Monday December 6

Pre-Intermediate +

THE ARTICLE

Former world number one Carlos Moya, 28, of Spain was ecstatic following Spain’s victory over the United States of America on Sunday in the Davis Cup final. He said it was the highlight of his career. Moya defeated the USA’s Andy Roddick in straight sets (6-2 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7/5) to give Spain only its second victory in Davis Cup history. Fellow compatriot Rafael Nadal made history becoming the competition’s youngest ever victor at 18 years and 185 days.

Moya said he has achieved his greatest dream, “I can not ask for more. It has been an unbelievable feeling and it is something special.”  He was also lost for words, “I don't have words to describe it. … I have dreamed of an occasion like this for a long time  … It is the best memory I have.” He also admitted Davis Cup glory was an obsession, It helps me reach my goals if I am obsessed.” Roddick was gracious in defeat, “They were better than us - it's that simple.”

The excited and partisan Spanish fans included members of the Spanish Royal family, who cheered on their sporting heroes. Spain were playing in their third Finals in five years. Moya missed Spain’s previous success in 2000 due to injury. Then, Spain beat Australia. This was the first final for the Americans in seven years. The last time America won the Davis Cup was back in 1995, when they beat Russia 3-2. That’s a lifetime for American tennis.

POSSIBLE WARM UPS / COOL DOWNS

1. CHAT:  Talk in pairs or groups about tennis, world sporting competitions, Carlos Moya, tennis players, racquet sports, Davis Cup …
To make things more fun, try telling your students they only have one minute (or 2) on each chat topic before changing topics / partners. Change topic / partner frequently to energize the class.

2. TENNIS VOCAB GAME: Students play tennis in teams, using vocabulary instead of a ball. Teacher is umpire and can keep score according to tennis scoring. Teacher gives one side an item of vocabulary. If that side can provide a quick, correct answer, they win the point and ‘keep serve’. If they cannot answer the other side wins the point. Don’t forget to change server (i.e. who receives the questions)after every game.
Vocabulary:
Advantage   All   Backhand   Ball boy/girl    Ball change    Baseline    Bounce    Deuce    Double Fault   Doubles    End    Fault   Fifteen   Foot fault   Forty   Game    Let   Love    Match    Match Point   Match point   Net    Receiver    Serve    Server    Service box     Set    Sideline    Singles    Smash   Smash   Thirty   Tiebreak   Unforced Error   Volley

3. SINGLES/DOUBLES?: This activity can be played student against student or pair against pair. Contestants face each other. The ‘ball’ is a teacher chosen topic (tennis, sport or otherwise), which students have to ‘hit’ to each other by making any new statement on that topic. When one player/team dries up on that topic, the other player/team wins that point and the next topic is  served. Any tennis racquet type realia would add to the fun. NOTE: Teacher needs at least 20 topics – brainstorm from students and write on  board?)

4. 2-MINUTE DEBATES: Students face each other in pairs and engage in the following (for-fun) 2-minute debates. Students A are assigned the first argument, students B the second. Rotate pairs to ensure a lively pace and noise level is kept:
(a) Sport isn’t important. vs. Sport is essential to human life.
(b) Tennis is boring. vs ‘Tennis is the most exciting sport imaginable.
(c) Tennis is about player against player, not team (country) against team (country). vs. Tennis is very adabtable and suits singles, doubles and teams.
(d) All tennis players should wear traditional white clothes. vs. What a stupid idea in the 21^st century.
(e) Tennis players get too much money. vs. So do many top international sports stars.

PRE-READING IDEAS

1. WORD SEARCH: Students look in their dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … of the words ‘beat’ and ‘win’.

2. TRUE / FALSE: Students predict whether they believe the following statements are t rue or false:
(a)  Carlos Moya used to be the best tennis player in the world.  T / F
(b)  Moya wasn’t so happy after beating Roddick.  T / F
(c)  Moya said the victory was almost as good as winning the French Open.  T / F
(d)  This was Spain’s eighth Davis Cup title in the competition’s 103-year history.  T / F
(e)  Moya had no words to describe his feelings. T / F
(f)  Roddick was gracious in defeat.  T / F
(g)  The American Royal family attended the finals. T / F
(h)  America has never won the Davis Cup.  T / F

3. PHRASE MATCH: Students match the following phrases based on the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

(a)	world	the USA
(b)	Spain’s victory over	sets
(c)	the highlight of	special
(d)	straight	American tennis
(e)	achieved his	number one
(f)	something	their sporting heroes
(g)	reach	greatest dream
(h)	cheered on	his career
(i)	a lifetime for	my goals

4. ARTICLE CHAT: Students ask each other the following questions based on vocabulary from the article:
(a)  When was the last time you were ecstatic?
(b)  What is the highlight of your career / day / week / year / life …?
(c)  What is your greatest dream?
(d)  Have you (or anyone you know) ever been lost for words?
(e)  What is the best memory you have?
(f)  Do you have an obsession?
(g)  What are your goals in life? Do you need any help to reach your goals?
(h)  Who are your sporting heroes?
(i)  What is a lifetime for you?

WHILE READING ACTIVITIES

1. GAP-FILL:  Put the missing words under each paragraph into the gaps.

Spain Beats USA in Tennis Davis Cup

Former world number one Carlos Moya, 28, of Spain was __________ following Spain’s victory __________ the United States of America on Sunday in the Davis Cup final. He said it was the __________ of his career. Moya defeated the USA’s Andy Roddick in straight sets (6-2 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7/5) to give Spain only its second __________ in Davis Cup history. Fellow compatriot Rafael Nadal made history becoming the competition’s youngest ever __________ at 18 years and 185 days.		victor highlight ecstatic over victory
Moya said he has __________ his greatest dream, “I can not ask for more. It has been an __________ feeling and it is something special.”  He was also lost for words, “I don't have words to __________ it. … I have dreamed of an occasion like this for a long time  … It is the best memory I have.” He also admitted Davis Cup glory was an __________, It helps me reach my goals if I am obsessed.” Roddick was gracious in defeat, “They were better than us - it's that __________.”		obsession unblievable describe simple achieved
The excited and __________ Spanish fans included members of the Spanish Royal family, who __________ on their sporting heroes. Spain were playing in their third Finals in five years. Moya missed Spain’s previous success in 2000 due to injury. Then, Spain __________ Australia. This was the first final for the Americans in seven years. The last time America __________ the Davis Cup was back in 1995, when they beat Russia 3-2. That’s a __________ for American tennis.		i>beat won lifetime cheered partisan

2. TRUE/FALSE:  Students check their answers to the T/F exercise.

3. PHRASE MATCH: Students check their answers to the word match exercise.

4. QUESTIONS: Students make notes for questions they would like to ask the class about the article.

5. VOCABULARY:  Students circle any words they do not understand. In groups pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find the meanings.

POST READING IDEAS

1. GAP-FILL: Check the answers to the gap-fill exercise.

2. QUESTIONS:  Students ask the discussion questions they thought of above to their partner / group / class. Pool the questions for all students to share.

3. VOCABULARY: As a class, go over the vocabulary students circled above.

4. STUDENT-GENERATED SURVEY: Pairs/Groups write down 3 questions based on the article. Conduct their surveys alone. Report back to partners to compare answers. Report to other groups / the whole class.

5. UNBELIEVABLE FEELING: In pairs students brainstorm unbelievable feelings. Teacher collects them and writes them on the board. Back in pairs students talk about the feelings on the board. Introduce this as a comparatives exercise by getting students to rank each feeling (or as..as) My unbelievable feelings – finishing my exams, passing my driving test, bungee jump, getting married, attending the birth of my children, having a motorbike accident, standing on top of Mount Fuji, really dying to go to the toilet …

6. MEMORY: Students ask each other about the following memories:
best, worst, earliest, most treasured, one you most want to forget, bitter, sweet, fond, haunting, painful, sad, childhood, unpleasant, happiest...

7. OBSESSION: In pairs students brainstorm things people are obsessed with. Teacher collects them and writes them on the board. Back in pairs, students talk about the obsessions on the board.
Obsessions might include – money, looks, weight, stomach size, hair, goals in life, members of the opposite sex, sex, English, cleanliness, movies, hobbies, sport, sporting hero, brand goods, America, facts, eating, tidy rooms, religion, strange habits, computers and technology, games, passing exams …

8. REACH MY GOALS: Students outline three of their goals in life. In pairs they ask each other why these goals, how long they’ve had these goals, when they want to achieve them by, the likelihood of their being achieved, the obstacles in the way, family and friends’ reaction to these goals … After pair work, groups of three or four – One student tells of one of their goals, other students provide advice on attaining this goal, student receiving advice gives feedback on how good the advice is.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCAB EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or the Google search field to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on the Davis Cup. Share your findings with your class next lesson.

3. TENNIS: Describe the game of tennis for someone who has no idea what it is.

4. SPORTING HERO: Create an information poster on your sporting hero.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:
(a)  Carlos Moya used to be the best tennis player in the world.  T
(b)  Moya wasn’t so happy after beating Roddick.  F
(c)  Moya said the victory was almost as good as winning the French Open.  F
(d)  This was Spain’s eighth Davis Cup title in the competition’s 103-year history.  F
(e)  Moya had no words to describe his feelings. T
(f)  Roddick was gracious in defeat.  T
(g)  The American Royal family attended the finals. F
(h)  America has never won the Davis Cup.  F

PHRASE MATCH:

(a)	world	number one
(b)	Spain’s victory over	the USA
(c)	the highlight of	his career
(d)	straight	sets
(e)	achieved his	greatest dream
(f)	something	special
(g)	reach	my goals
(h)	cheered on	their sporting heroes
(i)	a lifetime for	American tennis