Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on The Dark Knight

  GAMES:

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

The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. It is based on the DC Comics character Batman. The film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins. Christian Bale once again plays the lead role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, with a returning cast of Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman as James Gordon and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. The film introduces the character of Harvey Dent, Gotham's newly elected District Attorney, and Bruce Wayne's childhood friend Rachel Dawes, who joins Batman and the police in combating the new rising threat of a criminal styling himself as the "Joker" (played by Heath Ledger).

The Dark Knight was nominated for eight Academy Awards for the 81st Ceremony, breaking the record for the most nominations received by a film based on a comic book, comic strip, or graphic novel. It won two awards: Best Supporting Actor for Heath Ledger and Best Sound Editing. Ledger's win marked the first win in any of the major Oscar categories (producing, directing, acting, or writing) for a superhero-based film. He also did a near complete sweep of over twenty acting awards for his role. Some months after Ledger had completed filming on The Dark Knight and six months before the film's release, he died from a toxic combination of prescription drugs. He was one of film's most promising young actors.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_%28film%29

  TRAILER AND POSTER

THE DARK KNIGHT POSTER

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).

THE DARK KNIGHT 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.	series	a.	most important
2	sequel	b.	part
3.	role	c.	serial
4.	combating	d.	best performance
5.	threat	e.	follow-up
6.	record	f.	deadly
7.	major	g.	danger
8.	categories	h.	up-and-coming
9.	toxic	i.	fighting
10.	promising	j.	groups

PHRASE MATCH

1.	based on	a.	elected District Attorney
2	Bale once again	b.	major Oscar categories
3.	Gotham's newly	c.	rising threat
4.	combating the new	d.	Academy Awards
5.	a criminal styling "	e.	strip
6.	nominated for eight	f.	promising young actors
7.	comic	g.	himself the "Joker
8.	the first win in any of the	h.	sweep
9.	did a near complete	i.	the DC Comics character
10.	one of film's most	j.	plays the lead role

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

The Dark Knight is a 2008 (1) ____________________, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. It is based on the DC Comics character Batman. The film is part of Nolan's Batman film (2) ____________________ to 2005's Batman Begins. Christian Bale once again (3) ____________________ of Bruce Wayne/Batman, with a returning cast of Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman as James Gordon and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. The (4) ____________________ character of Harvey Dent, Gotham's newly elected District Attorney, and Bruce Wayne's childhood friend Rachel Dawes, who joins Batman and the police (5) ____________________ rising threat of a criminal (6) ____________________ the "Joker" (played by Heath Ledger).

The Dark Knight (7) ____________________ eight Academy Awards for the 81st Ceremony, breaking the record for the most nominations received (8) ____________________ on a comic book, comic strip, or graphic novel. It won two awards: Best Supporting Actor for Heath Ledger and Best Sound Editing. Ledger's win (9) ____________________ in any of the major Oscar categories (producing, directing, acting, or writing) for a superhero-based film. He also did a                                      (10) ____________________ of over twenty acting awards for his role. Some months after Ledger had completed filming on The Dark Knight and six months before (11) ___________________, he died from a toxic combination of prescription drugs. He was one of (12) ____________________ young actors.

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	a 2008 rroshepue film
2.	a ulseeq to 2005's Batman Begins
3.	a nnregtriu cast
4.	introduces the eraccrtha of Harvey Dent
5.	combating the new rising attrhe
6.	a criminal nlitygs himself as the "Joker"
Paragraph 2
7.	naeoitdnm for eight Academy Awards
8.	higprac novel
9.	the major Oscar goisrectea
10.	a near complete spewe of over twenty acting awards
11.	he died from a cixot combination of prescription drugs
12.	one of film's most irmonsigp young actors

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

the dark knight is a 2008 superhero film directed produced and co-written by christopher nolan it is based on the dc comics character batman the film is part of nolan's batman film series and a sequel to 2005's batman begins christian bale once again plays the lead role of bruce wayne/batman with a returning cast of michael caine as alfred pennyworth gary oldman as james gordon and morgan freeman as lucius fox the film introduces the character of harvey dent gotham's newly elected district attorney and bruce wayne's childhood friend rachel dawes who joins batman and the police in combating the new rising threat of a criminal styling himself as the "joker" (played by heath ledger)

the dark knight was nominated for eight academy awards for the 81st ceremony breaking the record for the most nominations received by a film based on a comic book comic strip or graphic novel it won two awards best supporting actor for heath ledger and best sound editing ledger's win marked the first win in any of the major oscar categories (producing directing acting or writing) for a superhero-based film he also did a near complete sweep of over twenty acting awards for his role some months after ledger had completed filming on the dark knight and six months before the film's release he died from a toxic combination of prescription drugs he was one of film's most promising young actors

  INSERT THE VOWELS

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Th_ D_rk Kn_ght w_s n_m_n_t_d f_r __ght _c_d_my _w_rds f_r th_ 81st C_r_m_ny, br__k_ng th_ r_c_rd f_r th_ m_st n_m_n_t__ns r_c__v_d by _ f_lm b_s_d _n _ c_m_c b__k, c_m_c str_p, _r gr_ph_c n_v_l. _t w_n tw_ _w_rds: B_st S_pp_rt_ng _ct_r f_r H__th L_dg_r _nd B_st S__nd _d_t_ng. L_dg_r's w_n m_rk_d th_ f_rst w_n _n _ny _f th_ m_j_r _sc_r c_t_g_r__s (pr_d_c_ng, d_r_ct_ng, _ct_ng, _r wr_t_ng) f_r _ s_p_rh_r_-b_s_d f_lm. H_ _ls_ d_d _ n__r c_mpl_t_ sw__p _f _v_r tw_nty _ct_ng _w_rds f_r h_s r_l_. S_m_ m_nths _ft_r L_dg_r h_d c_mpl_t_d f_lm_ng _n Th_ D_rk Kn_ght _nd s_x m_nths b_f_r_ th_ f_lm's r_l__s_, h_ d__d fr_m _ t_x_c c_mb_n_t__n _f pr_scr_pt__n dr_gs. H_ w_s _n_ _f f_lm's m_st pr_m_s_ng y__ng _ct_rs.

  MARK THE SPACES

TheDarkKnightisa2008superherofilmdirected,producedandco-
writtenbyChristopherNolan.ItisbasedontheDCComicscharacterBat
man.ThefilmispartofNolan'sBatmanfilmseriesandasequelto2005'sB
atmanBegins.ChristianBaleonceagainplaystheleadroleofBruceWay
ne/Batman,withareturningcastofMichaelCaineasAlfredPennyworth,
GaryOldmanasJamesGordonandMorganFreemanasLuciusFox.Thefil
mintroducesthecharacterofHarveyDent,Gotham'snewlyelectedDist
rictAttorney,andBruceWayne'schildhoodfriendRachelDawes,whojoi
nsBatmanandthepoliceincombatingthenewrisingthreatofacriminals
tylinghimselfasthe"Joker"(playedbyHeathLedger).TheDarkKnightw
asnominatedforeightAcademyAwardsforthe81stCeremony,breakin
gtherecordforthemostnominationsreceivedbyafilmbasedonacomicb
ook,comicstrip,orgraphicnovel.Itwontwoawards:BestSupportingAc
torforHeathLedgerandBestSoundEditing.Ledger'swinmarkedthefirs
twininanyofthemajorOscarcategories(producing,directing,acting,or
writing)forasuperherobasedfilm.Healsodidanearcompletesweepofo
vertwentyactingawardsforhisrole.SomemonthsafterLedgerhadcom
pletedfilmingonTheDarkKnightandsixmonthsbeforethefilm'srelease
,hediedfromatoxiccombinationofprescriptiondrugs.Hewasoneoffilm
'smostpromisingyoungactors.

  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.	__________________________________________________________________

  THE DARK KNIGHT SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about The Dark Knight 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 "The Dark Knight". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "The Dark Knight". 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. "THE DARK KNIGHT" POSTER: Make a poster about "The Dark Knight". 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  "The Dark Knight". 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 "The Dark Knight". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	series	a.	serial
2	sequel	b.	follow-up
3.	role	c.	part
4.	combating	d.	fighting
5.	threat	e.	danger
6.	record	f.	best performance
7.	major	g.	most important
8.	categories	h.	groups
9.	toxic	i.	deadly
10.	promising	j.	up-and-coming

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 ;-)