7E Salvador Dalí

Salvador Dalí Student A

Read the text. Write questions to find out the missing information. Ask your partner the questions and
write the answers in the gaps.

Salvador Dalí was born in 1 in 1904. From an early age, he showed great artistic
talent. He began drawing classes when he was 2 and had the first public
exhibition of his paintings when he was just fourteen.
In 3 , Dalí went to the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid to study art. While
he was at the academy, Dalí painted in the Cubist style. He grew his hair long and began to wear
4
clothes. After nearly four years, he had to leave the academy because he said his
teachers weren’t good enough to examine him! When he left the academy, he started to paint pictures
which showed impossible things – a style called ‘Surrealism’.
In 1934, Dalí got married to a Russian woman called Gala. They didn’t have any children. In 1940, Dalí and his wife moved
to 5 . Dalí’s art was very popular there and he made a lot of money. They lived there happily for eight
years before returning to Catalonia. Because of an illness which made his hands shake, Dalí had to 6 in
1980. His wife died two years later and Dalí became very depressed. He died in 1989 in his hometown.

1 Where ?
2 How old ?
3 When ?
4 What kind of ?
5 Where ?
6 What ?

✂
Salvador Dalí Student B
Read the text. Write questions to find out the missing information. Ask your partner the questions and
write the answers in the gaps.

Salvador Dalí was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1 . From an early age, he showed great
artistic talent. He began drawing classes when he was ten and had the first public exhibition of his
paintings when he was just 2 .
In 1922, Dalí went to the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid to study art. While he was at the
academy, Dalí painted in the 3 style. He grew his hair long and began to wear very
unusual clothes. After nearly four years, he had to leave the academy because he said his teachers
weren’t good enough to examine him! When he left the academy, he started to paint pictures which
showed impossible things – a style called ‘Surrealism’.
In 1934, Dalí got married to a Russian woman called 4 . They didn’t have any children. In 1940, Dalí and
his wife moved to the USA. Dalí’s art was very popular there and he made a lot of money. They lived there happily for
5
before returning to Catalonia. Because of an illness which made his hands shake, Dalí had to retire in
1980. His wife died two years later and Dalí became very depressed. He died in 1989 in 6 .

1 When ?
2 How old ?
3 What style ?
4 What ?
5 How long ?
6 Where ?

Solutions 2nd edition Elementary © OxfOrd University Press • PhotocoPiable

 7E Salvador Dalí
Aims To practise the past simple interrogative and recycle
events in life vocabulary. To extend students’ knowledge of
a famous artist.
Time 10 minutes
Materials Student A handout for half the class and Student B
handout for the rest
• Give half the class a copy of Student A handout and the rest
Student B handout. Explain that they are going to read a text
about Salvador Dalí and ask a partner questions to find out
missing information.
• Give students time to read the text and complete the
questions. You may like to get students to work together
with someone who has the same text version. Circulate
and monitor the students, checking and correcting their
questions as necessary.
Answer Key
Student A
1 Where was Dalí born? (Catalonia, Spain)
2 How old was he when he began drawing classes? (ten)
3 When did he go to the Academia de San Fernando? (1922)
4 What kind of clothes did he wear? (very unusual)
5 Where did Dalí move to in 1940? (the USA)
6 What did Dalí have to do in 1980? (retire)
Student B
1 When was Dalí born? (1904)
2 How old was he when he had his first public exhibition?
(fourteen)
3 What style did Dalí paint in while he was at the academy?
(Cubist)
4 What was Dalí’s wife’s name? (Gala)
5 How long did they live in the USA? (eight years)
6 Where did he die? (in his hometown)
• Organise students into A/B pairs and tell them to ask and
answer the questions and complete the text. Make it clear
that they must not show their handout to their partner.
• Get some feedback from the class on what they found most
interesting about Dalí’s life.

Solutions 2nd edition Elementary © OxfOrd University Press