Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on Argo

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

Argo is a 2012 historical drama thriller film directed by Ben Affleck. The dramatization is adapted from the book 'The Master of Disguise' by CIA operative Tony Mendez, and Joshuah Berman's 2007 "Wired" article "The Great Escape". Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Warner Bros. said Mendez had "to come up with a plan to get the six Americans safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies". The film stars Affleck as Mendez with Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman in supporting roles. Upon its release, Argo received widespread acclaim and also received numerous awards.

Argo was widely acclaimed by American critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 96% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 246 reviews. It wrote: "Tense, exciting and often darkly comic, Argo recreates a historical event with vivid attention to detail and finely wrought characters." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 4/4 stars, calling it "spellbinding" and "surprisingly funny". Ebert chose it as his best film of the year. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three, for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Achievement in Editing. A group of Iranian cultural officials said that, "awarding an anti-Iran movie is a propaganda attack against our nation and entire humanity".

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argo_%282012_film%29
http://argothemovie.warnerbros.com/#about

  TRAILER AND POSTER

ARGO POSTER (Find a nice one from the Internet Movie Database (imbd.com).

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?       

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

ARGO TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).        

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	article	a.	admired
2	rescue	b.	parts
3.	incredible	c.	nerve-wracking
4.	roles	d.	set free
5.	numerous	e.	graphic
6.	acclaimed	f.	many
7.	tense	g.	report
8.	vivid	h.	disinformation
9.	nominated	i.	unbelievable
10.	propaganda	j.	recommended

PHRASE MATCH

1.	the dramatization is adapted	a.	out of the country
2	the 1979 Iran hostage	b.	seven Academy Awards
3.	get the six Americans safely	c.	reviews
4.	…in supporting	d.	crisis
5.	Argo received	e.	attack against our nation
6.	positive	f.	comic
7.	exciting and often darkly	g.	widespread acclaim
8.	vivid attention	h.	from the book
9.	nominated for	i.	roles
10.	a propaganda	j.	to detail

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

Argo is a 2012 (1) __________________________ film directed by Ben Affleck. The dramatization (2) _____________________ 'The Master of Disguise' by CIA operative Tony Mendez, and Joshuah Berman's 2007 "Wired" article "The Great Escape". Mendez (3) __________________________ U.S. diplomats from Tehran, Iran, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Warner Bros. said Mendez had "(4) ________________________ to get the six Americans safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could (5) __________________________ ". The film stars Affleck as Mendez with Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, and John Goodman in supporting roles. Upon its release, Argo received (6) __________________________ received numerous awards.

Argo was widely acclaimed by American critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 96% (7) __________________________ positive reviews based on 246 reviews. It wrote: "Tense, exciting and often darkly comic, Argo (8) __________________________ with (9) __________________________ finely wrought characters." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 4/4 stars, calling it "(10) __________________________ funny". Ebert chose it as his best film of the year. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three, for Best Picture, (11) __________________________ and Best Achievement in Editing. A group of Iranian cultural officials said that, "awarding an anti-Iran movie (12) ____________________ against our nation and entire humanity".

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	The dramatization is daapedt from the book
2.	led the uerces of six U.S. diplomats
3.	the 1979 Iran aghsteo crisis
4.	A plan so nirbcileed
5.	…in rotgsupnip roles
6.	received mnrsuuoe awards
Paragraph 2
7.	Argo was widely cmlceaaid
8.	a cioitshalr event
9.	finely wrought etsacrrahc
10.	innemtado for seven Academy Awards
11.	A group of Iranian cultural csfoifial
12.	our nation and entire nuaimthy

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

argo is a 2012 historical drama thriller film directed by ben affleck the dramatization is adapted from the book 'the master of disguise' by cia operative tony mendez and joshuah berman's 2007 "wired" article "the great escape" mendez led the rescue of six us diplomats from tehran iran during the 1979 iran hostage crisis warner bros said mendez had "to come up with a plan to get the six americans safely out of the country a plan so incredible it could only happen in the movies" the film stars affleck as mendez with bryan cranston alan arkin and john goodman in supporting roles upon its release argo received widespread acclaim and also received numerous awards

argo was widely acclaimed by american critics rotten tomatoes reported that 96% of critics gave the film positive reviews based on 246 reviews it wrote "tense exciting and often darkly comic argo recreates a historical event with vivid attention to detail and finely wrought characters" roger ebert of the chicago sun-times gave the film 4/4 stars calling it "spellbinding" and "surprisingly funny" ebert chose it as his best film of the year the film was nominated for seven academy awards and won three for best picture best adapted screenplay and best achievement in editing a group of iranian cultural officials said that "awarding an anti-iran movie is a propaganda attack against our nation and entire humanity"

  INSERT THE VOWELS

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_rg_ w_s w_d_ly _ccl__m_d by _m_r_c_n cr_t_cs r_tt_n t_m_t__s r_p_rt_d th_t 96% _f cr_t_cs g_v_ th_ f_lm p_s_t_v_ r_v__ws b_s_d _n 246 r_v__ws _t wr_t_ "t_ns_ _xc_t_ng _nd _ft_n d_rkly c_m_c _rg_ r_cr__t_s _ h_st_r_c_l _v_nt w_th v_v_d _tt_nt__n t_ d_t__l _nd f_n_ly wr__ght ch_r_ct_rs" r_g_r _b_rt _f th_ ch_c_g_ s_n-t_m_s g_v_ th_ f_lm 4/4 st_rs c_ll_ng _t "sp_llb_nd_ng" _nd "s_rpr_s_ngly f_nny" _b_rt ch_s_ _t _s h_s b_st f_lm _f th_ y__r th_ f_lm w_s n_m_n_t_d f_r s_v_n _c_d_my _w_rds _nd w_n thr__ f_r b_st p_ct_r_ b_st _d_pt_d scr__npl_y _nd b_st _ch__v_m_nt _n _d_t_ng _ gr__p _f _r_n__n c_lt_r_l _ff_c__ls s__d th_t "_w_rd_ng _n _nt_-_r_n m_v__ _s _ pr_p_g_nd_ _tt_ck _g__nst __r n_t__n _nd _nt_r_ h_m_n_ty"

  MARK THE SPACES

Argoisa2012historicaldramathrillerfilmdirectedbyBenAffleck.Thedr
amatizationisadaptedfromthebook'TheMasterofDisguise'byCIAoper
ativeTonyMendez,andJoshuahBerman's2007"Wired"article"TheGre
atEscape"MendezledtherescueofsixU.S.diplomatsfromTehr
an,Iran,duringthe1979Iranhostagecrisis.WarnerBros.saidMendezh
ad"tocomeupwithaplantogetthesixAmericanssafelyoutofthecountry
.Aplansoincredible,itcouldonlyhappeninthemovies".ThefilmstarsAffl
eckasMendezwithBryanCranston,AlanArkin,andJohnGoodmaninsu
pportingroles.Uponitsrelease,Argoreceivedwidespreadacclaimanda
lsoreceivednumerousawards.ArgowaswidelyacclaimedbyAmerican
critics.RottenTomatoesreportedthat96%ofcriticsgavethefilmpositiv
ereviewsbasedon246reviews.Itwrote:"Tense,excitingandoftendark
lycomic,Argorecreatesahistoricaleventwithvividattentiontodetailan
dfinelywroughtcharacters."RogerEbertoftheChicagoSunTimesgave
thefilm4/4stars,callingit"spellbinding"and"surprisinglyfunny".Ebert
choseitashisbestfilmoftheyear.ThefilmwasnominatedforsevenAcad
emyAwardsandwonthree,forBestPicture,BestAdaptedScreenplayan
dBestAchievementinEditing.AgroupofIranianculturalofficialssaidtha
t,"awardinganantiIranmovieisapropagandaattackagainstournation
andentirehumanity".

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  ARGO SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Argo in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "Argo". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "Argo". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "ARGO" POSTER: Make a poster about "Argo". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "Argo". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "Argo". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	article	a.	report
2	rescue	b.	set free
3.	incredible	c.	unbelievable
4.	roles	d.	parts
5.	numerous	e.	many
6.	acclaimed	f.	admired
7.	tense	g.	nerve-wracking
8.	vivid	h.	graphic
9.	nominated	i.	recommended
10.	propaganda	j.	disinformation

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)