EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• icon: someone who represents a certain era, group, or idea
• traditional: believing in ideas and practices that have existed for a long time, especially religious ones
• rebel: to fight against a person, institution, or idea
• solo: doing something by oneself
• upbeat: happy; energetic
• flashy: showy; drawing attention
• controversy: an event that causes a lot of people to be angry and disagree with each other
• superstar: a performer who is extremely famous

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:49 — 2.5MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Madonna is an American singer and icon of the 1980s. She is known as “The Queen of Pop.” She was born Madonna Louise Ciccone in Michigan in 1958. Madonna lost her mother when she was young, and she often had to take care of her younger growing up. Her family was very religious and traditional. As Madonna got older, she began to rebel against her family’s . She moved to New York City to study . There, she joined two bands, but she eventually decided to become a solo singer. Madonna quickly became famous for her upbeat music and her flashy performances. Her use of religious symbols and her displays of sexuality angered leaders in the Catholic , but the controversies didn’t hurt her popularity. Madonna’s success showed that the music industry was changing. She was one of the first female superstars to gain global fame by herself. Since 2009, Madonna has held the record for the best-selling female of all time.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. Madonna’s family was very
   a. progressive
   b. easygoing
   c. traditional
   
2. In New York City, Madonna studied
   a. vocals
   b. religion
   c. dance
   
3. Madonna was controversial for
   a. her displays of sexuality
   b. her use of religious symbols
   c. both a and b

Discussion/essay questions

1. Why do you think people use religious symbols in their art, even if they are not religious? Do you think it is okay to borrow religious images? Why or why not? Does it depend?

Transcript

Madonna is an American singer and icon of the 1980s. She is known as “The Queen of Pop.” She was born Madonna Louise Ciccone in Michigan in 1958. Madonna lost her mother when she was young, and she often had to take care of her younger siblings growing up. Her family was very religious and traditional. As Madonna got older, she began to rebel against her family’s beliefs. She moved to New York City to study dance. There, she joined two bands, but she eventually decided to become a solo singer. Madonna quickly became famous for her upbeat music and her flashy performances. Her use of religious symbols and her displays of sexuality angered leaders in the Catholic church, but the controversies didn’t hurt her popularity. Madonna’s success showed that the music industry was changing. She was one of the first female superstars to gain global fame by herself. Since 2009, Madonna has held the record for the best-selling female artist of all time.

Answers to comprehension questions

1c 2c 3c

Pre-listening vocabulary

• perform: to create entertainment for an audience
• icon: a person who represents a certain culture or moment in time
• pop: a genre of music that is upbeat and appealing to many people
• solo: sung by one person
• album: a collection of songs that are released together
• nickname: a name that is different from a person’s real name

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:14 — 1.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | More

Gapfill exercise

Michael Jackson was an American and dancer. He was one of the top performing artists in the world, and he is remembered as a icon of the 1980s. Jackson was born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He began his career at six years old, when he started performing with his family members in a pop group called the Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 was very popular throughout the 1970s. In 1979, Jackson his first solo album, Off the Wall. His solo music made him even more —especially his 1982 album Thriller, which became the best-selling album in the world. He later gained the nickname “The King of Pop”. Throughout his life, Jackson released ten albums. He died in 2009, at age 50.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. Michael Jackson began his career at age
   a. six
   b. eight
   c. ten
   
2. Jackson’s best-selling album was
   a. Off the Wall
   b. The Jackson 5
   c. Thriller
   
3. “The King of Pop” was
   a. the nickname that Jackson gained for his musical achievements
   b. the first solo album that Jackson released
   c. the name of the first pop group that Jackson was a part of

Discussion/essay questions

1. What genres of music do you listen to? Who are some of the most famous artists in those genres?
2. What do you think makes someone an “icon”?

Transcript

Michael Jackson was an American singer and dancer. He was one of the top performing artists in the world, and he is remembered as a cultural icon of the 1980s. Jackson was born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He began his career at six years old, when he started performing with his family members in a pop group called the Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 was very popular throughout the 1970s. In 1979, Jackson released his first solo album, Off the Wall. His solo music made him even more famous—especially his 1982 album Thriller, which became the best-selling album in the world. He later gained the nickname “The King of Pop”. Throughout his life, Jackson released ten albums. He died in 2009, at age 50.

Answers to comprehension questions

1a 2c 3a