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“Ne Zha 2,” is a new animated movie from China, and will soon be shown in movie theaters across Europe. It starts showing in the U.K. and Ireland on March 21.
“Ne Zha 2” is now the highest-grossing animated movie in the world. It is number six on the top 10 list of highest-grossing movies. The list includes the “Avatar” movies, “Titanic,” “Avengers: End Game,” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” It is the first movie not from Hollywood on the list.
“Ne Zha 2” also made history by earning over $1 billion in China alone. It came out in China on January 29 and quickly became very popular.
The movie is about Ne Zha, a child with demon powers who is raised by humans. He goes on a dangerous journey to find a special potion. He needs this potion to help his friend, a dragon prince. On his journey, Ne Zha learns about a plan that could start a war between good and evil.
The movie is based on old Chinese stories, but it tells them in a more modern way. It also has lots of impressive animation. A team of 4,000 people worked on it for five years. One battle scene had 200 million characters that were all animated separately.
The movie has a message about how good and evil are not related to where someone comes from. It is related to the first Ne Zha movie, which was about changing your own destiny. This movie is about questioning the rules and ideas that people follow.
Vocabulary
- Animated – A movie made with drawings, not real people
- Show – To display or present something; to share; to let people see something
- Across – From one side to the other; in many places; around
- Gross – To make a total amount of money; to produce or earn total profit; the total amount of money made
- Include – to contain; incorporate; to be part of; to have something smaller as a part of it; come with
- Hollywood – The movie industry in the United States; the place where many movies in the US are made
- Make history – to do something important that has not been done before and will be recorded publicly and remembered for a long time
- Earn – to get something (usually money) because you worked, sold something, or helped someone; to receive
- Billion – 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
- Come out – release; debut; become available; launch
- Popular – Liked by many people; something many people like; common; frequent
- Demon – An evil spirit
- Power – Strength or ability to do something; “superpower”; special ability like flying or being invisible
- Raise – To take care of a child or animal until it is grown up
- Human – a person; a man, woman or child
- Journey – a trip; a travel; a long and often difficult process of personal change and development
- Potion – a liquid medicine or magic drink;
- Dragon – A large, fake, fire-breathing creature; 🐉
- Prince – The son of a king or queen
- Evil – bad; wrong; sinfulness; “the bad guys”
- Based on – related to; derived from; inspired by; using something as a model or idea
- Modern – New and up-to-date
- Impressive – grand; awesome; magnificent; causing admiration or respect; stunning
- Animation – to create moving images or movie with drawings
- Battle – A tough fight or struggle; a difficult match between two teams; combat; war
- Scene – A part of a movie or play
- Million – 1,000,000 = one-million
- Separately – Not together; apart
- Message – An idea or meaning that is communicated
- Related – connected to; with regard to; associated with; about
- Destiny – What is supposed to happen to someone in the future; what “god” has planned for someone in their life
- Question – To ask about something to find out if it is true or correct
- Rule – A guideline or regulation; sometimes a law; A guide that tells us what we should or shouldn’t do
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think “Ne Zha 2” became so popular in China?
- Do you think animation can tell stories as well as live-action movies? Why or why not?
- Have you seen any other movies based on old stories? Did they change the stories to be more modern, too?
- Do you think it is important for movies to have a message?
- 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
“Ne Zha 2,” is a _____ animated movie from China, and will soon be shown in movie theaters _____ Europe. It starts showing in the U.K. and Ireland on March _____.
“Ne Zha 2” is now the highest-grossing _____ movie in the world. It is number six on the top 10 list of highest-grossing _____. The list includes the “Avatar” movies, “Titanic,” “Avengers: End Game,” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” _____ is the first movie not from Hollywood on the list.
“Ne Zha 2” _____ made history by earning over $1 billion in China alone. It _____ out in China on January 29 and quickly became very popular.
The movie is _____ Ne Zha, a child with demon powers who is raised by _____. He goes on a dangerous journey to find a special potion. He needs _____ potion to help his friend, a dragon prince. On his _____, Ne Zha learns about a plan that _____ start a war between good and evil.
The movie is _____ on old Chinese stories, but it tells _____ in a more modern way. It also has lots of impressive _____. A team of 4,000 people worked on it for five years. One battle _____ had 200 million characters that were all animated _____.
The movie has a message about _____ good and evil are not related to where someone comes from. It is _____ to the first Ne Zha movie, which was about changing your own _____. This movie is about questioning the _____ and ideas that people follow.
