All Around the World – a song by Lisa Stansfield

1. [Multiple choice]

This poor woman

(Baby = used sometimes to mean a boyfriend / girlfriend.)

Answers for Quiz [1].

• 1. has lost her baby girl.
• 2. has lost her little baby boy.
• 3. has been left by her partner. (correct)

2. [Multiple choice]

From what the singer says

(If you have a hunch about something you have an idea based on feeling rather than on any evidence. You may choose to act on a hunch, or to follow it up.)

Answers for Quiz [2].

• 1. she knows where her boyfriend is.
• 2. she has a hunch about where her boyfriend is.
• 3. she doesn’t know where her boyfriend is. (correct)

3. [Multiple choice]

She declares that

(To have a go at sth / doing sth – to attempt sth / to do sth. To give it a go – to attempt sth / see what happens if you try sth. Eg “My car’s not starting – I’ll just give it one last go, and then I’ll ring the garage….”)

Answers for Quiz [3].

• 1. she’s prepared to go to any lengths to find him. (correct)
• 2. she’s going to have one last go at tracking him down.

4. [Multiple choice]

She wants to tell him

(Option 2 might be more realistic than option 3, of course……)

Answers for Quiz [4].

• 1. she’s sorry.
• 2. she’s sorry and that she loves him and wants him back.
• 3. how much she loves him. (correct)

5. [Multiple choice]

This woman

(In the chorus she sings that she doesn’t know why he’s gone away.)

Answers for Quiz [5].

• 1. fully understands why this man has left her.
• 2. seems surprised he’s left. (correct)

6. [Multiple choice]

They fell out and

(to fall out is an informal phrasal verb meaning to have a disagreement, or a quarrel
Lisa sings that she ‘let herself go’ – normally to let yourself go – informal – means you do not pay attention to your appearance, and your looks, you allow yourself to become less attractive or healthy. Eg He was so busy when he got his new job that he let himself go rather. Here she means she spoke without much self-control.)

Answers for Quiz [6].

• 1. she said more than she should have done ….
• 2. he told her a few home truths he hadn’t said before ….
• 3. they both spoke harshly to each other. (correct)

7. [Multiple choice]

The boyfriend reacted ……. to what she said and did.

(He was so mad – informal = he was so angry.)

Answers for Quiz [7].

• 1. angrily (correct)
• 2. like a madman

8. [Multiple choice]

Her partner

Answers for Quiz [8].

• 1. explained why he felt the relationship was over. (correct)
• 2. left without giving her any explanations.

9. [Multiple choice]

The singer thinks

(She appears to think she’s lost it – if you lose it – informal – it means you have reached a point of no return.)

Answers for Quiz [9].

• 1. her boyfriend will be back when he’s got over their quarrel.
• 2. he’ll be fine when he’s cooled down a bit.
• 3. that there’s no way he’ll come back to her unless she goes out and persuades him to. (correct)

10. [Multiple choice]

We realise from the lyrics that

(She seems to have been the guilty party in this whole business.)

Answers for Quiz [10].

• 1. she has treated him badly. (correct)
• 2. he has been just as much to blame as her in the breakdown of their relationship.

11. [Multiple choice]

There are quite a number of classically-trained musicians providing the backing for this song.

(Perhaps most of a full symphony orchestra.
backing – noun – 1) support, especially money, that someone gives a person or plan. Eg He did not go ahead with his plan to start a business because he couldn’t get any backing.
2) music or singing which is played or performed to support a song or tune, especially a popular one – eg a backing track. They’ve both got a job singing and dancing in a backing group.
)

Answers for Quiz [11].

• 1. True. (correct)
• 2. False.

12. [Multiple choice]

The song ends on a happy note, because the friend re-appears, and they make up.

(end on a happy note – end with a touch of optimism or in a happy way. To make up – informal – to be reconciled.)

Answers for Quiz [12].

• 1. True.
• 2. False. (correct)