Actors in Hollywood are on strike, which means they are not working. Because of this, they have been told not to wear Halloween costumes of characters from big movies or shows. They can dress up as things like ghosts, zombies, or spiders instead. The strike has been going on for almost 100 days because the actors want more money and a part of the money from streaming shows and movies.
The strike is not ending soon because the actors and the movie studios can’t agree. Some famous actors like George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson have suggested a way to solve the problem. But, the group that helps the actors said this idea won’t work. The strike will keep going until they find a solution.
Original news source: Striking actors given strict Halloween costume rules (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns choosing a word or phrase related to the article and acting it out without speaking. The other groups must guess what they are acting out within a certain time limit.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write the words “Hollywood” and “strike” on the board. Have the students take turns saying a word or phrase that is related to each word. Encourage them to think of as many associations as possible.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and a pen. Choose a word from the article and have the students draw a picture to represent that word. The other students must guess the word based on the drawing.
– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Choose a keyword from the article and write blanks on the board to represent each letter. The students must take turns guessing letters to fill in the blanks. If they guess a correct letter, write it on the board. If they guess a wrong letter, draw a part of a hangman. The students must guess the keyword before the hangman is completed.
– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Create a line on the floor with one end representing “strongly disagree” and the other end representing “strongly agree.” Choose a statement related to the article (e.g. “Actors should be paid more”) and have the students stand on the line based on their opinion. Encourage them to discuss their opinions with each other.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Why are actors in Hollywood not working right now?
2. What are actors allowed to dress up as for Halloween?
3. How long has the strike been going on for?
4. Why do the actors want more money?
5. Who are some famous actors that are trying to help solve the problem?
6. What did the group that helps the actors say about their idea?
7. When will the strike end?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Actors in Hollywood are on strike, which (1)______ they are not (2)______. Because of this, they have been told not to wear Halloween costumes of characters from big movies or shows. They can dress up as things like (3)______, zombies, or spiders instead. The strike has been going on for almost 100 days because the (4)______ want more money and a part of the money from streaming (5)______ and movies.
The (6)______ is not ending soon because the actors and the movie studios can’t agree. Some famous actors like George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson have suggested a way to solve the problem. But, the (7)______ that (8)______ the actors said this idea won’t work. The strike will keep going until they find a solution.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is a strike?
2. How would you feel if you couldn’t dress up as your favorite movie character for Halloween?
3. Do you like dressing up as ghosts, zombies, or spiders? Why or why not?
4. What do the actors want?
5. Do you think the strike will end soon? Why or why not?
6. How would you feel if you were an actor and couldn’t work for 100 days?
7. What is a solution?
8. Do you know any famous actors like George Clooney or Scarlett Johansson? Who are they?
9. How do you think the actors and movie studios can solve the problem?
10. Do you think the idea suggested by George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson will work? Why or why not?
11. How do you think the actors feel about the strike continuing?
12. What would you do if you were an actor on strike?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Hollywood
2. strike
3. costumes
4. movies
5. shows
6. money
7. solution
8. problem
Meanings:
(a) Clothes that people wear to look like something else
(b) Something that needs to be fixed or solved
(c) Performances that people watch on TV or in a theater
(d) The place where movies and shows are made
(e) When people stop working to ask for something
(f) Moving pictures that tell a story
(g) Something that people use to buy things
(h) A way to fix something that is wrong
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Why are actors in Hollywood on strike?
(a) They want to wear Halloween costumes.
(b) They want more money and a part of the money from streaming shows and movies.
(c) They want to take a break from work.
(d) They want to watch movies and shows.
2. What are actors not allowed to wear for Halloween?
(a) Costumes of ghosts, zombies, or spiders.
(b) Costumes of characters from big movies or shows.
(c) Costumes of animals.
(d) Costumes of superheroes.
3. How long has the strike been going on?
(a) Almost 100 days.
(b) Only a few days.
(c) More than a year.
(d) Just a few hours.
4. Why is the strike not ending soon?
(a) The actors are tired of striking.
(b) The actors found a solution.
(c) The movie studios are giving the actors more money.
(d) The actors and movie studios can’t agree.
5. Who suggested a way to solve the problem?
(a) The group that helps the actors.
(b) The movie studios.
(c) George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson.
(d) The fans of the actors.
6. What did the group that helps the actors say about the suggested idea?
(a) It won’t work.
(b) It will work.
(c) They are not sure if it will work.
(d) They didn’t say anything about it.
7. When will the strike end?
(a) It will end in a few days.
(b) It will end after Halloween.
(c) It will end when the actors get tired.
(d) It will end when they find a solution.
8. What do the actors want from streaming shows and movies?
(a) More costumes to wear.
(b) More time to watch shows and movies.
(c) A part of the money.
(d) More actors in the shows and movies.
True or False Questions:
1. Some unknown actors like George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson have suggested a way to worsen the problem.
2. Instead, they can dress up as things like ghosts, zombies, or spiders.
3. They have been told to wear Halloween costumes of characters from big movies or shows.
4. The strike is ending soon because the actors and the movie studios can agree.
5. The actors don’t want more money and don’t want a part of the money from streaming shows and movies.
6. The strike has been going on for almost 100 days.
7. The strike will keep going until they find a solution.
8. Actors in Hollywood are not working because they are on strike.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. Why are the actors in Hollywood on strike?
2. What are the actors not allowed to wear for Halloween?
3. How long has the strike been going on?
4. Why can’t the actors and movie studios agree?
5. What did George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson suggest to solve the problem?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Why are actors in Hollywood not working right now?
Because they are on strike.
2. What are actors allowed to dress up as for Halloween?
They can dress up as ghosts, zombies, or spiders.
3. How long has the strike been going on for?
It has been going on for almost 100 days.
4. Why do the actors want more money?
Because they want to be paid more and get a part of the money from streaming shows and movies.
5. Who are some famous actors that are trying to help solve the problem?
George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson.
6. What did the group that helps the actors say about their idea?
They said the idea won’t work.
7. When will the strike end?
We don’t know when the strike will end yet.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) means
(2) working
(3) ghosts
(4) actors
(5) shows
(6) strike
(7) group
(8) helps
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Hollywood
Answer: (d) The place where movies and shows are made
2. strike
Answer: (e) When people stop working to ask for something
3. costumes
Answer: (a) Clothes that people wear to look like something else
4. movies
Answer: (f) Moving pictures that tell a story
5. shows
Answer: (c) Performances that people watch on TV or in a theater
6. money
Answer: (g) Something that people use to buy things
7. solution
Answer: (h) A way to fix something that is wrong
8. problem
Answer: (b) Something that needs to be fixed or solved
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Why are actors in Hollywood on strike?
Answer: (b) They want more money and a part of the money from streaming shows and movies.
2. What are actors not allowed to wear for Halloween?
Answer: (b) Costumes of characters from big movies or shows.
3. How long has the strike been going on?
Answer: (a) Almost 100 days.
4. Why is the strike not ending soon?
Answer: (d) The actors and movie studios can’t agree.
5. Who suggested a way to solve the problem?
Answer: (c) George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson.
6. What did the group that helps the actors say about the suggested idea?
Answer: (a) It won’t work.
7. When will the strike end?
Answer: (d) It will end when they find a solution.
8. What do the actors want from streaming shows and movies?
Answer: (c) A part of the money.
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Some unknown actors like George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson have suggested a way to worsen the problem. (Answer: False)
2. Instead, they can dress up as things like ghosts, zombies, or spiders. (Answer: True)
3. They have been told to wear Halloween costumes of characters from big movies or shows. (Answer: False)
4. The strike is ending soon because the actors and the movie studios can agree. (Answer: False)
5. The actors don’t want more money and don’t want a part of the money from streaming shows and movies. (Answer: False)
6. The strike has been going on for almost 100 days. (Answer: True)
7. The strike will keep going until they find a solution. (Answer: True)
8. Actors in Hollywood are not working because they are on strike. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧
