By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post and AP
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 announcement from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Get your air guitar out and prepare to play it when Steve Vai returns to Bangkok next month.
The American rocker, who has worked with Frank Zappa, Alice Cooper and David Lee Roth among others in a three-decade-plus career, hits the stage for Steve Vai Live in Concert at Central World Convention Hall on the 8th floor of Central World at 9 pm on August 6.
The three-time Grammy winner will perform his all-time favourite, “For the Love of God,” and many other hits from his albums. Vai is considered by many to be one of the world’s greatest rock guitarists.
Well known for his skills with a whammy bar and for his unique phrasing, the 53-year-old guitarist, songwriter and producer has eight solo albums to his credit. He has appeared as a guest musician on 44 other albums and has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.
Tickets cost 1,490 and 2,490 baht and can be purchased from Thai Ticketmajor booths. For more details, call 02 262 3456 or visit www.thaiticketmajor.com. You can also contact Prart Music Group on 02 203 0423 ext 5.
Exercises
Section 1
Read the story. Then, answer the following multiple choice questions.
1. What is Steve Vai most famous for?
a. His concerts in Bangkok.
b. His singing.
c. His guitar playing.
2. How many albums has he sold?
a. Eight solo albums.
b. 44.
c. More than 15 million.
3. What nationality is Steve Vai?
a. Thai.
b. American.
c. The story doesn’t say.
4. Where did Steve Vai’s recent concert in Bangkok take place?
a. Siam Paragon.
b. Impact Arena.
c. Central World.
5. What was the price of the cheapest tickets?
a. 1,490 baht.
b. 990 baht.
c. 2,490 baht.
Section 2
Read the story again. Then, decide whether the following statements are true or false.
6. Steve Vai is 53 years old.
……………….
7. The Steve Vai Live in Concert performance has already happened.
……………….
8. Steve Vai has been in the music business for more than fifty years.
……………….
9. Steve Vai is a drummer.
……………….
10. Steve has made eighteen solo albums.
……………….
Section 3
Underline the grammatically correct pronoun in each of the following sentences from the choices given.
11. Steve Vai has won three Grammy awards, and he/him/his is going to play his hit, “For the love of God.”
……………………………..
12. I started to enjoy me/mine/myself after playing a guitar.
……………………………..
13. He asked her/hers/she who her favourite rock guitarist was.
……………………………..
14. His/He/Himself debut album sold more than 8 million copies.
……………………………..
15. His guitar was more expansive than I/mine/me.
……………………………..
Section 4
Select the definitions of the following words that best fit how the words are used in the story.
16. hit
a. a thing that is popular or successful
b. to strike somebody or something deliberately
c. accessing a database or Internet file
17. rocker
a. an upwardly curved piece of wood or metal that allows something such as a rocking chair to move backward and forward or from side to side
b. a person who breaks up rocks with a sledgehammer
c. a person who plays rock or rock and roll music
18. producer
a. a company that grows food or makes goods to be sold
b. a person who arranges and supervises the recording of a song, an album, etc.
c. a country or region that produces a lot of something
19. album
a. a collection of pieces of music that have been recorded on one CD, record, cassette, etc.
b. A book for photographs
c. a book for stamps or autographs
Section 5
Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
Steve Vai …..20….. a three time Grammy Award-winning American …..21….. guitarist and singer-songwriter. Vai recorded and …..22….. with Frank Zappa’s band from 1980 to 1982. The …..23….. began a solo career in 1983 and has released eight …..24….. albums.
20.
a. is
b. am
c. are
21.
a. rock
b. rocks
c. rocket
22.
a. will tour
b. toured
c. touring
23.
a. guitarist
b. guitar
c. guitars
24.
a. soloist
b. solitary
c. solo
Vocabulary
- whammy bar (n): a device on a guitar like a small metal stick that can be used to bend all the guitar strings at the same time
booth (n): a small tent or enclosed stall, at a market, exhibition, mall, etc. where you can buy things, get information or watch something
