Auld Lang Syne

Listening Activity & Song

Voice Of America  5.34 min -Words and Their Stories: Auld Lang Syne

link: http://learningenglish.voanews.com/audio/audio/240098.html

Listen to the first part of the audio clip and find the 5 mistakes in the text below:   

This New Year’s Eve millions of people in English speaking countries will sing and hear a song called “Auld Lang Syne.”  It is the traditional music played during New Year’s day.  Auld Lang Syne is an old Scottish poem.  It tells about the need to remember family and loved ones.  The words “auld lang syne” mean “old long since”  and more roughly it means "yesterday". Auld Lang Syne is a Scottish poem, composed by Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns in 1878.

Here is the complete English version of the lyrics. 

Usually people only sing the first two stanzas :

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

in the days of old lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take/ drink a cup of kindness yet,

for (the sake of ) auld lang syne.

And surely you'll buy your cup !

and surely I'll buy mine !

And we'll take/ drink a cup o' kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine ;

But we've wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine† ;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty friend !

And give us a hand o' thine !

And we'll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

Answers here!

Tom’s Diner, a song by Suzanne Vega

Song, listening & vocabulary

A diner is a small, usually inexpensive restaurant with a long counter and designed to resemble a dining car on a train. They are characteristic of American life, especially in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, as well as in the Midwest.

1.Listen to the song and mark the words mentioned.

https://youtu.be/j4jtIDaeaWI
  

morning	tea	Milk	umbrella	afternoon
chair	corner	Rain	table	window
clock	cake	horoscope	midnight	boy
cathedral	train	question	picnic	reflection
Paper	eyes	woman	waiter	voice

2.Listen again if necessary  and answer the questions below. Afterwards, read the lyrics and compare your responses.

1. Where is she?
2. What is she doing?
3. What is she thinking about?
4. Who else is mentioned in the song? What are they doing?
5. Is this a happy or a sad song? Why?

Answers here!

Just Breathe

Vocabulary, video and discussion activity

This is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. It was released in 2009 as the second single from the band's ninth studio album, Backspacer.

1. Watch the video and check the words you hear in the lyrics.

EARTH	PAIN	HUMAN BEING	SIN
LIFE	FEEL	LUCKY	FOOL
HANDS	WORLD	WALL	LIVE
SEA	FOOD	HURT	YEAR

2. The Lyrics: read aloud and check the meanings of the words you don’t know.

Just Breathe, by Pearl Jam

 Yes, I understand that every life must end...
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go...
Oh I'm a lucky man, to count on both hands
the ones I love,..

Some folks just got one,

yeah, others, they got none.

Stay with me,..

Let's just breathe.

Practiced all my sins,

never gonna let me win..

Under everything, just another human being..

Yeah, I don't wanna hurt, there's so much in this world

to make me bleed.

Stay with me,..

You're all I see.

Did I say that I need you?

Did I say that I want you?

Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see,..

No one knows this more than me.

As I come clean.

I wonder everyday

as I look upon your face..

Everything you gave

And nothing you would take,..

Nothing you would take

Everything you gave...

Nothing you would take,..

Everything you gave.

Hold me till I die,..

Meet you on the other side.

3.Discuss:  

What are the feelings described? How does the singer feel? Happy, sad, confussed, irritated, thankful? Why (not)?  Find proof in the lyrics. Brainstorm ideas for a videoclip. How could you communicate the message of the song through video? Imagine a story to tell through images and music.

4.Sing along to the music.