EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• literature: written works, especially creative ones
• fiction: a type of literature that tells imagined stories
• traumatic: emotionally harmful
• censor: to remove parts of a book that might be offensive or uncomfortable
• controversial: causing many people to disagree with each other

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:17 — 1.2MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Toni Morrison was an American . She was born in 1931 in Lorain, Ohio, originally named Chloe Anthony Wofford. Morrison spent a lot of time around throughout her life. She studied literature in and later worked as a fiction editor at a publishing company. In 1970, Morrison published her first novel, The Bluest Eye. One of her later novels, Beloved, won multiple literary . Her stories often explored the traumatic of Black Americans in an uncensored way. This made her writing very controversial. However, in 1993, Morrison won the Nobel Prize in Literature. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. Morrison died in 2019, at age 88.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20815″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Toni Morrison’s books are often banned even today. Why do you think people ban books?
2. Why is it so important to talk about censorship?

Transcript

Toni Morrison was an American author. She was born in 1931 in Lorain, Ohio, originally named Chloe Anthony Wofford. Morrison spent a lot of time around books throughout her life. She studied literature in university and later worked as a fiction editor at a publishing company. In 1970, Morrison published her first novel, The Bluest Eye. One of her later novels, Beloved, won multiple literary awards. Her stories often explored the traumatic experiences of Black Americans in an uncensored way. This made her writing very controversial. However, in 1993, Morrison won the Nobel Prize in Literature. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. Morrison died in 2019, at age 88.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• slavery: the practice of owning other people and forcing them to work
• commemorate: to celebrate something
• abolition: the act of ending something
• freedom: the ability to live without being enslaved
• senate: a group of people who can make laws for a country

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11 — 1.1MB)

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Gapfill exercise

June 19th, or Juneteenth for short, is a that many Black Americans celebrate every year. The day commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. U.S. President Lincoln first the abolition of slavery on January 1st, 1863. However, the did not arrive in Texas until June 19th, 1865 – almost two and a half years later. That day, around 250,000 enslaved people gained their freedom. Black people in Texas began to celebrate June 19th every year after that. Over the years, people across the joined in the celebrations. In 2021, the United States Senate voted to make Juneteenth a national holiday.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20406″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. What is the significance of making Juneteenth a national holiday?

Transcript

June 19th, or Juneteenth for short, is a holiday that many Black Americans celebrate every year. The day commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. U.S. President Lincoln first announced the abolition of slavery on January 1st, 1863. However, the news did not arrive in Texas until June 19th, 1865 – almost two and a half years later. That day, around 250,000 enslaved people gained their freedom. Freed Black people in Texas began to celebrate June 19th every year after that. Over the years, people across the country joined in the celebrations. In 2021, the United States Senate voted to make Juneteenth a national holiday.