Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. honor
    • ex. The award was given to honor her work in helping poor families.
  2. underserved
    • ex. Some underserved towns still don’t have access to clean water and hospitals.
  3. welfare
    • ex. His parents are worried about his welfare while he studies in another country.
  4. outlet
    • ex. Writing stories gives me an outlet for my imagination.
  5. artistry
    • ex. The cake looked too beautiful to eat. It showed the baker’s true artistry.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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MusiCares, an organization that helps people who work in music with financial, personal, or medical problems, will honor Mariah Carey as its 2026 Person of the Year. The five-time Grammy Award winner is being recognized for her strong support of underserved communities. She has helped people affected by Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic. She also started Camp Mariah to support young people’s education and welfare.

In an interview, Carey said that songwriting has always been her outlet during difficult times. She explained that writing songs helps her express her feelings. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, said in a statement that Carey’s artistry and voice have had a strong influence on modern music.

Theresa Wolters, MusiCares executive director, said that Carey’s work reflects the group’s goal of helping people in music and their communities live well. The award will be given at the 35th annual Person of the Year event in Los Angeles on January 30, two nights before the 2026 Grammy Awards.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Person of the Year

  • MusiCares chose Mariah Carey as its 2026 Person of the Year for her support of underserved communities. What kind of person do you think deserves to be called “Person of the Year” (ex. celebrities, businessmen)? Discuss.
  • Which do you think awards like “Person of the Year” are really for: inspiring people to do good things or getting attention? Discuss.
  • If you could choose someone in your country as “Person of the Year,” who would it be? Discuss.

Underserved Communities

  • Mariah Carey has supported many underserved communities through education and welfare programs. What do you think about singers or artists helping underserved communities? Discuss.
  • In your country, what is a program for the underserved communities that you know of? Discuss.
  • If you could help an underserved community, what group would you choose to help (ex. the elderly, children)? Why? Discuss.