So Long It's Been Good to Know You

by Woody Guthrie This version was adapted by the Weavers

1. I've sung this song, but I'll sing it again,
Of the people I've met and the places I've seen.
Of some of the troubles that bothered my mind
And a lot of good people that I've left behind, saying:

CHORUS
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
What a long time since I've been home,
And I've gotta be driftin' along.

2. The sweethearts sat in the dark and they sparked.
They hugged and they kissed in that dusty old dark.
They sighed and they cried and they hugged and they kissed,
But instead of marriage they talked like this: Honey,

CHORUS

3. I went to your family and asked them for you.
They all said, “Take her. Oh, take her, please do!
She can’t cook or sew, and she won’t scrub your floor.”
So I put on my hat and tip-toed out the door, saying,

CHORUS

4. I walked down the street to the grocery store.
It was crowded with people both rich and both poor.
I asked the man how his butter was sold.
He said, “One pound of butter for two pounds of gold.” I said,

CHORUS

5A. The telephone rang. It jumped off the wall,
That was the preacher, a-makin' his call.
We’re waitin’ to tie the knot.
You’re getting married. Believe it or not!

(5B. The telephone rang. It jumped off the wall,
That was the preacher, a-makin' his call.
He said, "Kind friends, this may be the end.
You have your last chance at salvation from sin!")

6A. The church was jammed and the church, it was packed,
The pews were all crowded from the front to the back
A thousand friends waited to kiss my new bride,
but I was so anxious, I rushed her outside.

(6B. The church, it was jammed and the church, it was packed,
The pews were all crowded from the front to the back
That the preacher could not read a word of his text,
So he folded his specs, took up a collection, Sayin')

CHORUS

So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh;
So long, it's been good to know yuh.
What a long time since I've been home,
And I've gotta be driftin' along.


1. What words in the chorus mean: I have to go. or Gotta go
______________________________________________________________________
2. What are the present perfect verbs in the first verse?

a. _____________________________
b. _____________________________
c. _____________________________
d. _____________________________

3. If something has already happened, then you can use the present perfect tense. For example:
a. I have already eaten lunch. (eat)
b. My friend has already taken this class. (take)
A. YOUR TURN
_______________________________________________________________________
If something began in the past and has been that way since then, you can use the present perfect tense. For example:
a. I haven’t eaten since this morning at 8 o’clock. (eat)
b. I’ve been in the U.S. since 1999. (since Jan.) (be)
B. YOUR TURN
_______________________________________________________________________
You can use the present perfect tense if the question is about something that is brand new in your life, and you ask it this way:
a. Have you ever been to Las Vegas? or (be)
b. Have you ever eaten at MacDonald’s? (eat)
C. YOUR TURN (Write a question to ask your partner.)
_______________________________________________________________________

Your answers for the above questions can use the present perfect tense.
For example: Yes. I went to Las Vegas a year ago. (past tense of “go”)
No. I have never been to Las Vegas. (present perfect “be”)
YOUR TURN (Write your partner’s answer.)
_______________________________________________________________________
If you want to say how long – from then to now, you can use the present perfect. For example:
a. I have worked in the same company for 5 years.
b. I have been waiting for the bus for a long time.
B. YOUR TURN
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Why are the present perfect verbs the correct verbs for this first verse?
_______________________________________________________________________

5. In the 2nd verse, what are all the past tense verbs?
a. _____________________________
b. _____________________________
c. _____________________________
d. _____________________________
e. _____________________________
f. _____________________________
g. _____________________________
6. Why are these past tense verbs the correct verbs for this 2nd verse?

____________________________________________________________________
7. What does “sparked” mean in this verse?
___________________________________________
8. “instead of ” is used when you want to tell an alternative idea.

Can you use “instead of” in a sentence?
The “of” is like a preposition, so you’ll have to follow “of” with a noun. For example,
I’ll have onion rings instead of French fries.
We went to Disneyland instead of Lake Tahoe.
Instead of swimming, we just walked along the beach.
Your turn
___________________________________________________________________
9. In verse 3, why did he go to her family? (Answer in a complete sentence.) __________________________________________________________

10. Why did he leave? (in verse 3) Answer in the past tense, please.

_____________________________________________________________________
11. What’s the difference between these two sentences: (Use the words either and both in answering this question.)
“She can’t cook or sew.” _____________________________________________
“She can cook and sew.” _____________________________________________

12. Why do we use “or ” in “She can’t cook or sew?” _________________
For example: We don’t come to school on Saturdays or Sundays.
I won’t eat meat or chicken because I’m a vegetarian.

13. Can you write your own example of a negative sentence using “OR” ?
Tell me two things you CAN’T do.


14. What is a preacher ? Can you give me a synonym? ________________________________________________________________________
15. “jammed” and “packed” are adjectives. What’s another word in verse #6 that means the same thing? __________________________________
16. In verse #6, what are the pews ? _______________________________________________________________________
17. Also in verse #6B, what is the preacher’s “text”? It’s his______________.
18. What is another word for “specs” [spectacles]?

19. What is “the collection.” _________________________________________

20. We use “can” (“could” in the past) to say we are not able to do something. For example:
I can’t drive. = I am not able to drive.
I can speak both Mandarin and Cantonese. =
I am able to speak both Mandarin and Cantonese.
When I was young, I could walk 5 miles and not get tired.
Today I am not able to walk even 1 mile.

How do we say “He could not read” in another way?
He_______________________________________________________
21. Now you write two sentences, one using “can or could + base form of a verb.______________________________________________________________

and another sentence using to be able to
_______________________________________________________________________
22. Can you tell me something you cannot do.

23. What phrase in verse #5A mean “to get married”? ___________________
24 Why do you think the groom was anxious to take his bride outside?
_______________________________________________________________________

25. What words rhyme?
a. ____________ sort of rhymes with again.
b. mind rhymes with _______________
c. sparked sort of rhymes with _______________
d. kissed sort of rhymes with _______________
e. you rhymes with _______________
f. floor rhymes with _______________
g. store rhymes with _______________
h. sold rhymes with _______________
i. wall rhymes with _______________
j. end sort of rhymes with _______________
k. packed sort of rhymes with _______________
l. text sort of rhymes with _______________

CONVERSATION (Talk to your partner. Then write your answer.)
26. Is there someone that you said, “So long” to? Who was that person? Why did you say, “Good-bye”. When did this happen? How did you feel?



_______________________________________________________________________




_______________________________________________________________________

Test Your Diet IQ

by Joy Bauer in Parade’s “Healthystyle” March/April 2010, p. 7.

Smart food choices can make a huge difference in your waistline and in your health. Take the following quiz and find out how good you are at separating fact from fiction.

TRUE or FALSE? (Circle T or F.)

1. Olive oil is less fattening than butter. T or F

2. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCCS) is worse for you than regular sugar.
T or F

3. Eating at night won’t pack on more pounds than eating during the day.
T or F
1.
2.
3.


* Your IQ is your Intelligence Quotient, a test to assess “how smart you are.”

1. Olive oil is less fattening than butter. T or F
FALSE.
One tablespoon of olive oil is approximately 120 calories compared to 100 for butter. But a food can be fattening and still be good for you. Olive oil contains heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fat. Butter contains artery-clogging saturated fat. I would choose olive oil over butter. I just wouldn’t overdo it.

2. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is worse for you than regular sugar.
FALSE
Since high-fructose corn syrup is cheaper to produce than sugar, food manufacturers cram it into cookies, candy, cereals, and into just about anything that requires a sweetener. Rather than banning it from your diet, you’re better off cutting back on sugar from ALL sources. That includes honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, agave syrup, and fruit-juice concentrate, which are found in many so-called “healthy” treats.

3. Eating at night won’t pack on more pounds than eating during the day.
TRUE
The only thing that matters is how much you eat over the course of a day. Excess calories from any source, eaten at any time, will be stored as fat unless you burn them off. On the other hand, stopping nighttime snacking can be an effective diet strategy. It reduces the amount of high-cal junk food we typically eat in front of the television after dinner.

VOCABULARY
Let’s find some synonyms. Compare your answers to your partner’s.
You can also try to write your own sentences using the new word.

For example true = correct, right false = incorrect, wrong
a. She’s a smart woman.
smart (adj.) ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
b. He crammed for an hour before the exam.
to cram (v) ____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

c. The government banned the book, Tom Sawyer.
to ban (v) _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
d. I have to cut back on the amount of salt I eat.
to cut back (v) __________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
e. Too much bread is fattening.
to be fattening (adj,) __________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
f. Exercise, but don’t overdo it.
to overdo (something) ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
g. It is approximately 4:00. I have approximately $5.
approximately (adverb)_________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
h. The airlines are now charging more money for excess weight.
excess (adjective) ____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
i. If you pour oil down the drain, it will clog it up.
to clog (v); clogging (adj.) ______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
j. After doing a wonderful performance at school, all the children ate their treats.
treats (noun, plural) (examples are fine) ____________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
k. She never eats a meal. She only snacks.
to snack (verb) ______________________________________________________
snacking (noun) ______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
l. I have a good strategy for learning new words – I write my own sentences for practice.
strategy (n)____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
k. My family typically goes to Chinatown for dim sum on Sundays.
typically (adv.) ________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

GRAMMAR

1. What verbs should you use with these words?
verb adjective verb noun
be different make a difference
interesting an interest
interested
expensive an expense
necessary a necessity

2.
Compare a noun to another noun using these ADJECTIVE + INFINITIVE “THAN”
faster to cook than
For example: White rice is faster to cook than brown rice.
Potatoes are faster to cook than corn.
YOUR TURN
Be careful. If your subject is plural, use a plural verb. If it’s singular, use a singular verb.
a.___________________________cheaper to produce than ______________________
b.___________________________safer to drive than ___________________________
c.___________________________better to eat than___________________________
d.___________________________more expensive to buy than_____________________
e.___________________________easier to use than ___________________________
f.___________________________tastier to drink than___________________________
g.___________________________nicer to talk to than ___________________________

3. A. BE BETTER OFF doing something
You’re better off _________ing than ______________ing something else.
For example: You’re better off taking the bus than walking.

I’m better off ______________________________ than __________________________
He’s ___________________________________________________________________
She was ________________________________________________________________


B. Rather than walking, you’re better off taking the bus.

Rather than eating candy, __________________________________________________
Rather than doing my homework in the afternoon, I’m ____________________________
Rather than ______________________________________________________________


Sugar content of selected common plant foods Fructose is a sugar found naturally in fruits and vegetables.

Fruit
apples apricots, bananas, grapes, peaches, pineapples, pears

Vegetables
red beets, carrots, sweet corn, sweet red peppers, sweet onion, sweet potatoes, yams, sugar cane, sugar beets

HFCS is a mixture of fructose and glucose that comes from corn and is used
in processed foods
soft drinks, yogurt, industrial bread, cookies, salad dressing, tomato soup

CONVERSATION
Talk to your partner and then write your answers in complete sentences.

1. It’s my birthday and I have invited you to my party. There is a big cake, and everybody is going to get a piece. You are trying to lose weight, and you think the cake looks too fattening, but you don’t want to insult me. You don’t want to eat any cake, so what could you say to me?


_____________________________________________________________

2. We are going on a picnic together. You are going to bring the chicken and I’m going to bring the fruit. What kind of fruit would you like me to bring?

_____________________________________________________________

3. We also have another friend who is going to join us for our picnic. We want him
or her to bring something to eat. We want it to be something nutritious. What should we ask that person to bring?

_____________________________________________________________
4. What do you like to eat in front of the television?

_____________________________________________________________

For Mother on Mother's Day

MOTHER (1914)
words by Howard Johnson
music by Theodore Morse

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

1. This is a song built on an ACROSTIC.

Acrostic poems are easy to write, and some of the easiest acrostic poems use names. Let’s pretend your name is Joe.

J
O
E

Now think of a word or a phrase that describes you that begins with the letter J. Then think of a word or phrase that begins with O. Finally, think of a word or phrase that begins with E. Here's what your acrostic poem might look like:

Jolly
Outgoing
Excellent

Try this: Write your first name vertically and pick some adjectives that describe you.

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2. What are the subjects and verbs in this song?
Subject Verb Tense

1. _________________ ________________ ______________
2. _________________ ________________ ______________
3. _________________ ________________ ______________
4. _________________ ________________ ______________
5. _________________ ________________ ______________
6. _________________ ________________ ______________
7. _________________ ________________ ______________
8. _________________ ________________ ______________
9. _________________ ________________ ______________
10. _________________ ________________ ______________
11. _________________ ________________ ______________
12. _________________ ________________ ______________
13. _________________ ________________ ______________

3. What rhymes with what?
a. “old” rhymes with _______________ b. “right” rhymes with ______________
c. “be” rhymes with ______________

4. What phrase means “to cry.” __________________________

5. What phrase means “she would give you anything she could”.


6. What phrase means “Nothing is more important than this. This is the most important thing to me.” _________________________________________________

7. In English, the phrase “She has a heart of gold” means what?

____________________________________________________________________________

8. If I say, “She means the world to me,” can you say this in other words?

___________________________________________________________________________
Tell me who means (or meant) the world to you.

Reduce Your Sodium Intake

The Sunday Examiner, March 29, 2009

Despite recommendations to limit sodium intake to reduce or avoid high blood pressure, Americans are eating more salt than ever.
The average American consumes about 3,000-5,000 mg of salt each day. The recommendation for healthy adults is 2,300 mg, which is equal to about 1 teaspoon of table salt (sodium chloride). Those who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure are urged to reduce intake to below 1,500 mg. Many struggle with lowering the sodium in their diets, but is it really that hard? It all depends on your food choices.
Where is the salt?
Though we can all picture friends who blindly reach for the saltshaker, only 6 percent of the sodium we eat comes from what we sprinkle. A staggering 77 percent of the sodium consumed by Americans comes from processed and restaurant foods. About 12 percent is naturally occurring in foods and 5 percent is added when cooking meals at home.
Sodium is used as a preservative to keep foods fresher longer and to enhance flavor. Some reduced-calorie foods replace fat with sodium to make up for the reduction in flavor.
What to do?
Check the labels on all packaged and processed foods for listings of sodium content. Some of the more common high-sodium foods include: cold cuts, salad dressings, snack foods, processed cheese, and canned foods. Often, the more “ready-to-eat” a packaged food is, like frozen entrees or soups, the more salt it most likely contains.
When it comes to your daily diet, choose whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and low-sodium options when available.
High-sodium menu items at restaurants may be more difficult to spot, but many restaurant chains are posting their nutrition information on their Web sites.
VOCABULARY and COMPREHENSION
1. sodium (n) = A mineral in the body, which is often called '"salt". The kidneys help to control the amount of sodium in the body. Sodium helps to control the amount of water in the body.

In reference to diet and food, SODIUM is the salt content of food. It is usually given in terms of "sodium." For instance, the label of a can of soup may list "Sodium 400 mg" per cup. Excess sodium from high sodium foods like French fries is excreted in the urine. Having too much or too little sodium in a person's body can cause the body's cells to not work properly. ( http://www.womenshealthzone.net/glossary/s/ )
2. intake (n) means what?
a. things we know b. things we say c. things we eat

3. to consume (verb) Americans consume a lot of salt.
a. like b. eat c. hate

4. to diagnose (verb) = determine or distinguish the nature of a problem or an illness through a diagnostic analysis
Who usually diagnoses the problem? _____________________________________

5. a staggering 77% (adjective) means causing great astonishment, amazement, or dismay; overwhelming
How did you feel when you heard this amount?
I _______________ _________________________________________________

6. Examples of processed foods are (make a check√)
a. _____crackers b. _________ milk c. _______apples d. _______cookies
e._______ lunch meats (like bologna and salami and sausages) f. ________chicken
g. _______pickles h. _____bread i. ______rice j. ____tomatoes k. ____eggs

7. What other foods (from the reading) are high in sodium?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
8. Sodium is used as a preservative. (noun)
a. added to protect against decay
b. added to make it taste good
c. added to give it a nice color

9.to enhance (verb) = to improve something by adding features.

10. Foods you buy in the supermarket that say they have less fat, add salt to make them taste better. Write the sentence from the reading that means the same as this sentence:
_____________________________________________________________________
11. the entrée (noun) a. What part of the meal is the entrée?


b. What part is the appetizer? ________________________________________

c, What part is the dessert? __________________________________________

12. a chain (noun) Can you tell me the names of a few business chains?


13. to post on a website = to share content
What are fast-food restaurants posting on their websites?
______________________________________________________________________

14. legumes (noun) Examples of legumes are beans, peas, lentils, soya, & peanuts

15. whole grains See picture:
Examples: whole wheat, brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, wholewheat pasta, corn, rye, barley
Whole grains are different from refined grains: white rice, white flour, pasta

GRAMMAR
1. MORE + noun than
Americans are eating more salt than ever.
I have more problems than before.
Dan drinks more Coke than he should.
2. LESS + non-count noun FEWER + count noun
My brother eats less salt and fewer cookies because he wants to lose weight.
He is making less money in his present job than he made in his last job

3. Write less or fewer with these nouns.
(You can use There is/there are/there was or there were in some of your sentences.)
a. ________________ movies
b. ________________ homework
c. ________________ vegetables
d. ________________ meat
e. ________________ water
f. ________________ jobs
g. ________________ American cars
4. Now write a sentence using the above phrases.
aa. ____________________________________________________________________
bb. ____________________________________________________________________
cc. ____________________________________________________________________
dd. ____________________________________________________________________
ee. ____________________________________________________________________
ff. ____________________________________________________________________
gg. ____________________________________________________________________
4. Despite is used with a noun in a phrase.
for example:
a. Despite the fact that I have a new job, I still can’t pay my bills.
b. In spite of the fact that I have a new job, I still can’t pay my bills.
c. Despite my new job, I still can’t pay my bills.
d. I still can’t pay my bills despite my new job.
the same meaning, but Even though , although , and though are used to introduce a clause
e. Even though I have a new job, I still can’t pay my bills.
f. Although I have a new job, I still can’t pay my bills.
g. Though I have a new job, I still can’t pay my bills.

aa. Despite my low-level of English, I am looking for a high-paying job.
bb. Even though I have a low-level of English, I am looking for a high-paying job.
YOUR TURN
A. Please try writing a sentence using DESPITE. Look at the examples.
__________________________________________________________________
B. Write a sentence using ALTHOUGH or EVEN THOUGH. (Don’t use BUT)


CONVERSATION
Talk to your partner and then write your answers.
1.How often do you look at the nutrition information on package labels?
Does that information influence you to buy or not to buy it?



2. Do you include legumes and whole grains in your diet? Which legumes do you eat? Which whole grains do you eat?

________________________________________________________________________

Advice for the Woman Looking for a Husband

Advice for the Woman who is looking for a Husband


1. It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job.

2. It is important that a man makes you laugh.

3. It is important to find a man whom you can count on and who won’t lie to you.

4. It is important that a man loves you and makes you feel you are #1.

5. It is important that these four men don't know each other.


GRAMMAR
Notice in the 5 sentences above that after IT IS IMPORTANT, you can use an infinitive OR a that clause.

Tell me what is important to you.
1.Use an infinitive


2. Use a that clause.


CONVERSATION

Talk to your partner and then write your answers in complete sentences.

1. What can a man do to help a woman around the house? Tell me three things.




2. Nowadays, do you think the man is the only one who should have a job? If not, what do you think?






3. If a person has a good sense of humor, that person can make you laugh or see something funny in a situation. If YOU have a good sense of humor, you can make another person laugh. Do you have a good sense of humor?



4. You can count on someone is another way of saying you can trust that person or rely on that person. You cannot count on a person who lies to you or cheats on you or cheats you. If, to count on someone is a quality that you like in a person. tell me why.



5. What does a spouse (or boyfriend or girlfriend) have to do to let the other person know he/she loves him/her?

If I Had You

sung by Bing Crosby

I could show the world how to smile
I could be glad all of the while
I could change the gray skies (clouds) to blue
if I had you.

I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals. I’d never mind.
I could start my life anew
if I had you

I could climb the snow-capped mountains,
Sail the mighty ocean wide.
I could cross the burning desert
if I had you by my side

I could be a king, dear uncrowned,
Humble or poor
Rich or renowned
There is just nothing I couldn't do
if I had you.

COMPREHENSION & VOCABULARY
1. In this song, what do gray clouds represent? What do blue skies represent?

2. Tell me, in other words, what does “I could leave the old days behind” mean?

____________________________________________________________________

3. Tell me, in other words, what does “I’d never mind” mean?
____________________________________________________________________

2. Tell me, in other words, what does “There is nothing I couln’t do” mean?
____________________________________________________________________

3. humble
a. at home
b. not proud or arrogant
c. falling apart

4. renowned
a. owned again
b. sold
c. well-known
5. anew I could start my life anew.
a. any time
b. again; once more; in a new and different way
c. then stop

GRAMMAR
1.
If for future thoughts, possibilities in the future
Use IF + past tense in the if clause and
COULD/WOULD/MIGHT + base form of the verb in the main clause
examples:
a. If I saved my money, I could buy a new car. (save)
b. If I were thinner, I would buy some new clothes. (be)
c. I could get up early in the morning if I had an alarm clock. (have)
d. I would fly to New York if I were rich. (be)

YOUR TURN
Tell me something about your future using an IF CLAUSE and a future thought with COULD/WOULD/MIGHT + base verb

_________________________________________________________________
2.
Look at the lyrics of the song (You can do this with a partner.)
and tell me everything that could happen in your future IF I HAD YOU.

1. If I had you, I could show the world how to smile.
2. If I had you, --------------_________________________________________________
3. If I had you, _________________________________________________
4. If I had you, _________________________________________________
5. If I had you, _________________________________________________
6. If I had you, _________________________________________________
7. I ________________________________________________ if I had you.
8. If I had you by my side, _________________________________________________
9. If I had you by my side, _________________________________________________
10. If I had you by my side, _________________________________________________
11. If I were ___________, ___________, ____________, _____________ (4 adjectives) , there is nothing I couldn’t do if I had you.
12. _________________________________________________if I had you,

CONVERSATION

Talk to your partner and then write your answer.
1.
Is there anyone who helped you start your life anew? Who is that person and what did he or she do to help you?










2.
If you had a wish about your future, tell me what would it be?

The Piano Man

by Elton John and sung by Billy Joel and Elton John

(1) It's nine o'clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in.
There's an old man sitting next to me
Makin' love to his tonic and gin.

(2) He says, "Son, can you play me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes.
But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete [ly]
When I wore a younger man's clothes."

La la la, dee da da
La la, dee da da da dum

Chorus:
Sing us a song, you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' all right.

(3) Now John at the bar is a friend of mine.
He gets me my drinks for free
And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there's some place that he'd rather be.
He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me."
As the smile ran away from his face.
"Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place"

Oh, la la la, de da da
La la, di da da da dum

(4) Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he's talkin' with Davy, who's still in the Navy
And probably will be for life.

(5) And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinkin' alone.

Chorus
Sing us a song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you got us feeling all right

(6) It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me* they've been comin' to see
To forget about life for a while.
And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"

Oh, la la la, dee da da
La la, dee da da da dum

Chorus:
Sing us a song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you got us feeling all right.

COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY
(Please talk to your partner and then write your answers in complete sentences.)
1. Where is this story taking place? and When is it taking place?

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2. Who is telling this story?


3. One of the customers asked for a song that was a memory for him. He said he knew the whole song when he “wore a younger man’s clothes.” What does that mean?



4. What is a CHORUS in a song?

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5. Who sings the CHORUS in this song?
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6. What is John’s job?
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7. “This is killing me. “ What does this expression mean in this song?

8. What would John rather be doing?
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9. What does Paul do? Tell me two things. Also, is he married?
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10. What does Davy do?
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11. What does it mean that the businessmen are slowly getting “stoned.”
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12.Are the businessmen in the bar by themselves or with someone?
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13. Who do the customers come to see in this piano bar?
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14. What does, “put bread in my jar” mean?
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GRAMMAR

1. There’s an old man sitting next to me makin’ love to his tonic and gin.

One BE verb is enough for this present progressive grammar construction.
An old man is sitting and making = There is an old man sitting . . .

(Use this sentence as a model, and answer this question.)
1. Who is sitting next to you and what is that person doing?

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2. subject + be verb = subject
It’s me. (spoken English) It’s I. (standard English)

Practice this dialogue:
A: I’m calling to talk to Ms. Jones.
B: This is she.
A: I’m sorry. I meant Mr. Jones. Can I speak to your husband.
B: Yes. Just a minute. Honey, telephone!
C: Hello?
A: Is this Mr. Jones?
C: Yes. This is he. How can I help you?

3. Songs are like poems. Many have rhyming words. What words rhyme in this song?

a, In verse 1, what rhymes with IN? _________________
b. In verse 2, what rhymes with GOES? _______________
c. In the chorus, what words rhyme? ______________________________
d. In verse 3, what words rhyme ___________________________________

e. In verse 4, what words rhyme with WIFE? _________________
DAVY rhymes with _______________
f. In verse 5, STONED almost rhymes with __________________
g. In verse 6, what word rhymes with SMILE? ________________
BEER rhymes with __________________
CONVERSATION
Answer the questions and tell your partner WHY!
would rather be
I would rather be healthy than rich. (adj.)
I’d rather be a doctor than a lawyer. (noun)
I’d rather be in San Francisco than in any other place. (prepositional phrase)
1. Is there somewhere else you’d rather be?

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would rather be + ing
I would rather be swimming right now.

John says that he’d rather be somewhere else than where he is.
He’s in a bar, but maybe he’d rather be in Hollywood.

2. You are in school right now. Is there something else you’d rather be doing?

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would rather _+ another base-form verb.
_______I would rather eat vegetables than meat.
I’d rather drive than fly to Los Angeles.
I’d rather use my cell phone than my land line.
.3. Is there something else you’d rather do ?

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