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 practice verbs in infinitive and ing form. You will also review indirect questions and finally some prepositions.

The grammar focus of this unit is:

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise not available in this language version.

Comprehension

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and serves as captain of the Portuguese national team. Currently, Ronaldo is the most expensive player in football history after being transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer deal worth £80 million. He is paid £11 million per year at Real Madrid.

  1. Ronaldo plays as a
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. When playing in the national team, Ronaldo's duty is to
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. Ronaldo was
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  4. Ronaldo's annual salary is
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:

Egypt is widely considered the best team in Africa, having won the African Cup of Nations 7 times and advancing to the semifinals 4 times more, it's usually among the 30 best teams in the FIFA ranking and has beaten its own record of consecutive matches without being defeated in 2010. Yet it has qualified for just two World Cups, 1934 and 1990 (exiting in Round 1 in both cases).

  1. Egypt is considered the best team in Africa by
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. Egypt has advanced to the African Cup semifinals
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. In 2010 Egypt
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  4. Egypt has never
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 3: Exposed Cloze

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

  • As long as it would be possible, I am interested in long term contract.
  • Bad luck I guess, on the other hand, I have had a great opportunity to get to know various environments.
  • I have started ten years ago in a small club in Ireland...
  • I think I can express my ideas very clearly on the other hand I might sometimes be impatient.
  • I would discuss this with the person in privacy, I don't mind harsh exchanges but it shouldn't be done in public.
  • I would try to handle this in a calm but firm way, it is also a question of policies set up in your club.
  • Yes, I would like to...
Transcript:

HR: Tell us something about your background in coaching.
APPLICANT: I have started ten years ago in a small club in Ireland...
HR: I see from your application form that you have had three different employers in the last 2 years.
APPLICANT: Bad luck I guess, on the other hand, I have had a great opportunity to get to know various environments.
HR: What period of time would you stay with us if we offered you the job?
APPLICANT: As long as it would be possible, I am interested in long term contract.
HR: Give us some idea of what you believe are your strengths and weaknesses.
APPLICANT: I think I can express my ideas very clearly on the other hand I might sometimes be impatient.
HR: As this is a sort of managerial post, we must ask you how you deal with bad time keeping or unpunctuality of team members.
APPLICANT: I would try to handle this in a calm but firm way, it is also a question of policies set up in your club.
HR: Imagine one of the team members loses his temper and shouts at you in front of others, how would you deal with this?
APPLICANT: I would discuss this with the person in privacy, I don't mind harsh exchanges but it shouldn't be done in public.
HR: Finally now that we've asked you several questions, do you want to put any to us?
APPLICANT: Yes, I would like to...

HR: Tell us something about your background in coaching.
APPLICANT: ?
HR: I see from your application form that you have had three different employers in the last 2 years.
APPLICANT: ?
HR: What period of time would you stay with us if we offered you the job?
APPLICANT: ?
HR: Give us some idea of what you believe are your strengths and weaknesses.
APPLICANT: ?
HR: As this is a sort of managerial post, we must ask you how you deal with bad time keeping or unpunctuality of team members.
APPLICANT: ?
HR: Imagine one of the team members loses his temper and shouts at you in front of others, how would you deal with this?
APPLICANT: ?
HR: Finally now that we've asked you several questions, do you want to put any to us?
APPLICANT: ?

Exercise 4: Exposed Cloze

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

  • as
  • challenges
  • especially
  • overly
  • patch
  • risks
  • succeed
Transcript:

In football, nothing can hamper performance as much as a sudden loss of motivation. Lacking the motivation to succeed a player cannot survive the challenges football can present. If the team or player is going through a bad patch then motivating players becomes especially important. However, an overly motivated player may be nervous and take risks.

In football, nothing can hamper performance ? much as a sudden loss of motivation. Lacking the motivation to ? a player cannot survive the ? football can present. If the team or player is going through a bad ? then motivating players becomes ? important. However, an ? motivated player may be nervous and take ?.

Grammar Practice

Exercise 1: Substitution

Use the text in brackets to transform each sentence.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 2: Substitution

Use the text in brackets to transform each sentence.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 3: Cloze

Write a question that asks about the marked words.

Transcript:

When did they arrive?
They arrived at eight.

How long did he stay at the hotel?
He stayed at the hotel for a week.

What are you thinking about?
I am thinking about what I'm going to do in the afternoon.

How many sons has he got?
He's got two sons.

How often do you go abroad?
I go abroad once or twice a year.

Where do they usually have dinner?
They usually have dinner at home.

?
They arrived at eight.

?
He stayed at the hotel for a week.

?
I am thinking about what I'm going to do in the afternoon.

?
He's got two sons.

?
I go abroad once or twice a year.

?
They usually have dinner at home.

Exercise 4: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

I applied for the job I saw advertised in the paper.
We hope to climb Mt Matterhorn but it depends on the weather.
You are right, I absolutely agree with you.
They are arguing about who's going to win the World Cup.
The footballer was sent off because he shouted at the referee.
Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
He died of a heart attack.

I applied ? the job I saw advertised ? the paper.
We hope to climb Mt Matterhorn but it depends ? the weather.
You are right, I absolutely agree ? you.
They are arguing ? who's going to win the World Cup.
The footballer was sent off because he shouted ? the referee.
Water consists ? hydrogen and oxygen.
He died ? a heart attack.

Exercise 5: Cloze

Write a question that asks about the marked words.

Transcript:

What are they talking about?
They are talking about the match.

Who are they waiting for?
They are waiting for the referee.

Who do you work for?
I work for the IRS.

Who did you stay with?
I stayed with my parents.

Who does the house belong to?
It belongs to Mr Green.

Who are you angry with?
I am angry with my students.

?
They are talking about the match.

?
They are waiting for the referee.

?
I work for the IRS.

?
I stayed with my parents.

?
It belongs to Mr Green.

?
I am angry with my students.

Exercise 6: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

I am afraid of hooligans.
Our coach was proud of us after the victory.
With respect to skills the goalkeepers are very similar to each other.
What are you good at?
I am not responsible for that.
I am not used to driving on the left.
They were jealous of us winning the match.

I am afraid ? hooligans.
Our coach was proud ? us after the victory.
With respect to skills the goalkeepers are very similar ? each other.
What are you good ??
I am not responsible ? that.
I am not used ? driving on the left.
They were jealous ? us winning the match.

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:

UEFA Champions League is a championship between the most successful clubs of Europe that has been held yearly since 1955. Although the clubs involved are all European, they have in their squads some of the best players from all parts of the world.

?

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:

Wales have only qualified for the World Cup once, in 1958. They did so as the representatives of the Asia Africa Section.

?

Checklist

Now, after finishing this lesson you should be able:

To present yourself or someone else.

To understand common vocabulary and phrases concerning football.

To correctly use infinitive and ing form of verb.

To form indirect questions.

To use correct prepositions with adjectives.

Version 1.1.0-alpha (2013-01-03 13:42 CET)
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