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World Cup 2006

Date: Jun 13 2006

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.

To the rest of the world it’s football, but to us in the United States it’s soccer. And soccer isn’t nearly as popular in the U.S. as it is in every other corner of the world.

So, we’re going to need your help as we create lessons on the winners and losers, star players, and intense rivalries that come from the 2006 World Cup. Which teams are favored? Who are this year’s star players? Who got robbed and who got lucky?

Listen in as John and Emily talk about the 2006 World Cup.

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.

John

Emily

John: You going to catch any World Cup games, Emily?

Emily: Um, probably not. I don’t really know much about it.

John: You’re not a big soccer fan?

Emily: No, I like soccer. I just don’t really follow it all that closely. It seems like a big production, though. I see a lot of commercials for it, and stuff.

John: Yeah, well, around the world it’s the most popular sport. But it’s funny that Americans don’t follow it that much.

Emily: Right.

John: So, I’m going to try to watch as many games as I can. I don’t have TiVo, do you?

Emily: No. I don’t even know, what did you say, it’s on the ninth?

John: It starts on the ninth, I think, this weekend, and then runs for a whole month. And so the U.S., you know any of the U.S. players or anything?

Emily: I don’t.

John: Yeah. So, I’ve been looking into that a little bit. Looks like the U.S. has a fairly decent team, but nothing too spectacular. Kind of, like, normal.

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Discussion

The 2006 World Cup will be held in Germany. Organizers are using the event to draw attention to the increasing problem of racism and racial violence at the games.

With banners promoting the World Cup motto “A Time to Make Friends” and the slogan “Say No to Racism,” Germany and FIFA are encouraging healthy, fun sportsmanship.

Racial and cultural issues have been a problem at previous games. In March, Nigerian forward Adebowale Ogungbure was mocked and spat upon by fans in Halle, Germany. In February, fans in Spain taunted Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o for being black. And in the late 1990s, fans threw bananas at German forward Gerald Asamoah.

Let’s watch the games, have fun, and be good sports!