Israeli Party Delays Representative Vote due to Britney Spears Concert

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. party / ˈpɑr ti / (n) – a group of people with identical political goals
    Example:

    The political party agreed to move the election.


  2. clash / klæʃ / (v) – to be in conflict with something
    Example:

    We had to move our trip because our vacation schedules clashed.


  3. roadblock / ˈroʊdˌblɒk / (n) – a barrier that stops traffic
    Example:

    There are many roadblocks on the day of the concert.


  4. steward / ˈstu ərd / (n) – someone in charge of managing something
    Example:

    The poll steward is responsible for ensuring a fair election process.


  5. chart-topper / tʃɑrt ˈtɒp ər / (n) – a musical artist that gets the highest rank in music charts
    Example:

    She is a certified chart-topper after reaching 100 million album sales.


Article

Read the text below.

The Israeli Labor Party postpones its representative vote because of a Britney Spears concert.


The political party was previously scheduled to have its primary election on July 3. This election would determine the party’s candidate for prime minister. However, the date clashes with pop diva Britney Spears’ concert in Israel, so the party opted to delay the event by one day.


Liron Zach, the spokesperson of the party, stated that they had legitimate reasons to postpone the event. First, the concert will cause heavy traffic. In addition, roadblocks will be set in place, which might cause difficulties for the party members since the concert venue is located across from the election venue. Finally, Zach also expressed that security became a factor in the decision to move the election date. The party experienced difficulty in hiring security guards and stewards for the election since most of them had already been hired for Spears’ concert.


As part of her world tour this year, Spears, a chart-topper and Grammy award winner, is planning to hold a series of concerts to promote Glory, her new album that was released last year. Aside from Tel Aviv, other cities that have been confirmed as part of the tour include Tokyo, Osaka, and Manila. Other countries that are rumored to be part of the tour include Brazil, France, and the United Kingdom. It is the pop star’s first international concert since 2011. Since 2013, Spears has been performing in her own show called Britney: Piece of Me at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• If you were a member of the Labor Party, would you agree to delay the vote because of the concert? Why or why not?
• Aside from postponing the election, how else can the conflict be resolved?

Discussion B

• Why do you think roadblocks are needed for Britney Spears’ concert?
• What other problems do you think a major concert can cause? Discuss.