English Lesson on Yuja Wang

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READ

Yuja Wang is a genius pianist and a superstar of the classical music world. She is widely regarded as one of the world's greatest and most dynamic pianists. She developed from being a child prodigy to becoming an internationally accomplished musician before she was 20. She has won many top prizes in music and has played with the world's greatest symphony orchestras and conductors.

Yuja was born in Beijing, China on February 10, 1987. Her mother was a dancer and her father was a percussionist. They encouraged the young Yuja to start playing the piano when she was six years old. Her piano teachers quickly recognized her amazing technical and creative abilities and she went on to study at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

In 1999, aged 12, Yuja moved to Canada to become the youngest ever student at the Mount Royal Conservatory. In 2001, she was appointed as a Steinway Artist. A year later, she was offered a place at Philadelphia's prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. Her big break came in 2007 when she performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Yuja has won many top awards, including the Musical America Artist of the Year. She tours the world giving electrifying performances. Tickets for her shows are always quickly sold out. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote that Yuja is, "quite simply, the most dazzlingly, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world today, and there's nothing left to do but sit back, listen and marvel at her artistry".

Sources:
http://yujawang.com/about/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuja_Wang

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'?

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

LISTENING GAP FILL

Yuja Wang is (1) ___________________ and a superstar of the classical music world. She is (2) ___________________ one of the world's greatest and most dynamic pianists. She developed from being (3) ___________________ to becoming an internationally accomplished musician before she was 20. She has won many top prizes in music and has played with the world's greatest symphony (4) ___________________.

Yuja was born in Beijing, China on February 10, 1987. Her mother was a dancer and her father (5) ___________________. They encouraged the young Yuja to start (6) ___________________ when she was six years old. Her piano teachers quickly recognized her (7) ___________________ creative abilities and she went (8) ___________________ at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

In 1999, aged 12, Yuja moved to Canada to become (9) ___________________ student at the Mount Royal Conservatory. In 2001, she (10) ___________________ a Steinway Artist. A year later, she was (11) ___________________ at Philadelphia's prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. Her (12) ___________________ in 2007 when she performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Yuja has won (13) ___________________, including the Musical America Artist of the Year. She tours the (14) ___________________ performances. Tickets for her shows are always (15) ___________________. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote that Yuja is, "quite simply, the most dazzlingly, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world today, and there's nothing left to do but sit back, listen and (16) ___________________ artistry".

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Yuja Wang is a (1) genius / genie pianist and a superstar of the classical music world. She is (2) wide / widely regarded as one of the world's greatest and most (3) dynamic / dynamism pianists. She developed from being a child (4) prodigy / prodigious to becoming an internationally accomplished musician before she was 20. She has won many top prizes in music and has played with the world's greatest symphony (5) orchestras / orchestral and conductors.

Yuja was (6) born / birth in Beijing, China on February 10, 1987. Her mother was a dancer and her father was a (7) percussion / percussionist. They (8) encouraged / encouragement the young Yuja to start playing the piano when she was six years old. Her piano teachers (9) quickly recovered / recognized her amazing technical and creative abilities and she went (10) on / in to study at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

In 1999, aged 12, Yuja moved to Canada to become the youngest (11) even / ever student at the Mount Royal Conservatory. In 2001, she was (12) appointed / pointed as a Steinway Artist. A year later, she was offered a (13) plaice / place at Philadelphia's prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. Her big (14) broken / break came in 2007 when she (15) performance / performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Yuja has won many top (16) rewards / awards, including the Musical America Artist of the Year. She tours the world giving (17) electrifying / electrician performances. Tickets for her shows are always quickly sold (18) out / in. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote that Yuja is, "quite simply, the most dazzlingly, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world today, and there's (19) nothing / something left to do but sit back, listen and (20) marvel / marvelous at her artistry".

SPELLING

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

( 13 ) Yuja has won many top awards, including the Musical America Artist of the Year. She tours

( ) music and has played with the world's greatest symphony orchestras and conductors.

( ) break came in 2007 when she performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

( ) regarded as one of the world's greatest and most dynamic pianists. She developed from being a child

( ) on to study at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

( 5 ) Yuja was born in Beijing, China on February 10, 1987. Her mother was a dancer and her father was a

( ) the world giving electrifying performances. Tickets for her shows are always quickly sold out. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote

( 1 ) Yuja Wang is a genius pianist and a superstar of the classical music world. She is widely

( ) six years old. Her piano teachers quickly recognized her amazing technical and creative abilities and she went

( ) place at Philadelphia's prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. Her big

( ) today, and there's nothing left to do but sit back, listen and marvel at her artistry".

( ) prodigy to becoming an internationally accomplished musician before she was 20. She has won many top prizes in

( ) the Mount Royal Conservatory. In 2001, she was appointed as a Steinway Artist. A year later, she was offered a

( ) that Yuja is, "quite simply, the most dazzlingly, uncannily gifted pianist in the concert world

( 9 ) In 1999, aged 12, Yuja moved to Canada to become the youngest ever student at

( ) percussionist. They encouraged the young Yuja to start playing the piano when she was

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

1. greatest   .   as   Widely   of   the   one   world's   regarded
2. won   prizes   many   top   has   She   music   .   in
3. symphony   with   Played   orchestras   .   greatest   world's   the
4. encouraged   the   young   to   start   playing   .   Yuja   They
5. recognized   Teachers   her   creative   amazing   and   technical   abilities   .
6. to   Central   study   went   She   Conservatory   .   at   on   the
7. 1999,   moved   to   Canada   .   12,   aged   In   Yuja
8. later,   year   a   was   she   place   .   A   offered
9. Her   when   big   performed   break   came   Tchaikovsky   .   she
10. electrifying   tours   the   world   performances   .   She   giving
11. Tickets   sold   are   shows   out   .   her   for   always
12. back,   marvel   and   Sit   artistry   .   listen   her   at

YUJA WANG DISCUSSION

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THE YUJA WANG SURVEY

Write five questions about Yuja Wang 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.

WRITING

Write about Yuja Wang for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other's work.
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HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or other search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Yuja Wang. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. YUJA WANG POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Yuja Wang. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article Yuja Wang. 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 Yuja Wang. 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 "Yuja Wang expert" partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH (Page 3)

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES (Page 8)

1. Widely regarded as one of the world's greatest.
2. She has won many top prizes in music.
3. Played with the world's greatest symphony orchestras.
4. They encouraged the young Yuja to start playing.
5. Teachers recognized her amazing technical and creative abilities.
6. She went on to study at the Central Conservatory.
7. In 1999, aged 12, Yuja moved to Canada.
8. A year later, she was offered a place.
9. Her big break came when she performed Tchaikovsky.
10. She tours the world giving electrifying performances.
11. Tickets for her shows are always sold out.
12. Sit back, listen and marvel at her artistry.

ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text on page 2.