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Designed By:
Christian Alas
Created and illustrated By:
Angelo Romero and Camilo Sanabria
Superheroes
Since the unveiling of Superman in 1938, the very idea of superheroes has swept the world over through comic books, then cartoons, and eventually, live-action films. By definition, a superhero is a fictional character who is a crime-fighter with special abilities and a disposition towards righteousness.
Sometimes, the superhero will have a young sidekick that will assist in the endeavor for justice. Since the superhero only has a limited amount of energy and needs to have it replenished every so often, the sidekick is there to help.
They share a reciprocal relationship and work in accord to fight injustice using their proficient crime-fighting skills.
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The superheroes’ storylines usually have the same thematic elements and conflicts, such as an evil and zany villain that the hero has to defeat.
The villains can range anywhere from small-time crooks to wicked monsters. The villains usually try to disrupt the harmony in the world and pursue selfish goals often simply for the exhilaration. On the other hand, the hero is a noble optimist and stands firm in his belief of justice and righteousness.
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To contrast the decency of the hero, the villain will usually have an overbearing attitude towards their own partners-in-crime, showing that they look out for only themselves and use others only to help them gain their high status.
The villain is also usually a braggart or a buffoon. Sometimes, the villain may rule an entire city and have it under his control, depriving citizens of basic rights.
It is up to the superhero to defeat the unreceptive nemesis and bring peace to the city and its people by performing feats of justice, big or small. Superheroes usually come out victorious against the baffled villain using quirky tactics, but it is important to realize that superheroes are not invincible.
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Although superheroes appear unruffled most of the time, they risk their own lives for the sake of peace, and willingly suffer through trying times. Battles with villains often involve both sides throwing jarring blows at each other until one side comes out victorious.
The superhero is a great promoter of fairness and peace, but works undercover to avoid the public. Thus, many of them have a secret identity they use so as not to attract attention to their status or have the villain target and attack friends or family.
To protect their normal identity, some heroes wear masks to hide their face and don their identifiable and trademark costumes. They usually have a secret place they go to be transformed into their hero costume. And to provide for easier access when fighting crime, the superheroes usually live in close proximity to the city that they protect.
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Another common element in superhero stories is betrayal. Occasionally, when the superhero is a member or leader of a partnership or a whole team of heroes, one character with poor discretion on the team ends up being deluded by the villain and used to take down the hero.
The villain thrives on using this tactic and usually appeals to the superhero’s teammate by offering a more important and famous role on the villain’s side. The superhero’s enthusiasm for morality and integrity makes him a fan of all.
Filled with compassion and a thoughtful personality, the hero humbly takes up the responsibility to save the innocent from corruption by an adversary and the clutches of crime.
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Never seeking personal popularity, and always filled with empathy for the oppressed, the hero stands tall and strong and for the good of humanity.
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Vocabulary
Match each word in the left column with a description in the right column that best matches its meaning
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1. ____ Endeavor 2. ____ Unruffled 3. ____ Invincible 4. ____ Exhilaration 5. ____ Jar 6. ____ Enthusiasm 7. ____ Optimist |
A. Relaxed, composed, cool B. Changed, evolved C. Understanding, compassion D. Agreement, harmony E. Unbeatable, supreme F. Eagerness, passion, interest G. Refilled, restocked |
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8. ____ Replenished 9. ____ Thrive 10. ____ Thoughtful 11. ____ ransformed 12. ____ Empathy 13. ____ Accord 14. ____ Proficient 15. ____ Compassion |
H. Thrill, excitement I. Sympathy, concern J. Succeed, prosper, flourish K. Kind, caring, considerate L. Effort, attempt M. Idealist, positive thinker N. Talented, skillful O. Hit, bash, jolt |
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Vocabulary
Match each word in the left column with a description in the right column that best matches its meaning
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16. ____ Proximity 17. ____ Discretion 18. ____ Receptive 19. ____ Disposition 20. ____ Reciprocal 21. ____ Status 22. ____ Buffoon |
A. Crazy, wacky B. Character, naturey C. Closeness in distance D. Deny, withhold E. Deceive, mislead, cheat F. Joker, clown G. Responsive, interested |
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23. ____ Baffle 24. ____ Overbearing 25. ____ Delude 26. ____ Quirky 27. ____ Deprive 28. ____ Trying 29. ____ Braggart 30. ____ Zany |
H. Tiresome, difficult, demanding I. Mutual, shared, equal J. Odd, unique, peculiar K. Rank, position, standing L. Someone who is arrogant M. Carefulness in judgment N. Confuse, stun, perplex O. Bossy, arrogant |
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Multiple Choice
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Superman was created in A. 1932. B. 1948. C. 1938. D. 1948. |
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Superheroes are sometimes assisted by a “mini-hero” called a A. Sidekick. B. Helper. C. Assistant. D. Secretary. |
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The opposition facing the superhero is commonly known as the A. Villain. B. Opponent. C. Adversary. D. All of the above. |
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Which of the following is not a superhero character? A. Superman. B. Spiderman. C. Batman. D. Aquaman. |
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Which of the following is not characteristic of a superhero? A. Noble. B. Brave. C. Selfish. D. Thoughtful. |
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True or False
Choose whether each statement is true or false and write your answer in the space provided.
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1. ____ Superheroes never lose to the villain. 2. ____ Superheroes are never scared or afraid. 3. ____ Superheroes are promoters of greed and wealth. 4. ____ Some superheroes prefer to work alone. 5. ____ The villain is usually seeking selfish interests. |
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Short Answer
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1. Why do superheroes work undercover? ______________________________________ |
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2. Why do superheroes need sidekicks? ______________________________________ |
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3. How does a superhero get betrayed? ______________________________________ |
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4. Explain who your favorite hero is and why ______________________________________ |
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Reading Questions
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1. What is the writer’s main idea? ______________________________________ |
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2. What example supports the writer’s main idea? ______________________________________ |
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3. How does the example help the writer’s argument? ______________________________________ |
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4. What do you think about the story? ______________________________________ |
HS – ESL2 – Unit 21 – Music – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 20 – Communications – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 19 – Flag – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 18 – Planet – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 17 – Hamburgers – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 16 – Reading – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 15 – Vincent Van Gogh – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 14 – Penguins – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 13 – Airplanes – Moodle 
HS – ESL2 – Unit 11 – Popcorn – Moodle 
Unit 1 – Maïs – French – Beginning 
Planeta – Unidad 1 – Español – Advanced 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 17 – Mustang– Moodle 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 16 – Reading – Moodle 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 15 – Vincent Van Gogh– Moodle 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 14 – Penguins – Moodle 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 13 – Medicine – Moodle 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 11 – Paris – Moodle 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 10 – Superheroes– Moodle 
HS – ESL3 – Unit 8 – Earthquakes – Moodle