MY FAVOURITE BALLET

Read the text and find out why the performance impressed the author.

"Giselle" is my favourite ballet. It is an old ballet about a peasant girl who is in love

with a nobleman in disguise. She finds out that he is betrothed to someone else and goes mad with grief and dies. That is Act One. In Act Two her spirit rises from the grave to join the mysterious Wilis, the ghosts of girls who died before their wedding days. The Queen of the Wilis tries to take revenge on the young nobleman and makes him dance with them until he dies; but Giselle manages to save him. That is the story. The music is old-fashioned, but it was written specially for the ballet and so fits perfectly all the scenes and dances. The costumes and scenery are fairly traditional - the girls wear long beautiful dresses, and the men wear tights and tunics. It always has a very charming effect - but when two superb artists dance in it, it is very much more than charming. The modest, lovely peasant girl lives in a cottage with her mother and picks grapes with her friends and leads them in dances; the young count runs away from the oppressive life of the court dressed in simple clothes. He falls in love with an unspoilt girl although he is betrothed to a princess. When the princess and her father come to the village, they recognize the count, and tell Giselle the truth. Giselle goes mad. There is not a sound in the audience while pitifully she tries to dance and remembers with horror that Albrecht has deceived her. Every expression, every moment, every gesture of the ballerina goes straight to our hearts so that we can share with her in moment of the tragedy. The performances of the ballet dancers in "Giselle" are superb.

Exercise

Answer the questions:

1. What is the libretto of the ballet about?
2. What were the costumes and scenery like?
3. What was especially charming?
4. Why did Giselle go mad?
5. What was the audience’s reaction ?

DISNEYLAND PARK

Read the leaflet and find out what tours are available in Disneyland Park.

Disneyland Tickets and Passports.Purchase your One-, Two- or Three-Day Disneyland Passports and Child Passports (for ages 3 - 11) at any Main Entrance ticket booth. Visa, Master Card and American Express are accepted. Children of two and under are admitted free.

Each passport provides unlimited use of all adventures and attractions (except Arcades).

Guided tours.If it is your first time to Disneyland, or you have a limited amount of time, we'd like to recommend our three- and a half-hour guided tour. Discover little known facts about Walt Disney and his magic kingdom and experience several attractions with your Disneyland host or hostess.

Foreign languages tours are offered.

Disney Dollars.Use Disney Dollars for all your buying throughout Disneyland. Available in $ 1, $ 5 and $ 10 denominations at a one-for-one exchange rate with U. S. currency, Disney Dollars can be purchased at all ticket booths. Cash in on the fun!

First Aid. First Aid is located at the east end of Main Street next to Plaza Inn. A registered nurse is on duty all the time.

Lost and Found.Claim your lost items at Lost and Found, located on the east side of Main Street, around the corner from the Market House.

Attractions.No matter what the season, the best time to see the most popular attractions is early in the day (before noon) and just before closing. Also, plan on eating your meals early or late, don't hold off until the end of the day. The shops are usually busiest at that time.

Safety Considerations.Shoes and shirts must be worn all the time in Disneyland. We request that no food or beverages be brought into Disneyland. A picnic area is located west of the Main Entrance for your convenience.

Disney Characters.Find Disney Characters throughout Disneyland at any given time. You can usually see Mickey Mouse and his friends in Town Square (except during parades). Just keep your eyes open and your camera ready.

Exercise

Correct the wrong statements:

1. Children of two and under should pay for the entrance.

2. Visa, Master Card and others are not accepted.

3. Only English language tours are offered.

4. Use Russian roubles for all your buying throughout Disneyland.

5. A registered nurse is on duty from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m.

6. If you have lost something in the park, it’s impossible to find it.

7. The best time to see the most popular attractions is in the evening.

8. Shoes and shirts must be taken off all the time in Disneyland.

9. We request that food and beverages be brought into Disneyland.

10. Photographing is not allowed in the park.

1. 14. DO YOU LIKE MUSIC?

Find in the text and read out what it means to be a real music listener

Everybody likes music, some people prefer classical music, others are fond of light mu­sic. But are all of them good listeners? One of the most important things is to learn to be a good listener. Only then can one learn to understand music. You may say: "It's very easy! We hear lots of sounds around us," But hearing is not listening. Are we really listening to music on the radio while working, before leaving for school or after coming home?

I think not, because our ears take in many other sounds besides music, such as: the noises from outside, some conversations, and a baby's crying.

To be a good listener means to listen to music without doing anything else. And that's not very easy. It's necessary to prac­tise it for rather a long time: to sit still and to concen­trate on listening. At last it will become a habit.

That's one thing. The other is to read about com­posers whose music we are interested in, about their works, about the conditions under which those people had to live and create. Peo­ple often say: "I often go to concerts, as I like music very much." It means that they may go to a concert of chamber or light music, attend a symphony concert, a piano, a violin or a choir concert. It's all the same for them. Does it mean that they love music if they don't understand it? And what about you?

Exercise

Match the beginnings and the ends of the sentences:

EGYPTIAN ARTS

Read the text and find the names of the most famous Arabic writers and film stars:

Egypt has a strong cultural history. Some of the greatest Arabic writers, musicians and craftsmen have been Egyptians. In this century Taha Hussein, Tawfiq Al Hakim and Naguib Mahfouz are probably the best known writers in Arabic.

However, it is Egyptian television and films that are of particular importance everywhere in the Arab World. They are as important here as Hollywood films and TV programmes are in most Western nations. Egyptian popular music is of similar importance.

Perhaps the most important time for films in the Egyptian cinema was between 1940 and 1950, however. At this time, two of the greatest Egyptian film stars, Omar Sharif and Fatin Hamama were known by everyone. Sharif also became an international star, Now, Adel Emam is probably the ­most popular actor.

Nobel prize-winning novelist Naguib Mahfouz and other famous Egyptian writers wrote for the Egyptian cinema during its greatest time, but nowadays, fewer good writers are interested in writing for the cinema. Perhaps the most interesting work in Egyptian film is now in documentaries, Attyat El Abnoudy for example, is famous internationally as a director and is believed by many to be the finest Arab film-maker now working in documentary cinema. She has won many international prizes and is often invited to judge short films at international festivals. Attyat El Abnoudy studied at the Egyptian Film Institute and at the International Film and Television School in England. Two of Abnoudy's recent documentaries are 'Kawya', about a woman artist living in a small village, and 'Girls Still Dream' about the problems of Egyptian teenage girls today. Abnoudy has made over 20 films and won more than 30 international awards.

Goldsmithing and silvermithing are an important part of modern Egyptian culture. Azza Fahmy and her sister, Randa Fahmy, working in the ancient art of Mamluki metalwork, have become internationally famous. Azza Fahmy has held exhibitions of her work in the USA and Europe as well as throughout the Arab World.

Exercise

Answer the questions:

1. Is it true that Egyptian television and films are of particular importance everywhere in the Arab World?
2. When was the most important time for films in the Egyptian cinema?
3. What actors are the greatest Egyptian film stars?
4. Are there any Nobel prize-winning novelists in Egypt?
5. What is Attyat El Abnoudy famous for?

FREDDIE MERCURY

Read the text and find out why the singer was so popular.

TEN YEARS AGO, on November 23rd, Freddie Mercury announced to the world that he had AIDS. Just the next day, his fight was over, and he died peacefully at his home surround­ed by his friends. He was 45.

"Some people can take second best, but I can't, I look uponit as a defeat. If you've got the taste of being number one, then number two isn't good enough," Freddie said about himself.

Having always been musically and artisti­cally gifted, Freddie was a perfectionist in everything he did. He also loved challenge. How many rock stars would ever agree to appear on stage with the Royal Ballet company singing Bohemian Rhapsody upside down?

"Singing upside down was a wonderful experience. I always love a challenge. I'd like to see Mick Jagger or Rod Stewart try and do something like that," Freddie said.

Off stage Freddie was entirely different. He was shy and lonely and often suspicious of people.

"I don't trust anybody, because they've let me down so many times. I feel like I'm walk­ing around with scars all over my body, I just think I couldn't take another scar."

After buying a beautiful house in Kensington, Freddie liked nothing better than to surround himself with close friends, prefer­ring to throw dinner parties than go out to bars and restaurants.

Freddie's birthday parties were extravagant. He could splash out £59,000 to entertain his guests.

"I cope very well with my sudden wealth. I spend, spend, spend. I like buying presents for people - that's the fun of having money. I'm not one of those artists who'll stuff it in a mat­tress and count it every night."

Freddie also admitted that money hadn't brought him happiness.

"To be honest, the more money you make the more miserable you become," he said. "It attracts all kinds of wrong people. Life becomes a kind of survival test..."

No one knows exactly how long Freddie knew he had the AIDS virus because he didn't tell anyone, even the band, for a long time.

"It would be boring to live to be 70," he joked one day. "I have lived a full life and if I'm dead tomorrow, I don't give a damn."

Exercise

True or false?

1. Freddie Mercury died peacefully at his home surround­ed by his friends.

2. If you've got the taste of being number one, then number two is also good ," Freddie said about himself.

3. Freddie was a perfectionist in everything he did.

4. Off stage Freddie was the same as on the stage.

5. "I don't trust anybody, because they've let me down so many times. “

6. Freddie liked nothing better than to surround himself with close friends.

7. He didn’t like buying presents.

8. " The more money you make the happier you become," Freddie said.

9. No one knows exactly how long Freddie knew he had the AIDS virus because he didn't tell anyone, even the band, for a long time.

HORROR FILMS

Read the text and find the titles of the films. Have you seen them?

AAAAHHHHH! The audience screams. Up on the screen a horrible monster steps out of the coffin. Many of the people in the cinema cover their eyes, too afraid to look. But do any of them leave? No! They are screaming and they have goose bumps on their arms, but these people are having fun.It is a wild and stormy night. A bat flies across the sky and an owl hoots sadly. A flash of lightning lights up the graveyard. A strange sound comes from the earth. Suddenly the ground begins to open. There lies a coffin that has been buried for a hundred years. The lid of the coffin moves. Something inside the coffin is lifting the lid...

Some of the earliest films were horror films. It didn't take the film industry long to realise that people enjoy being scared. The first horror films, like Nosferatu and The Phantom of the Opera, were made in the 1920s. Although they were silent films, they were still able to send a chill down people's spines. Then came the 'golden age of horror'- the 1930s. This is when classic films such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy and King Kong were made.

It is often said that the monsters in these films 'had a heart'. Audiences could understand why they did terrible things. Modern horror films, however, are different. They are more violent than the old horror films. The villains are often people, not supernatural monsters like the Wolf Man or Frankenstein's monster. And the victims are often teenagers.

Godzilla: a review

Some French scientists on an island in the Pacific Ocean accidentally create a monster. This giant lizard destroys a few fishing boats. Then he goes to New York. Here he walks through the streets of the city. He knocks over buildings and kills people as he goes. Godzilla is looking for somewhere to lay his (or her?) eggs.

Sounds like fun? Well, it isn't. The script is terrible and the story isn't very interesting. The first film about Godzilla was a 1954 Japanese film called Gojira. The monster in Gojira was just a man in a rubber lizard suit. But he had millions of fans. Although millions of dollars were spent on special effects for the new film, it's boring. It's not even scary. It's a shame Godzilla ever left Tokyo!

HORROR QUIZ

Test your knowledge of horror films.

1. This film was made in 1996. It made fun of 'slasher' films like Halloween and Friday the 13th. ('Slasher' films are horror films where lots of teenagers get killed.) What is the name of the film?
2. Jaws is one of the most famous films of all time. What type of animal terrorises the people of Amity Island where the story takes place?
3. The main character in Silence of the Lambs is a murderer who eats his victims. The character is played by Anthony Hopkins. What is the name of the recent sequel to this film?
4. In the 1993 film Jurassic Park, what type of creatures are created by the scientists?
5. What is the name of the villain in the Nightmare on Elm Street films?

(Answers: 1. Scream; 2. a great white shark; 3. Hannibal; 4. dinosaurs; 5. Freddy Krueger)

Exercise

Circle the best answer, a, b, c or d, to each of the following questions.

1. The first horror films were

a. silent films.

b. musicals.

c. children's films,

d. films for television.

2. Horror films these days are

a. less violent than they used to be.

b. just as violent as they used to be.

c. more violent than they used to be.

d. not violent at all.

3. At the cinema, teenagers like to be scared

a. on their own.

b. with friends.

c. with their parents.

d. with their teachers.

4. The review of Godzilla says that the film is

a. fun.

b. boring.

c. interesting.

d. sad.

5. The monster in Gojira was

a. a teenager.

b. a shark.

c. a mass murderer.

d. a man dressed up in a rubber lizard suit.

6. Anthony Hopkins played the main character in

a. Jaws.

b. Silence of the Lambs.

c. Halloween.

d. Jurassic Park.

1. 18. INTERVIEW WITH A MUSICIAN

Read the interview with a guitarist and find out what countries he has been to.

(I = Interviewer, P = Paul Carrack)

I - How long have you been in the music business, Paul?

P- For about twenty years, I guess. I've never had another job, er . . . no, never. I've only been a musician.

I - And how old were you when you started playing?

P - It was when I was just a kid, I taught myself to play. I tried a few instruments - first the drums - that was when I was only five. After that it was the piano, and then, later keyboards.

I - Do you play any other instruments?

P - Only the guitar. I play the guitar sometimes. That's all.

I - When did you start playing professionally?

P - While I was still at school. I left school at sixteen. I was playing in a band, working on Saturday evenings in pubs and clubs. When I left school, my only ambition was to be in a pop group.

I - And which groups have you played with over the years?

P - Let me see - I'll try and remember. I've played with Roxy Music, and The Smiths,.I've given concerts with them. And then I've made records with the Pretenders and Madness - and of course Ace, I mustn't forget Ace.

I - Why is Ace so important to you?

P- Well, I had my first hit record with Ace,. that was in 1974. The song was called How long? and it was a big hit all over the world.

I - And now you're with Mike and the Mechanics. How long have you played with them?

P - Since 1985. We've made a couple of records and we've done two tours of America. I'm the singer - the vocalist. Mike plays the guitar.

I - Do you travel a lot?

P - Well, er...I often think that I've travelled all over the world, but I haven't really. I've worked a lot in Europe and Germany, France, Italy, and then of course in America. I always wanted to work in America. I was really pleased when some of my records were successful there. But there are lots of places I haven't been to yet - Eastern Europe, Japan, South America ... I'd love to play in these places.

I - Paul - you've obviously made a lot of records. Do you know exactly how many?

P - That's a difficult question...

I - Well about how many?

P - Oh, I don't know. Perhaps about twenty, yeah, probably about twenty.

I - And have you always worked wilh groups? Have you ever made a record on your own?

P - Yes, last summer. I made it in the summer and it came out in October. It is called Groove Approved.

I - And is it doing well?

P - Well, quite well, especially in America. My records are often played on radio there - more than here in Britain. People have heard of me there .I'm not a superstar - of course I'm not - but people know my name and then they buy my albums!

I - And so this has been a busy year for you?

P - Yes. Yes, I've had a very busy year. I've toured the States twice with Mike and the Mechanics and ... I've made my own album ... and I've done a tour of Germany ... So yeah, a busy year, but a good one.

I - And something you've forgotten!

P - What's that?

I - You've had a number one record. You were top of the pops in February!

P - That's right! It was called The Living Years. It was number one in Britain and in America!

Exercise

Answer the questions:

1 How many jobs has Paul had?

2 Did he have music lessons?

3 Was he already making money as a musician when he left school?

4 What was special about the song How long?.

5 Did he want to go to America?

6 Why do his records do well in America?

7 He has had a busy year. What has he done?

TOM HANKS

Read the text and find the names of the films in which Tom Hanks starred.

FACT FILE

Born 9 July 1956, California. His parents divorced when he was five. He and his older brother and sister went to live with their father, a travelling cook who moved all over California.

As a child he wanted to be an astronaut.

His first job at 14 was selling peanuts at the Oakland Coliseum baseball ground in California.

In his teens Tom changed his name to Thorn because he thought it sounded more interesting. Thankfully he changed it back again when he left school. His first film role was as a morgue attendant in the horror spoof "He Knows You're Alone," made in 1980.

Since then Tom has starred in almost 30 movies, including "Sleepless in Seattle", "Apollo 13", "Big Splash", "Philadelphia" and "Forest Gump".

Tom has just finished filming "You've Got Mail", a romantic comedy with Meg Ryan. Look out for it early next year.

ТОМ HANKS AND HIS NEW FILMS

Tom Hanks stars in "Saving Private Ryan" (released in the USA in 1998), the most powerful film of his career. It's a bitterly realistic epic about World War II, directed by Steven Spilberg and can be a hard film to watch at times, though it may win Hanks a third Oscar.

Tom was totally unprepared for the effect that "Saving Private Ryan" would have on him. The film plot is simple but intense; three of the four Ryan's brothers have been killed in combat within 48 hours and their mother faces receiving the news on the same day. Her surviving son. Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), is trapped behind enemy lines. Hank's character, Captain John Miller, and his unit is ordered to find him back.

Here we see a very different Hanks to the one we're used to. This time he isn't playing an overgrown schoolboy ("Big"), a loveable romantic(" Sleepless in Seattle"), a sportsman ("A League of Their Own") or an astronaut ("Apol­lo 13"). His latest character reveals a completely new side to him.

. "I wanted to see it by myself," he says. "This is the first film I've been in where my character kills people or is badly hurt, I sobbed uncontrollable- not because of what happens to my character, but because the movie hit me in a way I wasn't prepared for".

I'm lucky that my success has come slowly. My first film was 18 years ago and there have been lots of flops. But I made my bad decisions away from the spotlights. Had success been overnight, I'd probably have had problems like some younger star's. Hanks recognises that his wealth and fame may still bring problems for his children. "I do try to be a common sense parent." he says.

Exercise

Answer the questions:

1. What jobs did Tom Hanks try before he became an actor?
2. How many movies did Tom star in?
3. What was unusual for Tom in his work for the film "Saving Private Ryan"?
4. What is the film about?

1. 20. JAZZ – A NEW ERA IN MUSIC

Read about the origin of jazz and find out what people can be considered the pioneers of jazz.

Like America's society, jazz evolved from a great variety of peoples and cultures. Its earliest elements could be heard all over the South - in cities, the backcountry and lumber camps. But the best jazz came out of New Or­leans, Louisiana, the bustling trade center in the Mississippi delta. Here was a cultural crossroads that by 1900 was host to a variety of musical styles, including African chants, work songs, marching brass bands, country blues and gospel. In some way this diversity of musical styles combined to create a unique American art form: jazz mu­sic.

No one person invented jazz, but two men stand out as pioneers. One was cornet player Buddy Bolden. He took the well-known slow, mournful blues and played them with a new vigor and passion. On fast numbers he would improvise, or make up, breathtaking solos, which soon became an expected part of jazz. The other pioneer was "Jelly Roll" Morton. He was the first great jazz composer. The "stomping" beat that Morton added to his piano-playing style became his trademark. He began writing lively tunes around this beat. Because of Morton, jazz was changed from piano-playing solos to big-band music.

By 1900 jazz had acquired the three key components that set it apart from other musical styles: its unique beat, its improvisational style and its distinctive blues qua­lity. These ingredients set the tone for a new era in music.

Exercise

Match the beginnigs and the endings:

1. 21. LONDON’S MUSEUMS

Study the following advertisements with your friend and decide where to go.Read out the sentences which defined your choice.

a) London is a big city famous for many things, but peace and quiet isn't really one of them!

Jason's trip can change all that. For one and a half hours you can enjoy peace and tranquillity, just the gentle sound the engine powering a 1906 canal boat. It is a genuine piece of history and it travels a historic route too. It is an essential part of any visit to London. Jason's Trip starts on the Grand Union Canal in Blomfield Road, soon you'll be in Little Venice, one of London's prettiest areas. From there you will pass rows of brightly painted narrow boats before entering the Maida Hilt Tunnel. After the Tunnel you enter Regent's Park. Then comes the Zoo and you will get an excellent view of the Aviatory before turning past the new floating Chinese restaurant, unique in London, and passing the Pirates Castle. Finally you reach Camden Lock. We can offer you lunchtime meals and a choice of home made traditional afternoon teas.

b) THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY. It was founded in 1856 to collect the likeness of famous British men and women. Today the collection is the most comprehensive of its kind in the world, and constitutes a unique record of the men and the women who created (and are still creating) the history and culture of nation. The Gallery houses a primary collection of over nine thousand works, as well as an immense archive. The gallery continues to develop its role through its constantly changing displays, its programme of international exhibitions, and the annual portrait competition for young artists.

c) GUINNESS WORLD OF RECORDS EXHIBITION. Experience the Guiness World of Records, Europe's greatest three dimensional display of all that is superlative around the globe. The exhibition, imaginatively divided into six "worlds", brings the famous Guiness Book of Records vividly to life. Through the use of life size models, videos and the latest audio-technology, thousands of records come alive at the touch of a button. Now divided into six themed areas depicting The Human World, The Animal World, Planet Earth, Structures and Machines, Sports World and the World of Entertainment.

d) BARBICAN CENTRE. Welcome to the Barbican centre -"The City's gift to the nation". The range and quality of activity taking place under one roof cannot be matched anywhere else in the world: the Centre presents the best in music, theatre, cinema and the visual arts while offering superb facilities for conferences, seminars and business exhibitions.

Open 363 days each year, the Centre offers over 2000 events to 2 million visitors, with facilities including a concert hall, two theatres, two art galleries, two exhibition halls and three cinemas, as well as the public library, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, a conservatory, shops, bars and restaurants. The world famous resident London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Shakespeare Company provide the distinguished backbone of the arts programme. Standing half a mile from St Paul's Cathedral, the Guildhall and the Bank of England, the Barbican Centre is situated within the ancient City of London: a "barbican" is a fortified tower or gateway on city battlements, and the Centre is near the site of the City's Roman Wall.

Exercise

What place are these descriptions about?

1. ... continues to develop its role through its constantly changing displays.

2. ... standing half a mile from St Paul's Cathedral.

3. For one and a half hours you can enjoy peace and tranquillity.

4. ... is divided into six themed areas.

5. "The City's gift to the nation"

6. ... is near the site of the City's Roman Wall.

7. It is an essential part of any visit to London.

8. ...houses a primary collection of over nine thousand works, as well as an immense archive.

MUSIC AWARDS

Read the text about “Platinum Europe” and find out what it is.

Over 80 stars from the world of music became the first to be award­ed the new "Platinum Europe" award for sales of over 1 million records in Europe since January 1994. Among the winners congratulated by President of the European Commission Jacques Santer were Patricia Kaas, the Swedish group "Ace of Base", and the Greek Singer Nana Mouskouri, who is now a Member of the European Parliament.

The "Platinum Europe" award is the initiative of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), which represents over 1100 record producers in 70 countries, including such world famous names as BMG, EMI, MCA, PolyGram, Sony and Warner.

Congratulating the winners, Mr. Santer said that the musicians' creative talents and the efforts of the record producers had together established the music industry as one of the most successful sectors in European business. Europe today is one of the largest music mar­kets in the world, and with a volume of $13.4 billion it represents a third of world-wide sales. European artists make up 60% of records sold in the EU.

Exercise

Complete the sentences:

1. Among the winners congratulated by President of the European Commission Jacques Santer were:... ...

2. The "Platinum Europe" represents.. ..... ......

3. Congratulating the winners, Mr. Santer said... ... ......

4. Europe today is ... ... ...

5. European artists make up ... ... .....

PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Have you ever heard of progressive rock? Read about its history and find out what types of music influenced it.

In about 1967 a lot of pop music became "serious". Musi­cians, many of them influenced by classical jazz and folk music, tried to make more interesting music than the standard three-minute pop song. A lot of British musicians were also influenced by the "hippie" movement, which spread from San Francisco, and which believed in love and peace and drugs. They called their music "progressive" or "rock" to show the difference from simple "pop music”.

The Beatles became hippies and made Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. People described the music as "psychede­lic"- an adjective invented to describe the effects of drugs like LSD. Procul Harum had a hit with A Whiter Shade of-Pale, with a tune based on a piece of music by Bach. The Nice, led by Keith Emerson (later in Emerson, Lake and Palmer) played rock versions of several classical pieces, inclu­ding one of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Rick Wakeman of Yes was also a classically-trained musician.

Perhaps the most famous of these "underground" groups, as they were called in the late 1960s, were the Pink Floyd. They played songs about space travel, and long instrumentals (pieces of music without words), on albums like Saucer full of Secrets (1968) and Ummagumma (1969). In 1973 they made The Dark Side of the Moon, a series of songs about the fear of being old, poor, lonely and mad. Unlike many other groups which were famous in the late 1960s, the Floyd are still making records, like The Wall (1979), which included more songs about problems and mad­ness. Other famous "progressive" groups from the last ten years have included the Soft Machine, Traffic, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Supertramp and Genesis. Perhaps the most famous indivi­dual is Mike Oldfield. In 1973 he made a long piece of music on a tape recorder, playing different tunes on guitars, mandolin, piano, organ, etc. This was Tubular Bells, which sold over one million copies in Britain. Oldfield has written more long pieces: rock music influenced by English folk music and classical composers like Vaughan Williams and Delius.

But a lot of people didn't like this new, serious music, and in 1976 loud, simple, exciting music returned: punk!

Exercise

Complete the sentences:

1. A lot of British musicians were also influenced ... ..... ...
2. “Psychede­lic"- is an adjective ... .... ....
3. Rick Wakeman of Yes was... ... ...
4. Pink Floyd played songs about ... ... ...
5. In 1973 Mike Oldfield made ... ... .....

6. In 1976 ... ... ...

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1323