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ACROSS THE LINES ................(Tracy Chapman)

1 Across the lines
2 Who would dare to go
3 Under the bridge
4 Over the tracks
5 That separate whites from blacks

6 Choose sides
7 Or run for your life
8 Tonight the riots begin
9 On back streets of America
10 They kill the dream of America

11 Little black girl gets assaulted
12 Ain't no reason why
13 Newspaper prints the story
14 And racist tempers fly

15 Next day it starts a riot
16 Knives and guns are drawn
17 Two black boys get killed
18 One white boy goes blind
19 Little black girl gets assaulted
20 Don't no one know her name
21 Lots of people hurt and angry
22 She's the one to blame.
A Dos chicos negros resultan muertos
B Que separan a blancos y negros
C Un periódico publica la historia
D Una chiquilla negra es atacada
E Una chiquilla negra es atacada
F Quién se atrevería a ir
G Nadie sabe cómo se llama
H Sobre las vías
I Se sacan cuchillos y pistolas
J Un chico blanco se queda ciego


K Esta noche empiezan los disturbios
L A través de las líneas
M Elige tu bando
N Ella es quien tiene la culpa
Ñ Un montón de gente herida y enfadada
O En los callejones de América
P y los nervios racistas saltan
Q Bajo el puente
R Sin que haya ninguna razón para ello
S O corre para salvar tu vida
T Matan el sueño de América
U Al día siguiente empieza un disturbio 



TASK 1: Match each verse with its translation. Translate each
        verse as you listen to the song to check.

 

TASK 2: This sentence is typical of low-class American English:
        "Don't no one know her name". What would be the correct
        form?

 

TASK 3: Study these sentences from this and other songs, then
        make a list of all the possible meanings of "ain't":
Ain't no reason why
That ain't necessary.
I ain't changing my mind
There ain't no time to waste
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me?
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy
Wednesday, Thursday, ain't no sign
Ain't it time we said goodbye?

 

TASK 4: There are two verbs in the song which are used as
        auxiliaries for passive sentences. Write down the three
        passive sentences in the song.
                                          
                                          
                                          
TASK 5: Write a short essay about the present situation of
        racism in your country.

 

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This page was last edited on: 29/04/00