angelou

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Maya Angelou

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MAYA ANGELOU

PRE-READING QUESTIONS

1. Have you heard of Maya Angelou? If so, what do you know about her?

2. What does it mean when we say that many places in the southern United States used to be segregated?

3. Do you know what a civil rights activist does? Can you name any famous civil rights activists?

4. Do you like to read autobiographies? If so, whose autobiography have you read recently?

5. Do you enjoy reading poetry? If so, who is your favorite poet?

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou is a well-known American poet, writer, actress, lecturer, and civil rights activist.

She was born Marguerite Ann Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri on April 24, 1928. When she was three years old,
her parents divorced and she and her older brother were sent to live with their grandmother. She spent her
childhood moving back and forth between her grandmother in rural, segregated Arkansas, and her mother in St.

Louis. Growing up was a difficult, unhappy time for Maya. For almost four years, she spoke to no one but her
brother.

By the time she was in her early 20s, Angelou had worked as a cook, a streetcar conductor, a cocktail waitress
and a dancer, and was raising her young son, Guy, on her own.

Over the years, she has been a successful singer, actress and playwright, an editor for an English language
magazine in Egypt, a lecturer at universities, a civil rights activist, and a popular author of five collections of
poetry, and five autobiographies. Her writings are about her life. Although many stories are grim, they show
that she accepts her past, and knows what was beautiful and good, and ugly and bad about it. “I Know Why the

Caged Bird Sings” is the story of her life up to age 16 and the birth of her son. It was published in 1970 and was
a big success.

Angelou has no university education, yet she has been a lecturer at many universities. Each year, she gives the
opening address to new students at Duke University. She has traveled widely and can speak English, French,

Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Ghanaian Fante. She has received many awards and honors. In 1993, at the
ceremony to swear Bill Clinton in as president of the United States, Angelou read her moving poem, “On the
Pulse of Morning”. She had written it at President Clinton’s request.

Angelou’s efforts to improve conditions for women in Third World countries, especially in Africa, have helped

change the lives of thousands of less privileged people.

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ESL Lesson Plans - Famous People - Angelou

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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

A. True or False. Read the statements below. If the statement is true, write T beside the sentence. If it is

false, write F. If it is false, correct the information.

1. Maya Angelou had a very troubled childhood.

________

2. Maya Angelou lived with her grandmother in a large city.

________

3. Maya Angelou graduated from Duke University.

________

4. Maya Angelou has taught at many different universities.

________

5. Her book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” was not successful.

________

B. Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner. Then write the answers in

complete sentences.

1. What kind of childhood did Maya Angelou have? _______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What kind of work did Maya Angelou do when she was young? ___________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Besides becoming a successful poet, what other things has she accomplished? _________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What was the name of her book that was published in 1970 and what was it about? _____________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Why did she write the poem called “On the Pulse of Morning”? ____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Give two examples of how Maya Angelou has worked to improve the lives of others. ___________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

ESL Lesson Plans - Famous People - Angelou

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VOCABULARY REVIEW

A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.

_____ 1. lecturer

a) story of a person’s life written by that person

_____ 2. rural

b) special service or acts on an occasion such as a wedding, graduation, etc.

_____ 3. segregated

c) teacher, instructor, professor

_____ 4. cocktail

d) an alcoholic mixed drink

_____ 5. editor

e) in or of the country

_____ 6. author

f) make better

_____ 7. autobiography

g) person who plans and publishes newspapers, etc.

_____ 8. grim

h) kept apart or separate from others

_____ 9. published

i) printed and made ready to sell (papers, books, etc.)

_____ 10. improve

j) writer

_____ 11. ceremony

k) cruel, harsh, sad

B. Choose the word(s) with the closest meaning to the underlined words in the following sentences.

1. Maya Angelou is a well-known civil rights activist.

a) lecturer

b) someone who works for the city government

c) someone who helps protect the rights of others

2. Each year, Angelou gives the opening address to new students at Duke University.

a) place where a person lives

b) welcoming speech

c) university course

3. Maya Angelou has received many awards and honors.

a) prizes or recognition showing great respect

b) speeches

c) books about honesty

4. In 1993, at the ceremony to swear in Bill Clinton, she read a poem.

a) say good-bye to

b) have someone take an oath of public office

c) thank

5. At the ceremony, Angelou read her moving poem, “On the Pulse of Morning”.
a) about traveling

b) happy

c) causing strong emotions

6. Maya Angelou has helped change the lives of thousands of less privileged people.
a) not having as much as others

b) sick

c) segregated

ESL Lesson Plans - Famous People - Angelou

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Have you ever read anything written by Maya Angelou or heard her speak? If so, discuss your impressions of

her and her writing.

2. Have you ever heard of a person without a university degree teaching at a university? What do you think

Maya Angelou lectures about?

3. What factors do you think help make a writer successful?

4. How did the work of American civil rights activists help change the lives of black people in America. Give

some examples.

Notes:

__________________________________________________________________________________________

ESL Lesson Plans - Famous People - Angelou

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for complete details.

ANSWER KEY

PRE-READING QUESTIONS

Individual response.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

A. True or False

1. T

2. F

3. F

4. T

5. F

B. Written Answers

1. Maya had a difficult and unhappy childhood.

2. Maya worked as a cook, a streetcar conductor, a cocktail waitress and a dancer during her twenties.

3. In addition to becoming a successful poet and writer, Angelou has been a successful singer, actress and playwright, an

editor for an English language magazine in Egypt, a lecturer at universities, and a civil rights activist.

4. Her book published in 1970 is called “ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and tells the story of her life up to age 16

and the birth of her son.

5. She wrote this poem at former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s request and read it at his swearing in ceremony.

6. Maya Angelou is an active voice for the civil rights movement and she has also made many efforts to improve

conditions for women in Third World countries, especially in Africa.

VOCABULARY REVIEW

A. Match the words...

1. c

2. e

3. h

4. d

5. g

6. j

7. a

8. k

9. i

10. f

11. b

B. Choose the words

1. c

2. b

3. a

4. b

5. c

6. a

ESL Lesson Plans - Famous People - Angelou

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