Unit 2 · Lesson 1

Describe the Music You Listen To

Practice music vocabulary, listen to conversations, and use the present perfect and present perfect continuous to talk about music experiences.

Unit Goals

  1. Describe the music you listen to.
  2. Explain the role of music in your life.
  3. Describe a creative person.
  4. Discuss the benefits of music.
Progress
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Lesson References

Open the reference pages first. Close them again to keep the lesson clean.

Open / close Unit Preview pageUnit preview page about musical moods
Open / close Conversation Snapshot and Grammar pageConversation snapshot and grammar page
Open / close Sound Bites and Starting Point pageSound bites page
Open / close Biography practice pageBiography grammar practice page
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Warm-up Activity · Music Mood Starter

Think first

Choose the best answer. Then say one sentence about your own music taste.

Which phrase best describes music that makes people dance?

Say it

Model: I’ve been listening to pop lately because it has a catchy beat.

Useful words: relaxing, energetic, emotional, catchy, unique, unforgettable.

P

Unit Preview

Study the preview page, then answer the four questions below.

UNIT 2 · PREVIEW

Musical Moods

Look at the music reviews from the music website. Are you familiar with any of these artists?

Unit Goals

  1. Describe the music you listen to.
  2. Explain the role of music in your life.
  3. Describe a creative person.
  4. Discuss the benefits of music.
TUNE IN
Today's Picks
LatinCarlos Ponce album cover
Ponce

Carlos Ponce

A warm mix of romantic ballads and Caribbean-flavored dance grooves.

JazzMarcos Ariel album cover
My Only Passion

Marcos Ariel

Lively Brazilian jazz with colorful rhythms and strong percussion.

PopAndrea Bocelli album cover
Sogno

Andrea Bocelli

Beautiful pop-classical songs with a rich and emotional voice.

New AgeKitaro album cover
Best of Silk Road

Kitaro

Peaceful sound pictures inspired by nature and Japanese music.

Urban DanceBeyoncé album cover
Dangerously in Love

Beyoncé

Energetic dance hits with playful rap and catchy melodies.

WorldMuzsikás album cover
The Prisoner's Song

Muzsikás

Traditional Hungarian folk music with a memorable sound.

Preview Check · Multiple Choice

1. Which artist is listed under Latin?
2. Which genre is connected with Marcos Ariel?
3. Which artist is connected with urban dance music?
4. What is the main topic of the preview page?
12

Sound Bites

Audio 12 · Sound Bites

Sound Bites Script

TANI
Wow! You’ve got quite a CD collection!
KEN
I guess so. Let’s put something on.
TANI
Got any jazz?
KEN
How about some Gato Barbieri? I’ve got Fenix.
TANI
Actually, saxophone playing kind of gets on my nerves on that one.
KEN
Really? I’m totally into him. Fenix is one of my all-time favorites.
TANI
Yeah, but it’s pretty hard to dance to.
KEN
Well, have you heard some of his later stuff?
TANI
No, what’s it like?
KEN
It’s got more of a Latin feel. It’ll definitely get the party started.
TANI
Oh yeah? Let’s give it a listen.
Two people talking about music at a party
Sound Bites · Comparing musical tastes

In Other Words · Matching

1. put something on
2. gets on my nerves
3. I’m totally into him
4. all-time favorites
5. give it a listen
13

Conversation Snapshot

Audio 13 · Conversation Snapshot

Conversation Snapshot Script

A
So what have you been listening to lately?
B
Mostly world music. Ever heard of Youssou N'Dour?
A
I think so. He’s from Senegal, right?
B
That’s right.
A
You know, I’ve actually never heard his music. What’s he like?
B
Well, he’s got a terrific voice and a unique sound. I’ll be happy to lend you a CD if you’d like.
A
All right, thanks. I’ll let you know what I think.
Youssou N'Dour singing
Conversation Snapshot · Youssou N'Dour
What kind of music has speaker B been listening to?
True or False: Speaker A has already heard Youssou N'Dour’s music.
15

Vocabulary · Elements of Music

Audio 15 · Vocabulary
beat

the rhythm of a piece of music.

This song has a great beat you can dance to.

lyrics

the words of a song.

Her catchy lyrics make you want to sing along.

melody

the tune or notes in a musical piece.

This song has an unforgettable melody.

sound

the particular style or quality of an artist’s or group’s music.

The band has created a new and exciting sound.

voice

the quality of sound produced when a person sings.

She has a beautiful soprano voice.

Extra Vocabulary Practice · Matching

1. beat
2. lyrics
3. melody
4. sound
5. voice

Extra Vocabulary Practice · Multiple Choice

The song has an unforgettable ______.
Her ______ is powerful and clear when she sings.
G

Grammar · Present Perfect & Present Perfect Continuous

Main idea: Use these forms when the past is connected to now. The choice depends on whether you want to focus on a finished experience, a visible recent result, or an action continuing up to the present.

1. Finished actions

have / has + past participle

Use the present perfect for completed experiences or actions at an unspecified time before now.

Examples:
I’ve already heard that CD.
Have you ever been to a classical concert?
I’ve seen him twice.

Common words: already, ever, never, yet, once, twice, many times, How many...?

2. Very recently finished

have / has been + verb-ing

Use the continuous form when an action has just stopped and the result is visible now.

Examples:
They’ve been practicing.
I can see them putting their instruments away.
She’s tired because she’s been singing all morning.

Focus: the recent activity and its present result.

3. Unfinished / continuing

for + length of time since + starting point

Use either form for actions that began in the past and continue now. The continuous form emphasizes the activity and duration.

Examples:
I’ve listened to jazz since I was a child.
I’ve been listening to jazz since I was a child.

Common words: for, since, lately, recently, all day, this week, How long...?

Clear Comparison

MeaningBest formExample
Number of completed timesPresent perfectThey’ve played Brahms’ First Symphony twice this year.
Activity continuing over timePresent perfect continuousWe’ve been listening to this CD all day.
Life experiencePresent perfectHave you ever gone to a classical concert?
Recent visible resultPresent perfect continuousShe’s out of breath because she’s been singing.
✓

Grammar Practice

A. Finished or Unfinished?

Choose F if the action is finished. Choose U if the action is unfinished or continuing.

He’s played with their band for almost ten years.
They’ve never heard of Alexandre Pires.
We’ve been listening to the CD all day.
How many times have you heard Carmina Burana?

B. Choose the Correct Form

Vanessa-Mae ______ music since she was a little girl.
She ______ her first piano lesson at the age of three.
The album immediately ______ extremely popular.
Vanessa-Mae ______ her audiences for over a decade.

C. Order the Sentence

Click the words in the correct order. The answer checks automatically when the sentence is complete.

1. Make a question.
2. Make a statement.
3. Make a statement.
4. Make a statement.

D. Biography Answers Practice

Choose the correct answer. No writing is required.

1. Vanessa-Mae ______ music since she was a little girl.
2. At age three, she ______ her first piano lesson.
3. A year later, she ______ taking violin lessons.
4. In 1994, she ______ the field of pop music.
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Final Quiz

1. The ______ is the words of a song.
2. “I’ve seen that singer twice” focuses on completed experiences.
3. Choose the correct sentence.
4. Which word means “the tune”?
5. “She’s been singing all morning” emphasizes duration.
6. “Let’s give it a listen” means:

Complete the activities to finish the lesson. Outstanding!

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