What the song is about
The song follows students after high school, as they go on to college or university to earn a degree. They study different subjects, write essays, do projects and learn a new language. The chorus gives advice: study, do your homework, try your best. At the end, the test is over and the singer says: You passed. Good job.
Useful words and expressions
- high school / college / university: In American English, college often means the same as university. In British English, a college can also be a school for students aged 16 to 18.
- a degree: what you get when you finish university, for example a bachelor's degree.
- subject: an area you study, such as science, art, math or history. Math is American English; British English says maths.
- take a course: to sign up for and follow a set of lessons. We say take a course, not make a course.
- take / pass / fail a test or an exam: pass means you did well enough, and fail means you did not.
- study for the exam: use for before the exam you are preparing for.
- do your homework: we say do homework, not make homework.
- get a good grade: grade is American English; British English often says get a good mark.
- write an essay, do a project, practice a lot
- We have no time to lose: we must hurry and not waste time.
- try your best: do as well as you can.
- give it everything we have got: put all your effort into something. In speech this is usually shortened to everything we've got.
- Good job!: a friendly way to say "well done".
Grammar
- Present simple for things that happen regularly: We learn about science, We take a course, The teacher gives a project.
- Imperatives for advice: Study for the exam, Do your homework, Try your best, Do not fail. In everyday speech, do not is usually don't: Don't fail!
- can for possibility: We can choose.
- Questions with should: What should we say? asks for advice.
- Past simple at the end: You passed. The present perfect also works: The test is done.
Watch out: lyrics bent for rhyme
- we are smart mainly rhymes with art. It does not really follow from the line before it.
- we read the text rhymes with next. In real life, students more often read the textbook or read the chapter.
- The teacher gives a project sounds unfinished. It is more natural to say The teacher gives us a project or The teacher assigns a project.
- Learning is a long and beautiful trail is a poetic image chosen to rhyme with fail. People usually say Learning is a long journey.