Rock superstar Prince dies at 57

[Entertainment ★★★]

(P1) The rockstar Prince has died at the age of 57. He passed away at his home in Minneapolis. Last week, his plane made an emergency landing to take him to the hospital. He had dehydration and the flu. His death has shocked the entertainment world. Many celebrities have shared their thoughts about him online. Madonna wrote: “He changed the world. A true visionary.” Barack Obama called him, “one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time”. He added that: “Prince…was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer.”

(P2) Prince was the son of a jazz pianist. His real name was Prince Rogers Nelson. He became famous in the late seventies. His singing, songwriting, guitar playing, performances and producing changed the music world over four decades. The Washington Post called him, “one of the most popular, inventive and influential recording artists of his generation“. Prince sold over 100 million records. He is perhaps best known for his 1984 album ‘Purple Rain’. The music magazine ‘Rolling Stone’ ranked Prince at number 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

WORDS: 185

SOURCE: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1604/160423-prince-2.html

VOCABULARY: dehydration, visionary, prolific, virtuoso, electrifying, decades, influential, generation, ranked

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.

1. Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
2. Are you a fan of Prince? Why or why not?
3. Which types of music do you like?
4. Do you think listening to music helps you learn English? Why or why not?
5. Name 3 music artist or bands you like.

EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:

What do the following expressions or phrases mean?

• Rockstar (P1)
• Passed away (P1)
• Recording artists (P2)
• All time (P2)

Image source: by Theo Wargo/Getty Images http://www.tvguide.com/special/super-bowl/gallery/memorable-super-bowl-halftime-performances-1076982/