Irish Rock: Multiple Choice Grammar Test (B1)

The band got together in Dublin, Ireland (1)_________ 1976. (2)_________ the beginning of (3)_________ they started to have hits in the UK and America. They appeared in the Live Aid concert in 1985, and after that they were international superstars. Their album The Joshua Tree (4)_________ out in 1987, and it spent nine weeks (5)_________ the top of the American charts. In Britain sold 250,000 copies in two days. A year later the album Rattle and Hum had the same success. In the early 1990s they made a se­ries of interesting and original CDs including Zooropa and Achtung Baby — and (6)_________ to sell millions of copies.

Is their music Irish? Not really. Bono (7)_________ by Irish folk songs, but the band hasn't got an Irish sound. It is sometimes American, sometimes British, sometimes pure U2. But U2 are rather different from(8)_________ big rock bands. For one thing, three of them are Christians — and sometimes their concerts have a religious atmosphere. Bono says: «We are Christians. But it's a very private thing. We are not comfortable (9)_________ about it.»The group is well known for its political songs. Their message is peace and understanding. Even the name of the band is about (10)_________ this message with others: «U2» also means «you too».