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FAMILY PORTRAIT

(sung by Pink)

• Exercise-1:  Prepositions & Particles (scroll to next box)
• Exercise-2:  Mixed Tenses (simple present v present continuous v simple past, present perfect, simple future, imperative)
• Exercise-3:  Comprehension  (fact gathering & giving opinions)
• Subjects for role-play, essay or discussion
• Language Notes
• The Full Lyrics Answer Key

• EXERCISE 1

• ACTIVITY: Gapped

• PRACTICE: Prepositions & Particles

• SKILLS:  Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening

INSTRUCTIONS:  

• Fill the gaps with one of the prepositions, or particles, shown below.

• Discuss your choice of answers with another student

• Listen to the song to check your answers.  

• Make this exercise easier by listening to the song and completing the gaps.

THE MISSING PREPOSITIONS

about <> around <> at <> away <> back <> from <> out <> to <> up

 NOTE: 'tearing me down' is omitted.  See the language notes below

FAMILY PORTRAIT

(sung by Pink)

Uh, uh, some deep shit, uh, uh.

Momma please stop crying; I can’t stand the sound;

Your pain is painful and it's tearing me down.

I hear glasses breaking, as I sit .................. in my bed.

I told dad you didn’t mean those nasty things you said.

You fight ..................t money, .................. me and my brother

And this I come home ..................; this is my shelter.

It ain’t easy growing ..................    .................. World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. You’ll see

I don’t want love .................. destroy me, like it has done .................. my family

Can we work it ..................? Can we be a family?

I promise I’ll be better, Mommy, I’ll do anything

Can we work it ..................? Can we be a family?

I promise I’ll be better.  Daddy please don’t leave.

Daddy please stop yelling;  I can’t stand the sound.

Make mama stop crying, 'coz I need you ...................

My mama, she loves you, no matter what she says.  It's true

I know that she hurts you, but remember I love you, too.

I ran .................. today, ran .................. the noise, ran ..................

(I) Don’t want .................. go .................. to that place, but don’t have no choice, no way.

It ain’t easy growing .................. in World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. Well, I've seen

I don’t want love .................. destroy me, like it did my family.

Can we work it ..................? Can we be a family?

 I promise I’ll be better, Mommy, I’ll do anything.

Can we work it ..................? Can we be a family?

I promise I’ll be better; Daddy please don’t leave.

.................. our family portrait; we look pretty happy.

Let’s play pretend; let's act like it comes naturally.

I don’t want .................. have .................. split the holidays;

I don’t want two addresses. I don’t want a step-brother anyways

And I don’t want my mom .................. have .................. change her last name.

.................. our family portrait, we look pretty happy.

We look pretty normal; let's go ..................   .................. that.

.................. our family portrait we look pretty happy.

Let's play pretend - act like it comes naturally.

.................. our family portrait, we look pretty happy.

(Can we work it ..................? Can we be a family?)

We look pretty normal;  let's go ..................   .................. that.

(I promise I’ll be better, Mommy I’ll do anything)

.................. our family portrait, we look pretty happy

(Can we work it ..................? Can we be a family?)

Let's play pretend - act like it comes so naturally.

(I promise I’ll be better, Daddy please don't leave)

.................. our family portrait, we look pretty happy.

(Can we work it ..................? Can we be a family?)

We look pretty normal; let's go ..................   .................. that.

(I promise I’ll be better, Daddy please don't leave)

Daddy don’t leave. (x3)

Turn .................. please;

Remember that the night you left you took my shining star?

Daddy don’t leave. (x3)

Don't leave us here alone.

Mom will be nicer.

I’ll be so much better; I’ll tell my brother.

Oh, I won’t spill the milk .................. dinner.

I’ll be so much better; I’ll do everything right.

I’ll be your little girl forever;

I’ll go to sleep .................. night.

• Exercise:         2
• Levels:             Intermediate +
• Activity:           Gapped
• Language:        Mixed Tenses
• Skills:                Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking

INSTRUCTIONS:  

• Replace the infinitives with one of the following tenses:-

  • Imperative

  • Simple Future

  • Simple Present

  • Present Continuous

  • Present Perfect

  • Simple Past

• Discuss your choice of answers with another student

• Listen to the song to check your answers

• Make this exercise easier by listening to the song and completing the gaps.

FAMILY PORTRAIT

(sung by Pink)

Uh, uh, some deep shit, uh, uh.

Momma please stop crying; I can’t stand the sound;

Your pain ..................(be) painful and it ..................(tear) me down.

I ..................(hear) glasses breaking, as I ..................(sit) up in my bed.

I ..................(tell) dad you ..................(not mean) those nasty things you ..................(say).

You ..................(fight) about money, about me and my brother

And this I ..................(come) home to; this is my shelter.

It ..................(not be) easy growing up in World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. You ..................(see), 

I  .................. (not want) love to destroy me, like it ..................(do) my family

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I ..................(promise) I ..................(be) better, Mommy, I ..................(do) anything

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I ..................(promise) I’ll be better.  Daddy please ..................(not leave).

Daddy please ..................(stop) yelling;  I can’t stand the sound.

..................(make) mama stop crying, 'coz I ..................(need) you around.

My mama, she ..................(love) you, no matter what she ..................(say).  It ..................(be) true

I ..................(know) that she ..................(hurt) you, but ..................(remember)  I ..................(love) you, too.

I ..................(run) away today, ..................(run) from the noise, run away.

(I) ..................(not want) to go back to that place, but ..................(not have) no choice, no way.

It ..................(be) easy growing up in World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. Well, I ..................(see)

I ..................(not want) love to destroy me, like it did my family.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

 I ..................(promise) I ..................(be) better, Mommy,  I ..................(do) anything.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I ..................(promise)   I  ..................(be) better; Daddy please ..................(not leave).

In our family portrait; we ..................(look) pretty happy.

..................(let) ’s play pretend; ..................(let)  's act like it ..................(come) naturally.

I ..................(not want) to have to split the holidays;

I ..................(not want) two addresses. I ..................(not want) a step-brother anyways

And I ..................(not want) my mom to have to change her last name.

In our family portrait, we ..................(look) pretty happy.

We ..................(look) pretty normal; ..................(let) 's go back to that.

 In our family portrait we ..................(look) pretty happy.

..................(let) 's play pretend - act like it ..................(come) naturally.

In our family portrait, we ..................(look) pretty happy.

(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)

We ..................(look) pretty normal; ..................(let)  's go back to that.

(I ..................(promise)  I ..................(be) better, Mommy I ..................(do) anything)

In our family portrait, we ..................(look) pretty happy

(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)

..................(let) 's play pretend - act like it ..................(come) so naturally.

(I ..................(promise)  I.................. (be) better, Daddy please .................. (not leave) )

In our family portrait, we ..................(look) pretty happy.

(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)

We ..................(look) pretty normal; ..................(let) 's go back to that.

(I ..................(promise) I ..................(be) better, Daddy please ..................(not leave)  )

Daddy ..................(not leave). (x3)

..................(turn) around please;

..................(remember) that the night you ..................(leave) you ..................(take) my shining star?

Daddy .................. (not leave). (x3)

.................. (not leave) us here alone.

Mom ..................(be) nicer.

I ..................(be) so much better; I ..................(tell) my brother.

Oh, I ..................(not spill) the milk at dinner.

I ..................(be) so much better; I ..................(do) everything right.

I ..................(be) your little girl forever;

I ..................(go) to sleep at night.

• Exercise:       3
• Activities:       Pairwork, groupwork, threesomes, classwork
• Language:      Comprehension
• Functions:       Fact gathering, giving opinions
• Skills:               Reading,  Note-taking, Speaking, Listening

INSTRUCTIONS

• Find answers to the following questions

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SUGGESTION

• GROUPS:  Divide the class into three groups

• Hand each group a separate question

• PAIRWORK:  If the groups are large enough, students can work in pairs within their group.

• Allow adequate time (according to their level) to find answers within the lyrics.

• GROUPS: Instruct students to report their findings back to their group, in a group discussion.  

• MONITOR:  Listen to each group's findings and add information if necessary, so they are fully armed with all the facts.

• REGROUP INTO GROUPS OF THREE:  Instruct the class to regroup into groups of three, containing one student from each group.   (Each student is an expert on their question.) 

• Instruct each group to pose their question to the other two in their group.  They must then correct and advise, as appropriate, whilst indicating which particular words in the lyrics support their argument.

• CLASS DISCUSSION:  Finally pose the following questions to the whole class:  

  • Is the marriage on the rocks?  

  • Can it be saved?

  • If it cannot be saved, what is the next stage? 

cut- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1-Who does the singer blame for the problems between her mother and father?  What solutions does she offer?  What particularly upsets her?

cut- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

cut- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

cut- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Answer Key

Subjects for Essay or Discussion

• The possible long-term effects on children from broken marriages
• Types of marital problems and the possible causes of marriage break-ups
• The recipe for a perfect marriage

• The effects of a marriage breakdown on children

• Should parents stay together for the sake of the children?

ROLE-PLAY SUGGESTION (2 groups)

• Create a fictitious dysfunctional family & show how they deal with everyday problems

• Create a perfect marriage & family. Contrast it with the dysfunctional one. (Show them dealing with the same problems)

Language Notes

• 'coz = because
• ain't = is not
• it's tearing me down SHOULD BE it's tearing me apart
• Momma, Mama = mum [UK]
• Mommy = mummy [UK]
• but don’t have no choice  (English should NOT have more than one negative word in a sentence, as the second one cancels out the first.  The above clause therefore means that there IS a choice)
• It is not polite to say 'I want' or 'I don't want', as it can irritate the listener.  Much better to say 'I would like' or 'I wouldn't like' or 'I would prefer not to have....'

The Full Lyrics Answer Key

• Prepositions & particles are shown in GREEN

• Conjugated Tenses are shown in RED

FAMILY PORTRAIT

(sung by Pink)

Uh, uh, some deep shit, uh, uh.

Momma please stop crying; I can’t stand the sound;

Your pain is painful and it's tearing me down.

I hear glasses breaking, as I sit up in my bed.

I told dad you didn’t mean those nasty things you said.

You fight about money, about me and my brother

And this I come home to; this is my shelter.

It ain’t easy growing up in World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. You’ll see

I don’t want love to destroy me, like it has done to my family

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I promise I’ll be better, Mommy, I’ll do anything

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I promise I’ll be better.  Daddy please don’t leave.

Daddy please stop yelling;  I can’t stand the sound.

Make mama stop crying, 'coz I need you around.

My mama, she loves you, no matter what she says.  It's true

I know that she hurts you, but remember I love you, too.

I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away.

(I) Don’t want to go back to that place, but don’t have no choice, no way.

It ain’t easy growing up in World War III,

Never knowing what love could be. Well, I've seen

I don’t want love to destroy me, like it did my family.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

 I promise I’ll be better, Mommy, I’ll do anything.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?

I promise I’ll be better; Daddy please don’t leave.

In our family portrait; we look pretty happy.

Let’s play pretend; let's act like it comes naturally.

I don’t want to have to split the holidays;

I don’t want two addresses. I don’t want a step-brother anyways

And I don’t want my mom to have to change her last name.

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy.

We look pretty normal; let's go back to that.

 In our family portrait we look pretty happy.

Let's play pretend - act like it comes naturally.

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy.

(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)

We look pretty normal;  let's go back to that.

(I promise I’ll be better, Mommy I’ll do anything)

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy

(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)

Let's play pretend - act like it comes so naturally.

(I promise I’ll be better, Daddy please don't leave)

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy.

(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)

We look pretty normal; let's go back to that.

(I promise I’ll be better, Daddy please don't leave)

Daddy don’t leave. (x3)

Turn around please;

Remember that the night you left you took my shining star?

Daddy don’t leave. (x3)

Don't leave us here alone.

Mom will be nicer.

I’ll be so much better; I’ll tell my brother.

Oh, I won’t spill the milk at dinner.

I’ll be so much better; I’ll do everything right.

I’ll be your little girl forever;

I’ll go to sleep at night.

The Answer Key for Exercise 3

• she thinks her own behaviour is responsible
• she also blames her mother for saying nasty things

NOTE: behaviour (UK spelling)

What solutions does she offer?

• she promises to behave better
• she promises not to spill milk at the table
• she offers to do anything to save the marriage

   What particularly upsets her? 

• Her mother's crying
• Her mother's distress
• Her father's threats to leave
• The thought of her mother having a new surname
• The thought of living between two addresses
• The thought of dividing her school holiday time between the two parents
• The possibility of a step-brother

What long-term effects does she anticipate?

• She will sleep properly at night if the marriage is saved.
• The current unpleasantness will have a detrimental influence on her future opinion of marriage
• She will never trust love

• She wants them to pretend they are happy, rather than split up

How does she try to intervene?

• She tells her father that her mother does not mean the nasty things she says
• She tells him that her mother really loves him
• She tells him that she loves him too
• She tells him how she needs him around
• She asks him to stop her mother crying
• She promises that her mother will be nicer
• She promises to do everything right
• She promises to be his little girl forever

How does she feel?

• She feels it is like growing up in the middle of a battlefield
• She feels that she has only seen love as a destructive force
• She wants to run away from it all, but can’t
• Just wants a family at any cost

• Father has already left once and the singer has a step-brother somewhere
• Mother & Father arguing over money
• Mother & Father arguing over the children
• Father shouting
• Father about to leave
• Mother saying nasty things
• Mother crying
• It is moving beyond the verbal insult stage.
• Glasses are being broken at night  (possibly throwing them at each other, or at the wall, or down onto the floor)