Learning English

Abba: Pop superstars are back

ABBA are back! It's every music fan’s dream to see their favourite band make a comeback, and now, for ABBA fans – that dream has become a reality. They announced a new album and a tour, but in digital format. The group will be replaced by avatars – or Abbatars, as some are calling them. Roy and Neil talk about the vocabulary from this story so you can talk about it too.

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The story

Now they famously sang ‘Thank you for the music’. And now, after 40 years, there's going to be some more.

Abba, one of the most successful pop groups of all time, are to release a new album. ‘Voyage’ will feature ten songs, two of which have just arrived on streaming services.

Abba also announced that digital re-creations of them, so-called ‘Abbatars’, will go on tour next year. The real members can stay at home in Sweden.

Key words and phrases

dismal
sad; hopeless

• The party was a dismal failure - nobody came.
• The outlook for the company was dismal. They’re expected to go bankrupt.

intact
complete; in the original condition

• The package arrived intact – nothing was broken or missing.
• The company’s reputation remained intact despite the scandal reported in the news.

damp squib
something less impressive than expected

• The announcement was a damp squib. We were hoping for a pay rise!
• That Michelin star restaurant was a bit of a damp squib. I could have cooked a better meal myself.

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