Many people in Asia are very excited to see Taylor Swift in concert. These fans are trying hard to get tickets for her show in Singapore in March 2024. To get these tickets, they have not gone to work and have waited in long lines. Some fans may be unhappy if they do not get tickets, but others will be very happy if they do.
Taylor Swift is also going to perform in Japan and Australia, but not in other places in East or South East Asia. Many people in this part of the world love her music. Singapore is a good place for the concert because it is easy to get to, and there are cheap flights.
This will be Taylor Swift’s first concert after a long break because of the pandemic. She has not performed since 2019. Fans are waiting in long lines at the post office in Singapore to buy tickets. Some fans have also waited for a long time to buy tickets online.
Many fans are trying different ways to get tickets. Some are even missing work to try to get them. But getting tickets is not easy. Many fans are not happy because they have to wait a long time. But others are happy when they get tickets. They think it is worth it to see Taylor Swift in concert.
Some fans who did not get tickets may still go to Singapore to listen to the concert from outside. But many fans in China are sad because Taylor Swift is not going to perform there. They hope she will add more shows in Asia.
Original news source: Taylor Swift: What Asian fans did for her concert tickets (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– “Getting Tickets” Role Play
Instructions: Divide students into pairs. Assign one student the role of a Taylor Swift fan trying to get concert tickets and the other student the role of a ticket seller. Encourage them to use the phrases and information from the article in their role play.
– “Fan Reactions” Emotions Game
Instructions: Write down different emotions mentioned in the article (excited, unhappy, happy, sad) on flashcards. Show a flashcard to a student and ask them to act out that emotion. The rest of the class has to guess the emotion.
– “Concert Journey” Map Activity
Instructions: Give each student a blank map of Asia. Ask them to mark the countries mentioned in the article (Singapore, Japan, Australia, China) and plot a possible route for Taylor Swift’s concert tour. While doing so, they should also mention the reasons why each place was chosen or not chosen for the concert.
– “Concert Experience” Storytelling Activity
Instructions: Ask students to imagine they were lucky enough to get a ticket to the concert. In pairs, they should create a short story about their imagined concert experience using simple sentences. They can use the information from the article as a base for their story.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Who are people in Asia excited to see in concert?
2. When is Taylor Swift’s show in Singapore?
3. Where else is Taylor Swift going to perform?
4. Why is Singapore a good place for the concert?
5. When was the last time Taylor Swift performed?
6. Where are fans waiting in long lines to buy tickets?
7. What are some fans doing to try to get tickets?
8. How do fans in China feel about Taylor Swift not performing there?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Many people in Asia are very excited to see Taylor Swift in (1)_____. These fans are trying hard to get tickets for her show in Singapore in March 2024. To get these tickets, they have not gone to work and have waited in long (2)_____. Some fans may be unhappy if they do not get tickets, but others will be very happy if they do.
Taylor Swift is also going to perform in Japan and Australia, but not in other places in East or South East Asia. Many people in this part of the world love her (3)_____. Singapore is a good place for the concert because it is easy to get to, and there are cheap flights.
This will be Taylor Swift’s first concert after a long break because of the (4)_____. She has not performed since 2019. Fans are waiting in long lines at the post office in Singapore to buy tickets. Some fans have also waited for a long time to buy tickets (5)_____.
Many fans are trying different ways to get tickets. Some are even missing work to try to get them. But getting tickets is not easy. Many fans are not happy because they have to wait a long time. But others are happy when they get tickets. They think it is worth it to see Taylor Swift in (6)_____.
Some fans who did not get tickets may still go to Singapore to listen to the concert from outside. But many fans in China are sad because Taylor Swift is not going to perform there. They hope she will add more shows in (7)_____.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Do you like Taylor Swift’s music? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever been to a concert? How was it?
3. What is your favorite song by Taylor Swift?
4. Would you wait in a long line to buy concert tickets? Why or why not?
5. How would you feel if you could not get tickets to a concert you wanted to go to?
6. Do you think it’s a good idea to miss work to buy concert tickets? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think Taylor Swift is not performing in other parts of Asia?
8. Would you be happy or sad if Taylor Swift did not come to your country?
9. Why do you think people are willing to wait a long time to buy tickets?
10. Is there a singer or band you would like to see in concert? Who is it?
11. Why do you think some fans might still go to Singapore even without tickets?
12. Would you listen to a concert from outside if you couldn’t get tickets? Why or why not?
13. Why do you think music concerts are exciting?
14. Would you be willing to try different ways to get tickets for a concert? Why or why not?
15. Do you think it’s fair that not everyone can get tickets to a concert? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Concert
2. Tickets
3. Fans
4. Perform
5. Pandemic
6. Post office
7. Online
8. Worth
Shuffled Meanings:
A) A place where you can send letters and buy things like stamps or envelopes
B) People who really like a certain singer, actor, or sports team
C) To do something in front of people, like singing or acting
D) A big show where a singer or band plays music
E) A big sickness that spreads to many people all over the world
F) Something you buy that lets you go to a show, game, or other event
G) On the computer or internet
H) Something that is good enough for the time, money, or effort you put into it
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Who are many people in Asia excited to see in concert?
(a) Justin Bieber
(b) Taylor Swift
(c) Ariana Grande
(d) Billie Eilish
2. Where is Taylor Swift going to perform in March 2024?
(a) Japan
(b) Australia
(c) China
(d) Singapore
3. Why is Singapore a good place for the concert?
(a) It is hard to get to
(b) There are no fans there
(c) It is easy to get to and there are cheap flights
(d) It is in South East Asia
4. When was the last time Taylor Swift performed before this concert?
(a) 2020
(b) 2021
(c) 2022
(d) 2019
5. Where are fans waiting in long lines to buy tickets?
(a) At the concert venue
(b) At the post office in Singapore
(c) Online
(d) In Japan
6. What are some fans missing to try to get tickets?
(a) School
(b) Work
(c) Parties
(d) Vacations
7. What might fans who did not get tickets still do?
(a) Go to Singapore to listen to the concert from outside
(b) Go to Japan to listen to the concert from outside
(c) Go to Australia to listen to the concert from outside
(d) Not go to the concert at all
8. Who are sad because Taylor Swift is not going to perform there?
(a) Fans in Japan
(b) Fans in Australia
(c) Fans in Singapore
(d) Fans in China
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Taylor Swift is going to sing in Singapore in March 2024.
2. Taylor Swift will also sing in China.
3. Some fans are not going to work to try to get tickets.
4. This is Taylor Swift’s second concert after a long break.
5. Fans are buying tickets at the post office in Singapore.
6. All fans are happy to wait a long time to get tickets.
7. Some fans who did not get tickets may still go to Singapore to listen from outside.
8. Taylor Swift has been singing at concerts since 2020.
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 are some people in Asia excited to see in concert?
2. What are some things that fans have done to try to get tickets for Taylor Swift’s concert?
3. Where is Taylor Swift going to perform besides Singapore?
4. Why is Singapore a good place for the concert?
5. Why are some fans unhappy while waiting for tickets, but others are happy when they get them?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Who are people in Asia excited to see in concert?
– People in Asia are excited to see Taylor Swift in concert.
2. When is Taylor Swift’s show in Singapore?
– Taylor Swift’s show in Singapore is in March 2024.
3. Where else is Taylor Swift going to perform?
– Taylor Swift is also going to perform in Japan and Australia.
4. Why is Singapore a good place for the concert?
– Singapore is a good place for the concert because it is easy to get to, and there are cheap flights.
5. When was the last time Taylor Swift performed?
– The last time Taylor Swift performed was in 2019.
6. Where are fans waiting in long lines to buy tickets?
– Fans are waiting in long lines at the post office in Singapore to buy tickets.
7. What are some fans doing to try to get tickets?
– Some fans are missing work and waiting in long lines to try to get tickets.
8. How do fans in China feel about Taylor Swift not performing there?
– Fans in China are sad because Taylor Swift is not going to perform there.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. concert
2. lines
3. music
4. pandemic
5. online
6. concert
7. Asia
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Concert
Answer: D) A big show where a singer or band plays music
2. Tickets
Answer: F) Something you buy that lets you go to a show, game, or other event
3. Fans
Answer: B) People who really like a certain singer, actor, or sports team
4. Perform
Answer: C) To do something in front of people, like singing or acting
5. Pandemic
Answer: E) A big sickness that spreads to many people all over the world
6. Post office
Answer: A) A place where you can send letters and buy things like stamps or envelopes
7. Online
Answer: G) On the computer or internet
8. Worth
Answer: H) Something that is good enough for the time, money, or effort you put into it
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Who are many people in Asia excited to see in concert?
Answer: (b) Taylor Swift
2. Where is Taylor Swift going to perform in March 2024?
Answer: (d) Singapore
3. Why is Singapore a good place for the concert?
Answer: (c) It is easy to get to and there are cheap flights
4. When was the last time Taylor Swift performed before this concert?
Answer: (d) 2019
5. Where are fans waiting in long lines to buy tickets?
Answer: (b) At the post office in Singapore
6. What are some fans missing to try to get tickets?
Answer: (b) Work
7. What might fans who did not get tickets still do?
Answer: (a) Go to Singapore to listen to the concert from outside
8. Who are sad because Taylor Swift is not going to perform there?
Answer: (d) Fans in China
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Taylor Swift is going to sing in Singapore in March 2024.
Answer: True
2. Taylor Swift will also sing in China.
Answer: False
3. Some fans are not going to work to try to get tickets.
Answer: True
4. This is Taylor Swift’s second concert after a long break.
Answer: False
5. Fans are buying tickets at the post office in Singapore.
Answer: True
6. All fans are happy to wait a long time to get tickets.
Answer: False
7. Some fans who did not get tickets may still go to Singapore to listen from outside.
Answer: False
8. Taylor Swift has been singing at concerts since 2020.
Answer: False
Go back to questions ⇧
