Unit 1 : The Beautiful Game
Vocabulary skills: Word groups
1. Read this text
The history of soccer
The modern game of soccer began in England in the early 19 th century. At that time, there were
many different versions of the game. For example, player at the famous Rugby School could pick
up the ball and run with it! These “Rugby rules” were popular with many clubs. Others clubs,
however didn’t allow players to use their hands.
In 1863, there was a meeting to decide the rules for the game. It ended in disaster. The different
football clubs couldn’t agree! Clubs that preferred the “Rugby rules” left the organization and
later created the Rugby Football Union. The other clubs started the Football Association. They
called their game “Association Football “or “assoc.” Finally, “assoc” became “soccer “.
Soccer quickly spread around the world. In 1930, teams from 13 countries took part in the first
World Cup, in Uruguay. Today, around 200 teams from enter the competition, and over 700
million people watch the final match! It seems nothing can stop the popularity of “the beautiful
game. “
2. Put these letters in the correct order to make words, and then find them in the text.
a. leusr
c. cmtah
______________
b. emga
d. meta
______________
f. bcul
______________
e.
3.
rpelya
________________
Write each word or phrase in the correct column.
ball
stadium
boots
score captain
referee pitch
whistle shoot changing rooms goalkeeper kick
People
Equipment
Places
Actions
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
_______________
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Predicting
You’re going to read a biography of the soccer star Pelé. With a partner , look at these words
and try guess his story .
Brazil
World Cup
$7million
poor
1,281 goals
New York Cosmos
Santos Soccer Club
movies
teenager
greatest
International Peace Award
Pelé
Pelé (born 1940, Brazil) is often called the greatest soccer player in the
world.
His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
He was famous around the world.During his
When he was a child, his family was very poor.
time with Santos, Pelé became more and more
He cleaned shoes for money. However,Pelé
successfully. The club won many national and
loves of soccer soon changed his life. When he
international competitions. He also played 92
was 11, people started to notice his amazing
times for team to three World Cup wins in 1958,
skills. He joined Santos Soccer Club when he
1962, and 1970.
was 15. His first professional games was in
1956 .A year later, he played for his country
against Argentina. It was his first international
game and he scored Brazil’s only goal!Now,
everyone knew the name Pelé.
“It seems that God brought me to Earth with a mission to play soccer”.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento(Pelé)
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Pelé left soccer in 1974, but the next year
decided to play for the New York Cosmos, and
American team. His salary was $7 million.Pelé
now earned more than any sports star in the
world. His last game was on October 1,1977,
against his old club, Santos. In his career, Pelé
played a total of 1,363 games and scored 1,281
goals.
After he became famous, Pelé wrote several
books about his life .He also appeared in many
movies He wrote all the music for the movie
Pelé (1997) .The next year, he received the
International Peace Award. Brazil’s
Amazing (adj) very good, surprising or
impressive
representative in the United Nations said he
believed that Pelé helped international
Professional(adj) playing a sport or
taking part in an activity as a job rather
than for enjoyment
goodwill and friendship more than any
politician. In 2007, Pelé received the FIFA
Presidential Award for his life’s work.
Goodwill(noun) a feeling of wanting to
be friendly and helpful
Politician(noun) someone who has a job
in politics
1.
How old was Pele when…
a. he received the International Peace Award?
_____
b. he stopped playing soccer in Brazil?
_____
c. he started to play for the New York Cosmos?
_____
d. he won his second World Cup with his team?
_____
e. he played his last professional game of soccer? _____
2. Read these questions and write your answers.
a) What job did Pelé have as a child? ________________________________________
b) What club did he play for at the end of his career? ___________________________
c) What award did he win in 2007? _________________________________________
d) How many goals did he score in his career? _________________________________
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e) When did he play his first professional games?
_______________________________
3.
Number these events in Pelé’s life in the correct order.
4.
a. He played professional soccer for the last time.
___________
b. He won his first World Cup with his team.
___________
c. He stopped playing soccer in Brazil.
___________
d. He started playing for Santos Club.
___________
e. He started playing soccer in the U.S.
___________
f.
___________
He won the International Peace Award.
Write T (true), F (false), or N (not in the text) for each statement.
a. Pelé scored more goals than any other player.
_______
b. He played soccer in the U.S for three years.
_______
c. He wrote the music for all his movies.
_______
d. He was 17 when he played his first game for Brazil.
_______
e. He was happier playing for Santos than for New York Cosmos.
_______
Reading Skills: Separating fact and opinion
1. Look again at the biography. Write F (fact) or O (opinion) for each statement.
a. Pelé is the greatest soccer player in the world.
_______
b. He scored a total of 1,281 goals.
_______
c. He helped international goodwill and friendship more than any politician.
_______
d. In 1975, he was the highest –paid sports star in the world.
_______
e. Pelé is Brazilian.
_______
f.
_______
Santos is the best club in Brazil for young soccer players.
g. There will never be a soccer player more famous than Pelé.
h. He played 92 times for his country.
2. Read these statements . Check (  ) the statements that are facts.
a.
In 2001, Real Madrid paid $64, 4 million for the French player Zidane.
b.
Manchester United is one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world.
c.
Soccer is more interesting than American football.
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_______
d.
Research shows that soccer is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.
e.
Uruguay won the first World Cup, in 1930.
f.
Soccer is the most exciting game in the world.
g.
The first Women’s World Cup was in China, in 1991.
h.
Soccer players earn too much money.
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