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Small Whale · Reading worksheet

Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/super-bowl-xxxviii-halftime-show-controversy

Step 2 · Questions

1. What is the date of broadcast?
2. What is the network?
3. What happened during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show?
4. Why was the incident nicknamed "Nipplegate"?

Step 3 · Words to know

Write what each word means, using the article.

Broadcast Indecency
Censorship
Nipple Shield
FCC Enforcement

Step 4 · Two facts in your own words

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

1.

2.

Answer key (teacher copy)

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the date of broadcast?February 1, 2004
2. What is the network?CBS
3. What happened during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show?During the show, Justin Timberlake pulled at Janet Jackson's costume and accidentally exposed part of her breast. This moment was called a wardrobe malfunction.
4. Why was the incident nicknamed "Nipplegate"?It was nicknamed "Nipplegate" because the exposed part was a nipple, and the name was used to describe the controversy.

Broadcast Indecency: Content deemed offensive or inappropriate by regulatory bodies for public broadcast.
Censorship: The suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.
Nipple Shield: A decorative or protective covering worn over a nipple.
FCC Enforcement: Actions taken by the Federal Communications Commission to ensure compliance with broadcasting laws.