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Seventeen: K-pop Boyband Makes History at Glastonbury

Seventeen, a K-pop boyband with 13 members, is set to make history at Glastonbury, breaking barriers for the genre in the UK.

Try this article at a different level?

 

Seventeen, a K-pop boyband with 13 members, is going to make history by being the first K-pop act to perform on the main stage at Glastonbury. K-pop has become really popular worldwide, but it hasn’t been as big in the UK. However, K-pop bands have started collaborating with Western artists, which has helped them gain more fans in the UK. What makes Seventeen different from other K-pop groups is that they write and produce their own music, instead of relying on collaborations. Woozi, the band’s main music genius, has co-written and produced most of their songs. Seventeen’s performance at Glastonbury is happening because the festival wants to include different types of music that people like.

Seventeen’s journey to success started at a South Korean entertainment company called Pledis. The members were chosen, trained, and worked really hard to get better. It took a while for the band to debut, but during that time, Woozi inspired the other members to start making their own music. Finally, in 2015, Seventeen made their debut and have been releasing different types of music ever since. Their latest mini-album, FML, was the best-selling record of 2023.

Seventeen has faced challenges on their road to success. They’ve had injuries from their intense dance moves, but they stay committed to their craft. Their music is all about being honest and talking openly about their feelings, which helps them overcome negativity. Their recent songs, FML and Super, show how they’ve grown and how strong they are. Seventeen keeps getting more popular, and they’re planning to go on a world tour at the end of the year to reach even more fans.

Seventeen performing at Glastonbury is a really big deal for K-pop in the UK. The band wants to reach fans in as many countries as possible and they believe they still have a lot more to achieve in the future.

Original news source: Seventeen: The K-pop band about to make history at UK festival (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

1CollaboratingWorking together with someone to create something
2GeniusA person with exceptional talent or intelligence
3EntertainmentActivities that provide amusement or enjoyment
4DebutThe first public appearance or presentation
5Mini-albumA small collection of songs released together
6ChallengesDifficulties or obstacles that need to be overcome
7CommittedDedicated and loyal to a cause or activity
8CraftA skill or activity that requires special training or knowledge
9HonestTelling the truth and being sincere
10NegativityBad or harmful thoughts or feelings
11PopularLiked or admired by many people
12IntenseVery strong or extreme
13PerformanceAn act of presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment
14FestivalA large public event with music, food, and other activities
15AchieveTo successfully reach a goal or complete something

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and summarize the main points in their own words. They can then share their summaries with the rest of the class.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Students will choose a key moment or concept from the article and sketch it on a piece of paper. They will then take turns showing their sketches to the class and explaining what they represent.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a list of vocabulary words from the article. One member from each team will come to the front of the class and draw a picture representing one of the words. The team members will then try to guess the word based on the drawing.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the article in 2 minutes or less. The goal is to capture the main points of the article in a concise and clear manner.

– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Create a spectrum at the front of the class with “Strongly Agree” on one end and “Strongly Disagree” on the other end. Read out statements related to the article, such as “K-pop will continue to gain popularity worldwide” or “Writing and producing their own music sets Seventeen apart from other K-pop groups.” Students will stand along the spectrum according to their level of agreement or disagreement with the statement, and then explain their positions to the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What makes Seventeen different from other K-pop groups?
2. How did Seventeen start their journey to success?
3. What was the best-selling record of 2023?
4. What challenges has Seventeen faced on their road to success?
5. How do Seventeen’s songs help them overcome negativity?
6. What do Seventeen’s recent songs, FML and Super, show?
7. What are Seventeen’s plans for the end of the year?
8. Why is Seventeen performing at Glastonbury a big deal for K-pop in the UK?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

(1)______, a K-pop boyband with 13 members, is going to make history by being the first K-pop act to perform on the main stage at Glastonbury. K-pop has become really popular worldwide, but it hasn’t been as big in the UK. However, K-pop bands have started collaborating with Western (2)______, which has helped them gain more fans in the UK. What (3)______ Seventeen (4)______ from other K-pop groups is that they write and produce their own music, instead of relying on collaborations. Woozi, the band’s main music (5)______, has co-written and produced most of their songs. Seventeen’s performance at Glastonbury is happening because the festival wants to include different types of music that people like.

Seventeen’s journey to success (6)______ at a South Korean entertainment company called Pledis. The members were chosen, trained, and (7)______ really hard to get better. It took a (8)______ for the band to debut, but during that time, Woozi inspired the other members to start (9)______ their own (10)______. Finally, in 2015, Seventeen made their debut and have been releasing different types of music ever since. Their (11)______ mini-album, FML, was the best-selling record of 2023.

Seventeen has faced challenges on their road to success. They’ve had injuries from their intense dance moves, but they stay (12)______ to their craft. Their music is all about being honest and talking openly about their feelings, which helps them overcome (13)______. Their recent songs, FML and Super, show how they’ve grown and how strong they are. Seventeen keeps getting more popular, and they’re (14)______ to go on a world tour at the end of the year to reach even more fans.

Seventeen performing at Glastonbury is a really big deal for K-pop in the UK. The band wants to reach fans in as many (15)______ as (16)______ and they believe they still have a lot more to achieve in the future.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. Have you ever heard of K-pop before? If so, what do you think about it?
2. How do you think collaborating with Western artists helps K-pop bands gain more fans?
3. What do you think it means for a band to write and produce their own music?
4. Do you think it is important for musicians to be able to create their own music? Why or why not?
5. How do you think Woozi inspired the other members of Seventeen to start making their own music?
6. Do you think it is impressive that Seventeen’s latest mini-album was the best-selling record of 2023? Why or why not?
7. How do you think Seventeen’s music helps them overcome negativity?
8. Why do you think Seventeen’s performance at Glastonbury is a big deal for K-pop in the UK?
9. How would you feel if you had the opportunity to see Seventeen perform live?
10. Do you think it is important for musicians to face challenges in their journey to success? Why or why not?
11. How do you think Seventeen’s music has evolved and grown over time?
12. Do you think it is important for musicians to connect with their fans through world tours? Why or why not?
13. What do you think Seventeen hopes to achieve in the future?
14. How do you think Seventeen’s success can inspire other aspiring musicians?
15. Do you think K-pop will continue to gain popularity worldwide? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Collaborating
2. Genius
3. Entertainment
4. Debut
5. Mini-album
6. Challenges
7. Committed
8. Craft
9. Honest
10. Negativity
11. Popular
12. Intense
13. Performance
14. Festival
15. Achieve

Meanings:
(A) To successfully reach a goal or complete something
(B) Difficulties or obstacles that need to be overcome
(C) Dedicated and loyal to a cause or activity
(D) Very strong or extreme
(E) Activities that provide amusement or enjoyment
(F) Bad or harmful thoughts or feelings
(G) Working together with someone to create something
(H) A person with exceptional talent or intelligence
(I) Liked or admired by many people
(J) An act of presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment
(K) The first public appearance or presentation
(L) A small collection of songs released together
(M) Telling the truth and being sincere
(N) A skill or activity that requires special training or knowledge
(O) A large public event with music, food, and other activities
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is special about Seventeen compared to other K-pop groups?
(a) They have the most members
(b) They have the most popular songs
(c) They have the most collaborations with Western artists
(d) They write and produce their own music

2. How did Seventeen start their journey to success?
(a) They were chosen, trained, and worked hard at a South Korean entertainment company
(b) They won a talent show and became famous overnight
(c) They were discovered by a famous producer and signed a record deal
(d) They started making music on their own and gained popularity online

3. What was the best-selling record of 2023?
(a) BTS’s latest album
(b) Seventeen’s mini-album, FML
(c) Blackpink’s debut album
(d) EXO’s greatest hits album

4. What challenges have Seventeen faced on their road to success?
(a) Lack of support from their fans
(b) Injuries from their intense dance moves
(c) Difficulties with their record label
(d) They have not faced any challenges

5. What is Seventeen’s music all about?
(a) Singing about love and relationships
(b) Making catchy dance songs
(c) Writing songs about their favorite hobbies
(d) Being honest and talking openly about their feelings

6. What does Seventeen plan to do at the end of the year?
(a) Go on a world tour to reach more fans
(b) Take a break from music and focus on other projects
(c) Collaborate with a famous Western artist
(d) Release a new album with all their hit songs

7. Why is Seventeen performing at Glastonbury a big deal for K-pop in the UK?
(a) They have the most fans in the UK
(b) They have already performed at many other UK music festivals
(c) They are the first K-pop act to perform on the main stage at Glastonbury
(d) They are the most popular K-pop group in the UK

8. What is Seventeen’s goal for the future?
(a) To become the biggest K-pop group in the world
(b) To win a Grammy Award
(c) To reach fans in as many countries as possible
(d) To collaborate with famous Western artists

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Woozi, the band’s main music genius, has not co-written and produced most of their songs.
2. K-pop bands collaborating with Western artists has helped them gain more fans in the UK.
3. Seventeen’s journey to success started at a South Korean entertainment company called Pledis.
4. Seventeen is unique because they write and produce their own music, instead of relying on collaborations.
5. K-pop has become popular worldwide, and it has been as big in the UK.
6. Seventeen, a K-pop boyband with 13 members, will not be the first K-pop act to perform on the main stage at Glastonbury.
7. Seventeen’s latest mini-album, FML, was the best-selling record of 2023.
8. Seventeen’s performance at Glastonbury is not happening because the festival wants to include different types of music that people like.
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 is Seventeen and what makes them different from other K-pop groups?
2. How did Seventeen start their journey to success?
3. What challenges has Seventeen faced on their road to success?
4. Why is Seventeen’s performance at Glastonbury a big deal for K-pop in the UK?
5. What are Seventeen’s future plans to reach more fans?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What makes Seventeen different from other K-pop groups?
Seventeen is different from other K-pop groups because they write and produce their own music, instead of relying on collaborations.

2. How did Seventeen start their journey to success?
Seventeen started their journey to success at a South Korean entertainment company called Pledis. They were chosen, trained, and worked really hard to get better.

3. What was the best-selling record of 2023?
The best-selling record of 2023 was Seventeen’s latest mini-album, FML.

4. What challenges has Seventeen faced on their road to success?
Seventeen has faced challenges such as injuries from their intense dance moves, but they stay committed to their craft.

5. How do Seventeen’s songs help them overcome negativity?
Seventeen’s songs help them overcome negativity by being honest and talking openly about their feelings.

6. What do Seventeen’s recent songs, FML and Super, show?
Seventeen’s recent songs, FML and Super, show how they’ve grown and how strong they are.

7. What are Seventeen’s plans for the end of the year?
Seventeen’s plans for the end of the year include going on a world tour to reach even more fans.

8. Why is Seventeen performing at Glastonbury a big deal for K-pop in the UK?
Seventeen performing at Glastonbury is a big deal for K-pop in the UK because they will be the first K-pop act to perform on the main stage at the festival, which helps bring K-pop to a wider audience in the UK.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Seventeen
(2) artists
(3) makes
(4) different
(5) genius
(6) started
(7) worked
(8) while
(9) making
(10) music
(11) latest
(12) committed
(13) negativity
(14) planning
(15) countries
(16) possible
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Collaborating
Answer: (G) Working together with someone to create something

2. Genius
Answer: (H) A person with exceptional talent or intelligence

3. Entertainment
Answer: (E) Activities that provide amusement or enjoyment

4. Debut
Answer: (K) The first public appearance or presentation

5. Mini-album
Answer: (L) A small collection of songs released together

6. Challenges
Answer: (B) Difficulties or obstacles that need to be overcome

7. Committed
Answer: (C) Dedicated and loyal to a cause or activity

8. Craft
Answer: (N) A skill or activity that requires special training or knowledge

9. Honest
Answer: (M) Telling the truth and being sincere

10. Negativity
Answer: (F) Bad or harmful thoughts or feelings

11. Popular
Answer: (I) Liked or admired by many people

12. Intense
Answer: (D) Very strong or extreme

13. Performance
Answer: (J) An act of presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment

14. Festival
Answer: (O) A large public event with music, food, and other activities

15. Achieve
Answer: (A) To successfully reach a goal or complete something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is special about Seventeen compared to other K-pop groups?
Answer: (d) They write and produce their own music

2. How did Seventeen start their journey to success?
Answer: (a) They were chosen, trained, and worked hard at a South Korean entertainment company

3. What was the best-selling record of 2023?
Answer: (b) Seventeen’s mini-album, FML

4. What challenges have Seventeen faced on their road to success?
Answer: (b) Injuries from their intense dance moves

5. What is Seventeen’s music all about?
Answer: (d) Being honest and talking openly about their feelings

6. What does Seventeen plan to do at the end of the year?
Answer: (a) Go on a world tour to reach more fans

7. Why is Seventeen performing at Glastonbury a big deal for K-pop in the UK?
Answer: (c) They are the first K-pop act to perform on the main stage at Glastonbury

8. What is Seventeen’s goal for the future?
Answer: (c) To reach fans in as many countries as possible
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Woozi, the band’s main music genius, has not co-written and produced most of their songs. (Answer: False)
2. K-pop bands collaborating with Western artists has helped them gain more fans in the UK. (Answer: True)
3. Seventeen’s journey to success started at a South Korean entertainment company called Pledis. (Answer: True)
4. Seventeen is unique because they write and produce their own music, instead of relying on collaborations. (Answer: True)
5. K-pop has become popular worldwide, and it has been as big in the UK. (Answer: False)
6. Seventeen, a K-pop boyband with 13 members, will not be the first K-pop act to perform on the main stage at Glastonbury. (Answer: False)
7. Seventeen’s latest mini-album, FML, was the best-selling record of 2023. (Answer: True)
8. Seventeen’s performance at Glastonbury is not happening because the festival wants to include different types of music that people like. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

How about these other Level 3 articles?

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