Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the song “Hotel California by Eagles“. The song lyrics are beautiful and ideal for English Learners and include many interesting language topics, such as adjectives and the simple past.
Let’s start with some information about the song!
Hotel California by Eagles
“Hotel California” is a song by the American rock band Eagles, released as the second single from their album of the same name on February 22, 1977. This page provides information about the song, a link to the lyrics, and the official video.
Hotel California by Eagles
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the Song
- Song: Hotel California
- Album: Hotel California
- Date of release: 1976
- Genre: Rock
- Length of the song: 6 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Writer: Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley
- Produced by: Bill Szymczyk
Interesting Information About the Song
“Hotel California” has sparked various interpretations from fans and critics, often seen as a commentary on excess and hedonism. The Eagles have described it as their take on “the high life in Los Angeles.”
In the 2013 documentary History of the Eagles, Don Henley explained that the song represents “a journey from innocence to experience.”
The Video
The Lyrics
Language Points
The song includes many interesting language points:
Expressions that may be useful to students:
- On a dark desert highway highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
Listening Comprehension
Sentence Completion Exercise
Complete these sentences while listening to the song:
- On a dark desert highway, a cool wind was __________ through my hair.
- I saw a shimmering __________ up ahead in the distance.
- My head grew heavy, and my sight grew dim; I had to __________ for the night.
- There were voices down the __________, I thought I heard them say, “Welcome to the Hotel California.”
- The lady stood in the doorway, and I heard the __________ bell.
Gap-Fill Exercise
These words are used in the lyrics of the song:
- Shimmering: shining with a flickering or wavering light.
- Mission: a place established for religious or charitable purposes.
- Corridor: a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms.
- Courtyard: an unroofed area enclosed by the walls of a building.
- Alibis: an excuse or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, took place.Prisoners: people who are confined, especially as a punishment for a crime.
- Beast: a large, wild, or dangerous animal.
Complete these sentences with the words provided above:
- The light in the distance was __________, casting an ethereal glow on the surroundings.
- The old __________ had been transformed into a beautiful tourist attraction, preserving its historical significance.T
- he children ran down the long __________, laughing as they went from room to room.
- They enjoyed a quiet afternoon in the __________, surrounded by blooming flowers and the gentle sound of a fountain.
- The suspect presented several __________, but none could be verified by the police.
- The adventurers were taken __________ by the tribe after they wandered into forbidden territory.
- The legend spoke of a terrifying __________ that roamed the forest at night, scaring away the villagers.
Source: Wikipedia
