B2 – Upper Intermediate
If you admire or like something like a sport, a music band, or a hobby, then you can consider yourself a fan. But because of technology, we are able to express our shared passions with other fans online.
Being a part of a fandom is more than being a simple fan, but it is being an avid supporter of a particular celebrities, team, fictions, and others that you belong in something that is considered as a community or subculture.
Listen to the podcast below as they talk about how fans talk about their passions.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “to tap into something” mean? “It taps into that ancient human impulse to belong to a group of like-minded people.” Use this idiom in a sentence.
- What do “BIRGing” and “CORFing” stand for and what is the difference between the two expressions”? “The antithesis of BIRGing is CORFing which means ‘Cutting Off Reflected Failure’ and that is what people sometimes do when their team loses“. Use”BIRGing” and “CORFing” in your own sentences.
- What is the meaning of “a piece/a slice of the action“? “When your team wins everyone wants a bit of the action, you take to the streets; dance around.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make your own sentence using the term ‘a piece/a slice of the action’.
Discussion Questions:
- What are your thoughts on “fandom”?
- Are there misconceptions about fandom you know of?
- Share about a time you realized that you were more than just a casual fan.
- When do you think being a fan is no longer healthy?
- How do you think someone should behave in a fandom community?
- Who or what are you so passionate about? How do you showcase your admiration for it? Would you like to share it with others in a fandom community?