Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Mary J. Blige. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Mary Jane Blige is a singer, rapper, songwriter and actress. She is widely known as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" for mixing the two musical genres together. Blige has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has won eight Grammy awards. She also has a World Music Legends Award, despite her young age. Her musical style has influenced many other female vocalists, including Alicia Keys and Ashanti.
Blige was born in 1971 in New York. She grew up listening to the new sounds of hip-hop and rap that were starting to come out of New York. She also loved her mother’s collection of 60s and 70s soul records. She won a talent competition when she was seven and decided she wanted to be a singer.
Blige improved her singing technique in the local church choir. In 1988, she recorded an Anita Baker song at a recording booth in a local mall. Her mother's friend loved it and sent it to a recording company executive, who signed Blige instantly. She spent several years as a backup singer, before releasing her debut album in 1992.
Blige has recorded eight studio albums, including the highly successful ‘The Breakthrough’, for which she scooped many awards. She also branched out into acting and has appeared in television series, Broadway plays and movies. Blige is also actively involved in several charities and started the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, “to inspire women from all walks of life to reach their individual potential.”
248 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.
widely
a.
kinds
2
genres
b.
contest
3.
influenced
c.
music
4.
sounds
d.
commonly
5.
collection
e.
shaped
6.
competition
f.
selection
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
improved
g.
a number of
8.
executive
h.
immediately
9.
instantly
i.
polished
10.
highly
j.
promise
11
several
k
senior manager
12
potential
l
hugely
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
She is widely known as the
a.
collection
2
Her musical style has influenced
b.
many other female vocalists
3.
She grew up listening to the new
c.
many awards
4.
She also loved her mother’s
d.
sounds of hip-hop
5.
She won a talent
e.
as a backup singer
6.
Blige improved her
f.
potential
7.
She spent several years
g.
of life
8.
she scooped
h.
"Queen of Hip-Hop Soul"
9.
inspire women from all walks
i.
competition
10.
reach their individual
j.
singing technique
LISTENING GAP FILL
Mary Jane Blige is a singer, rapper, songwriter and actress. She is __________________ the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" for mixing the two __________________ together. Blige has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has won eight Grammy awards. She also has a World Music Legends Award, __________________ age. Her musical style has __________________ female vocalists, including Alicia Keys and Ashanti.
Blige was born in 1971 in New York. She grew up ________________ sounds of hip-hop and rap that were starting __________________ New York. She also loved her mother’s _______________ 70s soul records. She won a talent competition when she was seven and ________________ to be a singer.
Blige improved her __________________ in the local church choir. In 1988, she recorded an Anita Baker song at _______________ in a local mall. Her mother's friend loved it and sent it to a recording company executive, who ________________. She spent several years as a backup singer, before releasing _______________ in 1992.
Blige has recorded __________________, including the highly successful ‘The Breakthrough’, for which she __________________. She also branched out into acting and has appeared in television series, Broadway plays and movies. Blige is also __________________ several charities and started the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, “to inspire women __________________ life to reach their individual potential.”
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Mary Jane Blige is a singer, rapper, songwriter and actress. She is widely / width known as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" for mixing the two musical genes / genres together. Blige has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has won eight Grammy awards. She also has a World Music Legends Award, despite / spite her young age. Her musical style has influenced many other / another female vocalists, including Alicia Keys and Ashanti.
Blige was born in 1971 in New York. She grown / grew up listening to the new sounds of hip-hop and rap that was started / starting to come out of New York. She also loved her mother’s collects / collection of 60s and 70s soul records. She won a talent competition when she was seven and decided / decision she wanted to be a singer.
Blige improved / improvement her singing technique in the local church choir. In 1988, she records / recorded an Anita Baker song at a recording booth in a local mall. Her mother's friend loved them / it and sent it to a recording company executive, who signed Blige instant / instantly. She spent several years as a backup singer, before releasing her debut album in 1992.
Blige has recorded eight studio albums, including the highest / highly successful ‘The Breakthrough’, for which she scoops / scooped many awards. She also branched in / out into acting and has appeared in television series, Broadway plays and movies. Blige is also actively involved in several charities and started the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, “to inspire women from all walks / runs of life to reach their individual potential.”
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
She is iwdyle known as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul"
2.
musical nrsgee
3.
pesietd her young age
4.
Her musical ystle has influenced many other female vocalists
Paragraph 2
5.
the new ussdno of hip-hop and rap
6.
her mother’s lcoioectln of 60s and 70s soul records
7.
She won a etlant competition
8.
eeidddc she wanted to be a singer
Paragraph 3
9.
singing chtieqenu
10.
a recording company eeuctevxi
11.
She spent eelvasr years as a backup singer
12.
her dbteu album
Paragraph 4
13.
Blige has recorded eight stuiod albums
14.
She also cnadberh out into acting
15.
tciyeval involved in several charities
16.
inspire women from all akslw of life
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Blige improved her singing technique in the local church choir. In 1988, she recorded an Anita Baker song at a
( )
plays and movies. Blige is also actively involved in several charities and started
( 1 )
mixing the two musical genres together. Blige has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has won eight
( )
recording booth in a local mall. Her mother's friend loved it and sent it to a recording company executive, who
( )
style has influenced many other female vocalists, including Alicia Keys and Ashanti
( )
come out of New York. She also loved her mother’s collection of 60s and 70s soul
( )
signed Blige instantly. She spent several years as a backup singer, before releasing her debut album in 1992
( )
of life to reach their individual potential.”
( )
the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, “to inspire women from all walks
( )
records. She won a talent competition when she was seven and decided she wanted to be a singer
( )
Mary Jane Blige is a singer, rapper, songwriter and actress. She is widely known as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" for
( )
Blige has recorded eight studio albums, including the highly successful ‘The Breakthrough’, for
( )
Blige was born in 1971 in New York. She grew up listening to the new sounds of hip-hop and rap that were starting to
( )
Grammy awards. She also has a World Music Legends Award, despite her young age. Her musical
( )
which she scooped many awards. She also branched out into acting and has appeared in television series, Broadway
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
Queen " is the She Hip-Hop as " of known Soul widely
2.
female has vocalists influenced Her many musical other style
3.
sounds new the to listening up grew She hop - hip of
4.
mother’s 70s collection soul of records 60s her and
5.
a was talent seven competition She when won she
6.
her local singing church technique Blige in improved the
7.
spent She singer backup a as years several
8.
acting into out branched also She
9.
in involved actively also is Blige charities several
10.
life women all of inspire from walks
MARY J. BLIGE DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Mary J. Blige?
2.
Would you like to have met Mary J. Blige?
3.
What would you like to know about Mary J. Blige 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 Mary J. Blige. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MARY J. BLIGE POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Mary J. Blige. 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 Mary J. Blige. 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 Mary J. Blige. Ask her three questions about her life. Tell her how important she is in today’s world and how she is missed. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Mary J. Blige expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
widely
a.
commonly
2
genres
b.
kinds
3.
influenced
c.
shaped
4.
sounds
d.
music
5.
collection
e.
selection
6.
competition
f.
contest
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
improved
g.
polished
8.
executive
h.
senior manager
9.
instantly
i.
immediately
10.
highly
j.
hugely
11
several
k
a number of
12
potential
l
promise
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
She is widely known as the
a.
"Queen of Hip-Hop Soul"
2
Her musical style has influenced
b.
many other female vocalists
3.
She grew up listening to the new
c.
sounds of hip-hop
4.
She also loved her mother’s
d.
collection
5.
She won a talent
e.
competition
6.
Blige improved her
f.
singing technique
7.
She spent several years
g.
as a backup singer
8.
she scooped
h.
many awards
9.
inspire women from all walks
i.
of life
10.
reach their individual
j.
potential
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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