Introduction
Can a blind person become a world-famous musician? Can a deaf person become one of the best percussionists in the world? Stevie Wonder and Evelyn Glennie show us that people can overcome difficulties and achieve great success.
In this English reading lesson, you will learn about these two talented musicians. You will also study important English vocabulary, complete gap-filling exercises, and answer reading comprehension questions.
This lesson is suitable for students who want to improve their English reading skills, vocabulary, and understanding of inspirational people.
Reading Passage: Can We See Without Vision? Can We Listen If We Can’t Hear?
1. Stevie Wonder: A Superstar Musician
Stevie Wonder is a famous American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in 1950. He was born prematurely and lost his vision shortly after birth because of complications involving the oxygen in his incubator.
Stevie and his mother experienced many difficulties during his early years, including hunger and poverty. However, Stevie did not allow his blindness to stop him from following his dreams. He was a musical prodigy who taught himself to play the piano, harmonica, and drums before the age of ten. He began performing professionally as a singer when he was only eleven years old.
Stevie’s mother sometimes worried about his blindness and their difficult living conditions. However, Stevie remained happy and determined. He believed that his disability did not have to prevent him from achieving his goals.
When people asked him whether blindness had affected his music, he explained that it had helped him develop his imagination. He could imagine places he had never seen and use words he had heard other people say when writing song lyrics.
Stevie Wonder has influenced musicians across many musical genres. He has been inducted into several famous music halls of fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In addition to his musical achievements, Stevie has supported humanitarian and charitable causes. In 2009, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace for his advocacy for people with disabilities.
2. Evelyn Glennie: A Remarkable Percussionist
Evelyn Glennie is a Scottish percussionist, writer, and Grammy Award winner. She was born in 1965 and began studying the piano at the age of eight. At ten, she started learning the clarinet. Around that time, her hearing began to deteriorate, and she became profoundly deaf in her early teens.
Although Evelyn could no longer hear musical tones in the usual way, she did not give up her passion for music. Instead, she switched to percussion and began playing the drums at the age of twelve.
Evelyn learned to sense musical vibrations through her hands and other parts of her body. She could feel the vibrations of drums through her hands and lower legs. She also discovered that touching the edge of a drum helped her sense its vibrations.
Today, Evelyn Glennie is widely recognized as an outstanding percussionist. She performs more than 100 times a year and often performs barefoot or in stocking feet to help her sense vibrations from the music.
Evelyn has written a best-selling autobiography called Good Vibrations. She has also worked on a film called Touch the Sound and regularly appears on television around the world.
Because Evelyn lost her hearing after developing normal speech, she can speak in a way similar to a person who can hear. Her excellent lip-reading skills also help her communicate easily with other people.
Besides performing music, Evelyn is a popular public speaker at international business conferences. She talks about the importance of listening and explains how the listening skills musicians develop can also help people in the workplace.
What Can We Learn from Stevie Wonder and Evelyn Glennie?
Stevie Wonder and Evelyn Glennie have shown the world that disabilities do not necessarily prevent people from achieving their dreams. Both musicians have developed their talents, worked hard, and become successful in their professions.
Their stories teach us to be determined, use our abilities wisely, and never give up when facing difficulties. They also remind us to respect people with disabilities and recognize their talents and achievements.
Key Vocabulary and Simple Meanings
- Vision (noun): The ability to see.
- Blind (adjective): Unable to see.
- Deaf (adjective): Unable to hear.
- Prematurely (adverb): Before the expected time, especially before the normal time of birth.
- Hardship (noun):A difficult or unpleasant situation.
- Poverty (noun): The condition of being very poor.
- Musical prodigy (noun phrase): A young person who has exceptional musical talent.
- Complication (n) : difficulty
- Disability (noun): A physical or mental condition that can affect a person's activities.
- Hinder (verb): To make something difficult or prevent progress.
- Imagination (noun): The ability to form pictures or ideas in your mind.
- Incubator (n) : a special box used to keep a baby who was born prematurely.
- Influence (verb/noun): To affect someone or something; the power to affect change.
- Humanitarian (adjective/noun): Concerned with improving people's lives and reducing suffering.
- Advocate (verb/noun): To publicly support a person, group, or cause.
- Percussionist (noun): A musician who plays percussion instruments, such as drums.
- Deteriorate (verb): /dɪˈtɪr.i.ə.reɪt/To become worse.
- Vibration (noun): A rapid movement or shaking that can sometimes be felt.
- Sense (verb): To notice or feel something using your senses.
- Autobiography (noun): A book about a person's life written by that person.
- Lip-reading (noun): Understanding what someone says by watching the movements of their lips.
- Determined (adjective): Having a strong desire to achieve something.
- Overcome (verb): To successfully deal with a problem or difficulty.
- Achievement (noun): Something good that you succeed in doing.
- Profession (noun): A type of job that usually requires training or special skills.
Gap-Filling Exercise
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the box. Use each word only once.
Word Bank:
vision · poverty · prodigy · lyrics · disability · deteriorate · vibrations · percussionist · autobiography · overcome
- Stevie Wonder lost his __________ shortly after birth.
- Stevie and his mother experienced hunger and __________.
- Stevie was a musical __________ who learned to play several instruments at a young age.
- Songwriters write the __________ of songs.
- A person's __________ does not define their talents or achievements.
- Evelyn's hearing began to __________ when she was young.
- Evelyn learned to feel musical __________ through her hands and legs.
- A musician who plays drums and other percussion instruments is called a __________.
- An __________ is a book written by someone about their own life.
- Both musicians learned to __________ difficulties and achieve success.
Reading Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
- What is Stevie Wonder famous for?
- What happened to Stevie Wonder's vision shortly after birth?
- Which musical instruments did Stevie teach himself to play before the age of ten?
- How did Stevie believe blindness affected his imagination?
- What humanitarian work has Stevie Wonder supported?
- Where is Evelyn Glennie from?
- At what age did Evelyn begin studying the piano?
- Why did Evelyn switch to percussion?
- How does Evelyn sense musical vibrations?
- What is the title of Evelyn Glennie's autobiography?
- How do Evelyn's lip-reading skills help her?
- What does Evelyn teach business people about listening?
- What difficulties did both musicians face?
- How did both musicians respond to their difficulties?
- What lessons can we learn from the lives of Stevie Wonder and Evelyn Glennie?
True or False Quiz
Read each statement and choose True or False.
0 Comments