Prime Time 7, Coursebook plus Semester Self-checks

Goals • Describe and comment on pictures. • Analyse a poem and talk about style. • Discuss personal relationships and dilemmas. • Compare and contrast aspects of difficult personal issues. Analysing a poem Listen to the poem “Life is fine” by Langston Hughes and make notes about the situation, the setting, the person, the message, etc. Writing: The story behind a poem Use your notes and rewrite the poem as a narrative. Make sure that you describe the setting and the situation in detail. 2  VIP file Langston Hughes (1902–1967) is well known for his insightful and poetic portrayals of black life in the USA from the 1920s till the 1960s. His work had a great influ- ence on other African American writers. V 3 2.1 3  Life is fine I went down to the river, I sat down on the bank. I tried to think but couldn’t, So I jumped in and sank. I came up once and hollered! I came up twice and cried! If that water hadn’t a-been so cold I might’ve sunk and died. But it was Cold in that water! It was cold! I took the elevator Sixteen floors above the ground. I thought about my baby And thought I would jump down. I stood there and I hollered! I stood there and I cried! If it hadn’t a-been so high I might’ve jumped and died. But it was High up there! It was high! So since I’m still here livin’, I guess I will live on. I could’ve died for love – But for livin’ I was born Though you may hear me holler, And you may see me cry – I’ll be dogged, sweet baby, If you gonna see me die. Life is fine! Fine as wine! Life is fine! (From: Langston Hughes, Selected Poems ) 67 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv