Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Edith Piaf. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Edith Piaf (1915-1963) was a French singer and one of her country’s best-known cultural icons. She is probably France’s greatest ever singer and sang classics such as ‘La vie en rose’. She was so popular that 100,000 people attended her funeral in Paris and traffic came to a standstill. There is a museum in Paris dedicated to her memory.
She was born Edith Gassion in a poor suburb of Paris. Piaf’s parents abandoned her when she was a child and she lived with her grandmother. When she was 14, she teamed up with her acrobat father. She toured France with him and sang in public for the first time. Aged 16, she went her own way and became a street singer.
In 1935, Piaf was discovered by a nightclub owner, who asked her to sing in his club. He gave her the nickname Little Sparrow because she was so small. She was an instant success and began to mix with the rich and famous of Paris. During World War II, she frequently performed for German officers and many considered her a traitor.
Piaf became famous worldwide after the war. However, her personal life hit many low points. Her lover died in a plane crash in 1949 and in the 1950s she had three near-fatal car crashes and became addicted to morphine and alcohol. In 1961, she recorded her famous song "Non, je ne regrette rien". It was one of the last songs she sang.
244 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
icons
a.
stop
2
standstill
b.
deserted
3.
dedicated
c.
traveled around
4.
suburb
d.
given
5.
abandoned
e.
symbols
6.
toured
f.
residential area
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
discovered
g.
deadly
8.
instant
h.
regularly
9.
frequently
i.
globally
10.
worldwide
j.
hooked on
11
fatal
k
immediate
12
addicted to
l
found
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
one of her country’s best-known
a.
dedicated to her memory
2
traffic came
b.
many low points
3.
There is a museum in Paris
c.
Little Sparrow
4.
Piaf’s parents abandoned her
d.
her own way
5.
she went
e.
songs she sang
6.
he gave her the nickname
f.
cultural icons
7.
she frequently performed
g.
when she was a child
8.
her personal life hit
h.
morphine and alcohol
9.
addicted to
i.
to a standstill
10.
It was one of the last
j.
for German officers
LISTENING GAP FILL
Edith Piaf (1915-1963) was a French singer _____________ country’s best-known cultural icons. She is probably France’s _____________ singer and sang ______________ ‘La vie en rose’. She was so popular that 100,000 people attended her funeral in Paris and traffic came to a standstill. There is a museum in Paris _______________ memory.
She was born Edith Gassion _______________ of Paris. Piaf’s parents abandoned her when she was a child and she lived with her grandmother. When she was 14, she teamed _______________ acrobat father. She toured France _______________ in public for the first time. Aged 16, she went _______________ became a street singer.
In 1935, Piaf was discovered by a nightclub owner, _______________ sing in his club. He gave her the nickname Little Sparrow because she was so small. ________________ success and _______________ the rich and famous of Paris. During World War II, she frequently performed for German officers and many considered _______________.
Piaf became famous worldwide after the war. However, her personal ________________ points. Her lover died in a plane crash in 1949 and in the 1950s she had _______________ car crashes and became _______________ morphine and alcohol. In 1961, she recorded her famous song "Non, je ne regrette rien". It was one _______________ she sang.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Edith Piaf (1915-1963) was a French / France singer and one of her country’s best-known cultural / culturally icons. She is probably France’s greatest ever singer and sang classics such as ‘La vie en rose’. She was so / too popular that 100,000 people attended her funeral in Paris and traffic came to a standstill. There is a museum in Paris dedicated to / by her memory.
She was born Edith Gassion in a poverty / poor suburb of Paris. Piaf’s parents abandoned / abandoning her when she was a child and she lived with her grandmother. When she was 14, she teamed down / up with her acrobat father. She toured France with him and sang out / in public for the first time. Aged 16, she went her own way and became a street singer.
In 1935, Piaf was discovery / discovered by a nightclub owner, who asked her to sing in his club. He gave her the nickname Little Sparrow because she was so / too small. She was an instantly / instant success and began to mix / mixture with the rich and famous of Paris. During World War II, she frequently performed for German officers and many considered her a traitor.
Piaf became famous / fame worldwide after the war. However, her personal life hit many low points. Her lover died in / on a plane crash in 1949 and in the 1950s she had three near-fatal car crashes and became addicted to / for morphine and alcohol. In 1961, she recording / recorded her famous song "Non, je ne regrette rien". It was one of the last songs she sang.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
cultural isonc
2.
sang sslciasc such as ‘La vie en rose’
3.
100,000 people attended her lnuefar
4.
There is a museum in Paris dedicated to her remmyo
Paragraph 2
5.
a poor ubburs of Paris
6.
Piaf’s parents naodnedab her when she was a child
7.
she eemtad up with her acrobat father
8.
She ruoted France with him
Paragraph 3
9.
Piaf was eorvsdicde by a nightclub owner
10.
She was an aittnsn success
11.
she ytneeruqlf performed for German officers
12.
many considered her a rroiatt
Paragraph 4
13.
her rsneolpa life hit many low points
14.
Her leovr died in a plane crash
15.
three near-ltfaa car crashes
16.
addicted to morphine and chlaolo
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
In 1935, Piaf was discovered by a nightclub owner, who asked her to sing in his club. He gave her
( 1 )
Edith Piaf (1915-1963) was a French singer and one of her country’s best-known cultural
( )
the name Little Sparrow because she was so small. She was an instant success and began to mix with the rich and
( )
standstill. There is a museum in Paris dedicated to her memory.
( )
morphine and alcohol. In 1961, she recorded her famous song "Non, je ne regrette rien". It was
( )
She was born Edith Gassion in a poor suburb of Paris. Piaf’s parents abandoned her
( )
when she was a child and she lived with her grandmother. When she was 14, she teamed up with her acrobat father. She
( )
toured France with him and sang in public for the first time. Aged 16, she went her own way and became a street singer.
( )
one of the last songs she sang.
( )
Piaf became famous worldwide after the war. However, her personal life hit many low points. Her lover
( )
famous of Paris. During World War II, she frequently performed for German
( )
popular that 100,000 people attended her funeral in Paris and traffic came to a
( )
officers and many considered her a traitor.
( )
died in a plane crash in 1949 and in the 1950s she had three near-fatal car crashes and became addicted to
( )
icons. She is probably France’s greatest ever singer and sang classics such as ‘La vie en rose’. She was so
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
- of known her cultural country’s icons best one
2.
She funeral her attended people 100,000 that popular so was
3.
her is in to There museum dedicated memory a Paris
4.
she parents was abandoned a her child when Piaf’s
5.
street went way a she own became singer her and
6.
Piaf by owner , discovered nightclub 1935 was a In
7.
gave the Little He her nickname Sparrow
8.
low her life many points personal hit
9.
three had she crashes car fatal - near
10.
was songs one she of sang the It last
EDITH PIAF DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Edith Piaf?
2.
Would you like to have met Edith Piaf?
3.
What would you like to know about Edith Piaf and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Edith Piaf. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. EDITH PIAF POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Edith Piaf. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Edith Piaf. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she did every day and what she thought about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Edith Piaf. Ask her three questions about her life. Tell her how important she is in today’s world. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Edith Piaf expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
icons
a.
symbols
2
standstill
b.
stop
3.
dedicated
c.
given
4.
suburb
d.
residential area
5.
abandoned
e.
deserted
6.
toured
f.
traveled around
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
discovered
g.
found
8.
instant
h.
immediate
9.
frequently
i.
regularly
10.
worldwide
j.
globally
11
fatal
k
deadly
12
addicted to
l
hooked on
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
one of her country’s best-known
a.
cultural icons
2
traffic came
b.
to a standstill
3.
There is a museum in Paris
c.
dedicated to her memory
4.
Piaf’s parents abandoned her
d.
when she was a child
5.
she went
e.
her own way
6.
he gave her the nickname
f.
Little Sparrow
7.
she frequently performed
g.
for German officers
8.
her personal life hit
h.
many low points
9.
addicted to
i.
morphine and alcohol
10.
It was one of the last
j.
songs she sang
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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