EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• stutter: a speech disorder that causes someone to pause and repeat words or sounds
• soap opera: a TV show that airs during the day and contains dramatic, over-the-top storylines
• cast: the group of actors who perform in a play, movie, or TV show
• villain: a character in a story who commits cruel or evil acts
• credit: to acknowledge someone for their work
• captivate: to capture someone’s interest and attention
• iconic: famous and recognizable, especially as a symbol of something else

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

James Earl Jones was an American actor. He was born in January 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi. During his , he developed a stutter, which caused him to avoid for years. Jones’s earliest acting roles were in and soap operas in the 1960s. He was often the first and only Black actor in the cast. He became famous for his roles in Shakespeare productions, including Othello and King Lear. In 1969, he won his first Tony Award, and he began to act in many successful and Broadway shows in the 1970s. Jones is most recognizable today as the voice of Darth Vader, the villain of the Star Wars films. He was originally uncredited for this role. He believed that he was only providing “special effects,” and that he did not need the credit. However, his performance captivated , and his voice became one of the most iconic parts of the film series. Jones died in September 2024, at age 93.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. Jones’s earliest roles were in
   a. animated films
   b. plays and soap operas
   c. sitcoms and musicals
   
2. In 1969, Jones won his first
   a. Emmy Award
   b. Academy Award
   c. Tony Award
   
3. Jones was originally uncredited for Star Wars because
   a. his voice was a last-minute change to the movie
   b. he believed he was only “special effects” and did not need credit
   c. he had a disagreement with the studio

Discussion/essay questions

1. Are voice actors underappreciated? Can you think of some movies or shows with talented voice actors?
2. What makes a character iconic? Which characters do you consider iconic?

Transcript

James Earl Jones was an American actor. He was born in January 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi. During his childhood, he developed a stutter, which caused him to avoid speaking for years. Jones’s earliest acting roles were in plays and soap operas in the 1960s. He was often the first and only Black actor in the cast. He became famous for his roles in Shakespeare productions, including Othello and King Lear. In 1969, he won his first Tony Award, and he began to act in many successful films and Broadway shows in the 1970s. Jones is most recognizable today as the voice of Darth Vader, the villain of the Star Wars films. He was originally uncredited for this role. He believed that he was only providing “special effects,” and that he did not need the credit. However, his performance captivated audiences, and his voice became one of the most iconic parts of the film series. Jones died in September 2024, at age 93.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2c 3b