A growing library of level-graded English lessons for classroom or self-study, with reading, listening, vocabulary, activities, and discussion practice from A1 to B2.
Lesson Info
In this lesson:
- Warm-up Prediction task and general discussion questions.
- Vocab List Useful words and meanings.
- Reading Read the main text.
- Listen and Fill Gaps Listen for missing words.
- True or False Check understanding.
- Put Events in Order Arrange events from the story into the order they happened.
- Vocab Match Connect words to meanings.
- Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
- Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.
Think Ahead: What do you think Kylie Minogue wants to do at Christmas?
a) Win a music chart race.
b) Stop singing Christmas songs.
c) Open a toy shop.
Ask: (1) Who is your favorite pop star? (2) Do you celebrate Christmas? What does it mean to you?
VOCAB LIST
Reading
Australian pop star Kylie Minogue has a new Christmas song. It is called XMAS. Right now, it is the most popular Christmas song in the UK.
Kylie became famous in 1987. Her first big hit was Locomotion. She was very young then. Now she is 57 years old.
Three songs are in the race for number one. Kylie is in first place. The band Wham is in second place. Their song Last Christmas was number one for two years. A charity song called Lullaby is in third place.
Kylie wants to win very much. Her last number one was in 2003. "I think I'd cry," she told BBC News.
She sang XMAS on TV on Sunday. The song has a fun dance. The dance spells X-M-A-S with your body.
Kylie made a Christmas album ten years ago. This year she made a new version of it. XMAS is a new song on that album. The album went to number one last week.
Wham could still win. Many people listen to Last Christmas online. If it wins again, it will be the first Christmas song to win three times.
The charity song helps people in Gaza. Many people bought it this weekend. The race will end on Friday.
Kylie Minogue Races for Christmas Number One
Warm-up ā Read & Listen ā Check Understanding ā Language ā Use It
Think Ahead: What do you think Kylie Minogue wants to do at Christmas?
a) Win a music chart race.
b) Stop singing Christmas songs.
c) Open a toy shop.
Ask: (1) Who is your favorite pop star? (2) Do you celebrate Christmas? What does it mean to you?
-
Race (n.)
-
Festive (adj.)
-
Single (n.)
-
Chart (n.)
-
Lead (v.)
-
Perform (v.)
-
Charity (n.)
-
Top (v.)
Australian pop star Kylie Minogue has a new Christmas song. It is called XMAS. Right now, it is the most popular Christmas song in the UK.
Kylie became famous in 1987. Her first big hit was Locomotion. She was very young then. Now she is 57 years old.
Three songs are in the race for number one. Kylie is in first place. The band Wham is in second place. Their song Last Christmas was number one for two years. A charity song called Lullaby is in third place.
Kylie wants to win very much. Her last number one was in 2003. "I think I'd cry," she told BBC News.
She sang XMAS on TV on Sunday. The song has a fun dance. The dance spells X-M-A-S with your body.
Kylie made a Christmas album ten years ago. This year she made a new version of it. XMAS is a new song on that album. The album went to number one last week.
Wham could still win. Many people listen to Last Christmas online. If it wins again, it will be the first Christmas song to win three times.
The charity song helps people in Gaza. Many people bought it this weekend. The race will end on Friday.
Two ways to use this audio:
- Method 1: Listen for the main idea: what is the article about in one sentence? Listen a second time for more details, then try the Understanding activities below.
- Method 2: Read the article first to learn the vocabulary and ideas. Then look at the gap-fill sentences to see what to listen for, and listen to fill them in.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
Australian pop star Kylie Minogue has a new Christmas song. It is called XMAS. Right now, it is the most (1) Christmas song in the UK.
Kylie became famous in 1987. Her first big hit was Locomotion. She was very (2) then. Now she is 57 years old.
Three songs are in the race for number one. Kylie is in first place. The band Wham is in second place. Their song Last Christmas was number one for two years. A (3) song called Lullaby is in third place.
Kylie wants to win very much. Her last number one was in 2003. "I think I'd cry," she told BBC News.
She sang XMAS on TV on Sunday. The song has a fun (4) . The dance spells X-M-A-S with your body.
Kylie made a Christmas album ten years ago. This year she made a new version of it. XMAS is a new song on that album. The album went to number one last week.
Wham could still win. Many people listen to Last Christmas (5) . If it wins again, it will be the first Christmas song to win three times.
The charity song helps people in Gaza. Many people bought it this weekend. The race will end on Friday.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. Kylie's song XMAS is in first place right now. TRUEFALSE True
2. Wham's Last Christmas was number one for the last two years. TRUEFALSE True
3. Kylie's last number one song was in 2010. TRUEFALSE False
4. The charity song Lullaby will help people in Gaza. TRUEFALSE True
Put Events in Order
Put the events in the order they happened, from first to last.
- 1 Kylie became famous with her first hit Locomotion.
- 2 Kylie had her last number one song in 2003.
- 3 Kylie made a Christmas album ten years ago.
- 4 The race will end on Friday.
Put Events in Order
Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (4):
- Kylie had her last number one song in 2003.
- The race will end on Friday.
- Kylie became famous with her first hit Locomotion.
- Kylie made a Christmas album ten years ago.
- Kylie became famous with her first hit Locomotion.
- Kylie had her last number one song in 2003.
- Kylie made a Christmas album ten years ago.
- The race will end on Friday.
Vocab Match
Drag each vocabulary word to its matching definition:
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Vocab Match
Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.
1. Festived) Happy and special, related to a holiday or celebration.
2. Singlec) One song released by a singer or band.
3. Performb) To sing, dance, or act in front of people.
4. Charitya) An organization that helps people in need.
a) An organization that helps people in need.
b) To sing, dance, or act in front of people.
c) One song released by a singer or band.
d) Happy and special, related to a holiday or celebration.
Discussion Questions
- Do you know Kylie Minogue? Do you know her other songs?
- Why does Kylie want to be number one? Do you want to be number one?
- In your country, what happens at the end of the year?
- Do you like Christmas music? Why or why not?
- What Christmas songs do you know?
- Do you care about music charts? Do you like to listen to the number one song?
- How do you listen to music? Do you stream it or buy it?
- Do you want to give money to a charity to help people?
- What is the most popular song in your country now?
- Do you like old songs or new songs? Why?
Discussion Questions
- Do you know Kylie Minogue? Do you know her other songs?
- Why does Kylie want to be number one? Do you want to be number one?
- In your country, what happens at the end of the year?
- Do you like Christmas music? Why or why not?
- What Christmas songs do you know?
- Do you care about music charts? Do you like to listen to the number one song?
- How do you listen to music? Do you stream it or buy it?
- Do you want to give money to a charity to help people?
- What is the most popular song in your country now?
- Do you like old songs or new songs? Why?
Answers
Think Ahead: a
Listening: (1) popular, (2) young, (3) charity, (4) dance, (5) online
True or False:
- True. The article says her song is winning and in first place.
- True. The article says it was number one for the last two years.
- False. Her last number one was in 2003, not 2010.
- True. The article says it will help people in Gaza.
Put Events in Order:
- Kylie became famous with her first hit Locomotion.
- Kylie had her last number one song in 2003.
- Kylie made a Christmas album ten years ago.
- The race will end on Friday.
Vocabulary:
- Festive: Happy and special, related to a holiday or celebration.
- Single: One song released by a singer or band.
- Perform: To sing, dance, or act in front of people.
- Charity: An organization that helps people in need.