Jacki wanted to see Taylor Swift in concert. In America, tickets were very expensive, so she flew to Europe to see the show for less money. In Europe, rules make it harder to sell tickets for a lot more money. In America, some tickets cost $2,500 even though they started at $49. Many people think the ticket system is not fair.

Some people want to use computers to fix the ticket problem. A company called Tixologi uses smart computers to stop people from buying too many tickets. They also use special technology to make sure tickets are real. Another company, Seat Unique, changes ticket prices based on how many people want them. These ideas hope to make buying tickets better for fans.

Original news source: Can technology fix the ‘broken’ concert ticketing system? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students will act out different scenarios related to the article, such as “buying a concert ticket,” “flying to Europe,” or “seeing a concert.” The rest of the class will guess what they are acting out.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Students will draw key vocabulary words from the article, such as “concert,” “ticket,” “Europe,” and “computer.” Classmates will guess the word based on the drawing.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Students will discuss and vote on whether they think the ticket system is fair or not. They will share their opinions in small groups and then a few will present their thoughts to the whole class.

– SKETCH IT
Instructions: Students will work in pairs to create a simple comic strip that summarizes Jacki’s experience of trying to buy concert tickets. They will include key events and characters.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Students will think about their favorite concert or artist and share their thoughts with a partner. After discussing, they will share with the class what they learned about each other’s preferences.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who did Jacki want to see in concert?
2. Where did Jacki fly to see the concert?
3. Why were the tickets in America very expensive?
4. What is one company that helps with ticket problems?
5. What does Tixologi use to help with tickets?
6. What does Seat Unique do with ticket prices?
7. Why do people want to fix the ticket problem?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Jacki wanted to see Taylor Swift in concert. In America, tickets were very expensive, so she flew to Europe to see the (1)______ for less (2)______. In Europe, rules make it harder to sell tickets for a lot more money. In America, some tickets cost $2,500 even though they started at $49. Many people (3)______ the ticket (4)______ is not fair.

Some people want to use (5)______ to fix the ticket problem. A company called Tixologi uses smart computers to stop people from (6)______ too many tickets. They also use special technology to make sure tickets are real. Another company, Seat (7)______, changes ticket prices (8)______ on how many people want them. These ideas hope to make buying tickets better for fans.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a concert?
2. Do you like music? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you could see your favorite singer?
4. Do you think tickets should be cheap or expensive? Why?
5. Have you ever been to a concert? What was it like?
6. What is a ticket?
7. Do you think it is fair for some tickets to be very expensive? Why?
8. How would you feel if you missed a concert you wanted to see?
9. Do you like to travel to see shows? Why or why not?
10. What is your favorite singer or band?
11. How would you feel if you could buy tickets easily?
12. Do you think computers can help with buying tickets? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. concert
2. expensive
3. Europe
4. rules
5. system
6. fair
7. computers
8. technology
9. company
10. prices

Meanings:
(A) How much money you need to buy something
(B) A way things are organized or work together
(C) Things you must follow, like instructions
(D) A show where people sing and play music
(E) A place with many countries like France and Germany
(F) Costs a lot of money
(G) Machines that help us do things faster
(H) A group of people working together to sell things
(I) New tools and machines that make life easier
(J) When something is right and equal for everyone
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where did Jacki want to see Taylor Swift?
(a) In Asia
(b) In Europe
(c) In Africa
(d) In Australia

2. Why did Jacki fly to Europe?
(a) To pay less money
(b) To see a movie
(c) To visit friends
(d) To go shopping

3. What is very expensive in America?
(a) Food
(b) Clothes
(c) Tickets
(d) Toys

4. What does Tixologi use to help with tickets?
(a) Phones
(b) Computers
(c) Books
(d) Cars

5. What does Seat Unique do with ticket prices?
(a) Ignores them
(b) Lowers them always
(c) Changes them
(d) Makes them free

6. What do some people think about the ticket system?
(a) It is very good
(b) It is funny
(c) It is easy
(d) It is not fair

7. What do smart computers help stop?
(a) Buying too many tickets
(b) Selling food
(c) Making music
(d) Watching shows

8. What do the new ideas hope to make better?
(a) Eating food
(b) Playing games
(c) Going to school
(d) Buying tickets

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Seat Unique changes ticket prices based on how many people want them.
2. Many people think the ticket buying system is unfair.
3. Jacki flew to Europe to sell cheaper tickets.
4. Jacki wanted to see Taylor Swift dance.
5. In Europe, it is harder to sell tickets for high prices.
6. Tickets in America cost a lot of money.
7. A company called Tixologi creates ticket problems.
8. Some tickets in America can cost $100.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Who did Jacki want to see in concert?
2. Where did Jacki go to see the concert?
3. Why were the tickets in America very expensive?
4. What does the company Tixologi do with computers?
5. How does Seat Unique change ticket prices?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who did Jacki want to see in concert?
Jacki wanted to see Taylor Swift in concert.

2. Where did Jacki fly to see the concert?
Jacki flew to Europe to see the concert.

3. Why were the tickets in America very expensive?
The tickets in America were very expensive because some cost a lot of money.

4. What is one company that helps with ticket problems?
One company that helps with ticket problems is Tixologi.

5. What does Tixologi use to help with tickets?
Tixologi uses smart computers to help with tickets.

6. What does Seat Unique do with ticket prices?
Seat Unique changes ticket prices based on how many people want them.

7. Why do people want to fix the ticket problem?
People want to fix the ticket problem because they think it is not fair.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) show
(2) money
(3) think
(4) system
(5) computers
(6) buying
(7) Unique
(8) based
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. concert
Answer: (D) A show where people sing and play music

2. expensive
Answer: (F) Costs a lot of money

3. Europe
Answer: (E) A place with many countries like France and Germany

4. rules
Answer: (C) Things you must follow, like instructions

5. system
Answer: (B) A way things are organized or work together

6. fair
Answer: (J) When something is right and equal for everyone

7. computers
Answer: (G) Machines that help us do things faster

8. technology
Answer: (I) New tools and machines that make life easier

9. company
Answer: (H) A group of people working together to sell things

10. prices
Answer: (A) How much money you need to buy something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where did Jacki want to see Taylor Swift?
Answer: (b) In Europe

2. Why did Jacki fly to Europe?
Answer: (a) To pay less money

3. What is very expensive in America?
Answer: (c) Tickets

4. What does Tixologi use to help with tickets?
Answer: (b) Computers

5. What does Seat Unique do with ticket prices?
Answer: (c) Changes them

6. What do some people think about the ticket system?
Answer: (d) It is not fair

7. What do smart computers help stop?
Answer: (a) Buying too many tickets

8. What do the new ideas hope to make better?
Answer: (d) Buying tickets
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Seat Unique changes ticket prices based on how many people want them. (Answer: True)
2. Many people think the ticket buying system is unfair. (Answer: True)
3. Jacki flew to Europe to sell cheaper tickets. (Answer: False)
4. Jacki wanted to see Taylor Swift dance. (Answer: False)
5. In Europe, it is harder to sell tickets for high prices. (Answer: True)
6. Tickets in America cost a lot of money. (Answer: True)
7. A company called Tixologi creates ticket problems. (Answer: False)
8. Some tickets in America can cost $100. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧