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star pictureTHE ARTICLE

Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving between 1974 and 1977. He was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. in 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents separated 16 days after his birth. His name changed two years later after his mother married Gerald Rudolff Ford. He was successful in many sports at college and graduated from Yale Law School in 1941.

Ford interrupted his legal career in 1942 when he joined the Navy after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. He served with distinction in the Pacific and was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with nine stars. After the war, he entered local Republican politics in Grand Rapids, which he served in the House of Representatives for 25 years. He became known in the House as a "Congressman's Congressman".

The Republicans elected Ford as the new House Minority Leader in 1964. He held the position for eight years before being elevated to Vice President in 1973, following the resignation of incumbent Agnes Spiro. A year later he became the first President to take the office under the Twenty-fifth Amendment. In the aftermath of Nixon and the Watergate scandal, he succeeded the first President ever to resign.

As President, Ford calmed the controversies surrounding former President Nixon by granting him a full pardon. He viewed himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, a conservative in fiscal affairs, and a dyed-in-the-wool internationalist in foreign affairs." He lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter. He died thirty years later in 2006, at the age of 93. He was the longest-lived U.S. President in American history.

Article adapted from www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/geraldford

         
         From www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents

star picture LISTENING GAP FILL

Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, _______________________ 1977. He was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. in 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents separated 16 days after his birth. _______________________ later after his mother married Gerald Rudolff Ford. He was successful in many sports at _______________________ from Yale Law School in 1941.

Ford interrupted his legal career in 1942 when he joined the Navy after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. He _______________________ the Pacific _______________________ Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with nine stars. After the war, he entered local Republican politics in Grand Rapids, which he served in the House of Representatives for 25 years. He _______________________ House as a "Congressman's Congressman".

The Republicans elected Ford as the new House Minority Leader in 1964. He _______________________ for eight years _______________________ Vice President in 1973, following the resignation of incumbent Agnes Spiro. A year later he became the first President _______________________ the Twenty-fifth Amendment. In the aftermath of Nixon and the Watergate scandal, he succeeded the first President ever to resign.

As President, Ford _______________________ surrounding former President Nixon by granting him a full pardon. He viewed himself as "a _______________________ affairs, a conservative in fiscal affairs, and a dyed-in-the-wool internationalist in foreign affairs." He lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter. He died thirty years later in 2006, at the age of 93. He _______________________ U.S. President in American history.


star picture  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, nrgisev between 1974 and 1977. He was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. in 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents tsedepara 16 days after his birth. His name changed two years later after his mother married Gerald Rudolff Ford. He was uusccsflse in many sports at college and graduated from Yale Law School in 1941.

Ford interrupted his legal ecrrae in 1942 when he joined the Navy after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. He served with distinction in the Pacific and was eadrdwa the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with nine stars. After the war, he entered local Republican itopilcs in Grand Rapids, which he served in the House of Representatives for 25 years. He became known in the House as a "Congressman's Congressman".

The Republicans elected Ford as the new House Minority Leader in 1964. He held the tspoioni for eight years before being elevated to Vice President in 1973, following the resignation of incumbent Agnes Spiro. A year later he baemce the first President to take the office under the Twenty-fifth Amendment. In the thatfaerm of Nixon and the Watergate scandal, he succeeded the first President ever to resign.

As President, Ford lecamd the controversies surrounding former President Nixon by granting him a full rdpaon. He viewed himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, a conservative in fiscal affairs, and a dyed-in-the-wool internationalist in negofri affairs." He lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter. He died thirty years later in 2006, at the age of 93. He was the longest-lived U.S. President in American history.


star picture  UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, 1974 serving and between 1977. He was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr. in 1913 in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents days after his birth separated 16. His name changed two years later after his mother married Gerald Rudolff Ford. He was successful graduated and college at sports many in from Yale Law School in 1941.

Ford his interrupted he when 1942 in career legal joined the Navy after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. He served with distinction the and awarded in Pacific was the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with nine stars. After the war, he entered local Republican politics in Grand Rapids, which he served in the House of Representatives for House became 25 known years in . the He as a "Congressman's Congressman".

The Republicans elected Ford as the new House Minority Leader in 1964. years eight for position the held He before being elevated to Vice President in 1973, following the resignation of incumbent Agnes Spiro. later year A President first the became he to take the office under the Twenty-fifth Amendment. In the scandal aftermath of Nixon and the Watergate, he succeeded the first President ever to resign.

As President, Ford surrounding the former controversies calmed President Nixon by granting him a full pardon. He viewed himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, a conservative in fiscal affairs, internationalist wool - the - in - dyed a and foreign in affairs." He lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter. He died thirty years later in 2006, the 93 was at of He longest age . the-lived U.S. President in American history.


star picture  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

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2.

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3.

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4.

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5.

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6.

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STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

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3.

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4.

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5.

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6.

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star picture  STUDENT GERALD R. FORD SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Gerald R. Ford in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

star picture  WRITING

Write about Gerald R. Ford for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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star picture  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Gerald R. Ford. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Gerald R. Ford. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. GERALD R. FORD POSTER Make a poster about Gerald R. Ford. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY GERALD R. FORD LESSON: Make your own English lesson on Gerald R. Ford. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.

6. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Gerald R. Ford. Share your findings with the class.

star picture ANSWERS

    You can check your answers to these activities by looking at the article at the top of this page.

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