C2 : Mr. Rogers
Below is a C2 level English listening task about Fred Rogers' TV show that helped kids understand how to handle their feelings. Good luck!
Vocabulary
Trademark ---> A trademark is a distinctive feature of something or someone, and to trademark is to brand something, especially in a legal sense.
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Cardigan sweater ---> a piece of clothing, usually made from yarn, that covers the upper part of the body and the arms, fastening at the front with buttons, and usually worn over other clothes
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ingratiated ---> bring oneself into favour with someone by flattering or trying to please them.
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​His calling ---> a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.
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​Ordained ---> make (someone) a priest or minister; confer holy orders on.
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Presbyterian ---> relating to or denoting a Christian Church or denomination governed by elders according to the principles of Presbyterianism.
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His life's path ---> ​lifepath (plural lifepaths) One's path through life, as determined by the decisions one makes.
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Fred Rogers : A Brief Bio According to PBS (Public Broadcast Corporation)
His trademark cardigan sweater and tennis shoes ingratiated Fred Rogers to an entire generation of children, but the beloved kids’ television show host nearly missed his calling altogether. Even though Rogers was ordained in 1963 as a Presbyterian minister, it was after seeing his first television program in his parents’ home that he suddenly knew his life’s path. “I went into television because I hated it so, and I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen,” Rogers said in an interview with CNN. For several years in the 1950s, Rogers worked for a series of music-oriented children’s shows on NBC. But the soft-spoken, creative Rogers felt strongly that advertisements and marketing efforts directed at children severely hindered the educational value of children’s programming.
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In 1954, Rogers brought his puppeteer skills to public broadcasting, working on “The Children’s Corner” on WQED in Pittsburgh. It was in this atmosphere that Rogers developed many of his most memorable puppet characters, including King Friday and Queen Sara Saturday, whom he named after his wife.
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
Rogers’ famous sneakers became his choice in footwear after he found that they allowed him to walk quietly behind the scenes of the live television productions. The host’s trademark opening song, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, became part of the national consciousness in 1968, when “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” began airing in Pittsburgh and was soon picked up by several other large markets, including Boston and New York. In 1969 PBS contracted the show, and it was broadcast nationally.
In comparison to other contemporary children’s programming, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was slower paced and softer in tone and theme. Rogers emphasized the importance of imagination and creativity while urging children to love themselves and their neighbors. It was an approach that resonated with children, but also begged to be parodied. Comedian Eddie Murphy famously riffed on the popular host in his “Saturday Night Live” skit, Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood.
Rogers is also known for his vociferous protection of children, and in 1969 he testified in front of a congressional subcommittee to oppose funding cuts to public broadcasting. During the moving testimony, Rogers recited the lyrics to one of his popular songs. “Fred Rogers has proven that television can soothe the soul and nurture the spirit and teach the very young,” said President George W. Bush as he awarded the soft-spoken pioneer the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contribution to children’s education initiatives. The award came just months before Rogers’ death.
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External Links :
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/pioneers-of-television/pioneering-people/fred-rogers/
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Mister Rogers Speaking on Children's Grief
This is a video of Mister Rogers speaking on the important work of the Highmark Caring Place and sharing his thoughts on death, grief, feelings, and how these things should bring us all together. This video was taken at the dedication the Highmark Caring Place in Erie, PA in May of 2001.
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Transcript
there isn't any one of us here not any one of us who hasn't had loss in our life so consequently we can be in relationship with other human beings just after I heard about Michelle's being here I received this uncorrected proof in the mail of a book I didn't know about it it's called when children grieve and yesterday I was reading about a boy whose dad died very suddenly of a heart attack this boy had gone to school his dad had gone off to work the boy came back from school but the dad didn't come back from work and at a place very much like the Caring Place he was encouraged his name was Jeffrey he was encouraged to write a letter to his dad and they had had some times together in which they had tussled and didn't agree on certain things just like all of us and when he finally wrote this letter he presented it to the people in the in the center and they rejoiced here's what he said
Dear Daddy I have been remembering our times together and I have found some things I want to say Daddy I miss you now when I read that for the first time I just burst into tears my dad died in 1970.and I grieved naturally but it's obvious that I'm carrying that with me always sure I miss him
this little boy said Daddy I miss you well I still miss my dad I'm sorry for all the times I was stubborn I'm sorry for arguing with you sometimes I thought you were too strict with me I forgive you, you never let me win any arguments, I forgive you daddy sometimes I just stare off into the Hills and think about the times we went hiking I want to keep my Swiss army knife forever because it reminds me of you I think you were the smartest person in the world even though it made you win all the arguments I was really proud of you I don't think I ever told you that I'm sorry I hope you knew how proud I was Daddy I'm so sad that you had to die it's so unfair I love you I miss you goodbye Daddy
nine years old well children need to talk about their feelings it's healthy to talk about their feelings feelings are legitimate and they're wonderful people in this world who want to help and I'm very grateful to be able to be a small part in this marvelous Ministry
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External Links : ​
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Transcript
0:01
[Applause]
0:04
there isn't any one of us here
0:08
not any one of us
0:11
who hasn't had
0:13
loss in our life
0:17
so consequently we can be in
0:21
relationship with other human beings
0:29
just after I heard about Michelle's
0:33
being here
0:35
I received this uncorrected proof in the
0:39
mail of a book I didn't know about it
0:42
it's called when children grieve
0:46
and yesterday I was reading about
0:50
a boy whose dad died very suddenly of a
0:54
heart attack
0:56
this boy had gone to school his dad had
0:59
gone off to work
1:01
the boy came back from school but the
1:04
dad didn't come back from work
1:06
and at a place very much like the Caring
1:11
Place
1:12
he was encouraged his name was Jeffrey
1:15
he was encouraged to write a letter to
1:18
his dad
1:20
and they had had some times together in
1:23
which they had tussled
1:25
and didn't agree on certain things just
1:29
like all of us
1:31
and when he finally wrote this letter
1:36
he presented it to the people in the in
1:40
the center
1:42
and they rejoiced here's what he said
1:48
Dear Daddy
1:50
I have been remembering our times
1:52
together and I have found some things I
1:55
want to say
1:57
Daddy I miss you
2:02
now when I read that for the first time
2:05
I just burst into tears
2:08
my dad died in 1970.
2:13
and I grieved naturally
2:17
but it's obvious that I'm carrying that
2:20
with me always sure I miss him this
2:23
little boy said Daddy I miss you
2:26
well
2:28
I still miss my dad
2:31
I'm sorry for all the times I was
2:33
stubborn
2:35
I'm sorry for arguing with you sometimes
2:39
I thought you were too strict with me I
2:42
forgive you
2:45
you never let me win any arguments I
2:49
forgive you
2:51
daddy sometimes I just stare off into
2:54
the Hills
2:56
and think about the times we went hiking
2:59
I want to keep my Swiss army knife
3:01
forever because it reminds me of you
3:05
I think you were the smartest person in
3:08
the world
3:09
even though it made you win all the
3:11
arguments
3:13
I was really proud of you
3:15
I don't think I ever told you that
3:18
I'm sorry
3:20
I hope you knew how proud I was
3:23
Daddy I'm so sad that you had to die
3:28
it's so unfair
3:30
I love you I miss you
3:34
goodbye Daddy
3:38
nine years old
3:42
well children need to talk about their
3:46
feelings
3:47
it's healthy to talk about their
3:50
feelings
3:51
feelings are legitimate
3:55
and they're wonderful people
3:57
in this world
3:59
who want to help
4:02
and I'm very grateful
4:04
to be able to be a small part in this
4:09
marvelous Ministry
4:12
[Applause]
4:19
[Music]
Quiz
What was the name of the book that Fred Rogers mentions at the beginning of his speech?
a. When children get angry
b. When children cry
c. When children grieve
d. When children don't understand
e. When children lose their parents
f. None of the above
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Fred Rogers said "yesterday I was reading about a boy whose dad died very suddenly of a __________
a. Boating accident
b. Car accident
c. Lung cancer
d. Heart attack
e. Stroke
f. None of the above
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Fred Rogers said "he was encouraged to write a __________ to his dad"
a. Text
b. E-mail
c. Letter
d. Poem
e. Song
f. None of the Above
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What does "rejoiced" mean in this sentence? he presented it to the people in the in the center and they rejoiced
a. Fell or show great confusion and envy
b. Feel or show great disgust and resentment
c. feel or show great joy or delight.
d. Feel or show great love and happiness
e. Feel or show great loyalty and pride
f. None of the Above
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What year did Fred Roger's father pass away?
a. 1968
b. 1969
c. 1970
d. 1971
e. 1972
f. 1973
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sometimes I just stare off into the Hills and think about the times we went hiking
a. Walking
b. Rafting
c. Bike Riding
d. Rock Climbing
e. Hiking
f. None of the Above
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- I want to keep my __________ forever because it reminds me of you
a. Pocket knife
b. Lucky deck
c. Lucky Rabbits Foot
d. Swiss Army Knife
e. Buck Knife
f. Butterfly Knife
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- How old was the boy who wrote the letter to his deceased father?
a. Seven
b. Eight
c. Nine
d. Ten
e. Eleven
f. Twelve
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- Fred Rogers stated "I'm very grateful to be able to be a small part in this __________ Ministry".
a. Magnificent
b. Marvelous
c. Maleficent
d. Miraculus
e. Unbelievable
f. Incredible
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Mister Rogers Lifetime Achievement Award Acceptance Speech
Other C1/C2 Level English Tasks
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