Famous People Lessons: English Lesson on Amy Winehouse

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

Amy Jade Winehouse is an English singer and songwriter. She is known for her marvelous voice and controversial private life. She debuted in 2003 at the age of 20 with the album ‘Frank’. It set her on the road to fame. Music lovers everywhere were excited about her talents and how her career would progress. Today she is one of music’s hottest stars.

She grew up in a family that loved jazz. Her musical talents were clear to see from a very young age. Aged ten, she formed a rap group called Sweet 'n' Sour with a childhood friend. She got her first guitar when she was 13 and she began writing music. She signed to a major record label after they heard her distinctive voice.

Winehouse’s second album “Back To Black” made her an acclaimed international star. She won dozens of awards, including five at the 2008 Grammy’s. Some of the biggest names in rock are waiting to collaborate with her. George Michael said: "Amy is the best female vocalist I have ever heard in my entire career, as well as one of the best writers."

Winehouse is constantly the focus of media attention. She cannot escape the reporters who follow her every move. She has given them good reason to write about her. She battles with drug and alcohol abuse and her self destructive behaviour is often tabloid news. Regardless, the world is holding its breath for her next recordings.

242 words

Flesch Kinkaid 6.7

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.	marvelous	a.	unique
2	debuted	b.	develop
3.	progress	c.	started
4.	clear	d.	wonderful
5.	formed	e.	made her first appearance
6.	distinctive	f.	obvious
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	acclaimed	g.	continually
8.	collaborate	h.	whole
9.	entire	i.	damaging
10.	constantly	j.	admired
11	destructive	k	waiting excitedly
12	holding its breath	l	work together

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.	singer and	a.	see from a very young age
2	the road	b.	drug and alcohol abuse
3.	Her musical talents were clear to	c.	dozens of awards
4.	she formed	d.	to fame
5.	her distinctive	e.	to collaborate with her
6.	She won	f.	songwriter
7.	the biggest names in rock are waiting	g.	is often tabloid news
8.	She cannot escape the reporters	h.	voice
9.	She battles with	i.	a rap group
10.	her self destructive behaviour	j.	who follow her every move

LISTENING GAP FILL

Amy Jade Winehouse is an English ___________________. She is known for her marvelous voice and controversial private life. ________________ 2003 at the age of 20 with the album ‘Frank’. It ________________ to fame. Music lovers everywhere were excited about her talents ________________ would progress. Today she is one of music’s hottest stars.

She grew up in a family ________________. Her musical talents were ________________ a very young age. Aged ten, she formed a rap group called Sweet 'n' Sour with a childhood friend. She got her first guitar when she was 13 and she ________________. She signed to a major record label after they ________________ voice.

Winehouse’s second album “Back To Black” made ________________ international star. She ________________ awards, including five at the 2008 Grammy’s. Some of the biggest names in rock are _________________ with her. George Michael said: "Amy is the best female vocalist I have ever heard ________________, as well as one of the best writers."

Winehouse is constantly ________________ attention. She cannot escape the reporters ________________ move. She has given them good reason to write about her. She ________________ and alcohol abuse and her self destructive behaviour is often tabloid news. Regardless, the world is holding ________________ next recordings.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics:

Amy Jade Winehouse is an English singer and songwriter. She is known / know for her marvelous voice and controversial private live / life. She debuted / debut in 2003 at the age of 20 with the album ‘Frank’. It set her on the road to fame. Music lovers everywhere were excited about her talents and how her career would progressive / progress. Today she is one of music’s hottest stars.

She grew up in a family that loved / loving jazz. Her musical talents were clearly / clear to see from a very young age. Aged ten, she formed a rap group called Sweet 'n' Sour with a childhood friend. She got her first guitar when she was 13 and she began wrote / writing music. She signed to a major record label after they heard / listened her distinctive voice.

Winehouse’s second album “Back To Black” made her an acclaimed international star. She beat / won dozens of awards, including five at the 2008 Grammy’s. Some of the biggest names in / on rock are waiting to collaborate with her. George Michael said: "Amy is the best female vocals / vocalist I have ever heard in my entire / entirely career, as well as one of the best writers."

Winehouse is constantly the focus of media / medium attention. She cannot escaped / escape the reporters who follow her every move. She has given them good reason to writing / write about her. She battles with drug and alcohol abuse and her self destructive behaviour is often tabloid news. Regardless, the world is holding its breath / breathing for her next recordings.

SPELLING

The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	singer and wosretgrni
2.	controversial vripaet life
3.	Music lovers everywhere
4.	one of music’s ehtttso stars
Paragraph 2
5.	a family that dovle jazz
6.	she efodrm a rap group
7.	She got her first itragu when she was 13
8.	her distinctive eivoc
Paragraph 3
9.	She won snozde of awards
10.	naigiwt to collaborate with her
11.	the best female covsailt I have ever heard
12.	in my tniree career
Paragraph 4
13.	constantly the usfoc of media attention
14.	She cannot caspee the reporters
15.	She ttelbas with drug and alcohol abuse
16.	the world is ndgilho its breath

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	career, as well as one of the best writers."
( )	private life. She debuted in 2003 at the age of 20 with the album ‘Frank’. It set her on the road to fame. Music lovers everywhere
( )	a rap group called Sweet 'n' Sour with a childhood friend. She got her first guitar when she was 13 and she began
( )	with her. George Michael said: "Amy is the best female vocalist I have ever heard in my entire
( )	Winehouse is constantly the focus of media attention. She cannot escape the reporters who follow
( )	She grew up in a family that loved jazz. Her musical talents were clear to see from a very young age. Aged ten, she formed
( )	were excited about her talents and how her career would progress. Today she is one of music’s hottest stars.
( 1 )	Amy Jade Winehouse is an English singer and songwriter. She is known for her marvelous voice and controversial
( )	abuse and her self destructive behaviour is often tabloid news. Regardless, the world is holding
( )	its breath for her next recordings.
( )	her every move. She has given them good reason to write about her. She battles with drug and alcohol
( )	writing music. She signed to a major record label after they heard her distinctive voice.
( )	Winehouse’s second album “Back To Black” made her an acclaimed international star. She won dozens
( )	of awards, including five at the 2008 Grammy’s. Some of the biggest names in rock are waiting to collaborate

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	and English songwriter singer an
2.	about excited were everywhere lovers Music talents her
3.	one is she Today stars hottest music’s of
4.	She family grew that up loved in jazz a
5.	a record She to major label signed
6.	with her the biggest names in rock are waiting to collaborate
7.	have I vocalist female best the heard ever
8.	constantly attention media of focus the
9.	and abuse battles drug alcohol She with
10.	the breath its holding is world

DISCUSSION (Write your questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	What do you know about Amy Winehouse?
2.	Would you like to meet Amy Winehouse?
3.	What would you like to know about Amy Winehouse and why?
4.	___________________________________________________
5.	___________________________________________________
6.	___________________________________________________
7.	___________________________________________________
8.	___________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	What did you learn from this text about Amy Winehouse?
2.	What questions would you like to ask Amy Winehouse?
3.	What would her answers be to those questions?
4.	___________________________________________________
5.	___________________________________________________
6.	___________________________________________________
7.	___________________________________________________
8.	___________________________________________________

THE AMY WINEHOUSE SURVEY

Write five questions about Amy Winehouse in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Amy Winehouse for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 Amy Winehouse. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. AMY WINEHOUSE POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Amy Winehouse. 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 Amy Winehouse. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she does every day and what she thinks 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 Amy Winehouse. Ask her three questions about her life. Give her three suggestions on what she should do in her future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Amy Winehouse expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	marvelous	a.	wonderful
2	debuted	b.	made her first appearance
3.	progress	c.	develop
4.	clear	d.	obvious
5.	formed	e.	started
6.	distinctive	f.	unique
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	acclaimed	g.	admired
8.	collaborate	h.	work together
9.	entire	i.	whole
10.	constantly	j.	continually
11	destructive	k	damaging
12	holding its breath	l	waiting excitedly

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	singer and	a.	songwriter
2	the road	b.	to fame
3.	Her musical talents were clear to	c.	see from a very young age
4.	she formed	d.	a rap group
5.	her distinctive	e.	voice
6.	She won	f.	dozens of awards
7.	the biggest names in rock are waiting	g.	to collaborate with her
8.	She cannot escape the reporters	h.	who follow her every move
9.	She battles with	i.	drug and alcohol abuse
10.	her self destructive behaviour	j.	is often tabloid news

ALL OTHER EXERCISES:

Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.

Famous People Lessons.com English Lesson Plan on Amy Winehouse