Keep Smiling English Listening Part 2 - First

You will hear a short talk on dramatic irony. For quesitons 1 - 7, complete the sentences
with a word or short phrase.
________________________________________________________________________

Dramatic Irony

There are three types of irony: dramatic, verbal and (1)_____________________.

In dramatic irony, the characters have (2)_____________________ something that

the audience already knows.

An example of dramatic irony is when the (3)_____________________ hides

somewhere, but the main character doesn’t know.

Misunderstandings are a common device in (4)_____________________.

Tension builds in a film, for instance, when character overhears a conversation

about him from the (5)_____________________.

According to the speaker, the tension has to be (6)_____________________ in benefit

of the audience.

Shakespeare and Hitchcock are two examples of (7)_____________________ who

have used dramatic irony effectively.

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Keep Smiling English Listening Part 2 - First

KEY
1. situational
2. missed
3. (scary) villain
4. (typical) comedies
5. hallway
6. broken
7. (great) writers

Source:
Author of original material (text, audio, video, etc.): Ben Pierce (animator) &
Christopher Warner (educator)
Platform: Ted-Ed (www.ed.ted.com)
Direct link to source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=118&v=RZFYuX84n1U
Adapted by: Keep Smiling English

Keep Smiling English is responsible solely for the adaptation of the original text, and
for the creation of the activities. This material is meant to be used for non-
commercial purposes only, and the original source/author of the text should
always be acknowledged.

Transcript & Answers:

What do horror movies and comedies have in common? The two genres might seem totally
different, but the reason they're both so popular is perhaps because of what they have in
common: their use of dramatic irony. First, let's clarify. There are three types of irony out there.
(1)Situational irony is when you expect one thing, but get the opposite. Verbal irony is when
someone says something, but truly means the opposite. Dramatic irony, though, is what we will be
looking at right now.
Dramatic irony is when the audience seems to know more about an event, a situation, or a
conversation than the characters in the movie, on the show, or in the book do. The audience is in
on a secret that the characters have (2)missed.
This is a great story-telling device that creates tremendous emotion within that text.
Think about it for a moment. How does it feel when, in a horror film, you know that the (3)scary
villain is hiding behind that door in the darkened room. The music becomes eerie, the lighting
creates complete shadows. This has to be bad for the hero! Of course, though, that hero must enter
the room to find the villain. You feel tremendous tension and the suspense of knowing that
someone will jump out and be scary, but you just don't know when. That tension is dramatic irony:
you know something more than the characters in the film.
Now, take the (4)typical comedy. There will probably be some type of “misunderstanding". Again,
we know more of what is going on than the characters do. Picture two characters making a plan
for a birthday surprise for their roommate while that roommate overhears the entire conversation
from the (5)hallway. From there, confusion and misunderstanding occur, and the tension builds. This
isn't the same tension as the horror film since it is probably pretty funny as the character tries to
figure out the whos and the whats, but it serves as a great example of the tension and suspense of
dramatic irony.
This tension or suspense in both genres drives the story and keeps the plot progressing. The
audience wants, no, needs, to see the tension of the dramatic irony (6)broken either by the scary
person jumping out of the shadows or by someone finally revealing someone's true identity and
clearing up the confusion.
So, when you feel like you are in on a secret, that is dramatic irony, a hallmark of all the great
writers, from Shakespeare to Hitchcock.
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