LESSON 4A READING AND VOCABULARY - Art lovers
📑 Article Contents
1 In pairs, ask and answer the questions.
Students' own answers
💡 Tip: These questions are designed to encourage personal reflection and discussion about musical interests and experiences.
2 Read the article quickly and choose the best answer.
What is the main purpose of the article?
a) To tell the story of a difficult moment in a musician's life.
b) To explain the success of a classical musician.
c) To summarise the lives of members of a successful family.
d) To look at some of the top musicians around the world.
Answer: b) To explain the success of a classical musician.
The article primarily focuses on Sheku Kanneh-Mason's achievements and impact as a classical cellist.
3 Read the article again and choose the correct answers.
a) played at a royal wedding
b) recorded a successful album
c) helped young people
d) made a film about his life
Answer: d) made a film about his life
Based on the article's content, Sheku has accomplished the first three items but hasn't made a biographical film.
a) Sheku has paid for all their lessons.
b) Sheku's cello music has become very popular.
c) They want to win national competitions.
d) They have seen his concerts on TV.
Answer: b) Sheku's cello music has become very popular
Sheku's success and popularity have inspired increased interest in learning the cello among younger generations.
a) He can't play classical music.
b) He is only a soloist.
c) He plays in a pop band.
d) He has not been successful.
Answer: a) He can't play classical music
The article indicates Braimah has a different musical focus compared to his classically-trained siblings.
a) He wants to help young people with the same illness that he has.
b) He likes to travel around the world.
c) He wants to become a scientist.
d) He wants to find out about young people around the world.
Answer: a) He wants to help young people with the same illness that he has
Sheku's personal experience with diabetes motivates his advocacy work for the foundation.
4 In pairs, check you understand the highlighted words and phrases below. Then complete the sentences with the other highlighted words in the article.
1. Sheku and his brothers and sisters often perform in classical music concerts.
Answer: perform
This refers to playing music publicly for an audience.
2. The people in the audience at the concert hall are of all ages.
Answer: audience
The audience consists of people who attend to listen to the performance.
3. I like when the at the concert hall soloist plays alone more than when the whole orchestra plays.
Answer: soloist
A soloist performs individually rather than as part of a larger group.
4. Pop groups as well as classical musicians have to rehearse for many hours every day.
Answer: rehearse
Rehearsing involves practicing and preparing for performances through repetition.
5. Everyone at the concert enjoyed Sheku's performance of the music.
Answer: performance
A performance refers to the act of presenting music or art to an audience.
5 In pairs, use the vocabulary from this lesson and from Lesson 2A to talk about the things below.
Example answer: I love all kinds of music, especially pop but I also like traditional and some classical music.
Students' own answers
💡 Vocabulary to use: concert, performance, audience, soloist, orchestra, rehearse, musician, instrument, genre, live music
6 SPEAKING Prepare a short talk about a successful family that you know of. Use some of the prompts below to help you. Then tell your story to the class.
… is part of a family of …
He/She is the first/second/third of … He/She has one/two brothers and two/three sisters.
The oldest/youngest brother/sister …
Although he/she is the youngest, he/she …
Students' own answers
💡 Speaking Tips: Choose a family you know well, organize your thoughts before speaking, use descriptive language, and speak clearly and confidently.
🔗 Related English Lessons
🎧 Listening & Vocabulary
The Next Step - Lesson 5A Listening and VocabularyImprove your listening skills with practical exercises
📚 Reading & Vocabulary
Time to Move Lesson 2A Reading and Vocabulary - HolidaysExpand your vocabulary through reading about holidays
✍️ Writing Skills
The Next Step - Lesson 7A Writing - Personal StatementLearn to write effective personal statements
🌐 Educational Resources for Music and Language Learning
🎵 Music Education Resources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize - Music theory and appreciation
https://www.classicfm.com - Instrument guides and musician stories
https://www.britishcouncil.org - Arts education resources
📌 Additional Information and Notes
💡 Note on Speaking Exercises (Exercise 6)
When preparing speaking presentations about families, focus on clear organization: introduction, main points about family members, their achievements, and a conclusion. Use descriptive adjectives and connecting words to make your talk engaging.
⬆️ Back to Exercise 6🎵 About Music Vocabulary
This lesson introduces essential vocabulary for discussing music and performances. Key terms include: perform, audience, soloist, rehearse, and performance. Understanding these terms helps in discussing musical experiences and analyzing performances.
⬆️ Back to Exercise 4