Arcade Fire, "My Body Is a Cage"

Audio, Sarah Lov:  

Sara Lov — My Body Is a Cage на Яндекс.Музыке

Amazon.com purchase link Arcade Fire Amazon.com purchase link Sarah Lov Amazon.com purchase link Peter Gabriel My Body Is a Cage, Arcade Fire (Jeremy Gara / Richard Parry / Régine Chassagne / Tim Kingsbury / William Butler / Win Butler ) (Other singers' versions differ slightly.) Chorus: My body is a cage That keeps me from dancing with the one I love But my mind holds the key [x2] I’m standing on the stage Of fear and self-doubt It’s a hollow play But they’ll clap anyway Chorus You’re standing next to me My mind holds the key I’m living in an age That calls darkness light Though my language is dead Still the shapes fill my head I’m living in an age Whose name I don’t know Though the fear keeps me moving Still my heart beats so slow Chorus
You’re standing next to me
My mind holds the key
My body is a...

My body is a cage
We take what we’re given
Just because you’ve forgotten,
That don’t mean you’re forgiven

I’m living in an age
That screams my name at night
But when I get to the doorway
There’s no one in sight

I’m living in an age
They laugh and I’m dancing
With the one I love
But my mind holds the key

You’re still next to me
My mind holds the key

Set my spirit free [x2]
Set my body free [x2]
...

Groups 201-204 Homework: Alex writes from Vancouver, British Columbia

Anders Jacobsen. Source.

You have received the following letter from your English-speaking pen friend Alex:

Hello from Vancouver! The newspapers are full of interesting news from Sochi. It reminds me of four years ago, when the Winter Olympics were here in Vancouver. Some events took place just a couple of kilometers from my house. Will you go to Sochi for the 2014 games? Which Olympic sports are especially interesting to you? Do you participate in winter sports yourself?

My grandfather likes to tell me about his younger years, when he was a ski jumper.

Answer Alex's three questions, and ask him three questions about his grandfather. Write between 100 and 150 words in 20 minutes, and remember the rules of letter-writing. Please be ready to read your letter next week.

The Rasmus, "Save Me Once Again"

This is The Rasmus's 20th anniversary year as a band!

Audio:

The Rasmus — Save Me Once Again на Яндекс.Музыке

Amazon.com purchase link
Lyrics by the Rasmus:

Like a stone I'll go down
I'm too far to be found
Got no place for the storm
All the love that I found
Couldn't turn me around
Drift away all alone

Don't say this is the end
I think I'm lost again

Thank you for your patience
The time that you gave me
I think I never knew
You were trying to save me
Free me from the shadow
That lay on my shoulder
Please don't say it's over, it's over, it's over

I confess I was weak
Got my heart full of greed
Wanted more than I need

I'm standing on the edge
Afraid of emptiness
Don't leave me
I'm begging you my friend

Thank you for your patience
The time that you gave me
I think I never knew
You were trying to save me
Free me from the shadow
That lay on my shoulder
Please don't say it's over, it's over, it's over

Don't say that it's the end
I think I'm lost again
I'm standing on the edge
Don't leave me
I'm begging you my friend
Save me once again
Would you save me once again
Would you save me once again
Would you save me once again

Groups 201-205 Homework: Use these words and phrases in complete sentences

Gilles Pelletier; source.

... in the sense we talked about in our listening comprehension class this week. Please use each word or phrase in a complete sentence. You may use more than one of these words and phrases in a single sentence, but make sure that the sentences make sense.

Please bring your homework to class next week.

Choose at least fifteen of these words and phrases:

from exercise one
improve (transitive, intransitive)
convenience
hustle and bustle
takeaway
plenty of
pleasantly surprised
loads of
the wrong sort of people

from exercise two
studying for
it works well / doesn't work well
on your own

from exercise three
dull
fond memories
developers
outlet
eyesore

---

Exercise adapted from Olga Afanasyeva, Virginia Evans, Victoria Kopylova, Practice Exam Papers for the Russian State Exam, 2010 Revised Edition, Moscow: Express Publishing/Prosveshchenie Publishers. 

Erin McKeown, "The Jailer"

Here's the version we heard in class, recorded at radio station WFUV:


Listen or download Erin McKeown The Jailer on Pleer

Amazon.com purchase link.

The song was written by Erin McKeown.

break my back and tie my hands
send me to the jailer
for every man that jailer keeps
his soul is getting darker

the jailer rules a stolen land
king of wicked pleasures
try to cross him if you can
scar across the desert

you can't keep us out! (4x)
try to stop the water!
try to stop a fire!
try to stop a culture!

[in his] secret heart the jailer knows
how like he is his prisoners
though he sleeps on finest sheets
his dreams will make him nervous

now fearing this, the jailer locks
a fist around his power
never mind when doubt creeps in
a sound over his shoulder

you can't keep us out! (4x)
try to stop the water!
try to stop a fire!
try to stop a culture!

bee's gonna bake a honey cake
wolves gonna eat the weakest
the nature of the jailer is
to do just what he pleases
but when we hang another man
part of us dies with him
lock your soul up piece by piece
show me just what love is
show me just what love is
show me what is just ...

you can't keep us out! (4x)
try to stop the water!
try to stop a fire!
try to stop a culture!

© 2012 Erin McKeown
[transcribed from live session at WFUV; official lyrics are on her Web site, erinmckeown.com/lyrics/lyrics_manifestra/jailer.html]

Groups 201-204 Homework: Another chance for YOU to create homework

. . . by writing a letter that someone else might answer as a ЕГЭ exercise.

You've done this before, but this time you are writing as yourself, not as a fictional "pen friend." Describe an experience or situation in your own life here in your own country and city, and ask your reader three questions about the equivalent in his or her life and country. Remember to do your own work; if you want to quote another writer--for example, a few lines from a news story--mark the quotation clearly and name the author and source.

In the second section of the homework, mention some recent interesting event in your life or city. According to the ЕГЭ exercise format, your correspondent is supposed to ask you three questions about your news, but you don't have to worry about that. Just supply the news.

Please bring this assignment to class (or send it in electronically) by Wednesday or Thursday of next week.

Use this format:

Tracy Chapman, "Give Me One Reason to Stay Here"

The video above shows her performing the song on the television program Saturday Night Live, years before the song became her biggest hit. You can also see the official video of that hit here.

On Tracy Chapman in English, in Russian.

Here's the audio version we used in class.

And this version is by the great blues harpist Junior Wells:


Writer: CHAPMAN, TRACY L

Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Said I don't want leave you lonely
But you got to make me change my mind

Baby I got your number and I know that you got mine
But you know that I called you, I called too many times
You can call me baby, you can call me anytime
But you got to call me

Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Said I don't want leave you lonely
But you got to make me change my mind

I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life
I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night

This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
But I'm too old to go chasing you around
Wasting my precious energy

Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Said I don't want leave you lonely
But you got to make me change my mind

Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why
Baby just give me one reason, Give me just one reason why I should stay
Because I told you that I loved you
And there ain't no more to say

Groups 201-204 homework: use these words and phrases in complete sentences

... in the sense we talked about in our listening comprehension class this week. Please bring your homework to class next week.

Choose at least FIFTEEN of these nineteen words and phrases:

(from exercise 1)
making a difference
get involved
head start
satisfying
better opportunities
active [in the community]
in progress
arts and crafts

(from exercise 2)
think twice
dropping litter (littering)
get rid of
bin bags (Am.: trash bags)
brilliant (Am: outstanding)

(from exercise 3)
to eat well
keys to success
get this wrong (get this right)
do better
to go out to eat (to eat out)
the sort of

Remember to have fun! Can you write a story using these words and phrases? A poem or song?

.....................

What is a "complete sentence"? See this helpful page from the University of Ottawa.