Listen&Learn: The Giver

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

Learn about a dystopian story that is often taught in schools.

Pre-listening vocabulary

dystopia: an oppressive society where people are treated badly
utopia: a perfect world
maintain: to keep something in its current state
restrict: to stop people from doing or accessing something
memory: something that is remembered from the past
ban: to stop allowing something

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07 — 1.0MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20756″]

Discussion/essay questions

Why do you think The Giver is commonly banned?
Do you think there is ever a good reason to ban a book? Why or why not?

Transcript

The Giver is a dystopian novel written by American author Lois Lowry. It was published in 1993. The story follows a boy named Jonas who is growing up in a futuristic community. The community is supposed to be a utopia, without war, hunger, or pain. However, it maintains peace by restricting choice and knowledge, and killing anyone who doesn’t fit in. When Jonas is 12 years old, he learns the truth about the community from a man called the Giver, who holds all the memories of the past. The Giver is often taught in schools to older children and teenagers. However, it is also one of the most commonly banned books in the United States.

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

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15 comments

kamilo says:

1 I don’t have any idea about the first question I don’t have the context about this book but I can guess I supposed the book could be a way the reveal I don’t know.
2 no. I don’t think it was a good reason to ban the book i think it was unfair all people have the freedom to give their opinion
abdolmonem says:

1. I don’t have any idea
2. Yes. The book is like speak. We cannot say any think we want.
English Club Indonesia says:

Perhaps ‘The Giver’ contains something that is too radical and could persuade the younger generation to oppose the government. Sometimes, it is acceptable to ban this kind of book. Systems and governments can’t be perfect all the time. By having this kind of book, it might cause instability in society and in the relationships between people and their regimes.
Naw Ring says:

This story should publish out for the English study tool. Because it gives the insightful knowledge for the people who live and share the same values,cultures and systems in the community to frail out the injustice oppressor in our society like Martin Luther King who resisted and revolutionised the discrimination and segregation on the black people.
Rosybell says:

It weird that it was banned here not fiar this a useful book I can’t just so useful
Zouaoui from Algeria says:

I love read daily your texts if possible. Thnx for Ur useful work.
Kanzêgnoly says:

Thank you all
Jaksyn Peacock says:

The recording should be available now. Thank you all for letting me know!
The King Of Love From IRAN says:

Thank you for sharing it with us,
Maher says:

In fact there are still some societies have the same behaviour!
Federico says:

Track unavailable
Oswaldo says:

I can not locate the audio recording!!!
Abdulahi says:

thanks a lot my teacher
the story of Jonas is very important of readers who wants to get knowledge and what behavior of that community who support the younger people.
Johno says:

Cannot locate the audio recording.
Aziz says:

I never could agree with banning a book , if someone is agree with a part or whole of material of a book , writing review could be a useful way .