Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the famous song “We Are the World.” It is ideal for beginner and intermediate students and includes interesting language points such as comparatives and the dummy subject “there.”
Let’s begin with some information about the song!
We Are The World By A Group Of The Best American Singers
“We Are the World” is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. This page provides information about the song and links to the lyrics and the official video.
We Are The World, USA For Africa
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the song
- Song: We Are the World
- Album: We Are the World
- Date of release: March 7, 1985
- Genre: Pop, gospel
- Length of the song: 7 minutes and 15 seconds
- Writers: Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie
- Produced by: Quincy Jones, Michael Omartian
Interesting information about the song
Before the writing of “We Are the World,” American entertainer and social activist Harry Belafonte had sought for some time to have a song recorded by the most famous artists in the music industry. He planned to have the proceeds donated to a new organization called United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa).
The non-profit foundation would then feed and relieve starving people in Africa, specifically Ethiopia, where around one million people died during the country’s 1983-1985 famine.
Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie were contacted and began creating the song at Hayvenhurst, the Jackson family home in Encino. For a week, the two spent every night working on lyrics and melodies in the singer’s bedroom. They knew that they wanted a song that would be easy to sing and memorable. The pair wanted to create an anthem.
The Video
Watch the official video below:
The Lyrics
Language Points
The song includes many interesting language points:
- Dummy subject “there“
- Comparatives and Superlatives
Expressions that may be useful to students:
- make a difference
- lend a hand
- come together
- share the blame
- heal the wound
- There comes a time
- When we heed a certain call
- When the world must come together as one
- There are people dying
- And it’s time to lend a hand to life
- The greatest gift of all
- We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving
We Are the World: Vocabulary Quiz
Complete the following sentences with the right words or expressions from the list below:
- come together
- make a difference
- lend a hand
- share the blame
- pretend
- heal the wound
- We can all _______ by helping others.
- If you can help, don’t hesitate to _______.
- Students from all backgrounds _______ in our English classes.
- Even though Sarah made the final decision, the whole team needs to _______ for the project going over budget.
- After the divorce, he needed some time to _______.
- Don’t _______ that you don’t know the truth.
Source: Wikipedia
