English · Bac pro · B1, with Entry and Stretch tiers

Session 6: Aunt Dolly: passing the torch to Miley

Recap check
  1. When did Dollywood open?
  2. Complete: The park has existed ... 1986.
  3. Give two jobs at Dollywood.
Answer key
  1. On 3 May 1986.
  2. since
  3. For example: lifeguard, ride operator, chef.
Key question: What did Dolly pass on to her goddaughter?
Document 1 · A godmother

Miley Cyrus is the daughter of the country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, a friend of Dolly's. Dolly explained:

“Her father's a friend of mine, and when she was born, he said, 'You just have to be her godmother,' and I said, 'I accept.'”Dolly Parton, Good Morning America, 2009

Dolly called herself Miley's “honorary” or “fairy” godmother. In the Disney series Hannah Montana (2006), she played Aunt Dolly, and many children started to call her Aunt Dolly in the street.

Document 2 · Shared songs

Watch or listen: Miley Cyrus, The Backyard Sessions, Jolene, official Miley Cyrus channel

Watch or listen: Miley Cyrus, Rainbowland (feat. Dolly Parton), official label track (Miley Cyrus, Topic)

Document 2b · Jolene, together

At the 61st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, on 10 February 2019, the music world paid tribute to Dolly. Dolly brought out her goddaughter Miley, and they sang Jolene together.

Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus perform Jolene at the 2019 Grammys
Video published by Billboard, official coverage of the ceremony.
Watch the video

In Jolene, a woman begs another woman not to take her man. When they first sang it together, at Dollywood in 2010, Dolly turned it into a duel between an older woman and a younger woman.

Watch 1. Listen for the chorusEntrylistening

Listen to the chorus and complete with one word.

  1. Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, I'm ...... of you
  2. please don't take my ......
  3. Please don't take him just because you ......
  4. How many times do they sing the name “Jolene” in the first line?
Answer key
  1. begging
  2. man
  3. can
  4. four times

Watch 2. Two singers, one stageCoreguided

Watch again without the sound. Describe how they look at each other and how they move. Write three sentences.

Dolly looks at Miley as if...

Miley smiles when...

You can see that they...

They seem... because...

Words to help you: proud, tender, playful, close, confident, relaxed, to smile, to laugh, to turn to, to hold hands

Answer key

Possible answers, depending on what you see: Dolly looks at Miley as if she were her own daughter. Miley smiles when Dolly sings her line. You can see that they enjoy singing together. They seem close because they look at each other all the time.

Watch 3. Two voicesStretchyour own production

Their voices are very different. Choose adjectives and complete. Then put Dolly's words into reported speech: “Miley is my goddaughter.”

Adjectives: high, low, soft, husky, bright, powerful, gentle, deep

Dolly's voice is ...... and ......, while Miley's voice is ...... and .......

I prefer ...... voice because...

Dolly said that Miley ...... her goddaughter.

Answer key

Model: Dolly's voice is high and bright, while Miley's voice is low and husky. I prefer Miley's voice because it is powerful. Dolly said that Miley was her goddaughter.

Document 3 · Advice

When Miley's image shocked people, Dolly defended her:

“She's just trying to find her own place and wings and learn to fly.”Dolly Parton, London Evening Standard
“Nobody gives Miley advice. She's [as] headstrong as I am, but we both respect each other.”Dolly Parton, Us Weekly, 2022
“You do you, I'll do me, and together we'll be us.”Dolly's advice, as told by Miley Cyrus, Billboard, 2025

And the torch was passed both ways. Dolly told Miley that Hannah Montana had introduced her to a whole new set of young fans.

What you need to say

In this session, you need to tell the story of a bond between two people and report what they said.

To report words, we use reported speech: the tense often goes one step back in the past. “I accept.” → She said that she accepted. We use say (say something), tell (tell somebody something), ask (ask a question).

Words to say it

WordMeaningExample
a godmother / a goddaughtera woman chosen to support a child / the childDolly was Miley's godmother.
a role modela person you admire and want to copyDolly was Miley's role model.
a bonda strong link between peopleThey had a real bond.
a mentoran experienced person who guides youA tutor can be a mentor.
an heira person who receives something from someone who diesWho is Dolly's heir?
a legacywhat a person leaves after their lifeHer songs are her legacy.
to look up toto admireMiley looked up to Dolly.
to take someone under your wingto protect and guide someoneDolly took Miley under her wing.

The teacher's point

Teacher's point · reported speech: say, tell, ask
Teacher script. Read Dolly's 2009 quote aloud. Ask a student: What did Billy Ray say? Then: What did Dolly answer? Write both sentences in reported speech on the board, underline the tense change.
Tense change
present simple → past simple: “I am proud.” → She said (that) she was proud. present continuous → past continuous: “She is trying.” → She said she was trying.
Pronouns and words change
“my goddaughter” → her goddaughter; “now” → then; “today” → that day
say / tell
She said that... / She told her that... (tell + person)
Reported orders and advice
tell somebody to + verb: She told her to be herself. advise somebody to
Reported questions
ask + if / wh-word, normal word order: He asked if she would be her godmother.

Quick check. Report: “I am so proud of her.”

Answer keyShe said (that) she was so proud of her.

Exercises

1. Who said it?Entryrecognition

Dolly, Miley or Billy Ray?

  1. You just have to be her godmother.
  2. I accept.
  3. You do you, I'll do me, and together we'll be us. (who told this advice to the press?)
  4. Nobody gives Miley advice.
Answer key
  1. Billy Ray Cyrus
  2. Dolly
  3. Miley told it to Billboard; the advice came from Dolly
  4. Dolly

2. TimelineEntryguided

Match the years and the events: 2006 · 2010 · 2017 · 2023 · a. Rainbowland b. Aunt Dolly in Hannah Montana c. Wrecking Ball on Rockstar d. Jolene at Dollywood

Answer key

2006 b, 2010 d, 2017 a, 2023 c

3. Report the wordsCoreguided

  1. Dolly: “She is just trying to find her place.” → Dolly said that...
  2. Dolly: “I am proud of you.” → Dolly told Miley that...
  3. Miley: “Singing with Dolly is a dream come true.” → Miley said that...
  4. Dolly to Miley: “Be yourself.” → Dolly told Miley...
Answer key
  1. Dolly said that she was just trying to find her place.
  2. Dolly told Miley that she was proud of her.
  3. Miley said that singing with Dolly was a dream come true.
  4. Dolly told Miley to be herself.

4. The best adviceCoreyour own production

Report the best advice you have received from an adult, a tutor or a boss in your work placement (five sentences in reported speech).

Answer key

Model: My tutor told me to arrive ten minutes early. She said that customers always remembered a smile...

Passing the torch

The torch passed both ways: Dolly gave Miley songs, advice and values; Miley brought Dolly young fans. In 2024, the genealogy website Ancestry even found that they were distant cousins. Is a godmother an heir? In which sense?

Stretch · B1+

Use richer reporting verbs: advise, encourage, warn, admit, insist. Example: Dolly encouraged Miley to follow her own path. Write a short article (80 words): Dolly and Miley, a family bond.

Homework
  1. Learn the vocabulary of heritage.
  2. Report in five sentences a piece of advice given by an adult or a tutor.