My favourite singer is Michael Jackson. I like his songs very much because they are full of energy and very melodic. I also like the way he dances. There were nine children in Michael's family. They lived in a small four-room house. Today he lives in a house which has seventeen rooms downstairs and sixteen rooms upstaires. It stands in 2,700 acres of ground. Besides the house there are guest houses, a golf course, a swimming pool, tennis courts, stables, gardens, lakes, forests and a zoo. A lot of strange stories are told about Jackson. It's difficult to decide whether they are true or not. Michael never gives interviews and is rarely seen in public, except on stage. Certainly his behaviour may seem eccentric. In public he often wears a face mask to protect himself from germs, he sleeps inside an oxygen capsule, which he believes will help him to live longer. But his manager says that Jackson isn't eccentric. He is just shy. Michael sang in public for the first time when he was five. Since that time he has always been in the public eye. And since that time he has been working like a grown-up. There were times when he came home from school and he only had time to put his books and get ready for the studio. He often sang until late at night, even if it was past his bedtime. There was a park across the street from the studio, and Michael looked at the kids playing games. And he just stared at them in wonder - he couldn't imagine such freedom, such a carefree life. Now he says about himself that in the crowd he is afraid, on stage he is safe. Off stage he feels happiest with animals and children. He is well-known for his childish tastes. It's not a secret that his favourite hero is Peter Pan. Michael has been called "the child who never grew up", but I think he is a grown-up who was never allowed to be a child. Whether he is crazy, childish, eccentric or just shy, he is no fool. He has created a brilliantly successful image, he makes a lot of money and spends it on the things he wants. Who wouldn't like to do the same?
Questions
1. What role does music play in your life?
2. What kind of music do you like?
3. How often do you listen to music?
4. Do you like Michael Jackson's songs?
5. Do you think that his behaviour is eccentric?
6. Why is Michael Jackson often compared to Peter Pan?
7. Do you think his childhood was happy?
8. When does Michael feel happiest?
9. Are all the stories printed about Michael Jackson true?
10. Do you like the way Michael dances?
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