Download - Soap Operas Soap Operas Level 4
SoapOperas
Level 4
What is your favourite TV
show?
Do you watch it on TV or do you
watch it online?
What is it about?
Tell us about a TV show that you hate.
Do your friends like it? Is it popular in Brazil?
What do you hate about it?
How many different genres of TV
programmes can you name?
What kind of programmes do you
usually watch?
What kind are most popular in Brazil?
Do you know the difference between soap
operas and telenovelas?
Read on to find out...
As you read, choose the correct prepositions to
complete the gaps.
Then decide if each sentence describes soap operas or telenovelas.
?????? are most popular ___ Latin America.
?????? are most popular ___ the USA, the UK, and Australia.
Telenovelas are most popular in Latin America.
Soap operas are most popular in the USA, the UK, and
Australia.
?????? are ___ indefinite length, and often run continuously for
decades.
?????? have a preplanned duration, and typically run ___
about six months to a year.
Soap operas are of indefinite length, and often run
continuously for decades.
Telenovelas have a preplanned duration, and typically
run for about six months to a year.
?????? usually rely ___ multiple storylines and an ever-rotating
cast of characters.
?????? typically have a main story-arc and conclusion
planned ___ the start.
Soap operas usually rely on multiple storylines and an ever-
rotating cast of characters.
Telenovelas typically have a main
story-arc and conclusion planned from the start.
?????? are usually written so that viewers can relate ___ the
realistic depictions ___ the working class, middle class and
upper class.
They tend to deal ___ controversial topics, and often
provoke heated debate.
Both telenovelas and soap operas are usually written so that viewers can relate to the
realistic depictions of the working class, middle class and upper class.
They tend to deal with controversial topics, and often
provoke heated debate.
Do you agree that telenovelas show an accurate depiction of
Brazilian society? Why (not)?
Do you agree that telenovelas are
controversial and provoke heated
debate? Why (not)?
Here are a few examples of debates
that telenovelas have provoked in
Brazil.
Child actors were forbidden from appearing in Laços de Família (2000) because the novela was not suitable for
young children.
What’s your opinion about children who work as actors?
Do you think children should be allowed to appear on shows that
are not age appropriate? Why (not)?
Several novelas have depicted characters who
suffer from eating disorders, such as Páginas da Vida
(2005) and Viver a Vida (2009).
If you found out that a close friend of yours was suffering from an eating disorder, what
would you do?
How important is it to develop healthy eating habits
from a young age? Why?
Paulo José played and alcoholic
father in Por Amor (1997): his
drinking problems were a strain on his family and
career.
Do you think the government has a responsibility towards people who suffer from addiction? Why (not)?
If so, what can be done to help? If not, who should be responsible for dealing with this type of problem?
In América (2005) the main character Sol (Deborah Secco) joins a group of people who go to the U.S.
to live as illegal immigrants.
Why do you think people decide to live illegally in a different country?
Would you like to live abroad? If no, why not? If yes, what sacrifices would you be willing to make?
End of activity
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