IDIOM CONNECTION

lesson 32

Music Idioms and a School Play

Introduction

1. What kind of music do you like?

2. Have you ever gone to a musical play?

Reading

Our school play was very successful so we decided to set the story to music and create a new play. We decided to set up a committee to try and do this. However, our idea did not strike a chord with anyone in the music department. We were not sure if we could go ahead with the project or not. The school principal was willing to sing our praises but the music department was not interested in our idea at all. When we suddenly received a television offer to produce the musical play, the music department began to sing a different tune. They became very excited about our project and decided to pull out all the stops in order to help make it succeed.

Reading Questions

Answer the following questions. The answers can easily be found in the reading above.

1. Do they want to set the story to music?

2. Did they decide to set up a committee?

3. Did their idea strike a chord with anyone in the music department?

4. Were they sure that they could go ahead with the project?

5. Who was willing to sing their praises?

6. Was the music department interested in the idea?

7. When did the music department begin to sing a different tune?

8. Who decided to pull out all the stops to make the project succeed?

Making Connections and Idiom Meanings

Some of the idioms have another meaning or are connected to another meaning. Use this information to help you choose the correct meaning for each of the underlined idioms:

1. It will be difficult to set the story to music.
a)   write the second part of the story
b)   create music that is related to the story
c)   find a nice setting for the music

2. The government plans to set up a new program to help the environment.
a)   create
b)   stop
c)   think about

3. The new company policy is very good and should strike a chord with the employees.
a)   create a positive response among
b)   cause much anger among
c)   be of no interest with

4. We will go ahead with our plan to build a new house.
a)   proceed with
b)   stop thinking about
c)   develop

5. To sing has a musical meaning. To sing can also mean to say something. What do you think that to sing someone's praises means in the following sentence?

The teacher likes to sing the praises of her best students.
a)   show her dislike
b)   express approval
c)   disapprove

6. “I do not like the new girl in our class. Not at all.”
a)   I like her a little.
b)   I do not like her even a little.
c)   She seems like a nice person.

7. The literal or exact meaning of to sing a tune is to sing a song. Therefore, to sing a different tune is to sing a different song. However, there is an idiomatic meaning. What do you think that to sing a different tune means in the following sentence?

After our boss learned the facts of the incident, he began to sing a different tune.
a)   say basically the same thing
b)   say something different than what he said before
c)   say many things quickly

8. Pipe organs have stops which control the air that flows through the pipes. When you pull out these stops you increase the volume of the organ and it becomes louder. What do you think that to pull out all the stops means in the following sentence?

The parents pulled out all the stops to help their daughter enter a good university.
a)   will probably try
b)   made every possible effort
c)   did not really want

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Multiple Choice

Choose the correct meaning below for each underlined idiom:

1. I was not at all interested in the speech at the wedding.
a)   certainly
b)   totally
c)   certainly not

2. We will go ahead with our plans to sell our car.
a)   proceed with
b)   stop
c)   consider

3. The school children worked hard to set the story to music.
a)   create a piece of music that is related to the story
b)   find a good place to produce the story
c)   understand the meaning of the story

4. We were singing a different tune after we heard the news.
a)   continuing with our previous ideas
b)   much more interested
c)   saying something different than what we had said before

5. The city plans to set up a program to build playgrounds.
a)   establish
b)   continue
c)   discontinue

6. Our teacher likes to sing the praises of her students.
a)   criticize
b)   enthusiastically praise
c)   teach

7. My idea did not strike a chord with the other members of my class.
a)  make a bad impression on
b)  cause any problems with
c)  create a positive response with

8. The company pulled out all the stops in their advertising campaign.
a)  did not make an effort
b)  will not make progress
c)  made every possible effort

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Grammar Focus

Choose the word or expression that makes each of the following sentences correct:

1. The composer decided to set the story ___________________ music.
a)   to
b)   up
c)   up to

2. The music school will set __________________ a new piano program next year.
a)   down
b)   to
c)   up

3. The city manager's idea struck ______________________ with the planning team.
a)   the chord
b)   a chord
c)   chords

4. Our university plans to go ahead _________________ the new science facility.
a)   to
b)   with
c)   in

5. The principal was happy to sing the __________________ of the teaching staff.
a)   praise
b)   praising
c)   praises

6. I am not ___________________ all interested in watching television this evening.
a)   in
b)   for
c)   at

7. My friend began to sing _______________________ when he learned who really broke his computer.
a)  different tunes
b)  a different tune
c)  the new tune

8. We will pull __________________ all the stops and have a big party for our boss.
a)  up
b)  in
c)  out

Your score is: ___  out of 8




Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Do you know any stories that have been set to music?

2. Do you know any poems that have been set to music?

3. Have you ever tried to set up a small business?

4. Do you know anyone who has set up a small company?

5. Have you ever had an idea that did not strike a chord with anyone?

6. Do your friends ever have an idea that does not strike a chord with anyone?

7. Do your friends sometimes go ahead with a plan that they have not discussed with you?

8. Have you ever gone ahead with a plan that nobody liked?

9. Do you have a teacher or supervisor who likes to sing your praises?

10. Do you ever sing the praises of somebody else?

11. Is there any city in the world where you would not want to live at all?

12. Is there any kind of food that you do not at all want to eat?

13. Would you sing a different tune if you lost your job after always complaining about it?

14. Do you know anyone who began to sing another tune after they learned something new about something?

15. Would you pull out all the stops to help your friend get a job?

16. Has anyone ever pulled out all the stops in order to celebrate your birthday?

Role Play

Student A: You are the leader of the theater group in your school. You have just finished producing a successful play. It is a murder mystery. Now you want to set the story to music and produce a musical play.

Student B: You are the head of the music department and you think that setting the story to music is a crazy idea.

lesson 32