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HARRY POTTER http://www.ToLearnEnglish.com - Resources to learn/teach English |
I) ANTICIPATING
> "By now, much of the world has heard of Harry Potter, the talented boy wizard created by British author J.K. Rowling. The books about him have been selling like hotcakes and enchanting readers everywhere. Did you get caught up in the excitement when Book 4, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, was published in Summer 2000? It was definitely the publishing event of the year."
What is this text about? Who is the author of these books? What is the title of the last book? When was it published? Was it a success?
> The different books:
1) Match the titles of the books with their covers. 2) Put these books into the chronological order (when were they published?)
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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II) READING COMPREHENSION
>> TEXT:
Harry Potter is no ordinary boy. He's a wizard-in-training
at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Imagine taking classes
in spells and potions, and learning to use a cauldron and wand instead of
spending time in math and reading class.
We first meet 11-year-old Harry in HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE,
J.K. Rowling's debut novel. So many people fell in love with this magical
adventure that it won just about every children's book prize in England (where
it was first published) in 1997 and 1998 and won a ton of fans here in the
United States as well.
The second book about Harry, HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, followed
in the first book's footsteps. It has been a smash success since it came out
in June 1999.
As you probably guessed, Harry's third year at Hogwarts proved to be a charm,
as well. Book 3, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, hit bookstores
on September 8, 1999 and immediately became a giant hit.
The fourth book about Harry, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, was released
simultaneously in Britain and the U.S. at exactly midnight on July 8th, 2000.
The event made news around the globe, and here in the U.S., the book's publisher,
Scholastic, released 3.8 million copies of the book on that day, and quickly
decided to print 3 million.
As part of the July 8th hoopla, bookstores threw Harry Potter parties and
kids and their parents stayed up late to wait in line to purchase copies.
Amazing stuff! And those of you who have read know that at 734 pages, Book
4 is the longest (and scariest) Harry book yet.
According to Scholastic, there are more than 48.6 million copies of the Harry
Potter books in print here in the U.S. (this includes all four hardcovers
and the paperback editions of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE and HARRY
POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS). Even grown-ups love Harry! With so many
readers, the books have been on bestseller lists across the country for many
months.Now, THAT's really wild about Harry.
J.K. Rowling plans to write seven books in the series. She has begun work
on Book 5, but there is no telling when she will finish it. She has said in
interviews that the new book, most likely called HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER
OF THE PHOENIX, will be "done when it's done." While you're waiting,
you can explore two short companion books Rowling has written and illustrated:
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM and QUIDDITCH THROUGH THE AGES. You'll
recognize these as books that Harry and his friends talk about at Hogwarts.
These special volumes were published on March 12, 2001 with the proceeds going
to the Harry's Books fund, a charity that helps children in need around the
world.
A Harry Potter feature film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was also
released on November 16, 2001. The movie, produced by Warner Bros., was directed
by Chris Columbus, who directed MRS. DOUBTFIRE.
With super book sales and a bigtime movie in the works, could licensed merchandise
be far behind? Not a chance. Starting in August 2000, Mattel began releasing
a line of toys based on the Harry Potter books. Hasbro produced Harry Potter
trading cards, electronic toys and candy products.
All in all, Harry is continuing to work magic in ways no one could have ever
imagined.
>> QUESTIONS:
1. What is the name of Harry's school?
a) Salem's School of Wizards
b) Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
c) Kids School of Sorcery
2. Harry studies maths in his school.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
3. How old is Harry in his first book?
a) 9
b) 11
c) 13
4. "Harry Potter" was first published in the U.S.A.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
5. What is the title of the last book?
a) HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
b) HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
c) HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE
6. JK Rowling plans to write ten books.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
7. Who was the producer of the movie "Harry Potter"?
a) Steven Spielberg
b) George Lucas
c) Chris Columbus
8. "Harry Potter" sweets and electronic toys can
be found in shops.
a) TRUE
b) FALSE
9. What will probably be the title of the next episode?
a) HAPPY POTTER IN WONDERLAND.
b) HARRY POTTER AND THE NICE WITCH.
c) HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX.
10. What is "FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM"?
a) The title of the first Harry Potter novel
b) One of the books Harry reads at Hogwarts and a book which has been published
c) A sequel to Harry Potter with different characters
III) ORAL COMPREHENSION
Here is the script of the tape. Fill in the gaps with the missing words:
author, boy, British, dramatic, girls, ideas, languages, London, mother, published, story, train, wizard
When VOA interviewed _________ (1) writer J.K. Rowling by telephone in 1998, her first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was just making its debut in the United States. She looked back on how the _________ (2) was born.
"I was on a _________ (3) traveling from Manchester to_________ (4), and the idea for this story just came to me literally by magic," she said. "And I was so excited by this idea of a _________ (5) who doesn't understand what's strange and what's different about him, and then finds out he's a _________ (6)."
J. K. Rowling told VOA that what followed also seemed like magic. In Britain, she'd already been transformed from a struggling single _________ (7) into a celebrated _________ (8). She would go on to create a sensation in the United States, where four best-selling Harry Potter stories have now been _________ (9). The series has been translated into _________ (10) around the world, and inspired a movie.
J. K. Rowling also told VOA she has lots of other story _________ (11) filed away. "All sorts of exciting things are ahead for Harry. Things get even more _________ (12) and serious than they have previously," she said. "He is going to grow up. So he will be discovering _________ (13) and all the rest of it."
IV) GRAMMAR
> Preterite
The past simple is used for a past action (dated and definite).
Regular
verbs: verb + -ED
Example: talk > talked
Irregular verbs: there are a lot of different rules. You
must learn these forms by heart.
Example: go > went | be > was, were
The fourth book about Harry, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, was released
simultaneously in Britain and the U.S. at exactly midnight on July 8th,
2000. The event made news around the globe, and here in the U.S., the book's
publisher, Scholastic, released 3.8 million copies of the book on that day,
and quickly decided to print 3 million.
As part of the July 8th hoopla, bookstores threw Harry Potter parties and
kids and their parents stayed up late to wait in line to purchase copies.
Amazing stuff! And those of you who have read know that at 734 pages, Book
4 is the longest (and scariest) Harry book yet.
V) VOCABULARY
Find the correct definitions.
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A) a wizard B) a spell C) a cauldron D) a potion E) magic F) to purchase G) a novel H) to finish I) to recognize J) to win |
1) To bring to an end; terminate. 2) To achieve victory or finish first in a competition. 3) One who practices magic; a sorcerer or magician. 4) A word or formula believed to have magic power. 5) The practice of using charms, spells, or rituals to attempt to produce supernatural effects or control events in nature. 6) To obtain in exchange for money or its equivalent; buy. 7) 1. To know again; to perceive the identity of, with a person or thing previously known; to recover or recall knowledge of. 8) A liquid or liquid mixture, especially one that is medicinal, poisonous, or magical. 9) A very large pot. 10) A fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters. |
VI) ANSWERS
> Anticipation:
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1997)
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (June
1999)
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (September
1999)
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
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> Reading Comprehension: 1. (b) 2. (b) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. 6. (b) 7. (c) 8. (a) 9. (c) 10. (b)
> Oral Comprehension: 1. British - 2. story - 3. train - 4. London - 5. boy - 6. wizard - 7. mother - 8. author - 9. published - 10. language - 11. ideas - 12. dramatic - 13. girls
> Grammar:
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REGULAR VERBS
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IRREGULAR VERBS
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to guess > guessed to prove > proved to release > released to decide > decided to stay > stayed |
to hit > hit to become > became to be > was, were to make > made to throw > threw |