Taylor Swift has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023, which is a big deal! This puts her in the same league as important people like Barack Obama and Greta Thunberg. Taylor was really happy and proud to receive this award. In an interview, she talked about how tiring her Eras tour was because she would perform for three hours straight. She also talked about her relationship with Travis Kelce, who is a famous American Football player.

Taylor Swift has had a big impact on our culture, especially with her Eras tour. It broke records for ticket sales and even caused an investigation into how Ticketmaster was selling tickets. People wanted to see her so badly that the Ticketmaster website crashed, and some fans even gathered in parking lots just to listen to the music. In 2023, Taylor’s career reached new heights with her albums Folklore and Evermore. People loved her songwriting and the albums got a lot of praise from critics.

Even though Taylor has faced criticism for her views on feminism and politics, she has made a strong comeback. She spoke out against Donald Trump and supported the right to have an abortion. Her albums during the pandemic had a more natural and indie-folk sound. Taylor’s success goes beyond her music too. She re-recorded her album 1989, and it became the best-selling record of the year.

Besides her music, Taylor has broken a lot of records and achieved a lot of milestones in 2023. She became the first living artist to have five albums in the top 10 of the US charts at the same time. She also broke the record for the most number one albums by a woman in US chart history. Taylor got seven Grammy nominations for song of the year. She’s also a billionaire now, which is a huge deal because she’s the first musician to become a billionaire just from music.

Right now, Taylor is taking a break before continuing her Eras tour in Asia and Australia. She’s planning to bring the tour to Europe in May. She’s also going to release a re-recorded version of her Reputation album next year. Taylor decided to re-record her albums because her original recordings were sold without her permission. Even though she was unsure at first, she went ahead with it as a way to stand up for herself.

Overall, Taylor Swift’s influence and success in 2023 have made her a global superstar and a really important person in the music industry.

Original news source: Taylor Swift named Time Magazine’s person of the year (BBC)

Listen:

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Have each group read the article and then summarize the main points in a short news report. They should focus on the key details and events mentioned in the article. Afterward, each group can present their news report to the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the class into teams and have one person from each team come to the front of the class. Give each student a word from the list and they must draw a picture to represent that word. Their team members must guess what word they are drawing. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Have each group discuss their opinion on Taylor Swift being chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year. They should consider her impact on culture, her music, and her achievements. Afterward, conduct a class poll by asking each group to share their opinion and tallying the results on the board.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Have each group discuss the pros and cons of Taylor Swift’s decision to re-record her albums. They should consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of this decision. Afterward, have a class discussion where each group shares their points and the class can debate the pros and cons.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have the students imagine what Taylor Swift’s future career will look like based on the information in the article. They should make predictions about her music, achievements, and impact on culture. Each group can present their predictions to the class and discuss their reasoning behind their predictions.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Who has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023?
2. How did Taylor Swift feel about receiving this award?
3. What did Taylor Swift talk about in her interview regarding her Eras tour?
4. How did Taylor Swift’s Eras tour impact our culture?
5. What were some of the achievements and milestones Taylor Swift reached in 2023?
6. Why did Taylor Swift decide to re-record her albums?
7. What are Taylor Swift’s plans for her Eras tour in the future?
8. How would you describe Taylor Swift’s overall influence and success in 2023?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Taylor Swift has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023, which is a big deal! This puts her in the same league as (1)______ people like Barack Obama and Greta Thunberg. Taylor was really happy and (2)______ to receive this award. In an (3)______, she talked about how tiring her Eras tour was because she would perform for three hours straight. She also talked about her relationship with Travis Kelce, who is a famous American Football player.

Taylor Swift has had a big impact on our (4)______, especially with her Eras tour. It broke records for ticket sales and even caused an investigation into how Ticketmaster was selling tickets. People wanted to see her so badly that the Ticketmaster (5)______ crashed, and some fans even gathered in parking lots just to listen to the music. In 2023, Taylor’s career reached new heights with her albums Folklore and Evermore. People loved her songwriting and the albums got a lot of praise from critics.

Even though Taylor has faced criticism for her views on feminism and politics, she has made a strong comeback. She (6)______ out against Donald Trump and (7)______ the right to have an abortion. Her albums during the (8)______ had a more natural and indie-folk sound. Taylor’s success goes beyond her music too. She re-recorded her album 1989, and it became the best-selling record of the year.

Besides her music, Taylor has broken a lot of records and achieved a lot of milestones in 2023. She became the (9)______ living artist to have five (10)______ in the top 10 of the US (11)______ at the same time. She also broke the record for the most number one albums by a woman in US chart history. Taylor got seven Grammy nominations for song of the year. She’s also a (12)______ now, which is a huge deal because she’s the first musician to become a billionaire just from music.

Right now, Taylor is (13)______ a (14)______ before (15)______ her Eras tour in Asia and Australia. She’s planning to bring the tour to Europe in May. She’s also going to release a re-recorded version of her Reputation album next year. Taylor (16)______ to re-record her albums because her original recordings were sold without her permission. Even though she was unsure at first, she went ahead with it as a way to stand up for herself.

Overall, Taylor Swift’s influence and success in 2023 have made her a global superstar and a really important person in the music industry.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What do you think it means to be chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year?
2. How do you think Taylor Swift felt when she received the award?
3. Have you ever been to a concert that lasted for three hours? How did you feel afterwards?
4. Do you know who Travis Kelce is? How do you think Taylor Swift’s relationship with him affects her life?
5. Why do you think Taylor Swift’s Eras tour was so popular?
6. Have you ever experienced a website crashing because too many people were trying to access it? How did you feel?
7. How do you think Taylor Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore were different from her previous music?
8. What are your thoughts on Taylor Swift speaking out against Donald Trump and supporting the right to have an abortion?
9. Do you prefer Taylor Swift’s more natural and indie-folk sound or her earlier music? Why?
10. How do you think Taylor Swift felt when her re-recorded album 1989 became the best-selling record of the year?
11. What do you think it means for Taylor Swift to be the first living artist to have five albums in the top 10 of the US charts at the same time?
12. How do you feel about Taylor Swift becoming a billionaire just from music?
13. If you had the chance to see Taylor Swift perform live, would you go? Why or why not?
14. How do you think Taylor Swift felt when her original recordings were sold without her permission?
15. Do you think it was a good decision for Taylor Swift to re-record her albums? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. impact
2. investigation
3. indie-folk
4. milestones
5. nominations
6. billionaire
7. break
8. re-recorded
9. permission
10. influence
11. superstar
12. tiring
13. league
14. comeback
15. praise

Meanings:
(A) A very famous and successful performer or athlete
(B) A pause or rest from work or an activity
(C) Important events or achievements in someone’s life or career
(D) The effect or influence that something has on someone or something
(E) Official consent or authorization to do something
(F) A formal examination or inquiry into something
(G) A group of people or things that are considered to be on the same level or in the same category
(H) Expressing approval or admiration for someone or something
(I) The power to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something
(J) A person who has a net worth of at least one billion dollars
(K) The act of officially suggesting someone for an award or position
(L) Recorded again or anew
(M) Causing one to feel exhausted or fatigued
(N) A return to success or popularity after a period of decline
(O) A genre of music that combines elements of independent and folk music
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023?
(a) Taylor Swift
(b) Barack Obama
(c) Greta Thunberg
(d) Travis Kelce

2. What was the name of Taylor Swift’s tour that broke records for ticket sales?
(a) Folklore
(b) Eras
(c) Evermore
(d) Reputation

3. What caused an investigation into how tickets were being sold for Taylor Swift’s tour?
(a) Fans gathering in parking lots
(b) Taylor’s relationship with Travis Kelce
(c) The Ticketmaster website crashing
(d) Taylor’s albums Folklore and Evermore

4. What did Taylor Swift speak out against?
(a) Ticketmaster
(b) Taylor’s albums during the pandemic
(c) The right to have an abortion
(d) Donald Trump

5. What record did Taylor Swift break by re-recording her album 1989?
(a) Most number one albums by a woman in US chart history
(b) Seven Grammy nominations for song of the year
(c) Best-selling record of the year
(d) Becoming a billionaire just from music

6. Where is Taylor Swift planning to bring her Eras tour next?
(a) Asia
(b) Europe
(c) Australia
(d) Africa

7. Why did Taylor Swift decide to re-record her albums?
(a) To take a break before continuing her tour
(b) To stand up for herself against criticism
(c) To release a re-recorded version of her Reputation album
(d) Her original recordings were sold without her permission

8. What has Taylor Swift become in 2023?
(a) A global superstar
(b) A famous American Football player
(c) A billionaire
(d) A person of the year for Time Magazine

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour was relatively easy because she would perform for one hour and take frequent breaks.
2. Taylor Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore received a lot of praise from critics.
3. Taylor Swift never became the first living artist to have five albums in the top 10 of the US charts at the same time.
4. Taylor Swift has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023, which is a big deal!
5. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour had average ticket sales and did not prompt an investigation into how Ticketmaster was selling tickets.
6. Taylor Swift talked about her relationship with Travis Kelce, a famous American Football player.
7. Taylor Swift spoke out against Donald Trump and supported the right to have an abortion.
8. Taylor Swift has no plans to release a re-recorded version of her Reputation album next year.
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. Why was Taylor Swift chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023?
2. What were some of the highlights of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour?
3. How did Taylor Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore impact her career?
4. What are some of the records and milestones that Taylor Swift achieved in 2023?
5. Why did Taylor Swift decide to re-record her albums?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023?
Taylor Swift has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023.

2. How did Taylor Swift feel about receiving this award?
Taylor Swift was really happy and proud to receive this award.

3. What did Taylor Swift talk about in her interview regarding her Eras tour?
In her interview, Taylor Swift talked about how tiring her Eras tour was because she would perform for three hours straight. She also talked about her relationship with Travis Kelce.

4. How did Taylor Swift’s Eras tour impact our culture?
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour had a big impact on our culture. It broke records for ticket sales and even caused an investigation into how Ticketmaster was selling tickets. People wanted to see her so badly that the Ticketmaster website crashed, and some fans even gathered in parking lots just to listen to the music.

5. What were some of the achievements and milestones Taylor Swift reached in 2023?
In 2023, Taylor Swift became the first living artist to have five albums in the top 10 of the US charts at the same time. She also broke the record for the most number one albums by a woman in US chart history. Taylor got seven Grammy nominations for song of the year. She’s also a billionaire now, which is a huge deal because she’s the first musician to become a billionaire just from music.

6. Why did Taylor Swift decide to re-record her albums?
Taylor Swift decided to re-record her albums because her original recordings were sold without her permission. Even though she was unsure at first, she went ahead with it as a way to stand up for herself.

7. What are Taylor Swift’s plans for her Eras tour in the future?
Taylor Swift is taking a break before continuing her Eras tour in Asia and Australia. She’s planning to bring the tour to Europe in May.

8. How would you describe Taylor Swift’s overall influence and success in 2023?
Taylor Swift’s influence and success in 2023 have made her a global superstar and a really important person in the music industry.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) important
(2) proud
(3) interview
(4) culture
(5) website
(6) spoke
(7) supported
(8) pandemic
(9) first
(10) albums
(11) charts
(12) billionaire
(13) taking
(14) break
(15) continuing
(16) decided
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. impact
Answer: (D) The effect or influence that something has on someone or something

2. investigation
Answer: (F) A formal examination or inquiry into something

3. indie-folk
Answer: (O) A genre of music that combines elements of independent and folk music

4. milestones
Answer: (C) Important events or achievements in someone’s life or career

5. nominations
Answer: (K) The act of officially suggesting someone for an award or position

6. billionaire
Answer: (J) A person who has a net worth of at least one billion dollars

7. break
Answer: (B) A pause or rest from work or an activity

8. re-recorded
Answer: (L) Recorded again or anew

9. permission
Answer: (E) Official consent or authorization to do something

10. influence
Answer: (I) The power to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something

11. superstar
Answer: (A) A very famous and successful performer or athlete

12. tiring
Answer: (M) Causing one to feel exhausted or fatigued

13. league
Answer: (G) A group of people or things that are considered to be on the same level or in the same category

14. comeback
Answer: (N) A return to success or popularity after a period of decline

15. praise
Answer: (H) Expressing approval or admiration for someone or something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023?
Answer: (a) Taylor Swift

2. What was the name of Taylor Swift’s tour that broke records for ticket sales?
Answer: (b) Eras

3. What caused an investigation into how tickets were being sold for Taylor Swift’s tour?
Answer: (c) The Ticketmaster website crashing

4. What did Taylor Swift speak out against?
Answer: (d) Donald Trump

5. What record did Taylor Swift break by re-recording her album 1989?
Answer: (c) Best-selling record of the year

6. Where is Taylor Swift planning to bring her Eras tour next?
Answer: (b) Europe

7. Why did Taylor Swift decide to re-record her albums?
Answer: (d) Her original recordings were sold without her permission

8. What has Taylor Swift become in 2023?
Answer: (a) A global superstar
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour was relatively easy because she would perform for one hour and take frequent breaks. (Answer: False)
2. Taylor Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore received a lot of praise from critics. (Answer: True)
3. Taylor Swift never became the first living artist to have five albums in the top 10 of the US charts at the same time. (Answer: False)
4. Taylor Swift has been chosen as Time Magazine’s person of the year for 2023, which is a big deal! (Answer: True)
5. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour had average ticket sales and did not prompt an investigation into how Ticketmaster was selling tickets. (Answer: False)
6. Taylor Swift talked about her relationship with Travis Kelce, a famous American Football player. (Answer: True)
7. Taylor Swift spoke out against Donald Trump and supported the right to have an abortion. (Answer: True)
8. Taylor Swift has no plans to release a re-recorded version of her Reputation album next year. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧