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Listen to the song and fill in the blanks.
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Girls: Puerto Rico, my heart's devotion... Let it sink back in the ocean Always the hurricanes blowing Always the population growing And the money owing And the sunlight streaming And the natives steaming I like the island Manhattan girl: I know you do girls: So clean your pipe and put that in girls: I like to be in America Okay by me in America Everything free in America boys: For a small fee in America... girls: Buying on credit is so nice boys: One look at us and they charge twice... girls: I have my own washing-machine BOYS: What will you have though to keep clean? girls: skyscrapers bloom in America Satellites zoom in America Industry boom in America BOYS: Twelve in a room in America... |
Girls: Lots of new housing with more space BOYS: Lots of doors slamming in our face... girls: I'll get a terrace apartment boys: Better get rid of your accent! girls: Life can be bright in America boys : If you can fight in America... girls: Life is alright in America BOYS: If you're all white in America... girls: Here you are free and you have pride BOYS: Long as you stay on your own side... girls: Free to be anything you choose boys: Free to wait tables and shine shoes! boys: Everywhere grime in America Organized girls: you forget I'm in America... BOYS: I think I'll go back to San Juan girls: I know a boat you can get on - bye-bye boys: Everyone there will give big cheer girls: Everyone there will have moved here... West Side Story, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (1965) |
Puerto Rico became a US commonwealth on July 25, 1952. It was claimed by the explorer Christopher Columbus in 1493 and was subsequently a Spanish possession before the United States gained control in 1898.
With an area of 9,104 sq km, Puerto Rico is one of the largest islands of the West Indies. It is located about 1,610 km south-east of Florida and is almost twice as far from the mainland of North America as it is from South America. Puerto Rico is roughly rectangular in shape; its greatest east to west distance is about 180 km, and its extreme north to south distance is about 65 km.
According to the 2000 census, Puerto Rico had 3,957,988 inhabitants.
The average population density in 2000 was 434 people per sq km. The great majority of Puerto Rico's inhabitants are of Hispanic background; Spanish is the official language of the commonwealth.
Puerto Rico is sometimes called the “Island of Enchantment”. Its major cities are San Juan (the capital as well as the largest city), Bayamon, Carolina, Ponce, Caguas, and Mayaguez.
Two islands are mentioned in the song: |
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Which group of singers sound the more positive about the USA ? |
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What do they appreciate about the country? Why had they rather stay in the US? What do they praise it for? |
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What do they dislike about their homeland ? |
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What does the other group seem to dislike about the USA? |
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Explain why the girls had better get rid of their accent if they want to live in a terrace apartment.
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What are the implications of the following statements: Life can be bright in America if you can fight… if you are white...
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Explain the irony in "Free to wait tables and shine shoes!" and "Everyone there will have moved here..."
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Sum up the position of the girls and the position of the boys and compare them.
Whereas the boys think that ………………………………………………………………………………..….................……..
……………………………………………………………………………………..……….......................… …………………….
the girls are sure that ……………………………………………………………………………………………....................….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….......................………………
Unlike the boys who think that life in Puerto Rico is ……………………………………………………….....................…….
……………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………............................……
the girls seem to believe that life in New-York is ………………………………………………………........................…………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...........................……
Grammar:
I’d rather live in America than in Puerto Rico:
You’d better go back to Puerto Rico with me:
When you arrive in San Juan, everybody will have moved here:
Vocabulary:
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girls: Puerto Rico, my heart's devotion... Let it sink back in the ocean Always the hurricanes blowing Always the population growing And the money owing And the sunlight streaming And the natives steaming I like the island Manhattan girl: I know you do girls: So clean your pipe and put that in girls: I like to be in America Okay by me in AmericaEverything free in America boys: For a small fee in America... girls: Buying on credit is so nice boys: One look at us and they charge twice... girls: I have my own washing-machine BOYS: What will you have though to keep clean? girls: skyscrapers bloom in America Cadillacs zoom in America Industry boom in America BOYS: Twelve in a room in America... |
girls: Lots of new housing with more space BOYS: Lots of doors slamming in our face... girls: I'll get a terrace apartment boys: Better get rid of your accent! girls: Life can be bright in America boys : If you can fight in America... girls: Life is alright in America BOYS: If you're all white in America... girls: Here you are free and you have pride BOYS: Long as you stay on your own side... girls: Free to be anything you choose boys: Free to wait tables and shine shoes! boys: Everywhere grime in America Organized crime in America Terrible time in America... girls: you forget I'm in America... BOYS: I think I'll go back to San Juan girls: I know a boat you can get on - bye-bye boys: Everyone there will give big cheer girls: Everyone there will have moved here... West Side Story, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (1965) |
1. If possible, listen to the song and say what you feel about it. What strikes you about the rhythm? Would you say it is slow; lively, romantic or ironic?
2. Notice how the group of girls and the group of boys interact. What is the effect produced? How is the effect created?
3. Identify groups of verses that go together. Say what makes you feel they go together, as regards sounds, rhythm and meaning.
4. Now read the lyrics carefully and find the equivalents for the following:
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a. You will live in a very crowded place. b. The only jobs you can find are in restaurants or in the streets. c. You will probably have very few clothes anyway. d. You'd better stay with your own people. e. Puerto Ricans have to pay more than the others for the same things. f. Many people will refuse to let you in. |
5. Sum up the position of the girls in one sentence and the position of the boys in another and compare them.
The girls think that...
The boys think that...
1)West Side Story
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Who knows? [Music starts and he sings:] Could be!... Who knows?... There's something due any day; I will know right away, Soon as it shows. It may come cannon-balling down thru the sky, Gleam in its eye, Bright as a rose! Who knows?... It's only just out of reach, Down the block, on a beach, Under a tree... I got a feeling there's a miracle due, Gonna come true, Coming to me! Could it be? Yes it could. Something's coming, something good, If I can wait! Something's coming, I don't know what it is, But it is Gonna be great! |
Puerto Rico, my heart's devotion, Let it sink back into the ocean. Always the hurricanes blowing, Always the population growing, And the money owing, And the sunlight streaming, And the natives steaming. I like the island Manhattan. So clean your pipe, and put that in! I like to be in America, OK by me in America, Everything free in America, For a small fee in America. Buying on credit is so nice, One look at us and they charge twice. I have my own washing-machine, What will you have, though, to keep clean? Skyscrapers bloom in America, Cadillacs zoom in America, Industry boom in America, Twelve in a room in America! Lots of new housing with more space, Lots of door-slamming in your face! I'll get a terraced-apartment, Better get rid of your accent! Life can be bright in America, If you can fight in America! Life is all right in America, If you're all white in America! La, la, la, America, America (bis) Here you are free and you have pride, As long as you stay on your own side! Free to be anything you choose, Free to wait tables and shine shoes! Everywhere grime in America, Organised crime in America, Terrible time in America. You forget I'm in America! I think I'll go back to San JuanI know a boat you can get on, Bye, bye! Ah ah!Everyone there will give big cheer, Everyone there will have moved here! |