The Reading / Listening - Jay Z - Level 5

The rapper Jay Z has been rewarded for his work and songwriting. He becomes the first hip-hop artist to be admitted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Hall's mission is to, "preserve, honor and celebrate the legacy of the great songwriters whose work has enriched the world’s culture". Jay Z grew up in a poor area of New York. He got into hip-hop and became one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. He has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. He is also a successful businessman. He owns a sports bar in New York and the music streaming service Tidal.

Barack Obama talked about his admiration for Jay Z. He said: "I am a fan and I've been listening to Jay Z since I was a young and hungry state senator. I'm pretty sure I'm still the only president to listen to Jay Z's music in the [White House]." Mr Obama said Jay Z is a "true American original" because of his contribution to American culture. He said Jay Z is the "greatest rapper of all time". Jay Z's music publisher accepted the award for him. It said: "[Jay Z] would tell up-and-coming hip-hop artists today that there can be no mistake or question that you are indeed songwriters."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Jay Z - Level 4 or  Jay Z - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/obama-honors-jay-z-songwriters-hall-fame-n773371
  • http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/06/16/533200940/barack-obama-honors-jay-z-at-songwriters-hall-of-fame-gala
  • http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7833651/jay-z-inducted-songwriters-hall-of-fame


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Jay Z has been rewarded
  2. the first hip-hop artist to
  3. celebrate the legacy of the
  4. enriched the world’s
  5. grew up
  6. He got
  7. one of the best-selling musical
  8. He has sold more than
  1. 100 million albums
  2. great songwriters
  3. in a poor area
  4. artists of all time
  5. into hip-hop
  6. for his work
  7. culture
  8. be admitted

Paragraph 2

  1. Obama talked about his
  2. since I was a young and hungry state
  3. the only president to listen
  4. Jay Z is a true
  5. his contribution to American
  6. the greatest rapper
  7. up-and-coming
  8. there can be no
  1. to Jay Z's music
  2. hip-hop artists
  3. culture
  4. admiration
  5. of all time
  6. senator
  7. mistake
  8. American original

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The rapper Jay Z has been rewarded (1) ___________________ and songwriting. He becomes the first hip-hop artist (2) ___________________ into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Hall's mission is to, "preserve, honor and celebrate (3) ___________________ great songwriters whose work has enriched the world’s culture". Jay Z grew (4) ___________________ of New York. He got into hip-hop and became (5) ___________________ best-selling musical artists of all time. He has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. (6) ___________________ successful businessman. He owns a sports bar in New York and the music streaming service Tidal.

Barack Obama (7) ___________________ admiration for Jay Z. He said: "I am a fan and I've been listening to Jay Z (8) ___________________ young and hungry state senator. I'm pretty (9) ___________________ only president to listen to Jay Z's music in the [White House]." Mr Obama said Jay Z is a "true American original" (10) ___________________ contribution to American culture. He said Jay Z is the "greatest rapper of all time". Jay Z's music publisher accepted (11) ___________________. It said: "[Jay Z] would tell up-and-coming hip-hop artists today that there can be no mistake or question that (12) ___________________ songwriters."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TherapperJayZhasbeenrewardedforhisworkandsongwriting.Hebeco
mesthefirsthip-hopartisttobeadmittedintotheSongwritersHallofFa
me.TheHall'smissionisto,"preserve,honorandcelebratethelegacyoft
hegreatsongwriterswhoseworkhasenrichedtheworld’sculture".JayZ
grewupinapoorareaofNewYork.Hegotintohip-hopandbecameoneoft
hebest-sellingmusicalartistsofall-time.Hehassoldmorethan100mill
ionalbumsworldwide.Heisalsoasuccessfulbusinessman.Heownsasp
ortsbarinNewYorkandthemusicstreamingserviceTidal.BarackObam
atalkedabouthisadmirationforJayZ.Hesaid:"IamafanandI'vebeenlis
teningtoJayZsinceIwasayoungandhungrystatesenator.I'mprettysur
eI'mstilltheonlypresidenttolistentoJayZ'smusicinthe[WhiteHouse]."
MrObamasaidJayZisa"trueAmericanoriginal"becauseofhiscontributi
ontoAmericanculture.HesaidJayZisthe"greatestrapperofalltime".Ja
yZ'smusicpublisheracceptedtheawardforhim.Itsaid:"[JayZ]wouldte
llup-and-cominghip-hopartiststodaythattherecanbenomistakeorqu
estionthatyouareindeedsongwriters."

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.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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