5-minute listening: Celebrating the magical world of Walt Disney
- This week’s podcast talks about a very special milestone for the house of Mickey Mouse and its beloved founder
- Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio linked below; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page
Walt Disney with Mickey Mouse on July 17, 1955. Photo: Zuma Press/TNSQuestions
1. What did the Walt Disney Company just celebrate?
A. its 100th short film
B. its 100th year
C. the 100th appearance of Mickey Mouse
D. the creation of its 100th character
2. Complete the following sentence using information from the podcast.
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Walt Disney Company released a short film that runs (i) _____ minutes long. It is called Once Upon a Studio. The film features more than (ii) _____ characters from (iii) _____ films.
3. What technique was used to create the short film?
(1) digital images
(2) hand drawings
(3) live-action
A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. all of the above
4. Which of the following statements are true about Walter Elias Disney?
(1) He was born in 1901.
(2) One of his parents was half Canadian.
(3) He was born in Los Angeles, California.
A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. all of the above
5. Who did Walter Elias Disney set up his studio with?
A. his business associate
B. his long-time friend
C. a family member
D. information not given
6. Which of the following is not true about Mickey Mouse?
A. He first appeared in 1938.
B. His original name was Mortimer.
C. He was used as a code name by Allied troops.
D. He was featured in the short film Steamboat Willie.
7. When was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs released?
A. 1937
B. 1947
C. 1957
D. 1967
8. Which word can replace “unveiled” in the podcast?
A. hidden
B. revealed
C. concealed
D. discovered
9. Which cities outside the United States have Disney theme parks?
(1) Seoul, South Korea
(2) Paris, France
(3) Tokyo, Japan
(4) Hong Kong, China
A. (1), (2) and (3) only
B. (1), (3) and (4) only
C. (1), (2) and (4) only
D. (2), (3) and (4) only
10. Which of Walt Disney’s famous quotes was mentioned in the podcast?
A. “It all started with a dream.”
B. “Dream, believe, achieve.”
C. “It was all started by a mouse.”
D. “We should never lose sight of our dreams.”
11. What was the purpose of the Disney Dollar?
A. to replace regular currency in theme parks
B. to promote financial literacy among children
C. to encourage visitors to spend more money
D. to celebrate Walt Disney’s achievements
12. What does the word “franchise” in the podcast refer to?
A. the acquisition of other animation companies
B. Disney’s main headquarters
C. the annual celebration of Disney’s achievements
D. related films, merchandise, and intellectual property
13. How much money did Star Wars: The Last Jedi make internationally?
A. as much as US$1 million
B. about US$1.3 million
C. less than US$1 billion
D. more than US$1.3 billion
Answers
1. B
2. (i) nine; (ii) 500: (iii) 85
3. D
4. A
5. C
6. A
7. A
8. B
9. D
10. C
11. A
12. D
13. D
Script
Adapted from Agence France-Presse
Voice 1: The Walt Disney Company celebrated its 100th anniversary last month, marking the occasion with the release of a short film featuring more than 500 characters from 85 films. The nine-minute short film titled Once Upon a Studio combines digital images, hand drawings and live-action to honour the studio’s huge body of work.
Voice 2: Here are some major milestones in the history of the global entertainment giant. Walter Elias Disney was born in December 1901 to an Irish-Canadian father and a German-American mother in Chicago, a city in the US state of Illinois. In 1923, he joined his brother Roy in Hollywood, where they set up a studio in a garage.
Voice 1: Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in the 1928 short film Steamboat Willie. At first, he was named Mortimer, but the mouse was later renamed with inspiration from Walt Disney’s wife, Lilly. Mickey Mouse became so famous during the 1930s and 40s that he was used as a code name during World War II for the Normandy landings by Allied troops on June 6, 1944.
Voice 2: Disney’s first colour feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was released in 1937 and awarded an honorary Oscar the following year. On July 17, 1955, Disney opened its first theme park in Anaheim, California, with a second one, Magic Kingdom, unveiled in Orlando in 1971. The parks later expanded outside the United States – first in Tokyo in 1983 and later in Paris and Hong Kong.
Voice 1: Walt Disney died in 1966 at the age of 65. One of his most famous quotes was: “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it all started with a mouse”. He still holds the record for the most Oscars won during a lifetime, as he was honoured with the award 22 times.
Voice 2: The company went through many changes after his death. It even created its own currency – the “Disney Dollar” – in 1986. The “Disney Dollar” was used at its theme parks and discontinued in 2016.
Voice 1: Disney also bought other companies, including Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and the “Star Wars” brand. Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released for the franchise’s 40th anniversary in 2017, and international box office sales for it exceeded US$1.3 billion. Today, Disney is the largest animation company in the world.