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Heath Ledger 1979 - 2008

Heath Ledger 1979 - 2008

Date: Feb 20 2008

Themes: Health, News, Pop Culture

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.

Ever since he danced across the bleachers while singing in 10 Things I Hate I About You in 1999, Heath Ledger has been one of Hollywood’s most popular actors. Tragically, the Australian star died last month at the age of 28.

Ledger’s death, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding it, have been a major topic of conversation lately both in the media and among friends. Listen in as Marni tells Amanda the bad news.

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:  Did you hear about Heath Ledger?

Amanda:  What about him?

Marni:  Oh my God, he died.

Amanda:  What? What is he, 27, 28 years old?

Marni:  28 years old and he died…

Amanda:  Baby girl, right?

Marni:  Yes.

Amanda:  Didn’t he just separate from his wife? Recently, maybe within the last six months?

Marni:  Yeah. Michelle Williams.

Amanda:  OK I have to ask. Suicide? Drug overdose? It wasn’t a murder, right?

Marni:  No. They don’t really know. And there was this whole weird involvement with Mary-Kate Olsen apparently.

Amanda:  What?

Marni:  Well, he was unconscious and his masseuse came in and thought he was sleeping, was setting up for a massage and called Mary-Kate Olsen instead of calling 9-1-1 immediately and there may be repercussions with that. In actuality, he was already dead so there was nothing they could have done.

Amanda:  Interesting. Mary-Kate Olsen.

Marni:  Yeah. So, I don’t know they’re connected…friends…

Amanda:  Autopsy yet?

Marni:  Not yet, but apparently he was taking Ambien…

Amanda:  That’s it?

Marni:  And they think he may have actually overdosed on that. Or potentially had a heart attack. I’ve also heard that.

Amanda:  At 28 though? I guess it’s possible.

Marni:  Very very sad. He was very talented. And get this. This is the crazy thing. People were protesting at his funeral.

Amanda:  Why?

Marni:  Because of his role in Brokeback Mountain.

Amanda:  Oh, because it was phenomenal?

Marni:  Well, exactly but apparently because they are such horrible people that they would protest a role that he played…

Amanda:  That would have been wonderful for his wife and his daughter, you know?

Marni:  Yeah, and his family. That’s really nice.

Amanda:  That was his breakthrough performance.

Marni:  It was incredible, and I think he was very talented and he will be missed.

Amanda:  He just got started.

 

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Discussion

Amanda hadn’t heard that Heath Ledger died. When Marni tells her, the first thing she thinks of is his baby daughter and his wife from whom he separated only six months ago.

When Amanda asks how Ledger died, Marni says that no one is quite sure but that it somehow involved young actress Mary-Kate Olsen. Amanda is quite surprised and Marni explains that when Ledger’s masseuse found him dead, she called Mary-Kate Olsen for some reason.

Marni guesses that Ledger may have died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. This has since been confirmed as the cause of his death.

One of the saddest things about Ledger’s death is that his funeral was protested by people who opposed his role in Brokeback Mountain, a film in which he played a gay character.

Amanda and Marni consider how awful it must have been for his family to have protesters at the funeral. They’re sad that he died because he was very talented and would have made a lot of good movies if he had lived.

Stars often die young. Can you think of another actor or musician who died early in his or her career?

 

Comments

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kaushalyats

Sri Lanka

Bob marley and indian actress Divya Bharati died in very young age and i still worried about loosing of them.

06:08 AM Feb 21 2008 |

kaushalyats

Sri Lanka

Bob marley and indian actress Divya Bharati died in very young age and i still worried about loosing of them.

06:08 AM Feb 21 2008 |

shidongyao

shidongyao

China

To mona7

    Yes,Beyond is my favorate band.And HuangJiaju is the most talented coryphaeus,it was him who held the whole band..His songs are excellent,and most songs are composed by himself.

01:47 AM Feb 21 2008 |

Elisek

Elisek

Czech Republic

its terrible…. i liked him very much…. his roles were good! I think many people will miss him…..

06:45 PM Feb 20 2008 |

Elisek

Elisek

Czech Republic

its terrible…. i liked him very much…. his roles were good! I think many people will miss him…..

06:45 PM Feb 20 2008 |

daviddavidt@hotmail.com

Dominican Republic

IM DAVID. TO HAVE FRIENDS IS WONDERFUL

06:42 PM Feb 20 2008 |

admira

admira

Germany

it's so sad that he died. the day after he died i went to school and everybody was sad about that. he had been such a great actor and i really loved his films. especially: brokeback mountain, 10 things i hate about you, and a knights tale

04:01 PM Feb 20 2008 |

1 person likes this

Yogurt

Yogurt

Kazakhstan

((

03:34 PM Feb 20 2008 |

mohd_5ash

Jordan

pleas help me

i cant speak englesh free

i like englesh language

02:52 PM Feb 20 2008 |

shidongyao

shidongyao

China

I never forget HuangJiaju,who is the singer of Beyond,a terrific band in Hongkong,China.He died in 1993,when Beyond reached the top of it’s career.What a pity!

01:57 PM Feb 20 2008 |

Jenny58

Jenny58

Ukraine

dying is a part of life.  it remind me an chinese  girl ,she died of cancer in lung while she was just29 years old, not long after her fame as a master of ceremonies.

 

01:28 PM Feb 20 2008 |

wanglong123

China

i'm sorry to hear about that,but why he overdosed on prescription drugs?because of pression or something else?

01:10 PM Feb 20 2008 |

GILDO

Angola

tragic life

11:26 AM Feb 20 2008 |

danielaleink

Germany

I wonder, how people who are protesting on a funeral, think they have the moral right with them.

 Weather you can endure livestiles that seem strange to you or not, such a thing is insensitive and falls beyond the pale. 

10:32 AM Feb 20 2008 |

GavinZheng

GavinZheng

China

Nothing to sorry about, he asked for it i think , it's an relief for him maybe..

09:11 AM Feb 20 2008 |

shidongyao

shidongyao

China

Oh,I am so sorry to hear the bad news.He was a talented actor,especially in the movie Brokeback Mountain.What was worse,there were protesters at his funeral!

08:31 AM Feb 20 2008 |

sunnylinda

sunnylinda

China

iknew about heath in chinese, but haven’t seen the film acted by him. why they protected his funeral/

06:31 AM Feb 20 2008 |

duydang

duydang

Viet Nam

so sad, I am gona miss him. he is so talent, I am still interesting in his role in 10 things i hate about you. 

03:36 AM Feb 20 2008 |

195854255

195854255

United States

The protesters just reflect his vivid image in the film…

03:19 AM Feb 20 2008 |

Dekler

Dekler

Kazakhstan

I don't understand protesters, movie was strange but shows to all how can be in that way, like two gay choose.

 He was awsome actor! 

02:53 AM Feb 20 2008 |

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