1. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
Musical English Lessons International, England
Established since 1993
SL/EFL study ideas by Bibi Baxter (formerly Bibi Boarder)
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MAD WORLD sung by Gary Jules
(Click on the eyes)
From the album "Donny Darko Soundtrack"
Exercise: 1
Listening Exercise to practise
SEQUENCING (see next box)
SITEMAP
A-P
Originals by Bibi
Exercise 2
Synonyms
Exercise: 3A Further Practice: Contrasting Language
(negative to positive)
Exercise: 3B Further Practice: Contrasting Language
(positive to negative)
Essays
Narratives
Photo
Published
articles
Rhyming
Verse
NOTE: Language-wise, this song is extremely interesting,
Positive words and phrases are teamed with negative ones. In
the 'suggested answers' for exercises 2A & 2B, this is evident as I
have used different colours.
RELATED PAGES
More pedagogic ideas for lyrics, poetry, etc. (listed
by language points)
More pedagogic ideas for lyrics (listed by song &
singer)
Create your own worksheets
ESL ideas
Create a Library of Instant Lessons
Quiz
The Holy Bible
Information is given below on how to make this song
suitable for students of varying levels; however,
please click here for additional advice
(Pedagogic ideas & worksheets by Bibi Baxter)
Prayers
EXERCISE:
Vocabulary
ACTIVITY:
Salvation or
Hell?
LEVEL:
Pre-intermediate
PRACTICE:
Listening & Sequencing
Life Before &
After Death
INSTRUCTIONS:
musicalenglishlessons.com/popsongs/garyjules/madworld.htm
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page URLS on this
website
SITEMAP
R-Z
Recipes
Sayings
philosophies
proverbs
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Singing
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BROKEN LINKS
1
Jigsaw
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Speaking Practice
Intonation &
Stress
Pronunciation
UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
Spellings
This website contains
mostly British-English
spellings. Most
American software
does not
recognise/recognize
all British-English
spellings
1/9
2. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
Humorous
poems
Christmas
Carols
Cut the lyrics into strips.
Listen to the song at a suitable speed and put the words
in order
Sport
Table Tennis
Vocabulary
When ready, check your order with that of the full lyrics
answer key
Study Tips
Fun Songs
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Poem
Recipes
Song by
Darkness
MAD WORLD
(Lesson Ideas by Bibi Baxter, www.musicalenglishlessons.org)
cut....................................................................................
exams
listening
reading
speaking
All around me are familiar faces,
Traditions
writing
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Classical Literature
Memory Aids & ESL
Practice for:
Dickens
D.H.Lawrence
And I find it kind of funny; I find it kind of sad
cut....................................................................................
And I find it kind of funny; I find it kind of sad.
cut....................................................................................
Bright and early for their daily races,
Shakespeare
cut....................................................................................
etc.
Children waiting for the day they feel good,
Contributors
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Fiction
Enlarge your world;
Non-fiction
Poetry
Prayers
cut....................................................................................
Going nowhere – going nowhere.
RF-MW
combined
Traditional Songs
Christmas
Carols
Chants
Coach Songs
Nursery
Rhymes
Travel
Happy birthday – happy birthday.
Comical & serious
travel reports &
rhymes
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ESL/EFL/English
Practice for Songs
Hello teacher tell me what’s my lesson,
Create your own
forums to discuss
subjects on this
website and to
CCMS
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For Budding Authors
& Poets
Feedback Forums
Technology
Video
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Using commercial
videos to teach
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow,
Violence
cut....................................................................................
musicalenglishlessons.com/popsongs/garyjules/madworld.htm
ESL/EFL
Practice Ideas
2/9
3. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
practise your
English
Functional English
ESL/EFL Grammar
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
cut....................................................................................
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
rules
cut....................................................................................
practice
Looked right through me – looked right through me.
Jokes
for fun ESL/EFL
practice
for different
occasions & to avoid
offending your
listener
mad world - mad world
A varied range of lists
& practice
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cut....................................................................................
Mad world.
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Made to feel the way that every child should,
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No expression – no expression
Medical
Pedagogic
Suggestions
Vocabulary
Lists
Vocabulary
Mad world . . . world
Language Tailoring
Subjects for
Debate
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Language Practice
Overview of
ESL/EFL/special
needs pedagogic
ideas on this
website
Reading
Practice
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No one knew me – no one knew me.
Create your
own
worksheets
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A wide range of
ESL/EFL exercises
for commercial
songs. Many are
ideal for use with
students with learning
difficulties
Writing
CV examples
monologue
letter-writing
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Additional
instructions
Worksheets
(ESL/EFL) for Pop
Songs
creative writing
No tomorrow – no tomorrow
Sit and listen – sit and listen.
Poetry
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ESL practice
Classical
Humorous
Publishing
Opportunities
A forum for budding
authors & poets to
add their work
Young Children
nursery
rhymes
bedtime story
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had
cut....................................................................................
alphabet
practice
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had.
cut....................................................................................
Their tears are filling up their glasses,
cut....................................................................................
Went to school and I was very nervous,
musicalenglishlessons.com/popsongs/garyjules/madworld.htm
3/9
4. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
cut....................................................................................
When people run in circles it’s a very very
cut....................................................................................
When people run in circles it’s a very very
cut....................................................................................
Worn out places – worn out faces;
cut....................................................................................
The Answer Key
Exercise: 2
Level:
Intermediate +
Activity: Matching
Language: Similar meanings
Instructions:
Instruct students to work, using the jigsaw lyrics, but to
change partners
Dictate the words & phrases which are in the next box, or
write them on the board
Instruct students to find the words in the lyrics and to
write something with a similar meaning
Click on the Answer key in the next box for suggested
answers, but remember that students' answers will vary
and may be correct.
Don't be small-minded
exhausted, delapidated
be disorganised
pathetic (modern meaning)
forced to do something unwillingly
insane, erratic
acted as if I did not exist
it upsets me
strange
Suggested answers for exercise 2
Exercise: 3A
musicalenglishlessons.com/popsongs/garyjules/madworld.htm
4/9
5. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
Level:
Upper Intermediate +
Activity
Language: Positive antonyms of words & phrases in
context
Exercise: 3B
Level: Intermediate +
Activity
Language: Negative antonyms of words & phrases in
context
Instructions:
Use both exercises (2A & 2B) before checking the
suggested answers.
This is not an easy exercise and should be abandoned if
students are struggling too much.
Print a copy of the full lyrics for each student as a
worksheet.
Instruct students to identify the negative words &
phrases, then to put positive equivalents.
Simplify this exercise by:
allowing students to work in groups of 3 or more, so they
can use words that others have found.
providing a set of thesaurus for students to use
Suggested Answers for exercise 3A & 3B
THE COMPLETE LYRICS
An answer key for exercise 1
A worksheet for exercises 3A and 3B (with space to write
between the lines)
musicalenglishlessons.com/popsongs/garyjules/madworld.htm
5/9
6. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
MAD WORLD
VERSE-1
All around me are familiar faces,
Worn out places – worn out faces;
Bright and early for their daily races,
Going nowhere – going nowhere.
Their tears are filling up their glasses,
No expression – no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow,
No tomorrow – no tomorrow
CHORUS-1
And I find it kind of funny; I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it’s a very very
mad world - mad world
VERSE-2
Children waiting for the day they feel good,
Happy birthday – happy birthday.
Made to feel the way that every child should,
Sit and listen – sit and listen.
Went to school and I was very nervous,
No one knew me – no one knew me.
Hello teacher tell me what’s my lesson,
Looked right through me – looked right through me.
CHORUS-2
And I find it kind of funny; I find it kind of sad.
musicalenglishlessons.com/popsongs/garyjules/madworld.htm
6/9
7. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had.
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it’s a very very
Mad world . . . world
Enlarge your world;
Mad world.
(Lesson Ideas by Bibi Baxter)
SUGGESTED ANSWERS FOR EXERCISE 2
don't be small-minded = enlarge your world
exhausted, delapidated = worn out
be disorganised = run in circles
pathetic (modern meaning) =sad
forced to do something unwillingly = made to do something
insane, erratic= mad
acted as if I did not exist = looked right through me
it upsets me = I find it hard to take
strange = funny
SUGGESTED ANSWERS FOR EXERCISES 3A & 3B
Suggested answers for exercises 3A & 3B
Students' answers may differ, but could be right
Negative words/phrases are shown in red
Positive words/phrases are shown in pink
MAD WORLD
VERSE-1
All around me are familiar (notorious) faces,
Worn out (Well-maintained) places – worn out (haggard)faces;
Bright and early (In the bleak early hours) for their daily races,
Going nowhere (everywhere) – going nowhere (all over the place)
Their tears (tears of joy) are filling up their glasses,
musicalenglishlessons.com/popsongs/garyjules/madworld.htm
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8. 12/11/13
Gary Jules: Mad World (from the Donny Darko album)
No (Full of) expression – no (eager) expression
Hide my head (Hold my head high) I want to drown my sorrow (drink and be merry),
No tomorrow (golden future) – no tomorrow (excellent prospects)
CHORUS-1
And I find it kind of funny (intriguing); I find it kind of sad (inspiring)
The dreams in which I’m dying (prospering) are the best (worst) I’ve ever had
I find it hard (easy) to tell you, I find it hard to take (it's not difficult to tolerate)
When people run in circles (are organised) it’s a very very
mad (exciting) world - mad (buzzing) world
VERSE-2
Children waiting for the day they feel good (enjoying every day),
Happy birthday (No birthday celebration) – happy (depressing) birthday.
Made (Encouraged) to feel the way that every child should,
Sit and listen – sit and listen.
Went to school and I was very nervous (relaxed),
No one (Everyone) knew me – no one (Most of them) knew me.
Hello (Huh) teacher, tell me what’s my lesson,
Looked right through (Acknowledge) me – looked right through (at) me.
CHORUS-2
And I find it kind of funny (fascinating) ; I find it kind of sad (reassuring)
The dreams in which I’m dying (living life to the full) are the best (the most
miserable) I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell (I like telling) you, I find it hard to take (it's quite a challenge)
When people run in circles (know what they are doing) it’s a very very
Mad (Lively) world . . . mad (rip-roaring) world
Enlarge your world (Just worry about small things, not big things);
Mad (Unpredictable) world.
(Lesson Ideas by Bibi Baxter)
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
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