Homework: An overviewof the structures of the English Language

Activitie 1:
Tom’s diner
I am sitting in the morning / At a diner, on the corner / I am waiting at the counter / for the man to pour the coffee / And he fills it only half way / And before I even argue / he is looking out the window / at somebody coming in / “It is always nice to see you” / says the man behind the counter / to the woman who has come in / she is shaking her umbrella / and I look the other way / as they are kissing their hellos / and I’m pretending not to see them / and instead I pour the milk / I open up the paper / There’s a story of an actor / Who had died while he was drinking / It was no one I had heard of / And I’m turning to the horoscope / And looking for the funnies / When I realize someone watching me / And so I raise my head / There’s a woman on the outside / Looking inside, does she see me? / No, she does not really see me / Cause she sees her own reflection / And I’m trying not to notice that / She’s hitching up her skirt / And while she’s straightening her stockings / Her hair has gotten wet / Oh, this rain, it will continue throught the morning as I’m listening / to the bells of the cathedral / I am thinking of your voice / And of that midnight picnic / Once upon a time before the rain began / And finish up my coffee and it’s time / to catch the train
Tom’s diner ( Suzanne Vega, Solitude Standing, Polygram, 1987.)

I would work the song “Tom’s diner” this way:
1. Listening
Students should listen to the song.
2. Grammar
2.1 Prepositions
While the students listen to the song they should circle the prepositions.Example: on, at, in, for, up and so on.
2.1.1. Verbs
Students should underline the verbs wich are in present continuous. Ex:I am sitting; I’m listening; I’m trying; etc.
3. Vocabulary
3.1 The teacher would use the song to do the students to check the difference between this words: diner (pequeno restaurante) x dinner (jantar); on the corner/ at the corner/ around the corner (na esquina) in the corner ( no canto); to realize = to realise (perceber) x to release (liberar) x to achieve (realizar); to raise (levantar); erguer) to rise (levantar-se); to notice (notar) x to tell the news (noticiar).
3.2 Phrasal verbs; look out (olhar para fora) x look inside (olhar para dentro); look for (procurar) x look the other way (virar o rosto).
( Teacher could use flash cards.
4. PronunciantionTeacher should stress the pronunciation of some works like; diner/ dai n? /; dinner /di n?/; horoscope /h?:r?skou?p ; notice; straighten / streit?n/ cathedral/ ka?i:dr?l/.
5. Conversation
5.1 The teacher would talk with the students about yours routines. For example: What time do you have breakfast? What time do you get up? What do you do after breakfast?( Students could play of hot potato.
5.2 The teacher would talk with the students about Suzanne Vega. For example: Do you know this singer? Is she na American singer? What is your repertoire? What are her hits?( Students could write a biography or article about Suzanne Vega.
Note: Suzanne Vega is an American singer whose reportoire tends for the folk music. Yours hits like “Luka”, Tom’s diner”, “Solitude standing”, etc., make more succes in Inglaterra than in U.S.A. Some yours songs were theme of films: Fame, Pretty in Pink, Stay Awake.