The Reading / Listening - Purple Rain - Level 1

The movie "Purple Rain" will become a New York musical. The film comes from the album "Purple Rain" made by Prince. He also starred in it. The producers of the new musical called the movie "legendary". It "took the world by storm in 1984". They added that the musical was a "fitting tribute to honour Prince and his legacy". They said: "We can't wait for a new generation to discover 'Purple Rain' and…to experience its power."

"Purple Rain" won an Oscar for Best Original Song Score. Critics say it is one of the greatest musical films. It spent 24 weeks at number one in the USA music chart. The movie is about a singer and guitarist who wanted to be famous. It shows his home life, his battles with his musical rivals, and a new romance. Prince died in 2016. He sold over 100 million records worldwide. He is one of the best-selling music artists ever.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Purple Rain - Level 0 Purple Rain - Level 2   or  Purple Rain - Level 3

Sources
  • https://variety.com/2024/legit/news/prince-movie-purple-rain-stage-musical-branden-jacobs-jenkins-1235863878/
  • https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/jan/08/prince-purple-rain-broadway-musical-branden-jacobs-jenkins
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Rain_(film)


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. "Purple Rain" will become
  2. He also starred
  3. The producers
  4. It took the world by
  5. the musical was a fitting
  6. honour Prince and
  7. We can't
  8. experience its
  1. tribute
  2. of the new musical
  3. a New York musical
  4. his legacy
  5. power
  6. storm in 1984
  7. in it
  8. wait

Paragraph 2

  1. "Purple Rain" won
  2. Critics say it is one of the greatest
  3. It spent 24 weeks at number one in
  4. his battles with his
  5. a new
  6. Prince died
  7. He sold over 100 million records
  8. He is one of the best-selling
  1. musical films
  2. romance
  3. music artists ever
  4. an Oscar
  5. worldwide
  6. musical rivals
  7. the USA music chart
  8. in 2016

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The movie "Purple Rain" (1) ___________________ New York musical. The film comes (2) ___________________ "Purple Rain" made by Prince. He also starred in it. The producers of the new musical called (3) ___________________". It "took the world by storm in 1984". They added that the musical was (4) ___________________ to honour Prince and his legacy". They said: "We can't wait for (5) ___________________ to discover 'Purple Rain' and…to (6) ___________________."

"Purple Rain" won (7) ___________________ Best Original Song Score. Critics say it is (8) ___________________ greatest musical films. It spent 24 weeks at number one in the USA music chart. The movie is about a singer and guitarist (9) ___________________ be famous. It shows his home life, (10) ___________________ his musical rivals, and (11) ___________________. Prince died in 2016. He sold over 100 million records worldwide. He is one of the best-selling (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Themovie"PurpleRain"willbecomeaNewYorkmusical.Thefilmcomesf
romthealbum"PurpleRain"madebyPrince.Healsostarredinit.Thepro
ducersofthenewmusicalcalledthemovie"legendary".It"tooktheworld
bystormin1984".Theyaddedthatthemusicalwasa"fittingtributetoho
nourPrinceandhislegacy".Theysaid:"Wecan'twaitforanewgeneratio
ntodiscover'PurpleRain'and…toexperienceitspower.""PurpleRain"w
onanOscarforBestOriginalSongScore.Criticssayitisoneofthegreatest
musicalfilms.Itspent24weeksatnumberoneintheUSAmusicchart.Th
emovieisaboutasingerandguitaristwhowantedtobefamous.Itshows
hishomelife,hisbattleswithhismusicalrivals,andanewromance.Princ
ediedin2016.Hesoldover100millionrecordsworldwide.Heisoneofthe
best-sellingmusicartistsever.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You