ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK

1Discussion: “Cinderella Man is a sports movie for boxing

fans.” Do students agree or disagree? What might

someone who is uninterested in boxing enjoy about the

movie?

2Use a video or DVD of a sport that your students may be

familiar with. Show the students the video/DVD with the

sound turned off. Tell them that they will need to supply

the sports commentary for the rest of the class. You will

need to show the video several times and allow plenty

of time for the students to make notes and practice.

Alternatively, you could ask students to supply their

own video/DVD and to prepare their commentary for

homework.

Word list

It will be useful for your students to know the new words

found on page 80 of the Reader. They are practiced in the

“Before you read” sections at the back of the book. (The

definitions are based on those in the Longman Active Study

Dictionary.)

© Pearson Education Limited 2006 Published and distributed by Pearson Longman

Factsheet written by Clare Gray

Factsheet series developed by Louise James

Level 4 – Intermediate Cinderella Man

Penguin Readers Factsheets

Teacher’s Notes

Penguin Readers Factsheets

Student’s Activities

Cinderella Man

By Marc Cerasini

Level 4 – Intermediate Cinderella Man Photocopiable

These activities can be done alone or with one or more other

students. Pair/group only activities are marked*.

ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK

1Cinderella Man was a successful movie in 2005. Read

about it in the Introduction (pages v–vii). Then close the

book and read these sentences. Are they true (T) or

false (F)?

(a) Cinderella Man is a true story about a famous

American boxer.

(b) Film maker Ron Howard and actor Russell Crowe

worked together for the first time in Cinderella Man.

(c) Jim Braddock’s wife, Mae, is played by Renйe

Zellweger in the movie.

(d) Russell Crowe had to put on weight to play Jim

Braddock in the movie.

(e) Muhammad Ali, the famous boxing trainer, trained

Russell Crowe for the movie.

(f) Some of Braddock’s opponents are played by real

boxers in the movie.

2Look at the Contents (page iii) and read the chapter

titles. Do you think the story has a happy ending? What

happens, do you think?

ACTIVITIES WHILE READING THE BOOK

Chapter 1

1Who

(a) had come to New York after winning fifty fights?

(b) organized the fights at Madison Square Garden?

(c) has no control over his mouth?

(d) had moved from Ireland to the United States for a

better life?

(e) finds it difficult to watch Jim’s fights?

2Joe Gould is Jim Braddock’s manager. What work does

he do and how does he earn money? Why does Mae

ask him questions about Jim’s prize money? From this

chapter, do you think Joe Gould is a good manager?

Give reasons for your answers.

Chapter 2 and 3

1Finish these sentences in your own words. Try not to

look at the Reader.

(a) Jim’s wedding photograph reminds him of

(b) Jim gives his meat to his daughter, Rosy, even

though

(c) When the United States economy failed,

(d) It’s harder and harder for Joe Gould to

(e) Ben points his gun at the foreman’s heart because

(f) Jay stole enough meat to

2Why does Jay steal the meat? What does Jim do about

it? If you were Jim, what would you do?

3Answer these questions.

(a) What does Joe Gould say about Jim’s opponent

before the fight?

(b) How has Joe Gould been affected by the Crash?

(c) Joe Gould breaks the rules of boxing for Jim’s fight

in two ways. What are they?

(d) Jim has broken his hand badly. What other damage

has he suffered in the ring?

(e) What reason does the referee give for ending the

fight early?

4Read chapter 3 carefully; then close the book. How

much can you remember about Jim’s fight with Abe

Feldman? Why did Jimmy Johnston take away Jim’s

boxing license? Was he right, do you think? Give reasons

for your answer.

Chapters 4 and 5

1Complete these sentences. Use these words.

ashamed beaten destroyed failed

useless worried worse

(a) Mae is about Jim’s hand because he

cannot work.

(b) Jim’s hand is broken, but he will not be .

(c) The doctor says that Jim’s right hand will

be for months.

(d) Without heat and electric power, Howard’s cough

became .

(e) Jim feels when he collects money from

the Newark relief office.

(f) Jim’s fight with Tommy Loughran turned him into a

boxer of “ promise.”

(g) When Mae takes the children away, Jim realises

how easily their life can be .

2Joe Jeanette “had always been a hero to Jim.” Do you

have a hero? Who is it and why do you admire him or

her? Are heroes still important in today’s world? Why/

why not?

Chapters 6 and 7

1Who says these things? What are they talking about?

(a) “It was better when we had our own cake.”

(b) “You’re always trying to fix the world.”

© Pearson Education Limited 2006

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