1st / 2nd BACHILLERATO: BACHILLERATO: READING COMPREHENSION TEXT The X Factor Tens of millions of television viewers around the world have become familiar with the musical talent show The X Factor, which originated in Britain in 2004 and has since become an international franchise. In some countries the name is different — for eam!le, Factor X in "!ain and X"eer #l $a%ah in #rabic&s!ea'ing countries — but the format is usuall( the same) as!iring !o! singers or grou!s com!ete in front of a $small grou! of %udges, and a large studio audience, for the !ri*e of a lucrative recording contract. The British version of the show has been enormousl( successful. Broadcast on "aturda( evenings between #ugust and +ecember, it is watched b( an average of around - million !eo!le — more than a fifth of the !o!ulation. The studio audience is etremel( enthusiastic at times almost h(sterical/ and the four %udges, who give their o!inions immediatel( after each !erformance, are usuall( %eered if the( ma'e negative comments. The T audience votes b( tele!hone for their favourite act, and on "unda( evening the results are announced in a follow&u! show. The two acts who receive the fewest votes from the !ublic normall( have to !erform again in the followu! show, and then their fate is in the hands of the % udges) the one the %udges thin' has sung better sta(s in the com!etition, but the loser is eliminated. #s the com!etition !rogresses, the !erformers are in the !ublic e(e for far longer than two evenings a wee') their talents or lac' of/, !ersonalities and off&stage behaviour are also discussed endlessl( b( gossi! maga*ines and tabloids, their faces fre1uentl( a!!earing on the front !ages. Feelings run so high that cam!aigns for or against certain contestants are launched on social networ'ing sites. In Britain, winning The X Factor guarantees that a singer or grou! will be able to ma'e a lot of mone( from their music, m usic, at least in the short term. In most (ears, for eam!le, the debut single b( the winner, released in +ecember, has reached the to! of the singles charts b( hristmas. "ome !eo!le, however, thin' the !rogramme has too much influence on the music&bu(ing !ublic, which is wh( in 2003 there was a successful cam!aign to encourage !eo!le to bu( an alternative single and thereb( ensure the song b( The X Factors winner wouldnt be number one at hristmas. The cam!aign is being re!eated this (ear. #nother 'ind of !rotest against the 200 com!etition was when a lot of !eo!le tried to undermine it b( voting
ever( wee' for the contestant with b( far the worst singing voice — he was finall( eliminated onl( in late $ovember. Exercise 1
Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F), or if the text doesn’t say (D). . The contestants on the British version of The X Factor !erform in 5ondon. 2. The winner in 200 was the contestant with the worst singing voice. -. There are three %udges. 4. The song b( the winner of the 2003 com!etition was number one at hristmas that (ear. 6. The studio audience usuall( li'es it when the %udges ma'e negative comments. 7. The T audience for the !rogramme increases as the com!etition !rogresses. 8. The %udges decide which two acts have to !erform again in the follow&u! !rogramme on "unda( evening. 9. The %udges are the same !eo!le ever( wee'. 3. "!ain has its own version of The X Factor. 0. :ver( countr( in :uro!e has its own version of The X Factor.
Exercise 2
Answer the questions below.
. ;hat 'ind of British news!a!ers endlessl( discuss the contestants on The X Factor< 2. ;hat do the winners of the com!etition receive< -. ;hen was the !rogramme first shown on British T< 4. =n average, what !ro!ortion of the British !o!ulation watches The X Factor on a "aturda( evening< 6. ;hat eam!le of the shows >influence on the music&bu(ing !ublic is given in the tet< 7. In what wa( have cam!aigns in 2003 and 200 tried to undermine this influence<
Answers Exercise 1
. + 2. F -. F 4. F 6. F 7. + 8. F 9. + 3. T 0. + Exercise 2
. Tabloids. 2. # lucrative recording contract. -. 2004. 4. ?ore than a fifth. 6. The fact that in most (ears since The X Factor first a!!eared on British T, the winners debut single has 1uic'l( reached number one in the singles charts. 7. B( encouraging !eo!le to bu( an alternative single >@illing in the $ame b( the #merican band Aage #gainst the ?achine in 2003, and believe it or not, a studio recording of !ure silence in 200/ and thereb( ensuring the song b( The X Factors winner wouldnt be number one at hristmas.
