Exercise A
Gapped lyrics: Fill out the blanks while listening to the song. You can find a version of ’Wellerman’ in our video.
Soon May the Wellerman Come
There once was a ______ that put to sea
And the name of the ship was the ______ Tea
The winds ______ , her bow dipped down
Blow, my ______ , blow
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and ______ and rum
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
We’ ll take our ______ and go
She had not been two weeks from ______
When down on her a right ______ bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He’d take that whale in ______
Before the boat had hit the ______
The whale’s ______ _came up and caught her
All hands to the side ______ and fought her
When she dived down below
No line was cut, no whale was ______
The captain’s mind was not of greed
And he belonged to the whaleman’s ______
She took the ship in ______
For ______ days or even more
The line went slack, then ______ once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still that whale did go
As far as I’ve ______ , the fight’s still on
The line′s not cut and the whale’s not gone
The Wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, ______ and all
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and ______ and rum
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
We’ ll take our ______ and go
Exercise B
Pick the most suitable answer. Only one is correct.
1 What is the name of the ship?
a The Wellerman
b The Billy of Tea
c The Whaleman
2 What happens to the ship when the wind blows?
a It turns back to shore.
b Its sail is destroyed.
c Its bow dips down.
3 What is the Wellerman expected to bring?
a Food and supplies
b Weapons and tools
c Letters from home
4 What animal do the sailors encounter?
a A shark
b A right whale
c A giant squid
5 How does the captain react to seeing the whale?
a He orders the crew to flee.
b He ignores it.
c He decides to take it in tow.
6 What causes trouble for the ship during the fight?
a The whale’s tail hits it.
b The ship runs into rocks.
c A storm breaks the mast.
7. Which statement best describes the captain?
a He is greedy and careless.
b He follows the whaleman’s code.
c He is afraid of the whale.
8 How long does the struggle with the whale last?
a Only one day
b A few hours
c Forty days or more
9 What is the situation at the end of the song?
a The whale escapes.
b The fight is still going on.
c The crew returns home.
Exercise C
Creative approach!
1 Write an extra verse or an alternative verse that fits the rhythm of this song.
2 Rewrite the song from another character’s point of view.
Exercise D
Listen to the national anthem of the United Kingdom, “God save the King“. You can find numerous versions online.
1 The following lines from the national anthem of the United Kingdom are in the wrong order. Put them in the correct order.
Long may he reign
Send him victorious
God save the King
Happy and glorious
Over us all
Long live our gracious King
2 Pick the most suitable answer. Only one is correct.
1 What is the main idea of the song?
a Expressing loyalty and good wishes
b Telling the life story of the King
c Describing a historical battle
2 Which theme is most important in the song?
a Freedom of speech
b Power and wealth
c Protection and stability
3 How is the King presented in the song?
a As a military leader
b As a private person
c As a symbol of the nation
4 Which description fits the music best?
a Loud and aggressive
b Calm and ceremonial
c Fast and energetic
5 What is the speaker mainly doing in the song?
a Telling a story
b Making a request or wish
c Giving commands