Beyoncé (born September 4, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress. Performing in singing and dancing competitions as a child, she began her music career as a member of Girl's Tyme, which in 1993 was recast as Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time in the 1990s. In 2003, she released her debut solo album.
From 2001 to 2013, Beyoncé won 17 Grammy Awards, and sold over 13 million albums in the US, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was also included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.
In this exercise, you will watch an interview in which Beyoncé talks about directing a behind-the-scenes documentary on her personal and professional life. You will also listen to one of her songs – If I Were A Boy. (Reference: wikipedia.org)
Go through the following notes on vocabulary and culture found in the interview and familiarize yourself with their meanings.
Watch the video again to see how the words/phrases in bold are used and try to explain what they mean in these specific contexts. Pay attention to the interviewer’s and the interviewee’s intonation, body language and facial expressions to help you.
| 1. | “Beyoncé Knowles is one of the biggest stars on earth. She’s sold over 11 million albums, and figures prominently on every list of the world’s hottest recording artists.” | ||
| aggressively |
Sorry!
| ||
| importantly |
Correct!
| ||
| appealingly |
Sorry!
| ||
| 2. | “She’s…the break-out star of Destinies Child.” | ||
| a person who has the potential to be famous |
Sorry!
| ||
| a person who gradually became famous |
Sorry! | ||
| a person who becomes famous all of a sudden |
Correct! | ||
| 3. | “Beyoncé Knowles is clearly at the top of her game.” | ||
| having lots of fun |
Sorry!
| ||
| the best of her kind |
Sorry! | ||
| performing at her best |
Correct! | ||
| 4. | Beyoncé: “it’s a lot of things that I revealed about myself that I would have never given to a different director.” Interviewer: “So what we see are some very tender moments between you and you.” | ||
| gentle |
Correct! | ||
| private |
Sorry! | ||
| quiet |
Sorry!
| ||
| 5. | “I used to not do that. I think I was too young. And now I know, you know, when I win 6 Grammys in a night, to really soak up every second, because it’s something that can never happen again.” | ||
| get nervous about |
Sorry!
| ||
| to enjoy the experience |
Correct!
| ||
| forget |
Sorry!
| ||
| 6. | “She’s cut some of those raw moments into a film she’s directed about the tour.” | ||
| professional and planned expressions |
Sorry!
| ||
| the concept of moment in mathematics involving probability functions |
Sorry! | ||
| honest, real and usually vulnerable moments |
Correct! | ||
| 7. | “You know, I’ve performed 9 nights in a row and nobody cares about me.” | ||
| well organized |
Sorry!
| ||
| having arguments |
Sorry! | ||
| consecutively |
Correct! | ||
| 8. | “I’m just really upset I don’t have anyone that’s concerned about my body and my well-being.” | ||
| the state of feeling wealthy and strong |
Sorry!
| ||
| the state of feeling healthy and happy |
Correct!
| ||
| the state of feeling well and powerful |
Sorry!
| ||
| 9. | Interviewer: “Does it feel that way (that nobody cares about you) sometimes?” Beyoncé: “I was delirious. And I just felt, was feeling, sorry and bad.” | ||
| unable behave properly because you are extremely frightened |
Sorry!
| ||
| unable to think or speak clearly because of fever or mental confusion |
Correct!
| ||
| unable to control your feelings because you are extremely angry or excited |
Sorry!
| ||
| 10. | “Why do you think people are so fixated on this (that you are pregnant)? Because you cannot, I mean in preparing to sit down and talk to you, it’s just about every 30 days, there’s another rumor that you’re pregnant.” | ||
| arranged or decided already and not able to be changed |
Sorry!
| ||
| unable to think about something |
Sorry! | ||
| focusing on something all the time |
Correct | ||
| 11. | “I’m only 29, guys! Lighten up!” | ||
| to make lighter or brighter |
Sorry!
| ||
| to light up a cigarette |
Sorry! | ||
| to be less serious and demanding with someone or something |
Correct! | ||
| 12. | I said, “Oh! this is perfect. This is my first time directing a DVD, will you guys (Jay Z. and Kanye West) help me out? Help a sister out?” And they came through! | ||
| pushed through a crowd of audience |
Sorry!
| ||
| successfully accomplished something |
Correct!
| ||
| appeared in front of her from no where |
Sorry!
| ||
"If I Were a Boy" laments the misunderstandings between the genders and indicts the male side of relationships. Listen to the song on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7XW0KBUjP0 and explain what the words/phrases in bold mean in their respective contexts.
| 1. | I'd roll out of bed in the morning | ||
| leave |
Correct! | ||
| hang out |
Sorry! | ||
| bring out |
Sorry!
| ||
| launch |
Sorry!
| ||
| 2. | Throw on what I wanted and go | ||
| put on/wear |
Correct! | ||
| take away |
Sorry! | ||
| bet on |
Sorry! | ||
| pack |
Sorry!
| ||
| 3. | I’d kick it with who I wanted | ||
| quit a habit |
Sorry!
| ||
| leave/exit |
Sorry! | ||
| spend time with |
Correct! | ||
| passed away |
Sorry!
| ||
| 4. | They’d stick up for me | ||
| a robbery |
Sorry! | ||
| support/ back up |
Correct! | ||
| glue together |
Sorry!
| ||
| to raise |
Sorry!
| ||
| 5. | I swear I’d be a better man | ||
| honestly |
Sorry!
| ||
| to utter obscenities |
Sorry! | ||
| to promise |
Correct! | ||
| to prove |
Sorry!
| ||
| 6. | Taking you for granted | ||
| not appreciated/not valued enough |
Correct! | ||
| love you unconditionally |
Sorry! | ||
| take your things away without your permission |
Sorry! | ||
| 7. | Put myself first | ||
| look down on the others |
Sorry!
| ||
| take initiative |
Sorry! | ||
| take care of yourself first/ be selfish |
Correct! | ||
| cut in a line |
Sorry!
| ||
| 8. | Make the rules as I go | ||
| be bossy |
Sorry!
| ||
| assess the situation |
Sorry! | ||
| be considerate |
Sorry!
| ||
| improvise |
Correct! | ||
A. Complete the sentences below with the words provided in the box.
B. Select the best answers for the following sentences.
| McFadden: | Singer and actress, Beyoncé Knowles is one of the biggest stars on earth. She’s sold over 11 million albums, and figures prominently on every list of the world’s hottest recording artists. She even ranked number 9 in this year’s Forbes magazine list of the most powerful women in the world. But the star continues to stretch her talent in unexpected directions, fresh off her recent I AM world tour. She told me about sliding for the first time into the director’s chair. |
| McFadden: | This is the Beyoncé we’ve all seen. She’s always loved to sing, and she’s been famous for it since she was 17, the break out star of Destinies Child. Their first hit, No no no. As a solo artist, in 2003, she topped the charts with Crazy in Love. Now at the ripe old age of 29, fresh off a year-long world tour, Beyoncé Knowles is clearly at the top of her game. And while touring, the famously private super star made a stunning decision, during her quiet times on the road, she would turn a camera on herself, and let the rest of us see the real woman behind the star, without make up, without lights, unplugged. |
| Knowles: | “And I’m flying home, because I miss my baby.” |
| Knowles: | I feel like I wanted the fans to be able to see what I see, it’s a lot of things that I revealed about myself that I would have never given to a different director. |
| McFadden: | So what we see are some very tender moments between you and you. |
| Knowles: | Definitely. |
| McFadden: | What was the hardest one to show the rest of us? |
| Knowles: | Well there’s one moment I remember being in China. And I was in this huge suite, and I looked out of the window, and it was just thousands of people walking, and I couldn’t believe my life. And just, I guess was a bit lonely, and I wanted to talk to someone, so I opened up my computer, and I just talked. |
| Knowles: | “Why did God give me this life? Sometimes overwhelming. Why did God give me my talent, my gift, my family? I know you’re not supposed to question God…” |
| McFadden: | So what’s your answer? |
| Knowles: | I can’t answer that. Only God knows. And I don’t take it for granted. I see in the moment, how amazing the opportunities are. I used to not do that. I think I was too young. And now I know, you know, when I win 6 Grammys in a night, to really soak up every second, because it’s something that can never happen again. And before, I wouldn’t go to the pyramids, or I wouldn’t go jump in the Red Sea, or I wouldn’t go to the Great Wall of China, but this time I can appreciate how incredible this is, and the history, and I try to live in the moment. |
| McFadden: | She’s cut some of those raw moments into a film she’s directed about the tour. Listen to what she says while wearing one of the costumes from the show. |
| Knowles: | “It’s gonna be like, almost 9 days, without resting my voice and my body and my mind. And I’m just really upset I don’t have anyone that’s concerned about my body and my well being.” |
| McFadden: | You’re saying, “You know, I’ve performed 9 nights in a row, nobody cares about me.” |
| Knowles: | Yeah. |
| McFadden: | Does it feel that way sometimes? |
| Knowles: | I was delirious. And I just felt, was feeling, sorry and bad, and I was like, you know…I need rest. I need someone to say stop. And in the end I cried, because clearly I’m a human being, and I bleed, and I hurt, and I fall and I cry just like everyone else. |
| Knowles: | “I’m here on the couch in my sweat suit, with a very sweaty face, eating salt potato chips, I want a pickle and Jalapenos.” |
| McFadden: | This is how I ate when I was pregnant, you don’t have anything you want to tell us do you? |
| Knowles: | No, no I don’t. And this was shot a long time ago. And so there was nothing then, and there’s nothing now. No. It will be, one day. Definitely one day. |
| McFadden: | You’re 29, you’ve got plenty of time. |
| Knowles: | Exactly. I’m 29, guys! |
| McFadden: | Lighten up! |
| McFadden: | I’m wondering, I know how close you are to your mother, and I’m wondering if you’ve given any thought to the kind of mother you’d like to be one day. |
| Knowles: | Definitely my mother, I mean it’s one of the reasons why I haven’t had a child yet, because I feel like there are certain things that I wanted to do before I had a child, so that I could really, really focus on being a mother. And I’m getting closer to that point, but I mean I still am in such a great place in my career, that I feel like I want to wait until I’m really, really ready. |
| McFadden: | Why do you think people are so fixated on this? Because you cannot, I mean in preparing to sit down and talk to you, it’s just about every 30 days, there’s another rumor that you’re pregnant. |
| Knowles: | It is. And it is difficult, because one day I will decide to have a child, and I want people to be excited, and they’re going to be like, “Lord, ok, whatever, she’s been pregnant 25 times.” |
| McFadden: | Her husband is of course the rapper mogul, Jay-Z, who makes a surprise appearance on stage with her in London. |
| McFadden: | How did that happen? Because you two have really done a lot to keep your careers sort of separate. |
| Knowles: | It was great. He happened to be in London, and umm, he was actually working on his own stuff. And Kanye (West) was there in London. And I said, “Oh! this is perfect. This is my first time directing a DVD, will you guys help me out? Help a sister out?” And they came through! |
| McFadden: | When we come back, this is one performer who doesn’t need any help when it comes to tough decisions. |
| Knowles: | How can you dare say…?(Nobody said that was…) No, let me finish. This is NOT working. We got three more days of rehearsal… |
