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Madonna's New Baby

Madonna's New Baby

Date: Mar 12 2007

Themes: Family

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

By now, Madonna’s adopted baby boy from Malawi has probably settled into his new life in America. But a few months ago, he was the subject of controversy.

The adoption has been criticized for many reasons. First, only Malawi residents are usually allowed to adopt Malawi children, but the government made an exception for Madonna. In addition, the boy she chose was not an orphan.

Before the adoption, Madonna had been funding a center in Malawi to help kids who have lost their parents to AIDS. In fact, she plans to spend some $3 million to fight poverty in the African country, and another million on a documentary about the struggle of Malawi children.

Listen to Marni and Amanda discuss how Madonna got a new baby.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Amanda

Amanda

Marni:  So I was talking to a friend of mine and she is just appalled about the whole Madonna adopting this baby.

Amanda:  So she’s taking sides with Angelina on the entire situation, correct?

Marni:  I don’t even know Angelina’s issue. But my feeling is if there is a child who can be provided with a good home and whose father supposedly stated he couldn’t take care of him…

Amanda:  Yes.

Marni:  Which I think is, you know, iffy in and of itself but anyhow, I think, you know, this kid’s gonna have an amazing life and a lot of opportunities that he wouldn’t have otherwise.

Amanda:  It’s interesting because Angelina’s take on it is that obviously she is pro-adoption. She has two children that she’s adopted from other countries, brought to the United States. But she actually publicly lashed out at Madonna because Madonna chose to, of all countries, adopt from one that didn’t have a legal adoption system in existence.

Marni:  Oh, I did not know that.

Amanda:  And that’s why Angelina, as well as some other people, have a problem with it.

Marni:  There is….

Amanda:  Madonna’s using her power.

Marni:  Exactly. And I think that’s whole controversy is that Madonna being this international star with all this money is able to come in and just get a child where…

Amanda:  ...cherry-pick her child from whatever country she wanted.

Marni:  Well, that is an issue.

 

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Marni understands the issues around the adoption, but she thinks the child should be given the opportunity to have a better life.

Amanda points out that Angelina’s complaint was that Madonna chose to adopt from a country where non-resident adoptions were banned. But Madonna used her money to do what she wanted.

Do you think Madonna should have been allowed to adopt the Malawi boy?

 

Comments

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usufjani

usufjani

India

its good to the chiled

04:14 PM Oct 26 2010 |

su_kayi

su_kayi

Turkey

Adopting of one child whereever he or she comes from it does not matter.Madonna did good!. 

04:04 AM May 26 2010 |

ATTYLA

Hungary

queen of madonna

i love her 

02:35 PM Dec 22 2009 |

haitham4vip

Egypt

oooo y madonna

03:09 AM Dec 28 2007 |

rongrong515

China

well! Madonna again!

11:30 AM Apr 29 2007 |

lurveng

South Korea

We can’t live only with bread. Being richness doesn’t guarantee being happiness. Who can guarantee Madonna’s gonna be a great mom?

05:10 AM Apr 09 2007 |

Mih

Mih

Brazil

luv madonna and angelina
:)

12:51 AM Apr 02 2007 |

masapica

Panama

Every lesson I have seen has been amazing. I’m using them with my college students, and the linguistic input they are having is just great.

11:41 PM Mar 27 2007 |

cesarmolina

Peru

what the hell!that’s my baby!
call the police!!!

09:27 PM Mar 23 2007 |

amay

China

can’t load the sound

04:26 AM Mar 13 2007 |

Kmilo

Kmilo

Chile

Hi!!! It`s really interesting the fact that Maddona have addopted a baby from Malawi… I think that it`s cool, because the baby will have a better life style… I don`t know…

11:52 PM Mar 12 2007 |

lucky1982

lucky1982

Afghanistan

Hello to every one in first of all i’m thanks for all of that help us to improve our english so i want to learn english and improve my english skill
thanks

11:04 AM Mar 12 2007 |

cancerh236

cancerh236

Viet Nam

hey Angelina will adopt a baby from my country.I swear

03:19 AM Mar 12 2007 |

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