ESL WORKSHEET - Controversial Issues and Technology

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

BRUCE WILLIS DENIES SELLING HIS FACE

LinguaHouse
Oct. 17, 2022

Level: Mixed Levels (L4, L5)
Type of English: General English
Tags: Breaking News; Controversial Issues; Science and Technology; Giving Opinions; 16-18 Years Old; 13-15 Years Old; 18+ Years Old; Article Based
Publication date: 10/17/2022

A breaking news lesson about the recent rumors that Bruce Willis had sold the rights to his face and his subsequent denial, with a news report detailing the story and an article in which four members of the public from different countries share their opinions on deepfakes. Students will learn related vocabulary, practice reading and listening skills and reinforce their new vocabulary with conversation practice (by David J. Marriott).

CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L4).
CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English (L5).
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English.
CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English.
CLICK HERE to download/watch the video in American English.
CLICK HERE to download/watch the video in British English.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Newsreader: The agent of Bruce Willis has released a statement denying that the actor has sold the rights to his face.
Newsreader: The move follows recent reports that Deepcake, a deepfake company, has bought the rights to use Willis’s face. A representative of the company also denied the rumors.
Newsreader: If the reports had been true, it would have been the first such confirmed deal. The technology has been used in films before, mainly featuring dead actors being digitally brought back to life or made to appear younger.
Newsreader: Deepfaking is a controversial process which involves creating a video in which an actor’s appearance is digitally altered so that they look like somebody else – often a more famous actor.
Newsreader: The technology has been criticized for many reasons, such as creating the potential for fake videos to be made about real people without their consent. There have also been concerns that deepfake copies of well-known actors could take jobs away from people who are new to the profession.
Newsreader: Willis’s image has been used before – in 2021, a deepfake using his face appeared in a Russian advert for MegaFon, a Russian mobile phone company. In that instance, the technology used to create the deepfake was provided by Deepcake.
Newsreader: Willis, 67, announced that he was retiring from acting earlier in the year as he had been diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that can cause problems with speech.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/bruce-willis-denies-selling-his-face. Accessed on October 21, 2022. © 2008–2022 LinguaHouse.com. All rights reserved.