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The Cannes Film Festival announced a new dress code for its red carpet. The festival, a big event for movies, announced this change just one day before it started.
Recently, many famous people have worn “naked” dresses to big events. These dresses are made of thin or see-through material and can look like the person is not wearing much clothes. This style helps celebrities get a lot of attention.
Now, the Cannes Film Festival says that “nudity is not allowed on the red carpet or any other area of the festival.” The event organizers said they made this rule “for decency reasons.” They want people to dress in a way that is not shocking.
Last year, some stars wore dresses that showed a lot of skin. For example, model Bella Hadid and actress Vicky Krieps wore see-through dresses. It is not clear if those types of dresses are allowed this year.
The new rule does not give many details about what “nudity” means, so some people are confused. For example, they wonder if a picture of a naked person on a dress is against the rules.
The festival has also made another change to the dress code. Very large dresses with long parts that drag on the floor, called trains, are also not allowed.
It is possible that these new rules were made because see-through dresses have become very common. Sometimes, very revealing outfits take attention away from the events. For example, Bianca Censori’s see-through outfit without underwear at the Grammys this year was controversial.
Vocabulary
- Announce – share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report; to tell everyone
- Dress code – a set of rules about what clothes to wear in a certain place, like school or work.
- Red carpet – a special carpet for famous people at big events
- Festival – A special event with music, games, and fun activities
- Event – an activity that is planned for a special purpose and usually involves a lot of people, for example, a meeting, party, trade show, or conference
- Recently – Not long ago
- Famous – Many people know it; Well-known or admired by many people
- Naked – having no clothes on; all of your skin can be seen
- See-through – clear, so you can look through it, like glass
- Material – a physical thing that you use to build or make other things (cotton is a common material used to make t-shirts)
- Clothes – Things you wear, like shirts and pants
- Celebrity – a famous person
- Attention – notice; thought; interest; awareness; focus
- Nudity – being naked; having no clothes on
- Allowed – permission to do something; it’s OK; permitted; you may; you can
- Organizer – a person or group that organizes an event or meeting
- Rule – A guideline or regulation; sometimes a law; A guide that tells us what we should or shouldn’t do
- Decency – Acting or dressing in a way that is polite and proper
- Shocking – surprising and/or upsetting;
- Star – a famous person; main actor in a show or movie; the best person; very famous
- Skin – The outside covering, like on fruit or your body; some apples have red skin and some apples have green skin
- Model – A person who wears clothes to show them off; a person whose job is to be in photos or videos
- Actress – A female actor; A person who pretends to be someone else in a play or movie (used for women)
- Details – specific and important information about something
- Mean – what something shows; what something stands for
- Confused – feeling unsure or not understanding something clearly; Not knowing what to do or where to go
- Wonder – to ask yourself questions or express a wish to know about something; think about
- Against a rule – not following a rule; break a rule; don’t do what you’re supposed to
- Part – a piece of something; a section of a whole thing; not the whole thing
- Drag – To pull something along on the ground
- Common – Happens a lot; normal; usual
- Revealing (outfit) – Clothes that show a lot of your body; clothes that don’t cover all of your skin
- Outfit – A set of clothes worn together;
- Underwear – Clothes that you wear under your other clothes;
- Controversial – something that causes a lot of disagreement or discussion;
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Do you think the Cannes Film Festival made the right decision with these new dress code rules? Why or why not?
- Do you believe what celebrities wear on the red carpet is important? Why?
- Should famous people be allowed to wear whatever they want to big events, or should there be rules?
- How can very revealing outfits take attention away from an event like a film festival?
- What do you think is more important at a film festival: the movies or the fashion? Explain your opinion.
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
The Cannes Film Festival _____ a new dress code for its red carpet. The festival, a big event for _____, announced this change just one day before it _____.
Recently, many famous _____ have worn “naked” dresses to big events. These dresses are made of _____ or see-through material and can look like the _____ is not wearing much clothes. This style helps _____ get a lot of attention.
Now, the Cannes Film Festival _____ that “nudity is not allowed on the red carpet or any other _____ of the festival.” The event organizers said they made this _____ “for decency reasons.” They want people to dress in a way that is _____ shocking.
Last year, some _____ wore dresses that showed a lot of skin. For _____, model Bella Hadid and actress Vicky Krieps wore see-through _____. It is not clear if those types of dresses are _____ this year.
The new rule does not _____ many details about what “nudity” means, so some people are _____. For example, they wonder if a picture of a _____ person on a dress is against the rules.
The festival has also _____ another change to the dress code. Very large dresses with _____ parts that drag on the floor, called trains, _____ also not allowed.
It is _____ that these new rules were made because see-through dresses _____ become very common. Sometimes, very revealing outfits _____ attention away from the events. For example, Bianca Censori’s see-through _____ without underwear at the Grammys this year was _____.
