EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• narrator: a character who tells a story
• bond: an amount of money that a person gives a company or government with the goal of receiving more money later
• wealthy: having a lot of money
• critic: someone who reviews art, books, or movies
• copy: one of many prints of the same book
• American Dream: the belief that anyone can become wealthy and successful in America
• symbolism: the use of objects to represent ideas

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:44 — 2.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | More

Gapfill exercise

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. The narrator is a man named Nick Carraway who moves to New York to become a bond trader. The novel takes place in two fictional wealthy called East Egg and West Egg. Throughout the story, Nick becomes fascinated with the life of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire who throws every week. Fitzgerald was already a famous author when he published The Great Gatsby, but the book was not when it first came out. Book critics had mixed about it, and it sold very slowly. The Great Gatsby gained its popularity during World War II. Soldiers often received free copies for entertainment. Critics later became interested in its about wealth and the “American Dream.” Today, The Great Gatsby is often taught in schools because of its many examples of symbolism.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. The narrator of The Great Gatsby is
   a. Jay Gatsby
   b. Nick Carraway
   c. F. Scott Fitzgerald
   
2. East Egg and West Egg are
   a. rural neighbourhoods
   b. working-class neighbourhoods
   c. wealthy neighbourhoods
   
3. The Great Gatsby became popular
   a. soon after it was published
   b. during World War I
   c. during World War II

Discussion/essay questions

1. The Great Gatsby is less common in schools outside of America. Which books did you read in school? Did you enjoy them? Are there any books that you wish were taught in schools?
2. Why is it important for people to understand symbolism?

Transcript

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. The narrator is a man named Nick Carraway who moves to New York to become a bond trader. The novel takes place in two fictional wealthy neighbourhoods called East Egg and West Egg. Throughout the story, Nick becomes fascinated with the life of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire who throws parties every week. Fitzgerald was already a famous author when he published The Great Gatsby, but the book was not successful when it first came out. Book critics had mixed opinions about it, and it sold very slowly. The Great Gatsby gained its popularity during World War II. Soldiers often received free copies for entertainment. Critics later became interested in its ideas about wealth and the “American Dream.” Today, The Great Gatsby is often taught in schools because of its many examples of symbolism.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2c 3c

Pre-listening vocabulary

• temperance union: an organization that advocated for the prohibition of alcohol
• poverty: a state of having very little money
• crime: illegal activity
• code: a way of communication that hides a person’s true message
• gang: an organization of people that commit crimes
• profit: to make money from something
• smuggle: to bring something over a border illegally

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:20 — )

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | More

Gapfill exercise

Prohibition was a period of time when was banned in the United States. It came about because of the of temperance unions, which believed that banning alcohol would reduce poverty and crime. The American government outlawed the sale of alcohol in 1920, but this ban was not very effective. bars called speakeasies began to appear throughout the country, where people could alcohol by speaking in code. Prohibition also gave gangs an opportunity to profit from the sale of alcohol. People known as rum-runners would smuggle alcohol across the Canadian border in order to sell it in the U.S. By 1933, it became clear that the ban had failed, and the government passed a new law allowing the sale of alcohol once again.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20673″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Why do you think Prohibition failed?

Transcript

Prohibition was a period of time when alcohol was banned in the United States. It came about because of the protests of temperance unions, which believed that banning alcohol would reduce poverty and crime. The American government outlawed the sale of alcohol in 1920, but this ban was not very effective. Secret bars called speakeasies began to appear throughout the country, where people could order alcohol by speaking in code. Prohibition also gave gangs an opportunity to profit from the illegal sale of alcohol. People known as rum-runners would smuggle alcohol across the Canadian border in order to sell it in the U.S. By 1933, it became clear that the ban had failed, and the government passed a new law allowing the sale of alcohol once again.