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GENERAL ENGLISH · BREAKING NEWS · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

EURO
POLITICIANS GET
SENT TO
DISNEYLAND
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1 Warm up

In pairs or small groups, complete the quiz below. No phones allowed!

1. Where was the first Disney theme park?

a. Paris b. California c. Florida d. Tokyo

2. Which year did Disneyland Paris open to the public?

a. 1955 b. 1984 c. 1992 d. 1999

3. Which American city was Walt Disney born in?

a. Chicago b. New York City c. Los Angeles d. Anaheim

4. What was Walt Disney’s first choice name for Mickey Mouse?

a. Montgomery b. Manfred Mouse c. Michael Mouse d. Mortimer Mouse

Mouse

5. The first full-length Disney film was released in 1937. What was the name of the film?

a. Bambi b. Snow White and c. Cinderella d. Peter Pan

the Seven Dwarfs

6. How many theme parks contain the name "Disneyland" in their title?

a. 5 b. 7 c. 4 d. 9

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2 Pre-listening task: vocabulary focus

Match words with the correct definitions.

1. hold (v) a. a place from which an organisation or a military operation is

controlled
2. theme park (n) b. have a meeting, competition, conversation, etc.

3. destination (n) c. a large area, usually outdoors, where people go to enjoy

themselves
4. headquarters (n) d. a place to which somebody/something is going or being sent

5. controversy (n) e. public discussion and argument about something that many
people strongly disagree about, think is bad, or are shocked by

Part B: Complete the sentences with the missing words and phrases from Part A. You may need to
change the form of the word or phrase.

1. Our organisation is talks with the government.

2. I used to go to every summer when I was a child.

3. The of our company is in Germany.

4. There is a lot of about the new law. Some people are very angry!

5. I asked the taxi driver to wake me up when we reach our .

What does the idiom take a wrong turn (idiom) mean?

3 Listening for specific information

Listen to the report. Circle the correct numbers and dates mentioned in the recording.

1. How long (in minutes) the train was delayed for: 35 / 45 / 55

2. When the train arrived at its destination: 12.50 / 13.15 / 15.50

3. The distance (in miles) between Brussels and Strasbourg: 300 / 400 / 500

4. When the European Parliament was created: 1939 / 1945 / 1952

5. The number of MEPs: 705 / 715 / 750

6. The number of voters served by the European Parliament: 355 million / 375 million / 395 million

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4 Listening for comprehension

Listen to the report again. Answer the questions true (T) or false (F).

1. The train was carrying hundreds of MEPS from Strasbourg to Brussels when it stopped at
Disneyland Paris.

2. During the delay, the MEPs had time to enjoy a few rides in the theme park.

3. Official meetings for the European Parliament take place in both Brussels and Strasbourg.

4. Strasbourg is located on the border between France and Germany.

5. Elections for the European Parliament take place every five years.

6. Some have suggested moving the headquarters of the European Parliament to Strasbourg.

5 Reading: general vocabulary

Part A: Match the vocabulary with the images below.

cave construction contract illusion

illustration nature reserve shelter tunnel

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

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Now, match the words above with the definitions below.

1. : an official written agreement

2. : a passage built underground, for example to allow a road or railway to go

through a hill, under a river, etc.
3. : an area of land where the animals and plants are protected

4. : a large hole in the side of a hill or mountain or under the ground

5. : a safe place to stay for people or animals without homes

6. : the process or method of building or making something

7. : something that is not really what it seems to be

8. : a drawing or picture in a book, magazine, for decoration or to explain

something

Part B: Match the words in bold with the correct definitions.

1. In my country, colonies of wild dogs live in forests near cities. (n)

2. We found a stray cat in our garden. We’ve been feeding it every day. (adj.)

3. My book was inspired by my experiences in Germany. (v)

4. We have been restoring the painting for weeks, now. It almost looks as good as new! (v)

5. When my family moved to the US, I chose to remain in Ireland. (v)

6. The government is beginning construction of a new library. (n)

7. Our dog spotted a cat in the garden, and went crazy. (n)

a. give somebody the idea for something, especially something artistic or that shows imagination

b. see or notice a person or thing, especially suddenly or when it is not easy to do so

c. a group of plants or animals that live together or grow in the same place

d. bring somebody/something back to a former condition, place or position

e. stay in the same place

f. the process or method of building or making something, especially roads, buildings, bridges, etc.

g. (of animals normally kept as pets) away from home and lost; having no home

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Part B: Complete the short text below with the words and phrases from Part A and B. You may need
to change the tense of the word or phrase.

I was hired to help design a theme park almost twenty years ago, and it was a strange experience. In
1 2
order to apply for the project, I sent some of my ideas, which were by old
stories from my country. To my surprise, I was chosen. The idea behind the park was that there would
3
be a huge dragon in the middle, and that rides would take visitors into a network of .
4 5
These would be accessed by a system. We wanted to create an of a
6
fairy tale kingdom. Unfortunately, there were many problems! The first issue was the
7
of cats that lived in the area. Now, I like cats a lot, but the owners wanted to remove
8
them. After an argument between the planning teams, it was agreed that the cats could .
In the end, it didn’t matter, because before construction could begin, we found out that the park would
9
affect a local . The owners started looking for a new location, but soon gave up on
the idea. I wasn’t even paid for my time!

Part C: Discuss these questions in pairs.

1. Should old buildings and monuments that have been damaged be restored or left as they are?
2. Are there many naturereserves in your country?

6 Pre-reading task: reading for general understanding

Part A: You are going to read a text about Disneyland Paris. Scan the text quickly and match the
headings with the correct paragraphs. One heading cannot be matched to any of the five paragraphs,
and should be marked ‘Not given’.

1. Disneyland Alicante
2. Wild cats
3. Euro Disney: the original name
4. Hidden Mickeys
5. Underground tunnels
6. The Sleeping Beauty Castle

Glossary:

Easter egg - a hidden message or reference in a video game, film, comic book, etc. that is not
necessary or related to the main content, but adds to the entertainment

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Five surprising facts about Disneyland Paris

One of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions, Disneyland Paris has welcomed visitors since 1992.
We look at five interesting facts about the theme park.

A.

Disneyland Paris is huge, and home to seventeen thousand employees. Many workers wear costumes based on
popular Disney characters, such as Donald Duck or Minnie Mouse. These employees need to move across the
park quickly, along with the people who work behind the scenes to keep everything running. To make it easier
for staff to move from one place to another, a network of underground tunnels was created. The tunnels make it
easier for equipment to be transported, and allow costumed workers to arrive at their section of the park without
having to walk through the crowds dressed as a Disney character, which might break the illusion visitors have paid
for.

B.

As well as fictional animals, Disneyland Paris is home to a large number of stray cats, who have made their home in
the park. The cats help to manage rat problems, and are cared for by the staff, who send kittens to animal shelters
and provide food and water for the cats that choose to remain in the theme park. Colonies of wild cats can also
be found in other famous attractions across Europe, such as the Coliseum in Rome. The European Union believes
there to be around one hundred million stray cats and dogs in Europe.

C.

The most famous part of Disneyland Paris is the Sleeping Beauty Castle, a fairy tale palace that the park is built
around. While the castle at the original Disneyland in Florida was based on Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany,
designers wanted the Paris version to look different. The final design was inspired by Mont Saint-Michel, a
monastery in the Normandy region of France, and illustrations taken from historical books. The windows were
created by an expert in stained glass, who had previously helped to restore the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.
The castle is also home to a 27-metre-long dragon, which can be found in a cave below the building.

D.

Although it is hard to imagine now, Disneyland Paris was almost built in Spain, rather than in France. When the
project was first announced, planners began searching for a location that would have a similar climate to Florida,
where one of the first Disneylands was built. The first choice was a site near Pego in the Alicante region of Spain.
However, in order to begin construction, a nature reserve would have to be destroyed. In the end, a location
near Paris was selected instead, as it was easy to reach from most of Europe, and the land was more suitable for
building.

E.

All over the park, visitors may notice hidden Mickey Mouse images, which can be found on the front of buildings, in
clocks and all kinds of objects. Some of the images are so tiny that they might be hard to spot at first! These types
of hidden references are known as "Easter eggs" and Mickey Mouse Easter eggs can be found in many Disney
films as well, from a tiny drawing on a contract in The Little Mermaid to a necklace in the movie Tangled. Nobody
knows exactly how many hidden Mickeys can be found in Disneyland Paris, but there appear to be quite a lot!

Sources: BBC, The Guardian, The Independent

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Part B: Look at the sentence below. What do you think the underlined phrase means? What do you
think Disneyland Paris is like behind the scenes? Where might the phrase come from? Discuss in
pairs.

1. We have to do a lot of work behind the scenes so that the theme park experience can
be fun for all of our visitors.
2. My boss left me to keep everything running for a week, which was quite difficult!

7 Reading comprehension

Part A: Read the article again. Match the items mentioned with the correct paragraphs. Some items
can be matched to more than one paragraph. One of the items is not mentioned in any of the
paragraphs, and should be marked ‘Not given’.

1. Other cities and countries →

2. Disney characters →

3. American food →

4. Disney films →

5. Drawings and illustrations →

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Part B: For each question, choose the answer you believe best fits the information given in the text.

1. Which of the following is NOT a purpose of the underground tunnels in Disneyland Paris?

a. Make it easier for staff to move around the park.

b. Make it easier for visitors to move around the park.

c. Make it easier to move equipment around the park.

2. How do the cats that live in Disneyland Paris help the park?

a. They bring good luck.

b. They are popular with visitors.

c. They manage rat problems.

3. What can be found below the Sleeping Beauty Castle?

a. a dragon b. cats c. a lake

4. What would have been lost if Disneyland was built in Alicante, rather than in Paris?

a. a nature reserve b. money c. a historical village

5. Where does Mickey Mouse appear in the film The Little Mermaid?

a. in a cloud b. on a document c. on a piece of jewellery

8 Talking Point
In pairs or small groups, discuss the following questions.

1. Have you been to any Disney theme parks? If not, would you like to go to one? Why/why not?
2. Why do you think people enjoy going to theme parks? Do you know anybody who hates theme
parks?
3. The cheapest ticket for Disneyland Paris is €56 for an adult. Do you think this is too expensive?
4. When Paris was chosen as a location for Disneyland, some French people were unhappy about
the decision. Why do you think they felt this way?
5. Should children be taken to theme parks on school trips? Why/why not?
6. Do you think that the European Parliament is a good or bad idea? Give reasons to support your
answer.
7. Have you ever gone to the wrong place by mistake when taking public transport, such as a train
or bus? If so, what happened?

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9 Extended activity/writing homework

Write an opinion essay on the topic below. Your essay should agree with or disagree with the statement,
and should be between 240 – 280 words.

Disney, as a company, has had more of a negative effect than a positive one on the world.

Alternative extended activity:

In pairs or small groups, design your own theme park. Think of a name for your attraction. What
types of rides will it have? Where will it be located? Will it have any kind of theme, such as a film or
television series? How many people do you hope will visit each year? How much will tickets cost?
Will it be for children, adults, or both? Present your theme park to the class.

10 Optional activity - guessing the words

Your teacher will give you a card with vocabulary from the lesson. Work in pairs. Try to explain the
vocabulary. Your partner needs to guess the word.

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