(as you may have guessed by now, this is one of my favourite singers).
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Released in 1971, it is a protest song against the Vietnam War. Back in 1969 John and Yoko had rented billboards and posters in eleven major cities around the world that read: "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko" As you'll see in the video, children of the Harlem Community Choir helped in the recording.
Through the years, it has become a traditional song to celebrate peace and love.
And that is why I've chosen it for you.
Below, there's an online exercise with the lyrics if you feel like practising a bit, too!
A prank call is a phone call which is made with the intention of making a practical joke. Some prank calls are innocent and silly. Others are not. This one is indeed quite sweet.
Any resemblance to real life is purely coincidental...
Just for fun...
Some language comments...
What do the following expressions mean?
1. a wrecking ball 2. a ballpark figure 3. 'Could you blow it up or knock it down?' (What's the difference?)
I have climbed the highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
Only to be with you
But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in her fingertips
It burned like fire
This burning desire
I have spoken with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone
But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
I believe in the Kingdom Come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
But yes I'm still running.
You broke the bonds
You loosened the chains
You carried the cross
And my shame
And my shame
You know I believed it
But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
But I still haven't found
What I'm looking for
When I find myself in times of ____________
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of___________, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
____________ words of wisdom, let it be.
And when the ___________ hearted people
Living in the ____________agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will __________
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Yeah
There will be an answer, let it be.
And when the night is ______________,
There is still a light that ______________ on me,
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of ______________
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be,
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
KEY
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Yeah
There will be an answer, let it be.
And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me,
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be,
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
Listen to the scene again and fill in the gaps with the expressions in the box.
caught I'm sick of (x2( running low proofread
ROSS: Uh, Rach, we're ________________ on resumes over here.
MNCA: Do you really want a job with Popular Mechanics?
CHAN: Well, if you're gonna work for mechanics, those are the ones to work for.
RACH: Hey, look, you guys, I'm going for anything here, OK? I cannot be a waitress anymore, I mean it. ________________ the lousy tips, ______________of being called 'Excuse me...'
ROSS: Rach, did you ______________ these?
RACH: Uh... yeah, why?
ROSS: Uh, nothing, I'm sure they'll be impressed with your
excellent compuper skills.
RACH: [upset] Oh my Goood! Oh, do you think it's on all of them?
JOEY: Oh no, I'm sure the Xerox machine __________________ a few.
Flashy: ostentatious or showy often beyond the bounds of good taste.
2. Here are the lyrics. But the lines are all mixed up! Put the lines in the correct order. Then, check with the song.
She was out on her fanny.
She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing, Queens,
What was she to do, where was she to go?
Til her boyfriend kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes
She had style, she had flair, she was there,
So over the bridge from Flushing to the Sheffield's door,
She was there to sell make up but the father saw more,
That's how she became the Nanny.
was just exactly what the doctor prescribed?
Who would have guessed that the girl we described
3. In the last stanza, complete the gaps, choosing from these expressions:
such joie de vivre - the nanny named Fran -
else is wearing tan - watch out C.C.
Now, the father finds her beguiling, ______________________
The kids are actually smiling, _________________________
She's the lady in red when everybody ____________________
The flashy girl from Flushing, _________________________
She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing, Queens,
Til her boyfriend kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes.
What was she to do, where was she to go
She was out on her fanny.
So over the bridge from Flushing to the Sheffield's door,
She was there to sell make up but the father saw more,
She had style, she had flair, she was there,
That's how she became the Nanny.
Who would have guessed that the girl we described
was just exactly what the doctor prescribed?
Now, the father finds her beguiling, watch out C.C.,
The kids are actually smiling, such joie de vivre
She's the lady in red when everybody else is wearing tan.
The flashy girl from Flushing, the Nanny named Fran.
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Medicare:is health insurance for people age 65 or older, under age 65 with certain disabilities
Medicaid:is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources.
Economy
Hedge Funds: a financial service where money is invested (= given to companies hoping to get more back) in a way which tries to make very big profits, but which has a big risk.
Pay down: to reduce (a debt) by repaying in part
Pay Off: to pay in full.
Surplus: an amount that is more than is needed
Lay off: phrasal verb. to stop employing (a worker), esp. for reasons that have nothing to do with the worker's performance
·Part 1 (00:00 to 03:11)
1.President Obama starts his speech by referring to the last decade. Why do you think he does that? What does he say about it?
2.When he took office, Obama has to take some emergency steps to deal with the crisis. Which are they?
3.Then he depicts the present situation. Is he satisfied with the way the country is handling the deficit? According to him, what would happen if they ‘stay on the current path’?
4.Despite the first reference to ‘the last decade’, who does he actually SAY is responsible for the present situation?
5.Approaches to tackle the problem.
First approach described
Balanced Approach
·Part 2 ( 3:12 to 6:10)
(Obama has talk about the reasons, description and proposed solutions to the crisis. Now he is ready to defend his position more openly and forcefully.)
a.Which approach do you think the president support?
b.Are all Republicans against the ‘balanced approach’?
c.DEFICIT REDUCTION: (in short) what do Republicans and Democrats agree on? What don’t they?
d.What will happen to the low- income families if Obama’s plan is accepted?
e.What will happen to the wealthy?
VOCABULARY
Listen to the last section again and complete the gaps.
According to Obama, the ‘cuts only’ approach is negative because…
·It doesn’t ask the _________________ Americans to contribute.
·Nothing is asked of those at the top of the _________________.
·The cuts they propose would place a greater _________________on working families.
·They ask a _________________citizen to pay for his Medicare before asking the oil companies to give up tax __________________.
·___________ ____________ managers would continue paying taxes at a lower _________________ than their secretaries.
·They would _________________funding for education.
·Listen again…
(to be discussed in class)
oWhile you listen, notice the following expressions. Why does he use them? Are they effective?
Here's a great song by a great band. Enjoy Queen's superb music and complete the gaps with the correct word. (The KEY is at the end!)
Choose the words from here:
music - friend - miss - ears - cry - fly - background -boys - light -radio -power – care – stars
Lyrics
I'd sit alone and watch your _________
My only friend through teenage nights
And everything I had to know
I heard it on my ________
You gave them all those old time ___________
Through wars of worlds - invaded by Mars
You made 'em laugh - you made 'em ___________
You made us feel like we could _________
Radio
So don't become some _______________ noise
A backdrop for the girls and _______
Who just don't know or just don't _________
And just complain when you're not there
You had your time, you had the _________
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio - radio
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio goo goo
Radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
Radio blah blah
Radio what's new ?
Radio, someone still loves you
We watch the shows - we watch the stars
On videos for hours and hours
We hardly need to use our ________
How ________ changes through the years
Let's hope you never leave old _________
Like all good things on you we depend
So stick around 'cos we might __________ you
When we grow tired of all this visual…
TO THINK ABOUT... What does the singer feel about…
- the radio? - young people of today? - TV?
Key:
I'd sit alone and watch your light My only friend through teenage nights And everything I had to know I heard it on my radio Radio
You gave them all those old time stars Through wars of worlds -- invaded by Mars You made 'em laugh -- you made 'em cry You made us feel like we could fly
So don't become some background noise A backdrop for the girls and boys Who just don't know or just don't care And just complain when you're not there You had your time, you had the power You've yet to have your finest hour Radio
All we hear is Radio ga ga Radio goo goo Radio ga ga All we hear is Radio ga ga Radio blah blah Radio what's new? Radio, someone still loves you!
We watch the shows -- we watch the stars On videos for hours and hours We hardly need to use our ears How music changes through the years
Let's hope you never leave old friend Like all good things on you we depend So stick around cos we might miss you When we grow tired of all this visual
