Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Shakira. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Shakira is a Colombian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and dancer. She is one of Latin America’s top stars and is very popular internationally. She is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time. She has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, and has won numerous awards. She is also the only South American singer to have a number one record in the USA.
Shakira was born in 1977 in Colombia. Her mother is of Spanish and Italian ancestry, and her father is of Lebanese descent. She speaks fluent Spanish, English, Portuguese and Italian, and a little Arabic. Shakira was an outstanding student at school. Reports are she has an IQ of 140. She grew up writing poems on a typewriter she got as a Christmas gift.
Shakira wanted to perform from the age of four. She danced at school every Friday and her classmates nicknamed her "belly dancer girl". She said: "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance." Aged 13, she signed a three-album contract with Sony Music. The first two flopped; but the third, ‘Pies Descalzos’ sold over five million copies and made her a star.
Shakira crossed over into singing in English. Her 2001 album ‘Laundry Service’ sold 13 million copies and established her as an international phenomenon. Gabriel García Marquez asked her to write the songs for the movie ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’. Shakira has written the lyrics to every song she has recorded, bar two. She describes herself as a perfectionist.
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.
top
a.
a number of
2
artist
b.
excellent
3.
numerous
c.
ancestry
4.
ancestry
d.
leading
5.
descent
e.
singer
6.
outstanding
f.
parentage
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
perform
g.
bombed
8.
passion
h.
sensation
9.
flopped
i.
be on stage
10.
established
j.
except
11
phenomenon
k
enthusiasm
12
bar
l
confirmed
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
She is one of Latin America’s
a.
of Lebanese descent
2
the highest-selling Colombian
b.
to every song she has recorded
3.
Her mother is of
c.
my passion for live performance
4.
her father is
d.
top stars
5.
Reports are she has an IQ
e.
into singing in English
6.
her classmates nicknamed
f.
of 140
7.
That's how I discovered
g.
Spanish and Italian ancestry
8.
Shakira crossed over
h.
herself as a perfectionist
9.
Shakira has written the lyrics
i.
artist of all time
10.
She describes
j.
her "belly dancer girl"
LISTENING GAP FILL
Shakira is a Colombian ________________, musician, record producer and dancer. She is one of Latin America’s top ________________ popular internationally. She is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time. She has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, and has won ________________. She is also the only South American singer to ________________ one record in the USA.
Shakira was born in 1977 in Colombia. Her mother is of Spanish and ________________, and her father is of ________________. She speaks fluent Spanish, English, Portuguese and Italian, and a little Arabic. Shakira was ____________________ student at school. ________________ has an IQ of 140. She grew up writing poems on a typewriter she got as a Christmas gift.
Shakira wanted to perform ________________ four. She danced at school every Friday and her classmates ________________ "belly dancer girl". She said: "That's how I discovered my ________________ performance." Aged 13, she signed a three-album contract with Sony Music. The ________________; but the third, ‘Pies Descalzos’ sold over five million copies and made her a star.
Shakira ________________ singing in English. Her 2001 album ‘Laundry Service’ sold 13 million copies and ________________ as an international phenomenon. Gabriel García Marquez asked her to write the songs for the movie ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’. Shakira has ________________ to every song she has __________________. She describes herself as a perfectionist.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Shakira is a Colombian singer-songwriter, musical / musician, record producer and dancer. She is one of Latin America’s top stars and is very popular international / internationally. She is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all / every time. She has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, and has won numerous awards. She is also the only South American singer / song to have a number one record in the USA.
Shakira was born in 1977 in Colombia. Her mother is by / of Spanish and Italian ancestry, and her father is of / for Lebanese descent. She speaks fluent Spanish, English, Portuguese and Italian, and a few / little Arabic. Shakira was an outstanding student at school. Reports are she has an IQ / QI of 140. She grew up writing poems on a typewriter she got as a Christmas gift.
Shakira wanted to performer / perform from the age of four. She danced at school on / every Friday and her classmates nicknamed her "belly dancer girl". She said: "That's how I discovered my passionate / passion for live performance." Aged 13, she signed a three-album contract with Sony Music. The first two flapped / flopped; but the third, ‘Pies Descalzos’ sold over five million copies and made her a star.
Shakira crossed under / over into singing in English. Her 2001 album ‘Laundry Service’ sold / selling 13 million copies and established her as an international phenomenon. Gabriel García Marquez asked her to write the songs for the movie ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’. Shakira has written the lyrics / lyrical to every song she has recorded, bar two. She describes herself as a perfect / perfectionist.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
singer-wegstonrri
2.
very puoplra internationally
3.
She has sold more than 50 million albums wdierwdol
4.
won nsouuerm awards
Paragraph 2
5.
Her mother is of Spanish and Italian scareytn
6.
her father is of Lebanese dnsecte
7.
tsoRrpe are she has an IQ of 140
8.
She grew up writing sopem on a typewriter
Paragraph 3
9.
Shakira wanted to rmroefp from the age of four
10.
her classmates ceamnidnk her "belly dancer girl"
11.
I discovered my osaipns for live performance
12.
Aged 13, she signed a three-album ttconcar with Sony Music
Paragraph 4
13.
Shakira dcrsose over into singing in English
14.
‘Laundry Service’ sold 13 million cseipo
15.
written the rclsyi
16.
She describes esflreh as a perfectionist
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Shakira was born in 1977 in Colombia. Her mother is of Spanish and Italian ancestry, and her father is of Lebanese
( )
South American singer to have a number one record in the USA.
( )
nicknamed her "belly dancer girl". She said: "That's how I discovered my passion for live
( )
write the songs for the movie ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’. Shakira has written the lyrics to every
( )
than 50 million albums worldwide, and has won numerous awards. She is also the only
( )
top stars and is very popular internationally. She is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time. She has sold more
( 1 )
Shakira is a Colombian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and dancer. She is one of Latin America’s
( )
descent. She speaks fluent Spanish, English, Portuguese and Italian, and a little Arabic. Shakira was an outstanding
( )
student at school. Reports are she has an IQ of 140. She grew up writing poems on a typewriter she got as a Christmas gift.
( )
copies and established her as an international phenomenon. Gabriel García Marquez asked her to
( )
song she has recorded, bar two. She describes herself as a perfectionist.
( )
performance." Aged 13, she signed a three-album contract with Sony Music. The first two
( )
Shakira crossed over into singing in English. Her 2001 album ‘Laundry Service’ sold 13 million
( )
Shakira wanted to perform from the age of four. She danced at school every Friday and her classmates
( )
flopped; but the third, ‘Pies Descalzos’ sold over five million copies and made her a star.
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
She stars top America’s Latin of one is
2.
highest - selling Colombian artist of all time She is the
3.
and Spanish of is mother Her ancestry Italian
4.
an has she are Reports 140 of IQ
5.
writing up grew She typewriter a on poems
6.
wanted age to of perform four from Shakira the
7.
my That's passion how for I live discovered performance
8.
Shakira over singing English crossed into in
9.
to every song she has recorded Shakira has written the lyrics
10.
describes She perfectionist a as herself
SHAKIRA DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Shakira?
2.
Would you like to have met Shakira?
3.
What would you like to know about Shakira 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 Shakira. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. SHAKIRA POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Shakira. 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 Shakira. 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 Shakira. 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 “Shakira expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
top
a.
leading
2
artist
b.
singer
3.
numerous
c.
a number of
4.
ancestry
d.
parentage
5.
descent
e.
ancestry
6.
outstanding
f.
excellent
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
perform
g.
be on stage
8.
passion
h.
enthusiasm
9.
flopped
i.
bombed
10.
established
j.
confirmed
11
phenomenon
k
sensation
12
bar
l
except
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
She is one of Latin America’s
a.
top stars
2
the highest-selling Colombian
b.
artist of all time
3.
Her mother is of
c.
Spanish and Italian ancestry
4.
her father is
d.
of Lebanese descent
5.
Reports are she has an IQ
e.
of 140
6.
her classmates nicknamed
f.
her "belly dancer girl"
7.
That's how I discovered
g.
my passion for live performance
8.
Shakira crossed over
h.
into singing in English
9.
Shakira has written the lyrics
i.
to every song she has recorded
10.
She describes
j.
herself as a perfectionist
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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