Subscribe
← Back to the lesson
Bright Lives English
Name: Date:

Bessie Coleman: No Flying School Would Take Her… So She Learned French and Flew

Level A2 (Elementary) · Watch the video and do the online quiz at https://brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/bessie-coleman-learned-french-and-flew/

A Match the words to their meanings

  1. accept (verb)
  2. French (noun)
  3. save (verb)
  4. licence (noun)
  5. air show (noun)
  6. flight school (noun)
  7. dangerous (adjective)
  8. trick (noun)
  1. an event where pilots fly and do tricks in the sky for a crowd
  2. the language of France
  3. a clever or difficult thing you do to surprise people
  4. to keep money and not spend it (past: saved)
  5. an official paper that says you are allowed to do something (US: license)
  6. to say yes and let someone in (past: accepted)
  7. a school where people learn to fly planes (also: flying school)
  8. able to hurt you

B Complete the sentences from the story

air shows · tricks · saved · French · flying school · licence · dangerous · accept

  1. Flying old planes was .
  2. She studied in Chicago.
  3. No in America would teach her.
  4. Thousands of people came to her .
  5. In 1921, she got her pilot's .
  6. She money from her job.
  7. She did loops and other in the sky.
  8. American flying schools did not her.

C Did you understand?

  1. Bessie grew up in a rich family in Chicago.True / False
  2. What did her brother say?
    1. You must go to school
    2. You are very good at math
    3. French women can fly planes, but you can't
    4. Let's go to France together
  3. Why did American flying schools not accept her?
    1. Because she was too old
    2. Because she was Black and a woman
    3. Because she could not read
    4. Because she was ill
  4. She got her pilot's licence in France in 1921.True / False
  5. What did she ask for in her hometown in Texas?
    1. More money
    2. A new plane
    3. A bigger crowd
    4. One gate for everyone

D Put the words in order

  1. to / She / French / decided / learn

E Grammar: decided to + verb

We use it for to talk about a choice someone made. She decided to learn French. · She decided to go to France. · She decided not to fly.

Example from the story: She decided to learn French.

  1. She decided to France. (to go / going / go)
  2. Bessie decided fly until there was one gate for everyone. (not to / to not / don't)
  3. Bessie to learn French. (decided / decide to / deciding)

F Your turn

Retell Bessie Coleman's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.

Transcript

No flying school in America would teach her, because she was a Black woman.

So she learned a new language and crossed the ocean.

Would she ever fly?

This is the story of Bessie Coleman.

Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.

Accept. When a school accepts you, it says yes and lets you in.

The past is accepted.

American flying schools did not accept her.

French. French is the language of France.

She studied French in Chicago.

Save. When you save money, you keep it and do not spend it.

The past is saved.

She saved money from her job.

Licence. A licence is an official paper that says you are allowed to do something.

In 1921, she got her pilot's licence.

Air show. At an air show, pilots fly and do tricks in the sky for a crowd.

Thousands of people came to her air shows.

Now, one pattern: decided to.

We use it when someone makes a choice.

She thought about it.

She decided to learn French.

Ready? Let's begin.

Bessie Coleman was born in Texas in 1892.

There were thirteen children in her family, and they were poor.

Bessie picked cotton.

She walked four miles to a small school.

She was very good at math.

Around 1915, she moved to Chicago.

Her brother laughed at her: "French women can fly planes. You can't!"

Bessie decided to fly.

But American flying schools did not accept her, because she was Black and a woman.

Would she give up?

No!

She decided to learn French and go to France.

She studied French in Chicago, and she saved money from her job.

A newspaper owner helped her too.

In 1920, she sailed to France.

In France, she learned to fly in a small, old plane.

Flying was dangerous.

The planes often broke, even in the air.

But she did not stop.

On 15 June 1921, she got her pilot's licence.

She was the first African American woman with a pilot's licence!

She did loops and other tricks in the sky.

Thousands of people came to her air shows.

They called her Brave Bessie.

In her hometown in Texas, Black and white people had to use different gates.

Bessie decided not to fly there with two gates.

She said: "One gate for everyone."

The people in charge agreed to one gate.

In 1926, there was a problem with her plane, and Bessie died.

She was only 34.

But many Black pilots followed her into the sky.

Let's review. American flying schools did not accept her.

She studied French in Chicago.

She saved money from her job.

In 1921, she got her pilot's licence.

Thousands of people came to her air shows.

And remember: she decided to learn French.

Bessie Coleman's story teaches us: when one door is closed, find another way in.

Want more interesting lessons?

Go to brightlivesenglish.com.

Please subscribe and learn with us.

Answer key

A. 1f 2b 3d 4e 5a 6g 7h 8c

B. 1 dangerous · 2 French · 3 flying school · 4 air shows · 5 licence · 6 saved · 7 tricks · 8 accept

C. 1 False · 2 c · 3 b · 4 True · 5 d

D. 1 She decided to learn French.

E. 1 to go · 2 not to · 3 decided