Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Gilberto Gil. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Gilberto Gil is a Grammy award-winning singer, guitarist, environmentalist and politician. Between 2003 and 2008, he served as Brazil’s Minister of Culture on the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He stepped down from the post to focus on his music career. He incorporates a wide range of styles in his music and has won many international awards.
Gil was born in 1946 in the northeast of Brazil. He had an intense love of music from the age of two. He grew up listening to local street performers and taught himself to play the drum and trumpet. His mother developed his musical talents by sending him to music school. He learnt to play the guitar after being inspired by Joao Gilberto.
Gil’s career started in the early 1960s as a composer for television advertisements. He released several singles and became influenced by rock and roll. He left Brazil and went to London, where he played with groups like Pink Floyd. In 1998, Gil won a Grammy for Best World Music Album for ‘Quanta Live’. He became one of the stars of world music.
Gil's political career began in 1987 as a secretary of culture for the city of Salvador. A year later he was commissioner for environmental protection. In 1990, Gil joined Brazil’s Green Party. He also founded the environmental protection organization Blue Wave, which protected Brazil’s coastline. He quit as Minister of Culture in July 2008 because public speaking was affecting his singing ability.
247 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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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’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
stepped down
a.
variety
2
incorporates
b.
skills
3.
range
c.
includes
4.
intense
d.
quit
5.
talents
e.
motivated
6.
inspired
f.
passionate
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
advertisements
g.
bands
8.
influenced
h.
commercials
9.
groups
i.
set up
10.
founded
j.
safeguarded
11
protected
k
upsetting
12
affecting
l
affected
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
he served as
a.
in the early 1960s
2
He stepped
b.
styles in his music
3.
He incorporates a wide range of
c.
protection organization
4.
He grew up listening to local
d.
of the stars of world music
5.
being inspired
e.
down from the post
6.
Gil’s career started
f.
his singing ability
7.
He became one
g.
by Joao Gilberto
8.
a secretary of culture for
h.
Brazil’s Minister of Culture
9.
He also founded the environmental
i.
the city of Salvador
10.
public speaking was affecting
j.
street performers
LISTENING GAP FILL
Gilberto Gil is a Grammy _______________ singer, guitarist, environmentalist and politician. Between 2003 and 2008, he served as Brazil’s Minister of Culture _______________ of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He _______________ the post to focus on his music career. He incorporates a _______________ styles in his music and has won many international awards.
Gil was born in 1946 in the northeast of Brazil. He had _______________ of music from the age of two. He _______________ to local street performers and taught himself to play the drum and trumpet. His mother developed _______________ by sending him to music school. He learnt to play the guitar after _______________ Joao Gilberto.
Gil’s career started in the early 1960s _______________ television advertisements. He released several singles and _______________ by rock and roll. He left Brazil and went to London, _______________ groups like Pink Floyd. In 1998, Gil won a Grammy for Best World Music Album for ‘Quanta Live’. He became one of _______________ music.
Gil's political career began in 1987 as a _______________ for the city of Salvador. A year later he was commissioner for environmental protection. In 1990, Gil joined Brazil’s Green Party. _______________ the environmental protection organization Blue Wave, which protected _______________. He quit as Minister of Culture in July 2008 because _______________ was affecting his singing ability.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Gilberto Gil is a Grammy award-winning singer, guitarist, environmentalist and politician. Between 2003 and 2008, he serviced / served as Brazil’s Minister of Culture on / with the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He stepped up / down from the post to focus on his music career. He incorporates a wide / width range of styles in his music and has won many international awards.
Gil was born in 1946 in the northeast of Brazil. He had an intensity / intense love of music from the age of two. He grew up listening to local street / streets performers and taught himself to play the drum and trumpet. His mother developed his musical talented / talents by sending him to music school. He learnt to play the guitar after being inspired for / by Joao Gilberto.
Gil’s career started in the earlier / early 1960s as a composer for television advertisements. He released several doubles / singles and became influenced by rock and roll. He left Brazil and went to London, where he played at / with groups like Pink Floyd. In 1998, Gil won a Grammy for Best World Music Album for ‘Quanta Live’. He became one of the stars / asteroids of world music.
Gil's political career began in 1987 as a secretary / receptionist of culture for the city of Salvador. A year later he was / as commissioner for environmental protection. In 1990, Gil joined Brazil’s Green Party. He also find / founded the environmental protection organization Blue Wave, which protected Brazil’s coastline. He quit / quilt as Minister of Culture in July 2008 because public speaking was affecting his singing ability.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
he esvder as Brazil’s Minister of Culture
2.
He etspdep down from the post
3.
a wide range of setsly
4.
won many international draaws
Paragraph 2
5.
He had an tnesnie love of music
6.
street morfsprere
7.
his musical nealtst
8.
being pnsirdei by Joao Gilberto
Paragraph 3
9.
Gil’s career stdreta in the early 1960s
10.
He released lsravee singles
11.
he played with prougs like Pink Floyd
12.
one of the rsast of world music
Paragraph 4
13.
secretary of rcuuelt
14.
He also endfduo the environmental protection organization Blue Wave
15.
rtotcdpee Brazil’s coastline
16.
public speaking was cingeffta his singing ability
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Album for ‘Quanta Live’. He became one of the stars of world music.
( )
with groups like Pink Floyd. In 1998, Gil won a Grammy for Best World Music
( )
range of styles in his music and has won many international awards.
( )
Gil’s career started in the early 1960s as a composer for television advertisements. He released several
( )
commissioner for environmental protection. In 1990, Gil joined Brazil’s Green Party. He also founded the
( )
talents by sending him to music school. He learnt to play the guitar after being inspired by Joao Gilberto.
( )
Gil was born in 1946 in the northeast of Brazil. He had an intense love of music from the age of two. He grew up
( )
2008, he served as Brazil’s Minister of Culture on the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He stepped
( )
Gil's political career began in 1987 as a secretary of culture for the city of Salvador. A year later he was
( )
Minister of Culture in July 2008 because public speaking was affecting his singing ability.
( )
down from the post to focus on his music career. He incorporates a wide
( )
singles and became influenced by rock and roll. He left Brazil and went to London, where he played
( )
listening to local street performers and taught himself to play the drum and trumpet. His mother developed his musical
( 1 )
Gilberto Gil is a Grammy award-winning singer, guitarist, environmentalist and politician. Between 2003 and
( )
environmental protection organization Blue Wave, which protected Brazil’s coastline. He quit as
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
from the post to focus on his music He stepped down
2.
He wide styles music a of his incorporates range in
3.
of love intense an had He two of age the from music
4.
street local to listening up grew He performers
5.
musical his developed mother His talents
6.
career in early Gil’s started the 1960s
7.
He stars became of one world of music the
8.
commissioner was he later year A
9.
He founded environmental organization also the protection
10.
was his ability speaking affecting singing public
GILBERTO GIL DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Gilberto Gil?
2.
Would you like to meet Gilberto Gil?
3.
What would you like to know about Gilberto Gil and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Gilberto Gil. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. GILBERTO GIL POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Gilberto Gil. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Gilberto Gil. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he 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 Gilberto Gil. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Gilberto Gil expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
stepped down
a.
quit
2
incorporates
b.
includes
3.
range
c.
variety
4.
intense
d.
passionate
5.
talents
e.
skills
6.
inspired
f.
motivated
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
advertisements
g.
commercials
8.
influenced
h.
affected
9.
groups
i.
bands
10.
founded
j.
set up
11
protected
k
safeguarded
12
affecting
l
upsetting
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
he served as
a.
Brazil’s Minister of Culture
2
He stepped
b.
down from the post
3.
He incorporates a wide range of
c.
styles in his music
4.
He grew up listening to local
d.
street performers
5.
being inspired
e.
by Joao Gilberto
6.
Gil’s career started
f.
in the early 1960s
7.
He became one
g.
of the stars of world music
8.
a secretary of culture for
h.
the city of Salvador
9.
He also founded the environmental
i.
protection organization
10.
public speaking was affecting
j.
his singing ability
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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