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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - SMAP Pop Concert
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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Japan Pop Band SMAP in Rare China Concert (20th September, 2011)

Japan’s most famous pop group SMAP played their first ever overseas concert on Friday night. The group formed 20 years ago but have never sung outside Japan before. They chose to perform for their Chinese fans in Beijing. The five-member boy band appeared in front of over 40,000 screaming fans at the Beijing Workers Stadium. They planned a concert in China last year but it was cancelled twice because of an argument between China and Japan over who owned an island.

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SMAP’s lead singer Kimura Takuya said the concert was to say thank you to China for its help after the tsunami that hit Japan on March 11. The title of the concert was: "Come on, Japan. Thank you, China. Asia is a united home". At the end of the concert, Takuya told the audience: "I will always remember today. I am looking forward to seeing you again." Another band member, Inagaki Goro, said: "I am so excited to [perform] in China. I hope this show will strengthen the friendship between [our two countries]."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	Japan’s most	a.	screaming fans
2	their first ever overseas	b.	20 years ago
3.	The group formed	c.	China and Japan
4.	The five-member	d.	concert
5.	in front of over 40,000	e.	boy band
6.	an argument between	f.	famous pop group

Paragraph 2

1.	the concert was to say	a.	remember today
2	the tsunami that hit	b.	excited
3.	I will always	c.	Japan on March 11
4.	I am looking forward	d.	thank you to China
5.	I am so	e.	our two countries
6.	strengthen the friendship between	f.	to seeing you again

LISTENING GAP FILL

Japan’s most famous pop group SMAP ___________________ overseas concert on Friday night. The group formed 20 years ago but ___________________ Japan before. They chose to perform for their Chinese fans in Beijing. The ___________________ band appeared in front of over 40,000 ___________________ the Beijing Workers Stadium. They planned a concert in China last year but ___________________ twice because of an argument between China and Japan over ___________________.

SMAP’s lead singer Kimura Takuya said the concert was to say thank you to China ___________________ the tsunami that hit Japan on March 11. ___________________ concert was: "Come on, Japan. Thank you, China. Asia is a united home". At the end of the concert, Takuya told the audience: "I ___________________ today. I am looking ___________________ you again." Another band member, Inagaki Goro, said: "___________________ [perform] in China. I hope this show will ___________________ between [our two countries]."

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Japan’s most famous pop group SMAP played their first (1) ____ overseas concert on Friday night. The group (2) ____ 20 years ago but have never sung outside Japan before. They (3) ____ to perform for their Chinese fans in Beijing. The five-member boy band appeared in (4) ____ of over 40,000 screaming fans at the Beijing Workers Stadium. They planned a concert in China last year but it was cancelled (5) ____ because of an argument between China and Japan over who (6) ____ an island.

SMAP’s lead singer Kimura Takuya said the concert was to (7) ____ thank you to China for its help after the tsunami that (8) ____ Japan on March 11. The title of the concert was: "Come on, Japan. Thank you, China. Asia is a (9) ____ home". At the end (10) ____ the concert, Takuya told the audience: "I will always remember today. I am looking forward to seeing you again." Another band member, Inagaki Goro, said: "I am (11) ____ excited to [perform] in China. I hope this show will (12) ____ the friendship between [our two countries]."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	ever	(b)	never	(c)	even
2.	(a)	framed	(b)	farmed	(c)	formed
3.	(a)	chooses	(b)	chose	(c)	choice
4.	(a)	front	(b)	behind	(c)	beside
5.	(a)	twos	(b)	double	(c)	twice
6.	(a)	owned	(b)	owning	(c)	ownership
7.	(a)	say	(b)	speak	(c)	talk
8.	(a)	punch	(b)	hit	(c)	slapped
9.	(a)	untitled	(b)	united	(c)	untied
10.	(a)	by	(b)	to	(c)	of
11.	(a)	such	(b)	so	(c)	many
12	(a)	strong	(b)	srongest	(c)	strengthen

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	Japan’s most msfuao pop group
2.	sroveeas concert
3.	dsoteiu Japan
4.	rfrmeop for their Chinese fans
5.	40,000 naircmegs fans
6.	an auntrgme between China and Japan
Paragraph 2
7.	lead risgne
8.	the ainutms that hit Japan
9.	the eeduaicn
10.	I am looking oafrrdw to seeing you
11.	band rmebem
12.	snrghettne the friendship

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	to China for its help after the tsunami that hit Japan on March 11. The title of the concert was:
( )	excited to [perform] in China. I hope this show will strengthen the friendship between [our two countries]."
( )	before. They chose to perform for their Chinese fans in Beijing. The five-member boy band appeared
( )	night. The group formed 20 years ago but have never sung outside Japan
( )	"Come on, Japan. Thank you, China. Asia is a united home". At the end of the concert, Takuya told the
( 1 )	Japan’s most famous pop group SMAP played their first ever overseas concert on Friday
( )	audience: "I will always remember today. I am looking forward to seeing you
( )	concert in China last year but it was cancelled twice because of an argument
( )	between China and Japan over who owned an island.
( )	SMAP’s lead singer Kimura Takuya said the concert was to say thank you
( )	in front of over 40,000 screaming fans at the Beijing Workers Stadium. They planned a
( )	again." Another band member, Inagaki Goro, said: "I am so

WORD JUMBLE

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	group The ago years 20 formed.
2.	Chinese to fans perform for They their chose.
3.	In over of , fans front 40,000 screaming.
4.	China planned last a year concert in They.
5.	of and an Japan argument between Because China.
6.	was thank China concert say to The to you.
7.	that 11 hit Japan The on tsunami March.
8.	forward to I seeing am you looking again.
9.	so China excited to I perform am in.
10.	two our between friendship the Strengthen countries.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about pop concerts for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. POP CONCERTS: Search the Internet and find more information about pop concerts. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about relations between China and Japan. Include imaginary interviews with Chinese and Japanese people. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to a SMAP band member. Ask him three questions about the Beijing concert. Give him three of your opinions on China. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - SMAP Pop Concert (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)