Erin Brockovich, environmental activist. She became famous in 1996
when as a single mother with no legal training, she helped US residents
win a £200m settlement from an energy company for contaminating groundwater. Her story was turned into an Oscar winning film starring Julia Roberts.
Listen to the interview
Listen to the interview in which the real Erin Brockovich speaks about how her life changed after the release of the film. (From minute 0.30 till minute 5:28)
Fill in the gaps with the missing word.
Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her (1)______________ of the single mother who worked as a legal (2)______________ and who won the biggest single legal (3)______________ in US history.
The real Erin Brockovich had a (4)______________ role as a waitress in the film.
Erin is in London as (5)______________ speaker at a motivational event.
The radio presenter asks Erin what it was like to be thrust into the (6)______________ as a result of the film.
Erin says that everything that has happened after the film was released has become a learning (7)______________ and that she is proud of it.
She says that the film (8)______________ her into a whirlwind.
The presenter asks Erin's opinion about the criticism that came regarding the low (9)______________ and (10)______________ heels she wore.
Because it was very hot in Hinkley (she compares the place to a (11)____________ drier) the (12)______________ she had on the more (13)______________ she was.
While doing her research Erin spent most of her time in a (14)______________ not in (15)______________.
She had no particular (16)______________ that her (17)______________ would get involved in the film.
Albert Finney, who played the (18)______________, did such an incredible job.
Steven Soderbergh, the director of the film, said that (19)______________ is stranger than (20)______________.
When Erin's looks and profession were questioned she felt (21)______________ and recalled the place she was (22)______________ in.
Erin grew up in a family that was morally right and (23)______________, a family with values respect and (24)______________.
KEY
Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her
1. portrayal of the single mother who worked as a legal
2. clerk and who won the biggest single legal
3. settlement in US history.
settlement: money legally given to someone.
The real Erin Brockovich had a
4. cameo role as a waitress in the film.
cameo: /ˈkæmiəʊ/ a small part played by a well-known actor in a film or play. E.g. a cameo role/appearance
Erin is in London as
5. keynote speaker at a motivational event.
a keynote speech/speaker (= a very important one, introducing a meeting or its subject)
The radio presenter asks Erin what it was like to be thrust into the
6. spotlight as a result of the film.
the spotlight [uncountable] attention from newspapers, television and the public. E.g. Unemployment is once again in the spotlight.
Erin says that everything that has happened after the film was released has become a learning
7. curve and that she is proud of it.
learning curve: the rate at which you learn a new subject or a new skill; the process of learning from the mistakes you make. E.g. We have all been through a steep learning curve to master the new procedures. We expect a learning curve as we develop the project.
She says that the film
8. thrust her into a whirlwind.
thrust / thrust / thrust: to put something somewhere with a quick hard push.
whirlwind: a situation or series of events where a lot of things happen very quickly. E.g. To recover from the divorce, I threw myself into a whirlwind of activities.
The presenter asks Erin's opinion about the criticism that came regarding the low
9. tops and
10 high heels she wore.
Because it was very hot in Hinkley (she compares the place to a
11. blow drier) the
blow drier - a hand-held electric blower that can blow warm air onto the hair; used for styling hair.
12. less she had on the more
13. comfortable she was.
While doing her research Erin spend most of her time in a
14. field not in
15. court.
She had no particular
16. thought that her
17. wardrobe would get involved in the film.
Albert Finney, who played the
18. lawyer, did such an incredible job.
Steven Soderbergh, the director of the film, said that
19. truth is stranger than
20. fiction.
When Erin's looks and profession were questioned she felt
21. baffled and recalled the place she was
baffle: if a problem, someone’s behaviour etc baffles you, you cannot understand it or solve it. Confuse.
22. raised in.
Erin grew up in a family that was morally right and
23. principle-driven, a family with values respect and
-driven (in compounds) influenced or caused by a particular thing. E.g. a market-driven economy. A character-driven movie.
24. honesty.
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