A Review with No Stars
C1 reading: The editor of a small cultural magazine removed star ratings from its reviews. Includes vocabulary, six comprehension questions, discussion prompts and full-sentence answers.
What’s in the worksheet?
- 4 vocabulary explanations
- Six comprehension questions and two discussion prompts
- Separate full-sentence answer key and teaching notes
Evaluate a magazine's decision to remove review stars without assuming that prose eliminates judgement. The text considers readers' limited budgets, selective publicity and the benefits and limits of audience guidance.
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Page 3 of 3 · Answer key · A4 printable PDF
A simple way to teach it
Before the lesson
Prepare the three-page reading and review verdict, endorsement, reservations and contestable. Reserve the key for comparison after learners justify their interpretations.
- Read for the editor's intention and the practical objection from readers. Locate how tone and quoted extracts continue to communicate judgements.
- Answer the six questions, balancing the audience boxes' usefulness with their risk of narrowing choices. Identify the false opposition between numbers and words.
- Compare supported answers and discuss when ratings help. Explain the stronger claim: reasons can be examined and challenged rather than presented as universally applicable.
Support and extension
Support by separating intention, objection and revision. Extend with a short audience recommendation that leaves room for readers to try something unexpected.
Suggested approach. Adjust the pace and number of questions to suit your class.
