LISTENING COMPREHENSION: KATE MOSS

One of the things that the British are known for is our ability to queue! Recently there have been a number of queuing events which have made the news. One was the release of a new bag by a well known designer and at the beginning of May thousands queued for the midnight opening of the high street clothes retailer Topshop as they launched a new line of clothing designed by the British model Kate Moss.

In this programme we hear from people in the queue about why they are there. We also hear about Kate Moss herself and how she has remained so commercially successful despite controversies in her private life.

Before you listen to the programme look at the following comprehension questions. You can hear the answers in the programme.
Check your understanding by trying the quiz in the 'Extras' section below where you can also download the programme and a transcript.

1: Where was the designer bag originally sold?
2: How long has Kate Moss been modelling?
3: How was her career affected by pictures in the tabloid papers?
4: Did Kate Moss appear at the launch of her designs?

PROGRAMME SCRIPT (DOWNLOAD PDF)

LISTENING KATE MOSS


Vocabulary from the programme

to snap (something) up
to buy something in a sale or at a good price which isn't available for very long

an onlooker
someone who watches something happening in a public place but isn't involved

to catch a glimpse of someone or something
to see someone or something for a very short time

a label
the tag in an article of clothing which has the name of the company or designer

gorgeous / stunning
very attractive and good looking

to weather the storm of negative publicity
to survive a period when there are a lot of negative stories in the media

to come out on top
to come out of a difficult situation and still be successful

a small blip
a small temporary interruption which proves not to be very important

source: BBC WORLD SERVICE/ listenings.