Music and Reading

Watch this video and read the lyrics of this beautiful song. You can hear Martin Luther King's voice as part of the song.

[Chorus]
(I am happy...I Have a Dream) I got a Dream
(That One Day ) We’re gonna work it out out out
(That One Day ) We’re gonna work it out out out
(That One Day ) We’re gonna work it out
(I Have a Dream) I got a Dream
(That One Day ) We’re gonna work it out out out
(That One Day ) We’re gonna work it out out out
(That One Day ) We’re gonna work it out
(I Have a Dream) I got a Dream
(That One Day) That one day
(That One Day) I'm a look deep within myself
(I Have a Dream) I gotta find a way...
My Dream Is To Be Free
My Dream Is To Be
My Dream Is To Be
My Dream Is To Be Free

In search of brighter days, I ride through the maze of the madness,
Struggle is my address, where pain and crack lives,
Gunshots comin' from sounds of Blackness,
Given this game with no time to practice,
Born on the Black list, told I'm below average,
A life with no cabbage,
That's no money if you from where I'm from,
Funny, I just want some of your sun
Dark clouds seem to follow me,
Alcohol that my pops swallowed bottled me,
No apology, I walk with a boulder on my shoulder,
It's a Cold War - I'm a colder soldier,
Hold the same fight that made Martin Luther the King,

I ain't usin' it for the right thing,
In between Lean and the fiens, hustle and the schemes,
I put together pieces of a Dream
I still have one

[Chorus]

The world's seen me lookin' in the mirror,
Images of me, gettin' much clearer,
Dear Self, I wrote a letter just to better my soul,
If I don't express it then forever I'll hold, inside
I'm from a side where we out of control,
Rap music in the 'hood played a fatherly role,
My story's like yours, yo it gotta be told,
Tryna make it from a gangsta to a godlier role,
Read scrolls and stow slaves,
And Jewish people in cold cage,
Hate has no color or age, flip the page,
Now my rage became freedom,
Writin' dreams in the dark, they far but I can see 'em,
I believe in Heaven more than Hell,
Blessings more than jail,
In the ghetto let love prevail,
With a story to tell, my eyes see the glory and well,
The world waitin' for me to yell "I Have a Dream"

[Chorus]

PET - Cloze

The text below gives you some practice with filling in the blanks using one of the choices given.

PET - Paraphrasing

Re-write the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the sentence printed before it.

1. Let's go to the cinema.
   

   He suggested ______________________________________
   

2. Although it was raining hard, we went to the movies on foot.
   

   Despite ______________________________________
   

3. I haven't seen him before.
   

   This is the first time ______________________________________
   

4. After swimming hard for 2w hours, he succeeded in crossing the river.
   

   He managed ______________________________________
   

5. The police have caught three smugglers.
   

   Three smugglers ______________________________________
   

6. It isn't necessary for you to bring it.
   

   You ______________________________________
   

7. How much does it cost?
   

   The tourist wanted to know _________________________________
   

8. It was such a lovely day that we went to the beach.
   

   The day was _________________________________
   

9. It is essential that you study this paraphrasing.
   

   You ______________________________________
   

You can't complete this exercise unless you study.


If ______________________________________

Check your answers

Reading: Puzzle

How good are you for logic problems? Read the following logic puzzle and work out the answer.

In a certain bank the positions of cashier, manager, and teller are held by Brown, Jones and Smith, though not necessarily respectively.

The teller, who was an only child, earns the least.

Smith, who married Brown's sister, earns more than the manager.

What position does each man fill?

	Cashier	Manager	Teller
Brown	___	___	___
Jones	___	___	___
Smith	___	___	___

CLICK HERE TO CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

PET - Reading Part 1 (Signs)

The first part of the PET exam presents signs and four sentences for each sign. You must select the sentence that describes the sign best.

PET - Signs

The following exercise provides some help with the first part of the PET exam (working with signs).

Song: Be my love ... (Freshlyground)

Chorus 2x
Be my love when the bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite is low
bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite the fire is low, when the fire

Have a wonderful bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite, and don't forget to bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite to me
Be like the bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite and remember home as a loving bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite
I feel bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite is best enjoyed with an open heart beating bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite to you
But for now be my bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite and whisper your words to the rolling moon

Chorus 2x
Be my love when the fire is low
When the fire is low, when the fire

Bear in bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite the words of strangers may lead you astray for everything you bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite was true
Every corner of bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite may bring the sorrow hiding in the bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite
Bur for now hide your bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite in the very heart of the rolling moon

Repeat Chorus 2x

Have a bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite time, and don't forget to bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite to me
Be just like the swallows and bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite home as a loving tree
Yes, I have bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite silence is best enjoyed with an open bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite beating next to you
But for now be my darling and bluedarlingfirefoundheartknewmindnextremembersilenceswallowstimetomorrowtreeWhenwhisperwonderfulworrieswrite your words to the rolling moon

Repeat Chorus 2x till fade

Business: Listening and Quiz

The following listening activity is based on a recording from www.britishcouncil.org/professionals. Listen to the interview and complete the quiz below.

Vocabulary: Numbers (elementary)

These exercises are nice to practise some numbers in English.

Numbers

Wordsearch: Clothes

How many words to talk about clothes do you know? Why don't you try this wordsearch to test you.
CLOTHES-Interactive wordsearch
Print or save a copy

Memory game with similar sounds

The website "manythings.org" has amazing tools for people that are learning English. I've found these games very useful to improve our sounds. Sometimes it may be difficult for students to easily recognize the differences between vowel sounds or between some consonant sounds, so these games may come really handy.
Concentration games

Vocabulary games

Learning vocabulary is essential if you are learning a new language. I've found a website with lots of interactive games to practise vocabulary.
English flashgames

Video: Suitable poetry (video and true/false sentences)

Watch this video and decide if the following sentences are true or false.

A bit of Fry and Laurie - Poetry » funny quizzes

Pitfalls in negotiating – Video with multiple choice exercise

Listen to Professor Horacio Falçao from INSEAD talking about cross cultural negotiations and choose the correct option to answer the questions or complete the sentences below.

1. What does the professor say about misunderstanding in cross cultural negotiations?
   1. People tend to overestimate cross cultural negotiations.
   2. People tend both to underestimate and to overestimate cross cultural negotiations at the same time.
   3. People tend to underestimate cross cultural negotiations.
2. When he explains how people underestimate cross cultural negotiations, he says that
   1. People tend to look only at national culture.
   2. People tend to analyze different cultural aspects.
   3. People do not pay attention to differences in culture.
3. Why do people need to understand that national culture is only a part of the negotiation?
   1. Because negotiators can persuade people from any cultural background.
   2. Because there are many different cross cultural issues that impact in the way people act.
   3. Because if people fail to conform to the national culture, they are out of the negotiation.
4. As regards overestimating, that is to say making certain assumptions about the other part when these assumptions may not be correct, Professor Falçao explains that
   1. People usually make mistakes when they perceive that their national culture is there.
   2. People usually make better negotiations when their national culture is there.
   3. People usually make mistakes when they try to disguise their national culture to please the other.
5. Why does he say that it is better to negotiate with an older Muslim woman who lives in the countryside of Mongolia than with a Catholic, middle-aged, lawyer background man from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil?
   1. Because the negotiator may feel a certain proximity with the man from Brazil than with the woman from Mongolia, and as a result he may lose money.
   2. Because the negotiator may feel a certain proximity with the man from Brazil than with the woman from Mongolia, and as a result he may overestimate that proximity and overlook important aspects of the negotiation.
   3. Because the negotiator may feel a certain proximity with the man from Brazil than with the woman from Mongolia, and as a result he may lose run the risk of losing money.
6. Why is the advantage of carrying out a cross cultural negotiation where proximity is not seen?
   1. People do not need to take care of the negotiation as much as when they are negotiating with people from their same background.
   2. People can obtain more benefits because the other part does not understand the different cultures.
   3. People usually take extra care in the negotiation process and therefore obtain better results.
7. How can people overcome the fact that there are so many people with so many different cultural backgrounds?
   1. People should think that people negotiate in the same way all over the world.
   2. People should consider that every negotiation is a cross cultural event.
   3. People should negotiate only with those people who have similar cultural backgrounds.
8. When the interviewer mentions the case of negotiations in Hong Kong, what does he say as regards timing?
   1. People in Hong Kong do not waste time and go straight into negotiating.
   2. People in Hong Kong take some time after the negotiation is done to reconsider things.
   3. People in Hong Kong take some time before the actual negotiation actually begins.
9. How does Professor Falçao see this example?
   1. He thinks that it may be the case of an introvert businessman from Hong Kong.
   2. He thinks that people from the West are not as introvert and people from the East.
   3. He thinks that this is a very unusual case.
10. What does he mean by rituals?
    1. They are the ways in which people build relationships and communicate with one another.
    2. They are the ceremonies done before the negotiation.
    3. They are typical ways of communicating that are the same all over the world.

 

Song: Oh, mother! by Christina Aguilera

Listen to this song and complete the lyrics using the words from the list below.

again / again / always / back / break / bruises / change / children / face / hurt / innocent / inside / kids / knew / life / life / moment / money / more / over / pain / remember / sick / spent / still / stronger / stronger / tears / thank / thought / through / touch / you /

Whoa, oh, yeah,

She was so young with such eyes
She always dreamt of a fairytale
And all the things that your can't buy
She that he was a wonderful guy
Then suddenly, things seemed to
It was the she took on his name
He took his anger out on her
She kept all of her locked away

Oh mother, we're
From all of the you have shed
Oh mother, don't look
Cause he'll never hurt us

So mother, I you
For all that you've done and do
You got me, I got
Together we always pull
We pull through
We always pull through
Oh mother, oh mother, oh mother

It was the day that he turned on his
That she she just had to leave him
So many voices of her head
Saying over and over and ,
"You deserve much than this."

She was so of believing the lies and trying to hide
Covering the cuts and (cuts and bruises)
So tired of defending her , she could have died
Fighting for the lives of her

Oh mother, we're stronger
From all of the tears you have shed (all of the tears you have shed)
Oh mother, don't look back
Cause he'll never hurt us again (he'll never hurt us again)

So mother, I thank you (thank you)
For all that you've done and still do (still do)
You got me, I got you, (yeah you got me and I got you)
Together we always pull through.
We always pull through
We always pull through
Oh mother, oh mother, oh mother

All of your life you have
Burying and regret
But mama, he'll never us again

For everytime he tried to you down
Just who's still around
It's over, and we're
And we'll never have to go back

Oh mother, we're stronger
From all of the tears you have shed
Oh mother, don't look back (oh mother don't look back again)
Cause he'll never hurt us again (cause he'll never hurt us again)

So mother, I thank you (and I thank you for everything you've done)
For all that you've done and still do (together we always move on)
You got me, I got you, (you got me, I got you)
Together we always pull through (always pull through)
We always pull through
We always pull through

I love you mom