Extrareading

1. RR 2 – U1 Extra Reading
Interview with Louisa Robins
1 Louisa Robins is well-known for roles in
both dramas and comedies. She is the star
of the new movie, Outside It All, coming out
next month. But acting didn’t come easy to
5 her, and in some ways it was a surprising
career choice for her.
Simon Graf: What was the biggest
obstacle you had to overcome to become an
actor?
10 Louisa Robins: Definitely shyness. I was
an extremely shy child. My parents were
really worried about me when I was in grade
school because I was so anxious and
nervous about everything. We moved
15 frequently because of my father’s job, and I
found it hard to meet new people, so I didn’t
have a lot of friends. I liked being alone. I
had imaginary friends that I played with,
and that really worried my parents. They
20 actually took me to a psychiatrist, but he
said it wasn’t that unusual for a child to have
imaginary friends. My father blamed
himself because he thought I was shy because
we moved so much. Now I don’t think it was
25 that at all. It was just the way I was, and at
least to some extent, I think shyness and
other personality traits must be genetic.
Simon Graf: It’s hard to believe that you
became an actor. Obviously, you overcame
30 your shyness. How did you do it?
Louisa Robins: Well, I did get over my
shyness, but not completely. When I was in
college, I made one good friend, and that
was very important for my future. My friend
35 and I had a lot in common, except for one
difference—she was extremely outgoing,
and I was very shy. My friend thought she
wanted to become an actor, so she
convinced me to take an acting class with
40 her. I didn’t want to at all. The idea of
getting up in front of people and performing
completely scared me. I was terrified. But
she was my best friend, so I said I would do
it. The funny thing is that it turned out
45 completely differently than we expected.
She wasn’t good at acting, but I loved it. I
felt free because I could be someone else. I
felt more in control than I had ever felt in
any social situation. It really changed things
50 for me. My confidence increased a lot. After
that, I decided that I was going to be an
actor, and I didn’t really care how hard I had
to work to do it. In fact, it didn’t even matter
if I succeeded or not. I just wanted to do it
55 because I loved it.
Simon Graf: That’s a remarkable story.
You say that you didn’t get over your
shyness completely. Are there still times
when you feel shy?
60 Louisa Robins: Yes, definitely. For
example, if I walk into a crowded restaurant
or party by myself, I sometimes feel a little
shy. But it only lasts a minute, and then I’m
fine. Because of my experience, I believe it
65 is possible to break out of these kinds of
personality traits, but it isn’t easy. It takes
work.
Comprehension Questions
1
Copyright©2011byPearsonEducation,Inc.

2. RR 2 – U1 Extra Reading
Circle the letter of the correct answer to complete each sentence.
1. The topic of the interview is ___.
a. how Louisa started acting
b. how Louisa overcame shyness and became an actor
c. why Louisa likes acting
2. Louisa’s parents worried about her because she ___.
a. didn’t have a lot of friends
b. liked being alone
c. had imaginary friends
3. Louisa believes her shyness was ___.
a. because of moving so much as a child
b. probably genetic
c. because it was hard for her to make friends
4. Louisa’s friend ___
a. was outgoing but not a good actor
b. was outgoing and a good actor
c. was also shy but was a good actor
5. Louisa decided to become an actor ___.
a. but was worried about how much work it would be
b. only because she loved it
c. only if she could be successful
6. Louisa ___.
a. never feels shy anymore
b. often still feels shy, but she hides it
c. can feel shy, but it doesn’t last long
ANSWER KEY 1.B 2.C 3.B 4.A 5.B 6.C
2
Copyright©2011byPearsonEducation,Inc.Copyright©2011byPearsonEducation,Inc.