The rock band Kiss just had their final concert in New York, but they have a cool way to keep performing even after retirement. They used flying avatars to take their place on stage and sing one of their famous songs, “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You.” This technology was first used for the Abba Voyage show and now Kiss can use it to keep touring. Gene Simmons, the bassist, said he’s excited to be “forever young and forever iconic,” while the singer, Paul Stanley, thinks the band should keep going because it’s bigger than just the members. The avatars were made by George Lucas’s company and paid for by a Swedish company called Pophouse Entertainment, which is partly owned by Björn Ulvaeus from Abba. Kiss’s avatars are really big and do cool things like breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers. They used motion capture technology to make them, but we don’t know what they’ll do with them after the tour. Kiss was a super popular rock band in the 70s and 80s known for their crazy performances and cool makeup. Some of their famous songs are “Rock And Roll All Nite,” “Black Diamond,” “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” and “Crazy Crazy Nights.” This farewell tour means the end of Kiss as we know it, but there might be a chance that their legacy will continue with new musicians.

Original news source: Kiss to become ‘immortal’ thanks to Abba’s avatar technology (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a list of famous rock bands or songs, including some of Kiss’s famous songs. One person from each group will act out a band or song without speaking, while the rest of the group tries to guess. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. The group with the most points at the end wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually. Then, ask them to write a short summary of the article in their own words. Afterward, have the students pair up and discuss their summaries with their partners. Finally, have a few pairs share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a list of discussion questions related to the article, such as “Do you think using avatars in concerts is a good idea? Why or why not?” or “Should bands continue touring even after retirement? Why or why not?” Each group should discuss the questions and then share their opinions with the class. Encourage the students to support their opinions with reasons and examples.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board, such as “avatars,” “motion capture technology,” and “legacy.” Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team will come to the board and draw a picture representing one of the vocabulary words. The rest of their team must guess the word within a certain time limit. If their team guesses correctly, they earn a point. The team with the most points at the end wins.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have the students imagine that they are music industry experts. Ask them to make predictions about the future of live concerts and performances based on the article. For example, “Will more bands start using avatars in their concerts?” or “What other technologies might be used in future concerts?” Have the students write down their predictions individually and then discuss them in pairs or small groups. Finally, have a few students share their predictions with the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Kiss use to perform at their final concert in New York?
2. What song did the avatars sing on stage?
3. Who created the avatars for Kiss?
4. Who paid for the avatars to be made?
5. What are some cool things the avatars can do?
6. How did Kiss create the avatars?
7. What were Kiss known for in the 70s and 80s?
8. Is there a possibility that Kiss’s legacy will continue with new musicians?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The rock band Kiss just had their final (1)______ in New York, but they have a cool way to keep performing even after (2)______. They used (3)______ avatars to take their place on stage and sing one of their famous songs, “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You.” This technology was first used for the Abba (4)______ show and now Kiss can use it to keep touring. Gene Simmons, the bassist, said he’s excited to be “forever young and forever iconic,” while the singer, Paul Stanley, thinks the band should keep going because it’s (5)______ than just the (6)______. The avatars were made by George Lucas’s company and paid for by a (7)______ company (8)______ Pophouse Entertainment, which is partly owned by Björn Ulvaeus from Abba. Kiss’s (9)______ are really big and do cool things like breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers. They used (10)______ capture (11)______ to make them, but we don’t know what they’ll do with them after the tour. Kiss was a super (12)______ rock band in the 70s and 80s known for their (13)______ performances and cool makeup. Some of their famous songs are “Rock And Roll All Nite,” “Black Diamond,” “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” and “(14)______ Crazy Nights.” This farewell tour (15)______ the end of Kiss as we know it, but there might be a chance that their (16)______ will continue with new musicians.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an avatar?
2. How would you feel if you could use an avatar to perform on stage instead of you?
3. Do you like rock music? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important for a band to keep performing even after retirement? Why or why not?
5. What do you think about Kiss using avatars to continue touring?
6. How would you feel if you could see your favorite band perform using avatars?
7. Do you think it’s fair for a band to use avatars instead of the original members? Why or why not?
8. What do you think about the idea of using technology to create avatars for performances?
9. How would you feel if you could have an avatar of yourself to do things you don’t want to do?
10. Do you think it’s possible for avatars to replace human performers completely in the future? Why or why not?
11. What is your favorite Kiss song? Why do you like it?
12. How do you think the fans feel about Kiss’s final concert and the use of avatars?
13. Do you think it’s important for a band to have a legacy? Why or why not?
14. How would you feel if a band you love decided to retire and use avatars to keep performing?
15. Do you think the use of avatars in music performances is a good or bad thing? Why?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. avatars
2. retirement
3. iconic
4. technology
5. tour
6. performances
7. makeup
8. legacy
9. musicians
10. motion capture
11. farewell
12. crazy
13. popular
14. famous
15. chance

Meanings:
(A) A final goodbye or parting
(B) Liked or enjoyed by many people
(C) Something that is handed down or passed on from one generation to the next
(D) The acts of singing, dancing, or playing music in front of an audience
(E) The act of leaving a job or career permanently
(F) Extremely unusual or bizarre
(G) Well-known or recognized by many people
(H) Digital representations of people that can be controlled and manipulated
(I) The use of scientific knowledge and tools to create or improve things
(J) People who play musical instruments or sing
(K) A series of performances in different places
(L) A possibility or opportunity for something to happen
(M) The process of recording the movement of objects or people for use in animation or special effects
(N) Widely recognized and admired
(O) The cosmetics and other substances applied to the face to change or enhance appearance
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What technology did Kiss use to perform at their final concert?
(a) Holograms
(b) Robots
(c) Flying avatars
(d) Virtual reality

2. Who made the avatars for Kiss?
(a) Pophouse Entertainment
(b) Björn Ulvaeus
(c) Kiss themselves
(d) George Lucas’s company

3. What famous song did Kiss’s avatars sing at their final concert?
(a) “Rock And Roll All Nite”
(b) “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You”
(c) “Black Diamond”
(d) “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”

4. What did Gene Simmons, the bassist, say about using avatars?
(a) He thinks the band should keep going because it’s bigger than just the members
(b) He wants to retire completely and not use avatars
(c) He doesn’t like the idea of using avatars
(d) He’s excited to be “forever young and forever iconic”

5. Who paid for the avatars used by Kiss?
(a) Kiss themselves
(b) Pophouse Entertainment
(c) George Lucas’s company
(d) Björn Ulvaeus

6. What special abilities do Kiss’s avatars have?
(a) Flying and teleporting
(b) Singing and dancing
(c) Breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers
(d) Playing instruments and juggling

7. What technology was used to create Kiss’s avatars?
(a) Motion capture
(b) Virtual reality
(c) Holograms
(d) Robots

8. What does the farewell tour mean for Kiss?
(a) The end of Kiss as we know it
(b) The start of a new era for Kiss
(c) The retirement of all the band members
(d) The end of rock music

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The avatars were made by George Lucas’s company and paid for by an American company called Pophouse Entertainment.
2. Kiss used stationary avatars to perform on stage and dance to one of their famous songs.
3. Kiss used motion capture technology to create the avatars.
4. Paul Stanley believes that Kiss should continue because it’s bigger than just the band members.
5. The rock band Kiss recently had an impromptu concert in New York.
6. This farewell tour marks the end of Kiss as we know it, and there is no possibility that their legacy will continue with new musicians.
7. Gene Simmons, the bassist, is excited to be forever young and forever iconic.
8. The avatars are big and can do cool things like breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers.
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. How did Kiss use technology to continue performing after their retirement?
2. Who made the avatars for Kiss’s final concert?
3. What are some cool things that the avatars can do on stage?
4. What are some of Kiss’s famous songs?
5. What does the farewell tour mean for the future of Kiss?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did Kiss use to perform at their final concert in New York?
Kiss used flying avatars to perform at their final concert in New York.

2. What song did the avatars sing on stage?
The avatars sang the song “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You” on stage.

3. Who created the avatars for Kiss?
The avatars for Kiss were created by George Lucas’s company.

4. Who paid for the avatars to be made?
The avatars were paid for by a Swedish company called Pophouse Entertainment, which is partly owned by Björn Ulvaeus from Abba.

5. What are some cool things the avatars can do?
The avatars can do cool things like breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers.

6. How did Kiss create the avatars?
Kiss created the avatars using motion capture technology.

7. What were Kiss known for in the 70s and 80s?
Kiss were known for their crazy performances and cool makeup in the 70s and 80s.

8. Is there a possibility that Kiss’s legacy will continue with new musicians?
Yes, there is a possibility that Kiss’s legacy will continue with new musicians.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) concert
(2) retirement
(3) flying
(4) Voyage
(5) bigger
(6) members
(7) Swedish
(8) called
(9) avatars
(10) motion
(11) technology
(12) popular
(13) crazy
(14) Crazy
(15) means
(16) legacy
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. avatars
Answer: (H) Digital representations of people that can be controlled and manipulated

2. retirement
Answer: (E) The act of leaving a job or career permanently

3. iconic
Answer: (N) Widely recognized and admired

4. technology
Answer: (I) The use of scientific knowledge and tools to create or improve things

5. tour
Answer: (K) A series of performances in different places

6. performances
Answer: (D) The acts of singing, dancing, or playing music in front of an audience

7. makeup
Answer: (O) The cosmetics and other substances applied to the face to change or enhance appearance

8. legacy
Answer: (C) Something that is handed down or passed on from one generation to the next

9. musicians
Answer: (J) People who play musical instruments or sing

10. motion capture
Answer: (M) The process of recording the movement of objects or people for use in animation or special effects

11. farewell
Answer: (A) A final goodbye or parting

12. crazy
Answer: (F) Extremely unusual or bizarre

13. popular
Answer: (B) Liked or enjoyed by many people

14. famous
Answer: (G) Well-known or recognized by many people

15. chance
Answer: (L) A possibility or opportunity for something to happen
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What technology did Kiss use to perform at their final concert?
Answer: (c) Flying avatars

2. Who made the avatars for Kiss?
Answer: (d) George Lucas’s company

3. What famous song did Kiss’s avatars sing at their final concert?
Answer: (b) “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You”

4. What did Gene Simmons, the bassist, say about using avatars?
Answer: (d) He’s excited to be “forever young and forever iconic”

5. Who paid for the avatars used by Kiss?
Answer: (b) Pophouse Entertainment

6. What special abilities do Kiss’s avatars have?
Answer: (c) Breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers

7. What technology was used to create Kiss’s avatars?
Answer: (a) Motion capture

8. What does the farewell tour mean for Kiss?
Answer: (a) The end of Kiss as we know it
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The avatars were made by George Lucas’s company and paid for by an American company called Pophouse Entertainment. (Answer: False)
2. Kiss used stationary avatars to perform on stage and dance to one of their famous songs. (Answer: False)
3. Kiss used motion capture technology to create the avatars. (Answer: True)
4. Paul Stanley believes that Kiss should continue because it’s bigger than just the band members. (Answer: True)
5. The rock band Kiss recently had an impromptu concert in New York. (Answer: False)
6. This farewell tour marks the end of Kiss as we know it, and there is no possibility that their legacy will continue with new musicians. (Answer: False)
7. Gene Simmons, the bassist, is excited to be forever young and forever iconic. (Answer: True)
8. The avatars are big and can do cool things like breathing fire and shooting electricity from their fingers. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧