Allen - THE CONTENDER
Juliette Binoche – CHOCOLAT
Ellen Burstyn – REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
Laura Linney – YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
Julia Roberts – ERIN BROCKOVICH *

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Migs

Tanis

Migs: Did you watch the Academy Awards?

Tanis: I did watch the Academy Awards.

Migs: So, who won Best Picture?

Tanis: Gladiator.

Migs: Oh really? You didn’t like Gladiator?

Tanis: I liked it, but I didn’t think it was, you know, deserving of the Academy Award.

Migs: So what movie was deserving?

Tanis: Um, well, you know, it’s not really fair because I haven’t seen all of them, but I thought that Crouching Tiger was better than, uh, Gladiator… and I thought that…

Migs: So, what about Julia? Did you think she should have won?

Tanis: You know what? I was glad that Julia won, just because she’s so pretty. She looked so beautiful…

Migs: That’s a good reason to give her an award.

Tanis: I know. Isn’t that stupid? But um… and plus, I thought she really was great in Erin Brockovich.

Migs: Yeah. I think she was good too. It’s just. It was one of those roles where it seemed so much like her that it’s not really like a big stretch.

So, what about the musical performances? Did you uh, did you think one of… a specific one of those was the best?

Tanis: I think that the best one that I saw… I don’t know. None of the music really struck me that much this year.

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Discussion

Tanis obviously didn’t like the movie Gladiator much. She thinks there were better movies this year. I have to agree with her. I thought Gladiator was good, but it was not even in my top 5 favorite movies.
The Academy Awards are always fun to watch, because so many movie stars are in the same place at the same time. If you missed it this year, check out the web site to learn more: http://www.oscar.com/
Did you see any of the movies nominated for Best Picture? Who should have won Best Actor? Tell us what do you think? Come to the “Movie Madness” message board.
From the front row,
Migs