The Impossible Dream
Introduction
How often do you remember your dreams?
What was the last dream you can remember?
Do you have any recurring dreams?
Do you think we can discover anything useful by analyzing our dreams?
Which of the expressions below with ‘dream’ do you have in your language? Do you have any others, not include here?
| live out your dreams | a pipe dream | dream up something |
| daydream | Dream on! / In your dreams! | dream big |
| a dream come true | a dream team | dare to dream |
What do you think the expression “an impossible dream” means?
Pre-watching
You’re going to listen to a song called “The Impossible dream”. From the song title, which of the following words would you expect to describe the mood of the song?
hopeful / hopeless / regretful / noble / fragile / courageous / woeful
Watch the video to find out, and enjoy the song!
Lyrics 1
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Question 1 of 1
1. Question
Match the lyrics from the first 2 verses of the song.
Sort elements
- the impossible dream
- the unbeatable foe
- with unbearable sorrow
- where the brave dare not go
- the unrightable wrong
- pure and chaste from afar
- when your arms are too weary
- the unreachable star
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To dream
-
To fight
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To bear
-
To run
-
To right
-
To love
-
To try
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To reach
Vocab
Look at the negative form ‘un+verb+able’ in the lyrics, used to create extreme adjectives.
We often do this with the following verbs too:
believe* / doubt / question / answer / imagine* / fathom (discover meaning) **Remember to remove the final ‘e’ when adding ‘able’.
And slight variations in form include: intolerable / unintelligible (makes no sense) / implacable (unable to be satisfied, changed or stopped) / insatiable (impossible to satisfy; used with hunger, appetite or desire)
Lyrics 2
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1. Question
Complete the song lyrics with the following words:
glorious fight strove better matter(x2) ounce laid only covered quest peaceful heavenly -
This is my (quest), to follow that star
No (matter) how hopeless, no (matter) how far
To (fight) for the right without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell for a (heavenly) causeAnd I know if I'll (only) be true
To this (glorious) quest
That my heart will lie (peaceful) and calm
When I'm (laid) to my restAnd the world will be (better) for this
That one man, scorned and (covered) with scars
Still (strove), with his last (ounce) of courage
To reach the unreachable star!
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Grammar
“No matter + who/what/which/where/when/how….”
We use this phrase to say that regardless of one situation, the result remains unchanged:
No matter how hard I try, I still can’t lift this box.
No matter who told you it’s true, these are the facts.
Notice how in the song the result comes first, “This is my quest, to follow that star” and the situation second, “No matter how hopeless, no matter how far.”
Try reversing the order in the examples above… They still make sense!
Follow Up
Honda used “The Impossible Dream” in an advert. How do you think they went about using the idea of a “glorious quest” to promote the brand?
Watch the video to check your ideas.