Check out all the adverbs highlighted in bold (and explained in the glossary). Imagine how the article would read without them: adverbs add colour, flavour and readability to a piece. Remember that when you are writing in your next English exam – using adverbs results in better English scores! 
The Rolling Stones have released a new single for the first time in a long time! Predictably, the single is promoting yet another version of their Greatest Hits. Surpisingly though, the song is quite good! Yes, it’s very Stones-y, but as everyone knows by now The Stones’ motto is clearly, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The astonishingly ancient Stones (with a combined age of 273) definitely sound like they are really working hard to try to recapture the spirit that earned them the ‘World’s Greatest Rock Band’ moniker. It was incredibly nice of The Stones to consider the SGI English students and subtitle their video all the way through with the lyrics! Yay – Stones-tastic singalong time! Inevitably, along with the greatest hits package, The Stones are enthusiastically celebrating their 50th anniversary with a comeback/celebration tour. Here’s a cleverly put together promotional video of the boys attempting to make even more money – Before the whole tour is announced, The Stones will be playing 4 ‘teaser’ shows in London and New York. Unfortunately, the ticket prices for these mean that a normal Stones fan probably won’t be able to see their idols. Unsurprisingly, Mick and the boys are unashamedly cashing-in for what might be their last ever tour – a front row ticket will cost you an eye-watering £1,140. Even a seat ‘up-in-the-Gods’ at the O2 Centre in London will cost you £106. Considering that The Stones only got paid £5 each (£88 in today’s money) for their first ever show at The Marquee London Club on Oxford Street (just around the corner from SGI) on 11 July, 1962, can they justifiably charge that much for a ticket to see a concert? In view of the fact that The Stones will be paid around £16 million for four shows, wouldn’t it have been nice of them to to show a little generosity and just take 8 million and put on 2 shows for free?
ADVERBS
- Predictably
- anyone could know this news in advance
- yet
- still, even (used to emphasise repetition)
- surprisingly
- not expected
- quite
- to a significant amount
- clearly
- obviously
- astonishingly
- amazing, impressive
- definitely
- without doubt
- really
- used here to express strength or seriousness
- incredibly
- to a large amount
- inevitably
- certain to happen, predicatable
- enthusiastically
- showing lots of enjoyment or interest
- cleverly
- showing skill or intelligence
- unfortunately
- sadly, unhappily, regrettably
- probably
- almost certain/sure
- unsurprisingly
- not unexpected
- unashamedly
- acting openly without any embarrassment
- justifiably
- to be right, reasonable or defendable
Useful Vocabulary
- motto
- a short phrase that contains your beliefs
- if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
- sth wroks well so don’t change it
- teaser
- a short advertisement for a product (commonly used in the film world) to generate excitement
- cashing in
- making as much money as possible
- eye-watering
- sth so expensive that it makes you cry
- up in the Gods
- a seat in a stadium/concert hall very high up and far away from the action/stage
