Welcome to American Mosaic from VOA Learning English. I’m Caty Weaver.

Moviegoers now have less than a month to wait for the release of the third Hunger Games movie. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part One,” will open in theaters across the United States on November 21st.

The soundtrack that goes along with the film will be released a few days before that. Seventeen-year-old New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde is leading the project. On Monday, she released its first single, “Yellow Flicker Beat.”

Lorde has expressed great excitement over her part in the creation of the film. She said she “jumped at the chance” although she knew the project would not be easy. She said she knew she would be inspired by the movie’s story and characters.

This first single shows that Lorde was moved by the Hunger Games hero, Katniss Everdeen. In the first movie of the series, Katniss wears a dress from which fire rises when she turns around. She became known as “the girl on fire.”

The song “Yellow Flicker Beat” captures that image of Katniss. The song goes: My blood is a flood of rubies, precious stones / It keeps my veins hot, the fires find a home in me / I move through town, I’m quiet like a fire.Lorde Releases Single for 'Hunger Games' Soundtrack
Singer Lorde performs at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It is not known who, other than Lorde, might appear on the soundtrack to “Mockingjay – Part One.” The first movie included a shared song from Taylor Swift and the band, the Civil Wars. It is called “Safe and Sound.”

The music for the second Hunger Games movie, “Catching Fire,” turned into a hit soundtrack. The British group Coldplay wrote and performed the song “Atlas.”

The soundtrack for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part One” will be released November 18th.

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Words in this Story

flicker – v. to burn or glow in an unsteady way : to produce an unsteady light

jump at the chance – to accept an opportunity eagerly

hero – n. a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities

hit – n. something that is very successful

Now it’s your turn to use these Words in this Story. In the comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on your use of vocabulary and grammar. Or you can answer a question: What is your favorite movie soundtrack and why do you like it?

I’m Caty Weaver.