The Reading / Listening - Best Year for Music - Level 0

We all have a favourite year for music. For some, it is 1824. That's when Beethoven finished his Symphony No. 9. Others say it is 1969 because of The Beatles. A UK radio station found 1991 was the best year. This is because of bands like R.E.M. and Nirvana. That year could be the best because many listeners were teenagers in 1991.

A scientist thinks we still love songs we heard when we were teenagers. In our teenage years, we make many big life-changing decisions and start long-term relationships. Music controls our emotions, so songs we hear in our teens stick with us. Old people have a better memory for things they experienced in their teens.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Best Year for Music - Level 1,  Best Year for Music - Level 2   or  Best Year for Music - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.radiox.co.uk/features/1991-was-actually-the-best-year-for-music/
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-52131818
  • https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/greatest-year-pop-music-history-one-choice/


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. We all have a favourite year
  2. Beethoven finished his
  3. it is 1969 because
  4. A UK radio
  5. 1991 was
  6. This is because of bands like
  7. That year could
  8. many listeners were teenagers
  1. of The Beatles
  2. in 1991
  3. Symphony No. 9
  4. the best year
  5. be the best
  6. for music
  7. station
  8. R.E.M.

Paragraph 2

  1. In our teenage
  2. big life-changing
  3. long-term
  4. Music controls our
  5. songs we hear in
  6. stick with
  7. Old people have a
  8. things they experienced
  1. better memory
  2. relationships
  3. in their teens
  4. our teens
  5. us
  6. years
  7. decisions
  8. emotions

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

We all have a (1) ___________________ music. For some, it is 1824. That's when Beethoven finished his Symphony No. 9. Others (2) ___________________ 1969 because of The Beatles. A (3) ___________________ found 1991 was the best year. This is (4) ___________________ like R.E.M. and Nirvana. That year could (5) ___________________ because many listeners (6) ___________________ 1991.

A scientist thinks (7) ___________________ songs we heard when we were teenagers. In (8) ___________________, we make many big life-changing (9) ___________________ long-term relationships. (10) ___________________ emotions, so songs we hear in (11) ___________________ with us. Old people have a better memory for things they experienced (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Weallhaveafavouriteyearformusic.Forsome,itis1824.That'swhenBe
ethovenfinishedhisSymphonyNo.9.Otherssayitis1969becauseofThe
Beatles.AUKradiostationfound1991wasthebestyear.Thisisbecauseo
fbandslikeR.E.M.andNirvanaThatyearcouldbethebestbecausemanyl
istenerswereteenagersin1991.Ascientistthinkswestilllovesongsweh
eardwhenwewereteenagers.Inourteenageyears,wemakemanybiglif
e-changingdecisionsandstartlong-termrelationships.Musiccontrols
ouremotions,sosongswehearinourteensstickwithus.Oldpeoplehave
abettermemoryforthingstheyexperiencedintheirteens.

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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