Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

Your identity is your superpower | America Ferrera

TED

364K views 5 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What do you think the title means by saying your identity is your superpower?
Have you ever felt that something about your identity made life harder or stronger?
What kinds of personal experiences do you expect the speaker to share in this talk?

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Your identity is your superpower | America Ferrera

Early auditions and pressure to change (00:00 – 01:54)

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1. What did the casting director ask the speaker to do differently at her first audition?

Speak more loudly
Smile more
Act more seriously
Sound more Latina

2. What did the speaker realize “sound more Latina” meant?

Using more emotion
Speaking in broken English
Speaking faster
Changing her clothes

3. Which of these did the speaker do to try to fit in better?

She moved to another city
She changed her name
She stopped auditioning
She stayed out of the sun

Your identity is your superpower | America Ferrera

Understanding the system and internalized beliefs (01:54 – 03:32)

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1. Why did the agent say she was not getting the movie role?

She was too young for it
She asked for too much money
They had already chosen another actor she knew
The movie was not financeable until they cast the white role first

2. What did the speaker say her tears and pain were really about?

Being tired of acting
Losing a job opportunity
What was being said about her value
A disagreement with her agent

3. What did she realize she could not change?

What a system believed about her while she believed it too
Her family history
The number of available jobs
Her natural accent

Your identity is your superpower | America Ferrera

Identity as strength (03:32 – 04:17)

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1. According to the speaker, when will change come?

When people work harder without questioning anything
When each of us questions our fundamental values and beliefs
When everyone agrees immediately
When the entertainment industry becomes larger

2. What does the speaker say many people have been told they must do to fulfill their dreams?

Compete with friends
Resist the truth of who they are
Study abroad
Leave their communities

3. How does the speaker finally describe her identity?

A superpower
A secret
A burden
A limitation

Your identity is your superpower | America Ferrera

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the main message of the talk?

A person's identity can be a source of strength, not shame
Actors should avoid difficult roles
Identity should be hidden in professional life
Success only comes from fitting in

2. What major problem does the speaker describe?

A lack of training opportunities
Difficulty memorizing lines
Fear of public speaking
Pressure to match stereotypes and unfair standards

3. What does the speaker suggest people must do to create real change?

Wait for others to lead
Question their beliefs and align actions with intentions
Focus only on individual success
Ignore painful experiences

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Your identity is your superpower | America Ferrera

Why do you think the speaker spent years trying to change parts of herself?
How can a system influence the way people see their own value?
What does it mean to turn identity from an obstacle into a superpower?
What actions can individuals or organizations take to make opportunities more fair and inclusive?