Conversation Practice: Music What kind of music do you like? What kind of music do your parents listen to? What music is popular in China? Do you know much about music that is popular in the US and other English-speaking countries? Do you play an instrument? Are there any kinds of music that are associated with holidays in China? What do you know about holidays in the US and the music associated with them? Do you like Jazz? Rock and roll? Country? Classical? Broadway musicals? Heavy metal? Hip hop? Rap? Pop? Something else? Can you concentrate on other things when you are listening to music? What do you do while listening to music? Do you like singing karaoke? What’s your favorite song to sing? Have you ever been to a concert? What concert? What do you think of going to concerts? What kind of music do you listen to in order to cheer you up when you’re sad or angry? Why is music so important to people and culture? Do you think music can heal sick people? Do you think that animals can enjoy music? How do you know? Do you think it is wrong to download music for free?
Ray Parker Jr: Ghostbusters What do you think the song is about? What things are “running through your head?” Who is “sleeping in your bed?” Is this song a good advertisement? What does freaky mean? What you seen this movie? Did you like it? What style of music is this?
Michael Jackson: ThrillerWrite down any words that you hear.
Michael Jackson: Thriller What do you think the song is about? What makes this a scary song? What is “thriller night”? Why would you wonder if “you’ll ever see the sun? What style of music is this? Is Michael Jackson famous in China? It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes You're paralyzed They're out to get you, there's demons close to the inn on every side They will possess you unless you change that number on your dial Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, yeah All through the night I'll save you from the terror on the screen And whosoever shall be found Without the soul for getting down Must stand and face the hounds of hell And rot inside a corpse's shell The foulest stenches in the air The funk of forty thousand years And grizzly ghouls from every tomb Are closing in to seal your doom And though you fight to stay alive Your body starts to shiver For no mere mortal can resist The evil of the thriller
Bing Crosby: I’m Dreaming of a White ChristmasWrite down any words that you hear. What do you think the song is about? What would make the tree tops glisten? What are sleigh bells? Do you write cards on holidays to anyone?
John Lennon: Happy Christmas (War is Over) What do you think the song is about? Who is he wishing a happy Christmas (and happy new year) to? Why do they sing “war is over” in the background? What style of music is this? Is John Lennon well-known in China? A very merry Christmas And a happy New Year Let's hope it's a good one Without any fear And so this is Christmas For weak and for strong For rich and the poor ones The world is so wrong And so happy Christmas For black and for white For yellow and red ones Let's stop all the fight And so this is Christmas And what have we done Another year over And a new one just begun War is over over If you want it War is over Now
The Temptations: My Girl What do you think the song is about? How does he have sunshine on a cloudy day? What style of music is this? I've got sunshine On a cloudy day When it's cold outside I've got the month of may I've got so much honey The bees envy me I've got a sweeter song Than the birds in the trees
Aladdin: A Whole New World What do you think the song is about? Why does he ask when the princess last let her heart decide? What does “a whole new world” mean? Why would people say they’re only dreaming? What style of music is this? I can show you the world Shining, shimmering, splendid Tell me, princess, now when did You last let your heart decide? I can open your eyes Take you wonder by wonder Over, sideways and under On a magic carpet ride A whole new world A new fantastic point of view No one to tell us no Or where to go Or say we're only dreaming A whole new world A hundred thousand things to see I'm like a shooting star I've come so far I can't go back to where I used to be A whole new world With new horizons to pursue Every moment red-letter I'll chase them anywhere There's time to spare Let me share this whole new world with you
Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA What do you think this song is about? Is Bruce Springsteen proud to be American? Do you think the lyrics are ironic? What kind of music is this? Is Bruce Springsteen famous in China? Born down in a dead man's town The first kick I took was when I hit the ground You end up like a dog that's been beat too much 'Til you spend half your life just covering up now Come back home to the refinery Hiring man says, 'Son, if it was up to me...' Went down to see my VA man He said, 'Son, don't you understand?' Down in the shadow of the penitentiary Out by the gas fires of the refinery I'm ten years burning down the road Nowhere to run, ain't got nowhere to go