Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Madonna. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Madonna is one of the most successful singers ever. She exploded onto the music scene in 1983 and has rarely been out of the headlines since. She looks like she’ll continue to wow the world with her songs and performances. This is good news for her millions of fans.
Madonna is in fact her real name. She was born in the US state of Michigan in 1958 and moved to New York City as a teenager to seek her fame and fortune. She began her career in entertainment singing with various New York groups. This opened doors for her to follow her solo career.
She never looked back following the spectacular success of her debut album. Hundreds of songs have followed. Her hit singles include rock and dance classics and timeless love songs. She is also famous for her sexy dance routines in her music videos.
Madonna has had a sparkling and varied career. She has acted in hit Hollywood movies and won a Golden Globe award for her role in Evita. She has also appeared on stage in London’s West End and published a children’s book.
Madonna has been married twice. First to actor Sean Penn and then to British film director Guy Ritchie. She had a child in 1996 with her former partner Carlos Leon. In October 2006 she adopted a baby boy from Malawi. Madonna and Guy were divorced in 2008. She continues to regularly produce hit records.
241 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 to 3
1.
exploded
a.
amaze
2
rarely
b.
search for
3.
wow
c.
burst
4.
seek
d.
different
5.
fortune
e.
hardly ever
6.
various
f.
riches
Paragraphs 4 and 5
7.
looked back
g.
acted
8.
spectacular
h.
movie
9.
award
i.
sensational
10.
appeared
j.
had regrets
11
film
k
took as her child
12
adopted
l
prize
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
She exploded
a.
partner
2
she’ll continue to wow
b.
fact her real name
3.
Madonna is in
c.
for her sexy dance routines
4.
to seek her fame
d.
onto the music scene
5.
She never looked
e.
and varied career
6.
She is also famous
f.
a baby boy from Malawi
7.
Madonna has had a sparkling
g.
the world with her songs
8.
She has also appeared
h.
back
9.
with her former
i.
and fortune
10.
In October 2006 she adopted
j.
on stage
LISTENING GAP FILL
Madonna __________________ successful singers ever. She exploded onto the music scene in 1983 and has __________________ the headlines since. She looks like she’ll continue to wow the world with her songs and performances. This is __________________ millions of fans.
Madonna __________________ name. She was born in the US state of Michigan in 1958 and moved to New York City __________________ seek her fame and fortune. She began her career in entertainment singing with various New York groups. This __________________ her to follow her solo career.
She __________________ following the spectacular success of her debut album. Hundreds of songs have followed. Her hit singles include rock and dance classics __________________ songs. She is also famous for her sexy dance __________________ music videos.
Madonna __________________ and varied career. She has acted in hit Hollywood movies and won a Golden Globe award __________________ Evita. She __________________ stage in London’s West End and published a children’s book.
Madonna has __________________. First to actor Sean Penn and then to British film director Guy Ritchie. She had a child in 1996 with __________________ Carlos Leon. In October 2006 she adopted a baby boy from Malawi. Madonna and Guy were divorced in 2008. She continues to __________________ records.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics:
Madonna is one of the most successful singers never / ever. She exploded / explosion onto the music scene in 1983 and has rarely been out of the headlines since. She looks like she’ll continue to wow / wowed the world with her songs and performances. This is good news for her millions of fans.
Madonna is in real / fact her real name. She was born in the US state of Michigan in 1958 and moved to New York City as / was a teenager to seek her fame and fortune. She began her career in entertainment singing with various New York groups. This opened doors for her to following / follow her solo career.
She never looked back following / follow the spectacular success of her debut album. Hundreds of songs have followed. Her hit singles include rock and dance classics / classical and timeless love songs. She is also famous for her sexy dance habits / routines in her music videos.
Madonna has had a sparkling and various / varied career. She has acted in hit Hollywood movies and won a Golden Globe award for her role / roll in Evita. She has also appeared on stage in London’s West End and publishing / published a children’s book.
Madonna has been married / marriage twice. First to actor Sean Penn and then to British film director Guy Ritchie. She had a child in 1996 with her former / firmer partner Carlos Leon. In October 2006 she adopted a baby boy from Malawi. Madonna and Guy were divorced in 2008. She continues to regulate / regularly produce hit records.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
one of the most cuufslscse singers ever
2.
rarely been out of the nlhedsaei
3.
good news for her omnlsiil of fans
Paragraph 2
4.
moved to New York City as a tnreeage
5.
She began her rereac in entertainment
6.
This eepnod doors for
Paragraph 3
7.
spectacular ecscuss
8.
dance sisclasc
9.
dance stoeinru
Paragraph 4
10.
Madonna has had a sparkling and dieavr career
11.
won a Golden Globe radaw for her role in Evita
12.
pldbsheiu a children’s book
Paragraph 5
13.
Madonna has been married tciwe
14.
with her moerfr partner
15.
In October 2006 she eatodpd a baby boy
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
and performances. This is good news for her millions of fans.
( )
Madonna has had a sparkling and varied career. She has acted in hit Hollywood movies and
( )
She never looked back following the spectacular success of her debut album. Hundreds of songs have
( )
to actor Sean Penn and then to British film director Guy Ritchie. She had a
( )
dance routines in her music videos.
( )
of the headlines since. She looks like she’ll continue to wow the world with her songs
( 1 )
Madonna is one of the most successful singers ever. She exploded onto the music scene in 1983 and has rarely been out
( )
child in 1996 with her former partner Carlos Leon. In October 2006 she adopted a baby boy from
( )
won a Golden Globe award for her role in Evita. She has also appeared on stage in London’s West End and published a children’s book.
( )
New York groups. This opened doors for her to follow her solo career.
( )
Madonna is in fact her real name. She was born in the US state of Michigan in 1958 and moved
( )
followed. Her hit singles include rock and dance classics and timeless love songs. She is also famous for her sexy
( )
to New York City as a teenager to seek her fame and fortune. She began her career in entertainment singing with various
( )
Madonna has been married twice. First
( )
Malawi. Madonna and Guy were divorced in 2008. She continues to regularly produce hit records.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
successful ever of most singers one the
2.
she’ll world continue She to looks wow like the
3.
Madonna in her name is fact real
4.
fortune fame seek and her
5.
debut the success her album spectacular of
6.
her for famous routines dance sexy
7.
sparkling a had has Madonna career varied and
8.
stage on appeared also has She
9.
a partner1996 had child with her former She in
10.
adopted baby from she a boy Malawi
MADONNA DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Madonna?
2.
Would you like to meet Madonna?
3.
What would you like to know about Madonna 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 Madonna. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MADONNA POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Madonna. 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 Madonna. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she does every day and what she thinks 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 Madonna. Ask her three questions about her life. Give her three suggestions on what she should do in her future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Madonna expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 to 3
1.
exploded
a.
burst
2
rarely
b.
hardly ever
3.
wow
c.
amaze
4.
seek
d.
search for
5.
fortune
e.
riches
6.
various
f.
different
Paragraphs 4 and 5
7.
looked back
g.
had regrets
8.
spectacular
h.
sensational
9.
award
i.
prize
10.
appeared
j.
acted
11
film
k
movie
12
adopted
l
took as her child
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
She exploded
a.
onto the music scene
2
she’ll continue to wow
b.
the world with her songs
3.
Madonna is in
c.
fact her real name
4.
to seek her fame
d.
and fortune
5.
She never looked
e.
back
6.
She is also famous
f.
for her sexy dance routines
7.
Madonna has had a sparkling
g.
and varied career
8.
She has also appeared
h.
on stage
9.
with her former
i.
partner
10.
In October 2006 she adopted
j.
a baby boy from Malawi
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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