By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
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 Duangkamol Panya from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Even as K-pop becomes more popular, one rocker is an enduring example of the J-rock wave that crashed into Thailand’s music scene a decade ago. That man is Makoto Koshinaka, the frontman of rock band Lucifer, a solo artist and an actor who has kept his Thai fans over the years.
During his latest visit to the country late last August, Makoto thrilled his fans as he took to the stage at Impact Arena for the Tofu Music Festival and filmed a promotional video for his latest Japan-Thailand cross-cultural venture. He is also starring in Fin Sugoi, a romantic comedy movie with a cast that includes some of Thailand’s most promising actors.
“This trip is my 34th visit here,” Makoto said. “My visits have all been for work so I haven’t had a chance to explore the country much, but I think I can count myself as an expert when it comes to Bangkok.”
The band Lucifer has an unusual concept — it is the real-life version of the band in Mayu Shinjo’s popular 1990s Japanese romance manga. Between 1999 and 2003, Lucifer became very popular on the Asian music scene as part of the J-rock wave with their combination of musical talent and comic book style.
Lucifer have reformed several times since disbanding, including at the August concert as part of a 15th anniversary tour, but Makoto has also remained well-known in music and acting in his own right. Often seen in Japanese films and on televisions, he can also be heard as the singer of heavy metal band Trick.
Although he is far from fluent in Thai, Makoto is keen to show his enthusiasm for his Thai fans.
“When I wish to communicate with fans through Twitter or Instagram, I ask one of my Thai friends who is fluent in Japanese to translate the messages for me,” Makoto said.
The film Fin Sugoi tells the story of Noona (Apinya), a devoted Makoto fan who gets to live out her dream when she is cast as his love interest in a music video. Things get difficult when Noona’s boyfriend Sua Krong (Tao AF8) feels disturbed by the friendship between Noona and Makoto.
“The filming locations were in both Thailand and Japan, and we got to film at some of the most beautiful landmarks in Japan such as Shibuya, Asakusa and Nikko,” Makoto said.
Although it may be hard for his fans to imagine, the 34-year-old star who has long been loved for his smouldering good-looks and outgoing personality is still single.
Exercises
Section 1
Read the story. Then, answer the following multiple-choice questions.
1. What kind of music does Makoto’s band Trick play?
a. Pop.
b. Country.
c. Heavy Metal.
2. When did J-rock initially become popular in Thailand?
a. Ten years ago.
b. Late last August.
c. Last year.
3. What is the concept behind the band Lucifer?
a. It is based on Mayu Shinjo's popular 1990s Japanese romance manga.
b. It tells the story of Noona who is a devoted Makoto fan.
c. The band reformed for their 15th anniversary tour.
4. Which part of Thailand does Makoto know most about?
a. Impact Arena.
b. Shibuya.
c. Bangkok.
5. How old is Makoto Koshinaka?
a. 34 years old.
b. 30 years old.
c. 24 years old.
6. Where was the Tofu Music Festival recently held?
a. BITEC.
b. Siam Paragon.
c. Impact Arena.
7. How many times has Makoto visited Thailand so far?
a. About 10 times.
b. About 20 times.
c. More than 30 times.
8. Which genre of film is Fin Sugoi?
a. Romantic comedy.
b. Horror.
c. Sci-fi.
Section 2
Read the story and decide whether the following statements are true or false.
9. According to the story, K-pop has become more popular than J-rock.
………………..
10. Makoto is the frontman of both the rock band Lucifer and the heavy metal band Trick.
………………..
11. Makoto is not generally considered to be good looking.
………………..
12. Makoto speaks Thai fluently.
………………..
Section 3
Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the correct words from the choices given.
“The concert was not just a reunion, but …..13….. the celebration of Lucifer’s 15th anniversary,” he said. “We …..14….. the opportunity to thank our fans who have been …..15….. us for a long time. It …..16….. a great event for us and I enjoyed …..17….. show a lot.”
13.
a. too
b. add
c. also
14.
a. taken
b. took
c. takes
15.
a. in
b. for
c. with
16.
a. were
b. was
c. been
17.
a. the
b. a
c. an
Section 4
Write down the adjective forms of the following words used in the story.
18. music …………….
19. concept …………….
20. artist …………….
Section 5
Specify whether each of the following words is used in the story as a noun, verb or adjective.
21. thrilled …………….
22. fluent …………….
23. comedy …………….
24. heard …………….
Vocabulary
- frontman (n): the leader of a group of musicians
promising (adj): showing signs of being good or successful
enthusiasm (n): a strong feeling of excitement or interest in something
love interest (n): a character in a film or story who has a romantic role, often as the main character’s lover
smouldering (v): to be filled with a strong emotion that you do not fully express
