When did he start his solo career?

Read the passage and choose the correct answer to each of the following questsons.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, near Chicago, on August 29, 1958. He was the eighth of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson street. He was a renowned American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Dubbed the “King of Pop”, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Jackson’s contributions to music, dance, and fashion made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.

He began his solo career in 1971, and in the early 1980s, became a dominant figure in popular music. Through stage and video performances, Jackson popularized complicated dance techniques such as the robot and the moonwalk. His sound and style have influenced artists of various genres. Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 350 million records worldwide. He won hundreds of awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. His other achievements include Guinness World Awards, 15 Grammy Awards, 26 American Music Awards, and 13 number-one us singles. In 2009, while preparing for a series of comeback concerts This Is It, Jackson died from an overdose of propofol and benzodiazepine.

Complete the second sentence in each pair so that it has the similar meaning to the first sentence. Use NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS.

1.  I started to work as a volunteer 3 years ago.

→ I have______________a volunteer for 3 years.

Write a paragraph (120 - 150 words) about your favorite music band. You can use the following questions as cues or your own ideas.

•  What are the names of this music band?

•  What are some well-known songs of this band?

•  When do you listen to their songs?

•  Why do you like this band?