Objectives:

• to practise intensive reading using interactive reading strategies

• to develop students' listening skills

• to practise writing an interview

• to foster learners' spoken habits

Warm up

Early in the twentieth century, Britain was described by the foreigners as "the land without music". It's difficult to believe now, isn't it?

Introducing the Topic

Reading

A) Cloze test

Every 8-th word is omitted. Fill in the words and add some names of popu­lar English rock and pop stars.

British music has spread all over the_(world). Singers and musicians

are the new idols_(of) thousands of young people, who try to_(copy)

them in the way they dress, walk,_(cut) their hair and even in the way_

(they) sing. The names pop, rock, punk, and_(acid) rock music are well

known to every body and_(they) are of English origin. Among the most_

_ (popular) English pop and rock stars are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Genesis, The Police, The Pink Floyd and many other famous names.

B) Work in groups.

The class is divided into two groups. The students of the first group read the text about the Beatles and the students of the second group read the text about The Eisteddford. Then the students of the first group send their representative to the second group and he / she tells them the information about the Beatles. The representative of the second group tells the students of the first group about the Eisteddford.

Group 1 A) While-reading activity

Read the text using the following interactive reading strategy: put some marks on the margins:

S — information you know;

Homework

Prepare information about traditional dances in Ukraine.

--information that contradicts your ideas;

+ — new information;

? — information you are interested.

THE BEATLES

In October 1962, when the first single record "Love Me Do", by an un­known group from Liverpool entered the British Top Thirty, The Beatles be­came nationally famous in England.

The four boys from Liverpool, known to everybody as the Beatles, gave the start to English pop music. They were the symbol for a young generation of the 60s, who were rebelling against the old traditional ideas. The members of the group, who started in 1961, were John Lennon (rhythm guitar and vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar and vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar and vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums and vocals). With their records and their con­certs, attended by thousands of yelling young fans, they became millionaires and also received an award from Queen Elizabeth II for their contribution to exports.

However, the road to success was not always easy. John and Paul had spent many afternoons listening to American stars like Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley before they were able to write the famous Lennon and McCartney songs.

During the 1960s the Beatles were always in the news headlines; films, world tours and sometimes scandals. John once suggested that the Beatles were better known than Jesus Christ. This caused anti-Beatles demonstrations in America where young Americans burnt their Beatles records.

In 1967, their manager Brian Epstein died and the group started to have problems. In 1970 they split up and each member continued playing separate­ly but still successfully. In 1980 John Lennon, who was then living in States, was assassinated by a madman in New York. In the last years of his life John Lennon took very strong position against war and for peace.

In October 1982, 20 years after "Love Me Do" entered the British Hit Pa­rade, a Beatles song was again in the Top Ten. The song was... "Love Me Do". The survival Beatles are still deeply involved in musical and film projects, but many fans still long for the music on the 60s.

B) Fill in the missing words in the following paragraph about the Beatles.

The Beatles were born in_. The four members of the group —_Len­non, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and_Starr — began_together

in the 60s. The_people of those times imitated their_and hair-styles

and many other groups began playing music like theirs. They had millions of_ _and made a lot of They were even awarded the MBA for_contribu­tion towards Britain's economy. In_they split up but_of them stopped

playing music. John Lennon, who became a spokesman for_, was_in

Amйricain 1980.

Group 2

A) While-reading activity

Read the text using the following interactive reading strategy: put some marks on the margins:

S — information you know;

--information that contradicts your ideas;

+ — new information;

? — information you are interested

THE WELSH EISTEDDFOD

No country in the world has a greater love of music and poetry than the people of Wales. Today, the Eisteddfod is held in many places throughout Wales, particularly from May to early November. The Eisteddfod is one of the oldest of all Welsh customs; the first one of which we have any record was held in the 6th century, and as early as A.D. 940. The prize for the wmning "bard" was a chair or throne. And that is still the prize today. In medieval times every chieftain used to keep a bard, and there were other bards who wandered about the country singing songs and making poems. There must have been quite a lot of poor singing and bad poetry then, for Queen Elizabeth I ordered the Ei­steddfod to be held every year with the object of raising the standard of music.

Today the Eisteddfod is held every year in the first week in August, one year in the North of Wales, and the next year in the South. Competitors come from all parts of Wales to take part in this festival devoted to music, Uterature and arts. All the proceedings are in the Welsh language. Prizes are awarded for mu­sic, prose and verse, painting and craftwork, for drama, and the competition is very keen.

Trumpets sound and the Arch druid calls out the name of the winning poet. The winner is conducted to the platform. There he is robed in purple and crowned with golden oak-leaves.

Arch druid — верховний жрець

B) Scan for the details.

1. The Eisteddfod is one of the oldest of all:

a) Welsh.

b) Scottish.

c) English customs.

2. The first Eisteddfod was held in:

a) A.D.940.

b) in the 7th century.

c) B.C. 940.

3. The prize for the winning "bard" was:

a) A cup.

b) A chair or throne.

c) Trumpet.

4. National Eisteddfod is held:

a) In autumn.

b) Twice a year.

c) Every year.

5. All the proceedings are in the:

a) English...

b) Scottish...

c) Welsh language.

C) Ask the object and subject questions.

1. In August.

2. The Crowning of the Bard.

3. In the 6th century.

4. Queen Elizabeth I.

5. A chair or throne.

D) Retell the text in chain. Relaxation

Complete the famous Scottish song "Auld Lang Syne" using the following words: syne (4), yet (2), forgot (2), thrine, mind, my dear, my trusty friend.

AULD LANG SYNE

Should auld acquaintance be_(forgot),

And never brought to_(mind),

Should auld acquaintance be_(forgot),

And days of auld lang_(syne).

Chorus: For auld lang syne,_(my dear),

For auld lang syne

We'll take a cup of kindness_(yet),

For auld lang syne!

And here's a hand,_(my trusty friend),

And give me a hand of_(thrine),

We'll take a cup of kindnessn_(yet)

For auld lang_(syne)\

Listening

A) Listen to the text and answer the questions.

STREET MUSICIANS

London's underground stations can be places of entertainment as well as places where you go for transport. When people get of the tube trains they sometimes have to walk a long way to the exit or to change trains. In these long passage-ways you might come across a musician. A street musician plays or sings anywhere he can find an audience — in the Underground, in the streets and small squares, outside cinemas or at the bus stops. People throw coins into his hat or his instrument case. Street musicians are usually between 17 and 30 years of age. There are boys and girls among them. Some of the street musi­cians play classical music, some play pop, and some play folk. Many of them are ex-university students or graduates from musical academies who cannot get a job. Street musicians are very typical of London. You can see them almost in every documentary film about Britain's capital.

Words to be explained: entertainment, exit, audience, passage-way, graduate.

1. Where can we meet a street musician in London?

2. How old are street musicians?

3. What music do they play?

4. Street musicians are typical of London, aren't they?

5. Are they typical of Kharkiv?

B) Post-listening task

Work in groups. Discussion

What is your attitude to the street musicians?

Are there many of them in Kharkiv?

Do you usually give them money?

Writing

Work in pairs.

Which is your favourite group? Write an interview between the leader of the group and a journalist who wants to know about the group's origins, the different members, their hit records and their plans for the future.

Begin like this:

Journalist. When did you start playing together? Homework

Tell about your favourite English singer. Prepare a report about him / her.