By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
Photos courtesy of AP and AFP
University Tips is here to help you prepare for the English exams and tests that are coming your way. It gives you practise answering questions similar to those you may have at school and also on the University Entrance Examination.
Read the following story by Chanun Poomsawat from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Hold on to your tissues — Adele is back and her new album is packed with tear jerkers. It’s been four long years since we first heard her brilliant 2011 album 21, which became a global phenomenon.
GRAMMY MAGNET
Apart from breaking a few records here and there, 21 also won Adele six Grammy Awards in 2012 and became the best-selling album of the past decade. After what must have been an excruciating wait for her fans around the world, the 27-year-old British singer finally returned with her rather unimaginatively-titled third record 25.
Surely, by now we’ve all heard the first single ‘Hello’, a heartfelt piano ballad that makes some people reach for their phones to text their previous boyfriends or girlfriends. The accompanying simple video has had more than 480 million views since it appeared on YouTube, leaving Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus scratching their heads in stunned disbelief. Such is the peerless power of Adele.
BIG BOLD BALLADS
But how about the rest of the album? Well, if you’re into big, bold break-up ballads, you won’t be disappointed. There are plenty of those on 25, each with varying degrees of sentimentality like “Remedy,” “Love in the Dark” and “All I Ask,” as well as youthful nostalgia like “When We Were Young” and “River Lea.” As always, Adele has the voice to sing these songs with incredible ease.
After many slow songs comes the refreshingly jaunty “Send My Love (To Your New Lover),” written by Max Martin and Shellback. The guitar on the song is pure pop as she sings, “Send my love to your new lover. Treat her better. We gotta let go of all of our ghosts. We both know we ain’t kids no more.”
STILL SAD
The most outstanding track is “I Miss You,” a song that she wrote together with Paul Epworth. The song packs the most punch, with loud drums and strange chilling lyrics.
Although it is said to be a “make-up” record, 25 gives the impression that Adele is still as sad as she was when singing on her previous album. Adele still seems to be heartbroken.
Exercises
Section 1
Read the story and answer the following multiple-choice questions.
1. Where does SPL2 take place?
a. In Bangkok.
b. In Hong Kong.
c. Both a and b.
2. Who plays the character Sa?
a. Wu Jng.
b. Kunteera Yordchang.
c. Zhang Jin.
3. Why does Sa need a bone-marrow donation?
a. She has leukaemia.
b. Her leg is broken.
c. She’s having an operation on her knees.
4. How old is Tony Jaa?
a. 32 years old.
b. 35 years old.
c. 39 years old.
5. Who is the character Chan-Chi Kit?
a. He is a boxer.
b. He is a computer hacker.
c. He is a policeman.
6. Why was Chan-Chi Kit jailed in Thailand?
a. He was a member of an organ trafficking cartel.
b. His true identity as an undercover cop was revealed.
c. He traded illegal weapons.
7. Which of the following movies did Tony Jaa not act in?
a. Ong Bak.
b. Tom Yum Goong.
c. Fast & Furious 5.
Section 2
Specify whether each of the following statements is true or false.
9. The album 21 was released in 2011.
……….
10. “I Miss You” was written by Max Martin.
……….
11. The author said the track “Hello” is a heartfelt piano ballad.
……….
12. Adele has so far released five albums.
……….
Section 3
Read each of the following sentences and underline the grammatically correct words in each from the choices given.
13. It’s a slow song written by/among/near Max Martin and Shellback.
14. She has sold many/much/most millions of records worldwide.
15. The album is packed for/under/with ballads.
Section 4
Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the correct words from the choices given.
Adele graduated …..16….. the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon. Adele thanked her school for nurturing …..17….. talent even though at the time she was more …..18….. in working in a record company office and launching …..19….. people’s careers.
16.
a. from
b. in
c. for
17.
a. his
b. our
c. her
18.
a. interested
b. interesting
c. interests
19.
a. another
b. other
c. one another
Section 5
Specify whether each of the following words is used in the story as a noun, verb, adjective or adverb.
20. outstanding ……………….
21. returned ……………….
22. disbelief ……………….
23. refreshingly ……………….
24. youthful ……………….
Vocabulary
- tear jerker (n): a song that is designed to make people feel sad
excruciating (adj): extremely painful or bad
heartfelt (adj): showing strong feelings that are sincere
