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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on U.S. Immigration
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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Dora the Explorer - an Illegal Immigrant? (22nd May, 2010)

The children’s cartoon character Dora the Explorer is at the centre of an immigration debate. Dora is a brown-skinned girl who speaks English with a Spanish accent. No one knows where she’s from, but new Internet pictures suggest she’s Mexican. The pictures show her in a police photo with the title: "Illegal Border Crossing Resisting Arrest." The image started following new immigration laws in the USA’s Arizona state. Police must now ask anyone about their immigration status. Many people think Dora is being used to highlight illegal immigration into the USA.

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The new picture of Dora shows how immigration is such a big issue in the USA. It is also really important in other countries around the world. The image of Dora in a police mug shot is a little dangerous. Mexican groups fear it will give Americans a negative view of Mexicans. Dora is a much-loved character across the globe. She has taught Spanish phrases to many English speakers. She is a symbol that girls and people with brown skin have freedom and can travel anywhere they want. This is very different to Arizona’s new immigration law.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	children’s cartoon	a.	where she’s from
2	at the centre of an	b.	suggest she’s Mexican
3.	No one knows	c.	immigration debate
4.	pictures	d.	into the USA
5.	ask anyone about their immigration	e.	character
6.	illegal immigration	f.	status

Paragraph 2

1.	immigration is such	a.	shot
2	a police mug	b.	view
3.	give Americans a negative	c.	symbol
4.	Dora is a much-	d.	phrases
5.	She has taught Spanish	e.	a big issue
6.	She is a	f.	loved character

LISTENING GAP FILL

The children’s cartoon character Dora the Explorer ____________ of an immigration debate. Dora is a _______________ who speaks English with a Spanish accent. No one knows where she’s from, but new Internet _______________ Mexican. The pictures show her in a police photo _______________: "Illegal Border Crossing Resisting Arrest." The image started following new immigration laws in the USA’s Arizona state. Police must now ask anyone about their _______________. Many people think Dora is being _______________ illegal immigration into the USA.

The new picture of Dora shows how immigration _______________ issue in the USA. It is also really important in other countries around the world. The image of Dora in a _______________ is a little dangerous. Mexican _____________ will give Americans _______________ of Mexicans. Dora is a much-loved character across the globe. She has taught Spanish phrases to many English speakers. She is _______________ and people with brown skin have freedom and can _______________ they want. This is very different to Arizona’s new immigration law.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

The children’s cartoon character Dora the Explorer is at the (1) ____ of an immigration debate. Dora is a brown-skinned girl who speaks English with a Spanish (2) ____. No one knows where she’s from, but new Internet pictures suggest she’s Mexican. The pictures show her in a police photo with the (3) ____: "Illegal Border Crossing Resisting Arrest." The image started following new immigration (4) ____ in the USA’s Arizona state. Police must now ask anyone about their immigration status. Many people think Dora is being used to highlight illegal immigration (5) ____ the USA.

The new picture of Dora shows how immigration is (6) ____ a big issue in the USA. It is also really important in other countries around the world. The image of Dora in a police (7) ____ shot is a little dangerous. Mexican groups (8) ____ it will give Americans a negative view of Mexicans. Dora is a much-loved character across the globe. She has taught Spanish phrases to many English speakers. She is a (9) ____ that girls and people with brown skin have freedom and can travel anywhere they want. This is very (10) ____ to Arizona’s new immigration law.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	outside	(b)	centre	(c)	edge
2.	(a)	accent	(b)	pronunciation	(c)	stress
3.	(a)	title	(b)	name	(c)	label
4.	(a)	law	(b)	laws	(c)	lawyer
5.	(a)	out of	(b)	up to	(c)	into
6.	(a)	so	(b)	much	(c)	such
7.	(a)	cup	(b)	mug	(c)	glass
8.	(a)	fear	(b)	afraid	(c)	frightened
9.	(a)	symbolize	(b)	symbol	(c)	symbols
10.	(a)	difference	(b)	difficulty	(c)	different

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	coaonrt character
2.	an immigration aebted
3.	a Spanish ctaecn
4.	edbror crossing
5.	immigration ssutta
6.	iitgglhhh illegal immigration
Paragraph 2
7.	The new eirpuct
8.	a big uiess
9.	a pcielo mug shot
10.	a inaevegt view
11.	Spanish essprha
12.	have dferemo

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	now ask anyone about their immigration status. Many people Dora is being used to highlight illegal immigration into the USA.
( )	skin have freedom and can travel anywhere they want. This is very different to Arizona’s new immigration law.
( )	other countries around the world. The image of Dora in a police mug shot is a little dangerous. Mexican
( )	The new picture of Dora shows how immigration is such a big issue in the USA. It is also really important in
( )	pictures suggest she’s Mexican. The pictures show her in a police photo with the title: "Illegal Border Crossing
( )	globe. She has taught Spanish phrases to many English speakers. She is a symbol that girls and people with brown
( )	skinned girl who speaks English with a Spanish accent. No one knows where she’s from, but new Internet
( 1 )	groups fear it will give Americans a negative view of Mexicans. Dora is a much-loved character across the
( )	Resisting Arrest." The image started following new immigration laws in the USA’s Arizona state. Police must
( )	The children’s cartoon character Dora the Explorer is at the centre of an immigration debate. Dora is a brown-

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	immigration an of centre the At debate.
2.	one where from No knows she’s.
3.	Mexican she’s suggest pictures Internet.
4.	Immigration state Arizona USA’s the in laws.
5.	to the highlight USA illegal immigration Used into.
6.	USA is big the Immigration a in such issue.
7.	world other countries Really around important the in.
8.	Give Mexicans of view negative a Americans.
9.	taught to speakers has phrases English She Spanish many.
10.	law immigration new Arizona’s to different Very.

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.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about immigration for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. 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: Search the Internet and find more information about immigration. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about immigration. Include imaginary interviews with two people – one who successfully relocated and one who failed. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to Dora. Ask her three questions about immigration. Give her three of your opinions on it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on U.S. Immigration (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)