Unit 1: Football

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Aims and Objectives

In this lesson you are going to learn vocabulary and phrases concerning football. You will also review important present tenses, question formation and adverbs of frequency.

The grammar focus of this unit is:

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise not available in this language version.

Comprehension

Exercise 1: Cloze

Read the text, then fill in the gaps.

Transcript:
In football each team consists of maximum eleven players excluding substitutes who are usually three. One of the players is a goalkeeper, he is the only person that can touch the ball with his hands. However he is allowed to do so only within penalty area. The coach strategically places players in the field. The basic equipment includes shirt, shorts, socks, kicks and shin guards. Decisions made by the referee are final.

There are usually 14 players on a team including substitutes. Only the goalkeeper can touch the ball with his hands. The goalkeeper can do so only in the penalty area. The coach is in charge of strategy. Players usually wear shirt, shorts, socks, kicks and shin guards. The referee makes final decisions.

In football each team consists of maximum eleven players excluding substitutes who are usually three. One of the players is a goalkeeper, he is the only person that can touch the ball with his hands. However he is allowed to do so only within penalty area. The coach strategically places players in the field. The basic equipment includes shirt, shorts, socks, kicks and shin guards. Decisions made by the referee are final.

There are usually ? on a team including substitutes. Only the ? can touch the ball with his ?. The goalkeeper can do so only in the ?. The ? is in charge of strategy. Players usually wear ?. The referee makes final ?.

Exercise 2: Cloze

Read the text, then fill the gaps

Transcript:
Volley is striking the ball out of the air. Keep your ankle locked and drive through the ball. When striking the ball in the air, make sure you are in a balanced position. Otherwise, the ball will not go straight and in the direction you want it to. Half-volley is when you meet the ball just after it bounces, just as it’s rising from the ground.

Striking the ball out of the air is called volley. You must keep your ankle locked. Make sure your position is balanced. If not balanced, the ball will not go straight. Striking the ball just after it bounces is called half-volley.

Volley is striking the ball out of the air. Keep your ankle locked and drive through the ball. When striking the ball in the air, make sure you are in a balanced position. Otherwise, the ball will not go straight and in the direction you want it to. Half-volley is when you meet the ball just after it bounces, just as it’s rising from the ground.

? the ball out of the air is called ?. You must ? your ankle locked. ? sure your position is balanced. If not balanced, the ball will not ? straight. ? the ball just after it bounces is called ?.

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:
GarryPerfect, Zidane has scored again. Incredible!
MarkI haven't seen it, damn. I was looking at the cheerleaders over there.
GarryCute chicks, aren't they. Germany will be defeated once again.
MarkFor sure, I have never heard of such bad luck, really.
GarryZidane has always been great at strikes like this - volleys from the penalty area.
MarkPoor goalkeeper. He is doomed in situations like this.
GarryBut it also depends on the defence.
MarkSure, go and tell them, clever boy.
  1. What has just happened?
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. Zidane is
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. Germany
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  4. Zidane is good at
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  5. Goalkeepers situation also depends on
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  6. According to Mark, Garry is
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Grammar Practice

Exercise 1: Exposed Cloze

Complete the sentences using the following verbs:

  • allow
  • beats
  • compete
  • enforce
  • strike
  • takes place
Transcript:

My team beats them every time. As a referee I enforce the rules. The teams we compete are better You must strike the ball with power. The match takes place at the new stadium. The rules allow it, so it is OK.

My team ? them every time. As a referee I ? the rules. The teams we ? are better You must ? the ball with power. The match ? at the new stadium. The rules ? it, so it is OK.

Exercise 2: Substitution

Put the verb into the correct form.

Example:

He (look) good. He looks good.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 3: Exposed Cloze

Use the following verbs to complete the sentences:

  • call
  • compete
  • guards
  • handle
  • scores
  • stops
Transcript:

English speaking countries call football soccer. Two teams of eleven players compete to get the ball into the opponents goal. The team that scores the most points wins. With exception of the goalkeeper, players cannot handle the ball with their hands. The goalkeeper guards the goal. The referee sometimes stops the game.

English speaking countries ? football soccer. Two teams of eleven players ? to get the ball into the opponents goal. The team that ? the most points wins. With exception of the goalkeeper, players cannot ? the ball with their hands. The goalkeeper ? the goal. The referee sometimes ? the game.

Exercise 4: Transformation

Write questions.

  1. A.
    B. ?
  2. A.
    B. ?
  3. A.
    B. ?
  4. A.
    B. ?
  5. A.
    B. your mother like? ?
  6. A.
    B. ?

Exercise 5: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • am going
  • am having
  • was talking
  • was telling
  • were
  • were
Transcript:

What were you doing when I called yesterday? I was talking to my coach. What were you discussing? He was telling me about the strategy for the upcoming match. OK, I am going to the cinema tonight, will you join me? I'd love to but I am having a family dinner, sorry.

What ? you doing when I called yesterday? I ? to my coach. What ? you discussing? He ? me about the strategy for the upcoming match. OK, I ? to the cinema tonight, will you join me? I'd love to but I ? a family dinner, sorry.

Exercise 6: Exposed Cloze

Present simple or present continuous? Fill in the gaps using the following verbs:

  • Passing
  • are changing
  • are having
  • becomes
  • enforces
  • is breaking
  • is diving
  • is making
  • is running
  • lives
  • looks
  • play
  • watch
Transcript:

And the German striker is breaking through towards the opponents penalty area...
Every time I watch football, I get very excited.
I play football three times a week.
Passing the ball from the corner flag, the striker moved rapidly in front of the opponents goal.
The game quickly becomes defensive when a player is sent-off with the red card.
The goalkeeper is diving towards the left goalpost and... perfect catch!
Five minutes to go and the French are changing formation.
Incredibly, it looks like a draw.
Referee is an important person, he enforces the rules.
Their captain is running towards the centre-point while the referee is making his coin ready.
Because of the sun, the Dutch are having clear advantage over their opponents.
My brother lives in Manchester, he is a big football fan.

And the German striker ? through towards the opponents penalty area...
Every time I ? football, I get very excited.
I ? football three times a week.
? the ball from the corner flag, the striker moved rapidly in front of the opponents goal.
The game quickly ? defensive when a player is sent-off with the red card.
The goalkeeper ? towards the left goalpost and... perfect catch!
Five minutes to go and the French ? formation.
Incredibly, it ? like a draw.
Referee is an important person, he ? the rules.
Their captain ? towards the centre-point while the referee ? his coin ready.
Because of the sun, the Dutch ? clear advantage over their opponents.
My brother ? in Manchester, he is a big football fan.

Exercise 7: Transformation

Using the example as a model, change the structure and make a new sentence.

Example:

We have lost the match with them again.
We are always loosing with them.

  1. A.
    B. ?
  2. A.
    B. ?
  3. A. The midfielder has been fouled again.
    B. Oh yes, . ?
  4. A.
    B. when they want to waste time. ?
  5. A.
    B. ?

Exercise 8: Transformation

Follow the example using the verbs given.

Example:

John is looking for his shin guards. He can't find them.
He has lost his shin guards.

  1. A.
    B. ?
  2. A. Ninety years ago the dimensions of the football field were different from now.
    B. The football field dimensions ?
  3. A. Christopher's dribbling was clumsy. Now it is better.
    B. His dribbling ?
  4. A. We didn't have a good goalkeeper. Now we have one.
    B. We a good one. ?
  5. A.
    B. his name. ?
  6. A. The club was owned by Russian businessman. Someone else owns it now.
    B. The Russian businessman the club to someone else. ?

Exercise 9: Transformation

Using the example as a model, change the structure and make a new sentence.

Example:

I would like to travel to Egypt.
I haven't travelled there since ten years ago.

  1. A.
    B. them for ages. ?
  2. A.
    B. a football match on TV for ages. ?
  3. A.
    B. since last month. ?
  4. A.
    B. one for quite a while. ?
  5. A.
    B. them for several years. ?
  6. A.
    B. pasta for the dinner since last month. ?

Exercise 10: Cloze

Fill in the gaps, use since or for.

Transcript:

Mark has been exercising for three hours. I have played in defence since last year. Our goalkeeper has had a cold since last Saturday. I have always wanted to beat them, especially since their third victory. They have been members of our club for seven years. I have played football since 1969 but this is something completely new to me.

Mark has been exercising ? three hours. I have played in defence ? last year. Our goalkeeper has had a cold ? last Saturday. I have always wanted to beat them, especially ? their third victory. They have been members of our club ? seven years. I have played football ? 1969 but this is something completely new to me.

Exercise 11: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • Normally
  • always
  • never
  • often
  • rarely
  • sometimes
  • usually
Transcript:

I hate getting up early. I never get up earlier then at seven.
He is used to one sort of breakfast. He usually has chocolate and peanut granola.
Time to time, she is in pain from her excessive exercising. She sometimes exercises too much.
I can't help my self. I must always start shouting when there is a goal.
He is lying on the ground again. He seems to get injured very often, in fact I think he is just pretending.
Football is my only passion, I watch other sports rarely.
Normally I would not say anything but this time, I really got mad.

I hate getting up early. I ? get up earlier then at seven.
He is used to one sort of breakfast. He ? has chocolate and peanut granola.
Time to time, she is in pain from her excessive exercising. She ? exercises too much.
I can't help my self. I must ? start shouting when there is a goal.
He is lying on the ground again. He seems to get injured very ?, in fact I think he is just pretending.
Football is my only passion, I watch other sports ?.
? I would not say anything but this time, I really got mad.

Dictation

Exercise 1: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

Football players who train more have a tremendous advantage over players who don’t. Training for an hour a day makes you acquire skills surprisingly easily.

?

Exercise 2: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

Motivation is something that induces action, makes you act or react to certain circumstances. Motivation gives birth to a motive. What’s a motive, you ask. A motive is the inner urge that makes you act the way that you do.

?

Checklist

Now, after finishing this lesson you should be able:

To understand common vocabulary and phrases concerning football.

To use present simple, present continuous and present perfect tenses.

To express frequency of various events

Version 2.0 (2013-01-03 13:42 CET)
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