The Reading / Listening - Radio - Level 1

Modern music is on Bulgarian radio again. For two months, there has been only classical music or folk songs that were over 70 years old, before World War II. Copyright rules meant the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) could not play pop music. In the European Union, copyright disappears 70 years after an artist's death. BNR made a deal with the copyright organization. It will now pay more royalties – money given to artists every time it plays their songs.

In the past two months, the number of listeners to BNR's shows went up by 20 per cent. It seems listeners like listening to older music like Bulgarian folk tunes, classical music and pre-war jazz more than Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. BNR might change the music it plays. The boss of BNR, Aleksandar Velev, said there could be new radio stations. He said current radio shows will not change, but there will be new shows with different types of music.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Radio - Level 0 Radio - Level 2   or  Radio - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.novinite.com/articles/179044/Bulgaria's+Public+Radio+Brings+Contemporary+Music+Back+on+Air
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-39104260
  • http://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/bulgarian-radio-station-sees-boost-in-listeners-after-pop-music-ban-1.3301694


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Modern music is
  2. classical music
  3. Copyright
  4. copyright disappears 70 years
  5. BNR made a deal with the
  6. It will now pay
  7. money given
  8. every time it plays
  1. more royalties
  2. their songs
  3. after an artist's death
  4. to artists
  5. rules
  6. on Bulgarian radio again
  7. or folk songs
  8. copyright organization

Paragraph 2

  1. In the past
  2. the number
  3. went up
  4. folk
  5. pre-
  6. BNR might change the music
  7. there will be new
  8. different types
  1. by 20 per cent
  2. war jazz
  3. of listeners
  4. shows
  5. two months
  6. of music
  7. tunes
  8. it plays

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Modern (1) ___________________ Bulgarian radio again. For two months, there (2) ___________________ classical music or folk songs that were over 70 years old, before World War II. Copyright (3) ___________________ Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) could (4) ___________________ music. In the European Union, copyright disappears 70 years (5) ___________________ death. BNR made a deal with the copyright organization. It will now pay more royalties – money (6) ___________________ every time it plays their songs.

In the past two months, the (7) ___________________ to BNR's shows (8) ___________________ per cent. It seems listeners like listening to older music like Bulgarian folk tunes, classical music and (9) ___________________ more than Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. BNR might change the (10) ___________________. The boss of BNR, Aleksandar Velev, said there could be new radio stations. He (11) ___________________ shows will not change, but there will be new shows with different (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ModernmusicisonBulgarianradioagain.Fortwomonths,therehasbee
nonlyclassicalmusicorfolksongsthatwereover70yearsold,beforeWor
ldWarII.CopyrightrulesmeanttheBulgarianNationalRadio(BNR)coul
dnotplaypopmusic.IntheEuropeanUnion,copyrightdisappears70yea
rsafteranartist'sdeath.BNRmadeadealwiththecopyrightorganization
.Itwillnowpaymoreroyalties–moneygiventoartistseverytimeitplayst
heirsongs.Inthepasttwomonths,thenumberoflistenerstoBNR'sshow
swentupby20percent.Itseemslistenerslikelisteningtooldermusiclike
Bulgarianfolktunes,classicalmusicandpre-warjazzmorethanJustinBi
eberandTaylorSwift.BNRmightchangethemusicitplays.ThebossofBN
R,AleksandarVelev,saidtherecouldbenewradiostations.Hesaidcurre
ntradioshowswillnotchange,buttherewillbenewshowswithdifferentt
ypesofmusic.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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