START

1. BALLS: Have you ever been to a Ball? If yes, which one? When? Where? How was it? Would you go again? If no, would you go if you had the opportunity? Go round the room swapping stories. Change partners often.

2. DICTATION: The teacher will read some of the article slowly and clearly. Students will write down what they hear. The teacher will repeat the passage slowly again. Self correct your work from page 2 - filling in spaces and correcting mistakes. Be honest with yourself on the number of errors. Advise the teacher of your total number of errors. Less than 5 is very good. 10 are acceptable. Any more is room for improvement! More than 20 - we need to do some work!

3. READING: Get students to read the passage aloud. Swap readers every paragraph.

4. VOCABULARY: Students look through the article. Underline/highlight any vocabulary you do not know. Look in dictionaries. Discuss and help each other out. The teacher will go through & explain any words or phrases you do not understand.

5. DANCES: Think of 3 traditional dances and 3 modern popular dances. List them below. Where do you think these dances originate from? Compare with your partner. Discuss your findings. The teacher will pick some students to compare results.                                                                               

6. BALLS: With your partner on the board write as many words to do with ‘Balls’ as you can. One-two minutes. Compare with other teams. Discuss together – linking your words.

7. THREE SENTENCES: Choose six/nine of the words from no 6. Write three sentences using two/three words in each. Underline your chosen words. The teacher will if necessary correct your work. Students might be asked to read their sentences aloud.

8. TOP 5 BALLS: Name your top 5 Balls. Also name your worst Ball. Compare with your partner and discuss. The teacher will pick some students to compare overall results.       

9. QUICK DISCUSSION: Student(s) A thinks traditional Balls are a good thing to go to. Explain why. Student(s) B prefers discos and nightclubs. Explain why.

10. BALL ARTICLE QUIZ: With your partner or in small groups: (1 point for each correct answer. Lose ½ point if you look at the article for help!)                   

Student A                                                                                             

1)         When does the Ball season end?                                                       

2)         How many years has The Bratislava Bilberry been running?                       

3)         Which Queen song was performed?                                                       

4)         Which musical groups were at The Bratislava Ball?                             

5)         Name the two famous rival Balls in Bratislava                                        

6)         What is the idea of the Ball?                                                                

7)         What other nearby capital cities have Balls?                                     

8)         Can you name the Balls in the capital cities mentioned?                            

9)         Which famous American singer was at the Opera Ball this year?                   

10)         Name the famous traditional dance?                                                             

Student B                                                                           

1)         Who is the Lord Mayor of Bratislava?                                               

2)         Where did The Bratislava Ball take place?                                            

3)         Memorable moments included?                                                          

4)         How many stages were there?                                                       

5)         The occasion to participate is used by who?                                     

6)         What date did the Ball season commence?                                              

7)         The Ball is an occasion for what?                                                      

8)         The impressive cultural event is where who meet?                          

9)         Who was master of ceremonies?                                                      

10)         What was mouth watering?                                                                   

11)         What was The Midnight Surprise?             

11. PREPARATION FOR A BALL: You have been invited to go to a Ball. You have never been to one before. You can’t dance! Think of 10 things you need to do to prepare yourself to be ready to attend the Ball. Compare and discuss with your partner.      

12. CINDERALLA: Who is she? What is her story? Who wrote her story? Discuss with your partner. Five minutes. The teacher will ask for a précis version.

13. HISTORY: With your partner discuss how Balls in your country have changed over the last 100 years. Four minutes. The teacher can select some students to discuss their findings.

14. MASKED BALLS: Discuss with your partner about masked Balls. Three minutes. The teacher can select some students to discuss their findings.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: After reading the article guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article:

GAP FILL: READING

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

GAP FILL: LISTENING:

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Sell out Bratislava Ball a success

The Ball season in Bratislava ________________ prestigious seventh Bratislava Ball take place in the Reduta building of the Slovak capital. The event on Saturday 26^th January saw _________________ Bratislava Andrej Ďurkovský acting as master of ceremonies. Staged in four different rooms on four different stages guests to The Bratislava Ball whilst watching and partaking in traditional dances __________________ ballet and classical music performances. Alongside these were current music stars and groups including popular Slovak group Desmod and the Cuban music group Sol Caliente. ____________________ mouth watering ____________. Memorable moments included the awarding of the Július Satinský award - The Bratislava Bilberry. This is awarded to those deemed to have enriched Bratislava life. _____________________ the annual prize was this year split into two categories: Ideas and Personality. The Midnight Surprise saw the Queen song ‘Barcelona’ performed as ‘Bratislava!’  

The occasion _________________ The Bratislava Ball is traditionally used by many artists, bankers and entrepreneurs of Bratislava together with locals for whom the participation ______________ becomes a social prestige. ______________ occasion for the introduction of young ladies and gentlemen to society. The impressive cultural event is where many prominent people meet. ____________________ is to honour the traditional values of the city and its historical connection with Vienna, Budapest and Prague where similar Balls like The famous Vienna Opera Ball, The Prague Ball, The Czechoslovakia Ball and Budapest’s Opera Ball take place. The opening Ball season commenced in Bratislava on January 12^th at the Slovak National Theatre with American singer Belinda Carlisle making a guest appearance at the rival Opera Ball. Revived in 2001 The Bratislava Ball follows on from 18^th and 19^th century traditions when Balls were highly popular. ____________________ so during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The Ball __________________ Wednesday.

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)   Did the headline make you want to read the article?

b)   Have you ever been to a Ball? 

c)    Which is your favourite Ball and why?

d)   What do you wear to a Ball?

e)   Do you think traditional dances are old hat?

f)     Have you ever learnt The Waltz?

g)   Why do you think Balls have made a comeback?

h)   Who would you take to a Ball and why?

i)     If you could take (if male) or go with (if female) someone famous to a Ball who would it be?

j)     Have you ever won a dancing competition?

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STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)   What are your favourite types of dance?

b)   Do you prefer modern dance to traditional or both?

c)    Are you any good at Ballroom dancing?

d)   Have you ever tried being a master of ceremonies?

e)   Can you name any famous films with dancing as a theme in them?

f)     Can you Waltz?

g)   What other dances do you know and can do?

h)   Would you consider going to dance lessons?

i)     Are you a natural at dancing or do you have two left feet?

j)     Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

a.   What was the most interesting thing you heard?

b.   Was there a question you did not like?

c.    Was there something you totally disagreed with?

d.   What did you like talking about?

e.   Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

ORGANISING A BALL: In pairs or in teams of 3/4

You work for a big company who are organising a large Ball. With your colleague / partner prepare some ideas for it. Think of a how you can launch and promote the Ball. Use the table below to help you.

Present your ideas to the class. Decide which teams were best. Tell other teams why their ideas might not be winners.

Discuss the things you heard. What ideas are the most exciting?

LANGUAGE: CORRECT WORD: Choose the correct words from a–d below and write them in the article.

The Ball season in Bratislava recently saw the prestigious seventh Bratislava Ball take place in the Reduta building of the Slovak capital. The event on Saturday 26^th January saw the Lord Mayor of Bratislava Andrej Dˇurkovsky´ acting as master of ceremonies. Staged in four different rooms on four different stages guests to The Bratislava Ball (1)__ watching and partaking in traditional dances like (2)__ saw ballet and classical music performances. Alongside these were current music stars and groups including popular Slovak (3)__ Desmod and the Cuban music group Sol Caliente. At the Ball was some mouth (4)__ gourmet food. Memorable moments included the awarding of the Július Satinsky´ award - The Bratislava Bilberry. This is awarded to those deemed to have enriched Bratislava life. Now in its fifth year the annual prize was this year split into two categories: Ideas and Personality. The Midnight Surprise saw the Queen song ‘Barcelona’ performed as ‘Bratislava!’

The occasion to participate in The Bratislava Ball is traditionally used by many artists, bankers and entrepreneurs of Bratislava together with locals for whom the participation in a city Ball becomes a social prestige. The Ball is an occasion for the introduction of young ladies and gentlemen to society. The (5)__ cultural event is where many prominent people meet. The idea of the Ball is to honour the traditional values of the (6)__ and its historical connection with Vienna, Budapest and Prague (7)__ similar Balls like The famous Vienna Opera Ball, The Prague Ball, The Czechoslovakia Ball and Budapest’s Opera Ball take place. The (8)__ Ball season commenced in Bratislava on January 12^th at the Slovak National Theatre with American singer Belinda Carlisle (9)__ a guest appearance at the (10)__ Opera Ball. Revived in 2001 The Bratislava Ball (11)__ on from 18^th and 19^th century traditions when Balls were highly popular. They were especially so during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The Ball season ends on (12)__ Wednesday.

GRAMMAR 1: MIDWAY

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

GRAMMAR 2: EASY

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

HOMEWORK

1. INTERNET:  Search the internet. Find out more information about masked balls.

2. NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: You have been to The Bratislava Ball. Write a newspaper article about your experiences there. (Imagine!) (Minimum 200 words)

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Which article was best and why?

3. CINDERELLA: In not less than 200 words write a précis version of ‘The story of Cinderella’. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Which article was best and why?

WRITING: IN CLASS:

1. FIVE MINUTE ARTICLE: Write an article on ‘Balls.’ You have five minutes. Afterwards swap articles with your partner. Read through their article and correct any mistakes. The teacher will select some students to read out their work.

Countdown: Every minute the teacher may say, “You have xx minutes.”

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

SYNONYM MATCH:

PHRASE MATCH:

GAP FILL: Sell out Bratislava Ball a success: The Ball season in Bratislava recently saw the prestigious seventh Bratislava Ball take place in the Reduta building of the Slovak capital. The event on Saturday 26^th January saw the Lord Mayor of Bratislava Andrej Ďurkovský acting as master of ceremonies. Staged in four different rooms on four different stages guests to The Bratislava Ball whilst watching and partaking in traditional dances like The Waltz saw ballet and classical music performances. Alongside these were current music stars and groups including popular Slovak group Desmod and the Cuban music group Sol Caliente. At the Ball was some mouth watering gourmet food. Memorable moments included the awarding of the Július Satinský award - The Bratislava Bilberry. This is awarded to those deemed to have enriched Bratislava life. Now in its fifth year the annual prize was this year split into two categories: Ideas and Personality. The Midnight Surprise saw the Queen song ‘Barcelona’ performed as ‘Bratislava!’  The occasion to participate in The Bratislava Ball is traditionally used by many artists, bankers and entrepreneurs of Bratislava together with locals for whom the participation in a city Ball becomes a social prestige. The Ball is an occasion for the introduction of young ladies and gentlemen to society. The impressive cultural event is where many prominent people meet. The idea of the Ball is to honour the traditional values of the city and its historical connection with Vienna, Budapest and Prague where similar Balls like The famous Vienna Opera Ball, The Prague Ball, The Czechoslovakia Ball and Budapest’s Opera Ball take place. The opening Ball season commenced in Bratislava on January 12^th at the Slovak National Theatre with American singer Belinda Carlisle making a guest appearance at the rival Opera Ball. Revived in 2001 The Bratislava Ball follows on from 18^th and 19^th century traditions when Balls were highly popular. They were especially so during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The Ball season ends on Ash Wednesday.

LANGUAGE WORK