The lyrics of the 10 most popular karaoke songs have been assessed and rated by government literacy experts.

Those tackling Robbie Williams' Angels needed the reading skills required to pass five good GCSEs (Level 2).

Experts from the Get On literacy campaign said 17.8 million adults would not be able to follow the song.

Those adults are estimated not to have not reached Level 2 reading skills.

Once you've got the mike in your hand you don't want your reading skills to let you down Phil Hope Skills minister

They would also have trouble following the lyrics of Gloria Gaynor's I will Survive, the Commitments' Mustang Sally and Queen's Don't Stop Me Now, the research says.

These people may also have trouble working out a household budget or comparing products and services.

And the 5.2 million adults thought not to have attained Level 1 reading skills would struggle with Summer Lovin' from the film musical Grease, Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds and Abba's Dancing Queen.

Those without this level of skills may not be able to check a pay slip or read bus and train timetables accurately.

Skills minister Phil Hope said: "Whilst we might think we know these tunes inside out, it's only on reading the lyrics properly that we realise that some of our favourite numbers are complicated.

"There are many pitfalls involved in public singing, but once you've got the mic in your hand you don't want your reading skills to let you down."

Wannabe

Anyone who is a wannabe Elvis or a secret Olivia Newton-John who sometimes struggle with the words should think about brushing up their skills in the New Year, he says.

"After all, getting help with your reading and writing could help you get on in your job, as well as improve your turn in the spotlight."

The government is offering hundreds of free courses to boost the basic skills of those who have a difficulties with literacy, language and numeracy.

The prime minister launched the Skills for Life Strategy in 2001 to tackle the legacy of adults with poor literacy, language and numeracy skills within England.

The strategy aims to help create a society where adults have the basic skills they need to find and keep work and participate fully in society (BBC NEWS)

英國研究：語文能力不好 歌也唱不好

更新日期:2006/12/18 00:00

讀寫能力不好，唱歌也唱不好，你相信嗎？據英國廣播公司（BBC）報導，一項研究發現，許多英國人雖然愛唱歌，但是唱來唱去，卻不知道自己在唱什麼，歸根結底，原來都是英國人讀寫能力太差。

英國政府一群教育專家，用卡拉OK來做測驗，選了十首英國人最愛唱的歌，然後隨機挑選成年的英國人來唱，結果發現，至少有三分之一的受測者，不知道自己在唱什麼。

專家也指出，通常搞不清楚流行歌歌詞的成年人，也缺乏最基本的管家、理財，以及購物時貨比三家的能力。

調查還發現，大約有五百二十萬的英國人連查閱自己的薪水單都有問題。

一名教育官員就忠告英國成年人說，唱歌的時候，不要哼一哼就以為自己會唱了，好好的一個字一個字唱，才會知道自己不認識的英文字，還真不少。

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見仁見智，我覺得這條新聞太誇張了。

有心或無心而已吧!

只是奇摩把人家客觀的說法，當成新奇新聞來報導也太"厲害"了。