(1) Music lesson: The Rose by Westlife/Bette Midler
P.S. Liu Yufan, may I ask you to bring your sound system to class, please?!
(2) Enjoy English: The Adoption
P.S. Oh, and don't forget to listen to Tara's News bulletin!
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Replies
Zhou Yuqi, you may be right about your idea about love, but I think the love this song is telling about is much deeper than just the love between a woman and a man. There is a proverb that says, "Love covers a multitude of sins"; it means that when one really love other people unconditionally, even when they do wrong and offend you, you still love them .. but of course, that is not easy, but I believe that is what love was meant to be. If the world have more of that kind of love, there wouldn't be more orphans walking around without adoptive parents, and children wouldn't be abandoned any longer. But of course, we don't live in a perfect world ...
I agree, Hou Yan, that if we love others, we may be hurt sometimes as the other one may reject us or say something rude, or may even die. But if we are not afraid of taking that risk of loving others, it would bring us indescribable joy and happiness too. However, if there was more of that unselfish love in this world, Tiffany would not have had to get adoptive parents ... You said Tiffany should meet her biological parents and then she can have more love ... do you really think her parents would suddenly start loving her if she wasn't good enough to love when she was two years old? Why do you say adoption is a sad thing? I guess you mean because there is a child without real parents and as she became an orphan or got abandoned, she has to be adopted by other parents? I think adoption is an honourable practice and gives other parents the opportunity to adopt a rejected child and give that child the love she has been denied up to the adoption. Adoption is a lifeline to abandoned children and orphans.
I agree, Tina, not only is a rose probably the most beautiful flower in the world, but this song is equally beautiful and even moving. But, of course it is not only about love between a woman and a man, the meaning is much deeper than that. If people respected and honoured that love, Tiffany wouldn't have had to decide about meeting her biological parents as she would have still been with them ... I would also choose the adoptive parents as I don't think the biological parents have the right anymore to see their child they'd abandoned before. I wonder what your classmates would say ...? :)
We will then listen to the song and discuss it.After listening to it,I think The Rose is a soft song with beautiful lyrics.The lyric writes about the belief and love.I like the lyric"And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live."In my opinion,this means during our life,only doing some meaningful things and being brave to love and experience can we taste the meaning of life and enjoy it.Don't let everything be lifeless and unimpassioned.I listened many singer's version of this song.And I appreciate Bette Midler's most.
After this,we will talk about the girl Tiffany.In China,there are many this kind of things happened.(It also exist in the TV plays,it can always make the story being more attractive.)I think Tiffany should meet her parents.It is her right to know everthing.We will talk it next class. I won't forget to take my muscic system.^_^See you then.
Thank you for your all-inclusive comment, Liu Yufan. I know you'll bring your music system, but will you also bring both recordings of "The Rose" by Westlife and the one by Bette Midler, pse! I have both on my USB disc, but that doesn't work on your music system!
Yes, I think your interpretation of that beautiful lyric is about correct. One should give one's all in life despite the risks (of failure, rejection, embarrassment, and even dying), unconditionally give of oneself, and thereby live a meaningful life until the end. Yes, Bette's version of this song is moving one's heart. But about Tiffany's dilemma ... can you imagine what would happen if people would start caring, and can love others unconditionally, even if they are not part of their family and close friends? Then orphans would all find homes, and children may not be abandoned anymore ...
Thank you for the comment, Amy. Yes, I love the lyrics too and the song is one of my all-time favourite songs. If there was more of that kind of love in today's world, we wouldn't have so many abandoned children who need 'new' parents ... I have done this lesson many times and all students always have the same question for the biological parents, "Why have you abandoned me?". I guess that is only human to know that answer.
P.S. I think you have a very smart and intelligent roommate who also likes to drink coffee (the drink of the professionals)! ;-)
Thank you, Ada. I agree with you that the lyrics make the song full of emotion and 'warm'. It is one of my all-time favourite songs (dated back to 1979 ..!). I have the video also of the movie, "The Rose", with Bette Midler in the main role (she was later nominated for an Oscar award for her performance). But it is a wild movie as it is about a successful rock star, Janis Joplin (also known as Pearl), who destroyed her career (and life) through drugs, booze and hard-living (she tragically died in 1970 at age 27 of a drug overdose). If one could bear with the hard scenes in the movie, the rock music would make up for the scenes (but I wouldn't recommend it for young people to watch!). Btw, Janis Joplin was such a successful rock star in her young life, that the US Postal Services put her on a postage stamp for being one of the greatest rock singers of all time.
You didn't comment on the second part of the lesson, Ada, about Tiffany's dilemma. I hope you didn't miss the lesson and that you would still be prepared for class. ;-)
The news talked about alcoholism.I think it is good to make a similar ban in our country.Drinking in front of the class is unforgivable i think.Especially for primary school students.It may be an reversed education to them.
What Tiffany experienced maybe exist in many part of Chinese mainland sopa operas i think.Of course it is do exist this kind of people who are confusing about their life experiences.In my opinion,she has to face the reality of her life experience.She should come back to her biological parents anyway.Because there must be many unrejectful reasons for them caused they abandoned her.They give birth to her and her adopted parents bringed her up.So no matter for her biological parents or her adopted parents,she has duty to support them.
Thank you for a very comprehensive comment, Kelly. If the version of the song I have incuded here is too slow for you, listen to Westlife's version; their one is a little faster (for the younger generation, I suppose!). But don't you think the lyrics are incredibly beautiful ... for example, the flower and the lover, the seed, and with the sun's love, the beautiful rose ...! Yes, I also think Westlife makes good music.
About the news, I suspect you may have misunderstood a little! The drinking wasn't in the classrooms, or with students (well, hopefully not). It wasn't even the female teacher who applied for the job that was guilty of drinking. It happened before with other Irish teachers (probably men!) and now they discriminated against her.
And about Tiffany's choice ... do you really think she should go back to her biological parents while they abandoned her already once before? What about her adoptive parents that raised and loved her for 14 years already? Do you really think any reason in the world can be valid for abandoning one's own child, your own flesh and blood? We'll discuss further in class ... ;-)
Pauline, have you also listened to Bette Midler's version of this song (that I have uploaded here)? I think it is even better than the version by Westlife! About love ... I think you are correct in that people don't love easily as they are afraid of the hurt when it breaks. The world would be a better place for all if we learn to risk loving other people even more than ourselves (I'm not referring to the bf or parents or siblings). Then people wouldn't abandon children, and orphans would soon get new parents ... But the reality today is, sadly, much different ...
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