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Famous People

RobinWilliams

Pre-ReadingA. Warm-Up Questions

1. What makes you laugh ?

2. Who is the funniest person in your life?

3. What is your favorite comedy TV show or movie?

4. What do you know about Robin Williams?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

a)b)c)d)e)f)g)h)i)j)k)l)

the overuse of drugs and/or alcoholfeeling pain in ones stomach after laughing very hardto make people happy, to cheer people upa one-man comedy performance before a live audiencea strong feeling of sadness, loneliness, or hopelessnessto go and see someone or something (often unexpectedly)the use of ones voice and gestures to pretend to be someone elseexclusive, only available to the most talented, intelligent or wealthyto make up the script as you goa byproduct (such as a related TV show) of something biggera job (sometimes short-term) often related to ones talentshort for situation comedy, a funny TV show about a set group of characters

sitcomimpersonationstand-up showin stitchesprestigiousspin-offad-libgiglift spiritspay a visitsubstance abusedepression

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Youre only given a little spark of madness. You mustnt lose it.

Robin Williams

In this lesson, you will read a short biography about the famous American comedian, Robin Williams. You will practice some new vocabulary and learn funny expressions related to laughter.

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Robin WilliamsFamous People

Reading1. RobinWilliamswasanAmericancomedianwhostarredinsitcoms,

films,andlivestand-up shows. His jokes, impersonations, and characters always left his audience in stitches. For many years, RobinWilliamswasconsideredthefunniestmanalive.

2. Robin Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 21, 1951. He wasashyboywhospentmuchofhischildhoodinhisbasement.Toentertainhimself,hemadeupdifferentvoices.Whiletakingadramaclassinhighschool,RobinWilliamslearnedthathecouldmake people laugh. In 1973, he was accepted into a prestigious arts program at the Juilliard School in New York. His roommate wasChristopherReeve,laterknownasSuperman.

3. OneofthefirstcomedicrolesRobinWilliamsplayedwasMorkfromOrkinthesitcomMork &Mindy (19781982). This was a spin-off from the hit TV series Happy Days. Mork was an alien who arrived on Earth in an egg. The TV audience fell in love with his character. Much of his best work was unscripted. Throughout the 70s and 80s Williams developed his art as a stand-up comedian.

4. RobinWilliamsalsohadasuccessfulfilmcareer.Hestarredinseveralaward-winningfilms,includingGood Morning Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), and Good Will Hunting (1997). From Peter Pan to Popeye, Williams brought a comedic element to every role he played. He was also one of the best voice actors in the industry. His ad-libbed performance as the Genie in Disneys Aladdin (1992) inspired many actorstolendtheirvoicestoanimatedfilms.

5. Robin Williams was a kid at heart. He loved video games and named his daughter after Princess Zelda. He also owned over 50 bicycles. Outside of his regular acting gigs, he took the time to lift peoples spirits. He cheered up Steven Spielberg while the director was working on depressing scenes in Schindlers List. He also paid a surprise visit to Christopher Reeve after the actors horse-riding accident. Williams used humor to convince his buddy that things would be okay. He also performed stand-up routines for military troops.

6. Despite the joy and laughter Robin Williams brought to his friends andfans,hesufferedgreatlyfromsubstance abuse and depression. Robin Williams committed suicide in his home on August 11, 2014, at the age of 63. He once told an interviewer that he hoped his work on Earth would earn him front-row seats to an Elvis/Mozart concert when andifhegottoheaven.

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Robin WilliamsFamous People

B. Ask and Answer

Practiceaskingandansweringthefollowingquestionswith yourpartner.Thenwritetheanswersincompletesentences.

ComprehensionA. True or False?

Read the statements below. If the statement is true, write T beside the sentence. If it is false, write F and correct the information. Write an N beside a statement that wasnt mentioned.

1. In his graduating year at high school, Robin Williams was voted funniest person.

2. Robin Williams was friends with cyclist Lance Armstrong.

3. RobinWIlliamsisbestknownforhisroleinthehitfilmSuperman.

4. The voice of the prince in Disneys Aladdin was played by Robin Williams.

5. Robin Williams often performed stand-up comedy routines for the military.

1. What did you learn about Robin Williamss childhood from the reading?

2. WhattypeofcharacterwasMork?

3. Which animated role did Robin Williams ad-lib?

4. Why does the reading mention the military?

5. How does the reading end?

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Robin WilliamsFamous People

Vocabulary Review

B. Choose the Closest Meaning

Choose the word(s) with the closest meaning to the underlined words in the following sentences.

1. My band has a gig at the local tavern on Friday.

a) friend b) concert c) meeting

2. Listening to music always lifts my spirits.

a) depresses me b) cheers me up c) makes me laugh

3. My brother does a good impersonation of the president.

a) job b) imitation c) joke

4. The comedian from Pakistan does the best stand-up routines.

a) impersonation b) improv c) live comedy

5. Lets grab some popcorn and watch a sitcom.

a) funny TV show b) award-winning film c) a stand-up show

6. The alcoholic went to a special clinic to get over his substance abuse.

a) emotions b) drug user c) alcoholism

A. Choose the Correct Word

Complete the sentences with a word from the vocabulary on page 1.

1. I need to to my grandmother. I havent seen her in months.

2. My uncle plays golf at a golf club. Only members are allowed to play that course.

3. The dancing baby had us in at the party. He had some really funny moves.

4. I watch comedies when Im feeling depressed. Comedies .

5. He wrote a speech, but he didnt stick to it. He the whole thing.

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Robin WilliamsFamous People

Laugh Yourself Silly Guess the Meaning

Work with a partner. Look at the following phrases containingthewordlaugh.Whatdoyouthinktheymean?Comeupwithadefinitionforeachword.

laugh track laughyourheadoff laughing stock burst out laughing

Discuss1. Does it surprise you that such a funny

personcouldsufferfromseveredepression?

2. Does comedy help lift your spirits when you are feeling down?

3. Howimportantarevoiceactorsinanimatedfilms?

4. Robin Williams once told an interviewer that Americanstendtomythologizethedead. What do you think he meant by that? Do you agree?

Improv

have the last laugh no laughing matter laughed out of court laughoff

Listentoyourteachergiveyoutherealdefinitions.Were you correct? Were you close? Share your silly guesses with your classmates.

Thewordimprovisshortforimprovisation.Whencomediansimprovise, they dont follow a script. Work together to create some prompts for improv skits, then improvise. Try to use English only!

CREATE PROMPTS

1. Tearablankpieceofpaperintothreestrips. Writeoneofthefollowingcategoriesoneach strip: Character, Actions, or Settings.

2. On the back of each strip, write a prompt for your classmates. Strip 1: Characters Write two or three characters. Example: a doctor, a nurse, and a clown Strip 2: Actions Write one action word. Example: swimming, skateboarding, watching TV... Strip 3: Settings Write one setting. Example: Hawaii, a school, a football field...

3. Your teacher will collect the Characters, Actions, and Settings in three separate containers.

IMPROVISE!

1. Onestudent(StudentA)willvolunteertogofirst.Student A will pick a piece of paper from the Character container. If there are two characters on the slip, the student will choose one partner (Student B). If there are three characters, the student will choose two students (Students B andC)tocomeuptothefrontfortheimprov.

2. Student B (or Students B and C) will choose slipsfromtheothertwocontainers(ActionsandSettings).

3. The students will then begin acting out a scene basedontheirthreeprompts.Thisisimprov,which means there is NO time to prepare a skit.

4. Therestoftheclasswilltrytofigureoutwhothecharacters are, what they are doing, and where they are doing it. Classmates can raise their hands to take a guess.

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Robin WilliamsFamous People

Answer KeyLESSON DESCRIPTION:

Students read a short biography about the world-famous

American comedian, Robin Williams. They learn new vocabulary

and expressions related to laughter. This lesson includes

comprehension, discussion questions, and an improv activity.

LEVEL: Intermediate High-Intermediate

TIME: 1.5 2 hours

TAGS: comedy, actor, American,

comedian, funny, laugh, famous,

suicide,RobinWilliams,film,TV

Comprehension

A. TRUE OR FALSE?

1. Not mentioned (true)

2. Not mentioned (true)

3. False Robin Williams friend Christopher Reeve was

best-knownforhisroleinthehitfilmSuperman.

4. False The voice of the genie in Disneys

Aladdin was played by Robin Williams.

5. True

Vocabulary Review

A. CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

1. pay a visit

2. prestigious

Laugh Yourself SillyShare the real meanings and enjoy a laugh at your students guesses.

laugh track:the recorded laughter that plays

automatically after something funny on a TV show

laugh your head off: to laugh really hard (also to laugh your butt off )

laughing stock:thepersonwhoeveryonelaughsat

burst out laughing:tosuddenlystartlaughing

have the last laugh:tosucceedafter

being ridiculed by another person

be no laughing matter:tobeaseriousmatter,

to not be something that people should joke about

laughed out of court:tonotbetakenseriouslybyajudgeorjury

laugh off:to not get upset or mad about something

B. ASK AND ANSWER

1. We learned that Robin Williams was a shy

child who amused himself by making up voices.

2. MorkwasanalienfromaplanetcalledOrk.

3. Robin Williams ad-libbed his role as the Genie in Disneys Aladdin.

4. The reading mentions the military because Robin Williams

often performed stand-up acts to cheer up American troops.

5. The reading ends with a joke from Robin Williams

about his hopes for life after death. SPELLING NOTE:

This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Practice,

Favorite, andHumor. Most other English-speaking countries spell

these words this way: Practise (when used as a verb; Practice

when usedas a noun), Favourite, and Humour. Make it a

challenge for your students to find these words in the

lesson and see if they knowthe alternate spellings.

Discuss

Individual answers.

Improv

Optional. Use this activity if your students are comfortable

getting up in front of the class. You will need blank paper

and three containers.

Pre-Reading

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS

Individual responses.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW

1. l

2. g

3. d

4. b

5. h

6. j

7. i

8. k

9. c

10. f

11. a

12. e

3. in stitches

4. lift my spirits

5. ad-libbed

B. CHOOSE THE CLOSEST MEANING

1. b 2. b 3. b 4. c 5. a 6. c

Pre-ReadingReadingComprehensionVocabulary ReviewLaugh Yourself Silly, Discuss, ImprovAnswer Key