Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Do you know the name of a book author? If so, what kind of books does that author write? If not, would you like to read books by different authors? Why or why not?
- Do you think authors help people learn new things? If yes, what book helped you learn something? If not, how do you prefer to learn new things instead?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- regional /REE-juh-nl/
- multilingual /muhl-tee-LING-gwuhl/
- activist /AK-tuh-vist/
- distribute /dih-STRIB-yoot/
- recognition /rek-uhg-NISH-uhn /
[adjective] – relating to a particular region of a country or the world
The regional food festival showed dishes from every part of the country.
[adjective] – able to use more than two languages
The multilingual teacher spoke English, Spanish, and Hindi.
[noun] – a person who takes action to achieve social or political change
The activist worked to stop animal cruelty in the city.
[verb] – to give something out to several people, or to spread or supply something
Volunteers distribute food to families every weekend.
[noun] – praise, respect, or reward for someone’s work or achievements
She received recognition for her work in science.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
On May 20, 2025, the International Booker Prize was awarded at the Tate Modern in London. Indian author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi received the award for Heart Lamp, a collection of 12 short stories. The stories were written in Kannada between 1990 and 2023. Kannada is spoken by about 65 million people in southern India. This is the first time the award has been given to a short story collection. The book focuses on the lives of women in southern India and highlights regional traditions. It was selected from six finalists for its strong representation of women and culture.
The translator arranged the stories to preserve the multilingual character of southern India. The chair of the judging panel said the translation was radical and showed socio-political depth. The stories discuss important topics such as caste, inequality, and women’s rights. Mushtaq, a lawyer and activist, said the stories show how religion and society can hurt women. The prize includes £50,000, which will be distributed equally between the author and the translator. Each winner will also receive a trophy. The award honors literary excellence in translated books and may bring more recognition to regional works through the power of translation.
The translator arranged the stories to preserve the multilingual character of southern India. The chair of the judging panel said the translation was radical and showed socio-political depth. The stories discuss important topics such as caste, inequality, and women’s rights. Mushtaq, a lawyer and activist, said the stories show how religion and society can hurt women. The prize includes £50,000, which will be distributed equally between the author and the translator. Each winner will also receive a trophy. The award honors literary excellence in translated books and may bring more recognition to regional works through the power of translation.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- When was the International Booker Prize awarded?
- Where did the award ceremony take place?
- Who won the prize for Heart Lamp?
- What type of book is Heart Lamp?
- In which language were the stories originally written?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever read a short story that showed life in your country? If so, what was the story about? If not, would you like to read one?
- Have you learned about women’s rights in school or online? If so, what did you learn? If not, why do you think they are important?
- Do you agree that stories can help people understand different cultures?
- Why might it be hard for regional languages to get global recognition? What can help more people read these books?
- What do you think makes a book or story “excellent”? Is it the idea, the writing, or something else?