Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Get your vuvuzela out, it’s time for the 2010 World Cup! Fans around the world are geared up for soccer’s biggest bash, which only comes around once every four years. This is the first time the tournament has been held in an African country, with teams competing in ten different venues throughout South Africa.
Even though soccer isn’t as popular in the US as American football or baseball, it has been gaining fans in the past couple decades. More Americans watched the World Cup in 2006 than in 2002, and even more are expected to watch this year. Find out if Jason and Jeff plan to tune in.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Jason: It’s World Cup time! It’s a worldwide craze, I mean, for a lot of countries it’s, you know, way bigger than the Olympics or anything.
Jeff: Yeah, I think America’s finally starting to catch up with that.
Jason: The US is in it this year, which is cool. But it’s still not a craze here like it is other places. I think the US team kind of has the luxury of playing with some of the lowest pressure of any other team, because there aren’t legions of football hooligans here in the US just, like, waiting to riot if the team loses or something. Did you play soccer when you were a kid?
Jeff: Yeah, I did, I played from the age of five till I was about 18. I played it more than I watched it.
Jason: Nice.
Jeff: So the World Cup excitement is kind of a new thing for me.
Jason: Are you going to follow the World Cup this year?
Jeff: I think I will. It’s always pretty exciting. Head down to the pub. Have a few pints.
Jason: Definitely!
Jeff: Watch the footballers do their thing.
Jason: We can pretend we’re in Europe, you know? It’ll be like a little vacation without leaving the city.
Jeff: That’s right.
Grammar Point
Go Super to learn "Count and Noncount Nouns" from this lesson
Quizzes
Lesson MP3
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Discussion
Jason and Jeff are excited to watch the World Cup. Although it is more important in other countries than in the US, many Americans have begun to watch more soccer in the last decade or so. In fact, a lot of American kids these days grow up playing soccer. That makes them more excited to watch the sport when they get older.
Still, soccer is a much more popular sport in other parts of the world. In some countries, it is such a craze that the fans act really wild. They have even been known to start riots after big matches.
Have you been watching the World Cup this year? Which team do you think will win? Have you ever acted like a hooligan at a match?
Comments
Turkey |
Brazil |
Saudi Arabia |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Brazil |
Brazil |
Brazil |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Argentina |
Brazil |
Saudi Arabia |
Argentina |
Saudi Arabia |
Iraq |
Argentina |
Argentina |
Saudi Arabia |