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MAD WORLD sung by Gary Jules

From the album "Donny Darko Soundtrack"

• Exercise: 1       Listening Exercise to practise SEQUENCING (see next box)
• Exercise 2        Synonyms
• Exercise: 3A    Further Practice:  Contrasting Language  (negative to positive)
• Exercise: 3B    Further Practice:   Contrasting Language (positive to negative)

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

• Create a Library of Instant Lessons

• 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)

• EXERCISE:             1

• ACTIVITY:              Jigsaw 

• LEVEL:                    Pre-intermediate

• PRACTICE:             Listening & Sequencing

INSTRUCTIONS:    

• Cut the lyrics into strips.   

• Listen to the song at a suitable speed and put the words in order

• When ready, check your order with that of the full lyrics answer key

cut....................................................................................

MAD WORLD

(Lesson Ideas by Bibi Baxter, www.musicalenglishlessons.org)

cut....................................................................................

All around me are familiar faces,

cut....................................................................................

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,

cut....................................................................................

Children waiting for the day they feel good,

cut....................................................................................

Enlarge your world;

cut....................................................................................

Going nowhere – going nowhere.

cut....................................................................................

Happy birthday – happy birthday.

cut....................................................................................

Hello teacher tell me what’s my lesson,

cut....................................................................................

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow,

cut....................................................................................

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

cut....................................................................................

Looked right through me – looked right through me.

cut....................................................................................

mad world -  mad world

cut....................................................................................

Mad world . . . world

cut....................................................................................

Mad world.

cut....................................................................................

Made to feel the way that every child should,

cut....................................................................................

No expression – no expression

cut....................................................................................

No one knew me – no one knew me.

cut....................................................................................

No tomorrow – no tomorrow

cut....................................................................................

Sit and listen – sit and listen.

cut....................................................................................

The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had

cut....................................................................................

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,

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

• 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)

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.
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, 

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)