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Baboons a 2010 Soccer World Cup Problem (5th May, 2010)


 

Authorities in South Africa are trying to overcome a potential problem in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup Finals - baboon-jacking. For those who don’t know what this is, just ask any resident of Cape Town. They will tell you that the local baboons like to enter cars and houses in search of food and drink. One particular monkey, Fred, has become quite famous. Mark Duffell, leader of a group tracking Fred and his 26-strong troop, said: "Every day, it happens. He'll hit four or five cars in like five minutes. Fred's operation is to open car doors. He leaves normally with a handbag.” Mr Duffy had a warning for anyone who encounters Fred: “Don't try to get the bag back." This is good advice for the thousands of soccer supporters who will arrive in Cape Town in June.

The Cape Town government is taking the baboon problem very seriously. They want to make sure the World Cup is a wonderful event for everyone. They are worried about more obvious problems like pickpockets or muggers. The last thing they need is for soccer fans to be attacked or bitten by baboons. They have already spent over US$650,000 trying to protect the city from the baboons. Many football fans may not know how dangerous the baboons can be. They only weigh 40kg but they have a powerful bite which will require hospital treatment. City official Stephen Granger believes the soccer tournament will pass without incident: "I don't think there is going to be any significant disruption to tourists…We haven't seen baboons invading the Cape Town stadium yet."


 
 

WARM-UPS

1. THE WORLD CUP: Walk around the class and talk to other students about the World Cup. Change partners often. Sit with your first partner(s) and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

 

potential problems / baboons / residents / handbags / warnings / soccer supporters / wonderful events / pickpockets / muggers / hospital treatment / disruption / tourists

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. WORLD CUP PROBLEMS: What do you do about them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you heard.

Problem

How big?

What to do about it

Baboons

 

 

Hooligans

 

 

Pickpockets

 

 

Transport

 

 

Not enough tickets

 

 

Poor atmosphere

 

 

4. SOCCER: Students A strongly believe soccer is the greatest sport in the world; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

5. FOOTBALL: What’s so good about it? Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best thing on top.

  • club teams
  • national teams
  • the World Cup
  • the atmosphere
  • the exercise
  • going to live games
  • the players
  • goals

6. BABOON: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word ‘baboon’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.


 
 

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.

Baboon-jacking is a new crime that involves stealing monkeys.

T / F

b.

A monkey called Fred is leader of a group of 26 baboons.

T / F

c.

Fred goes into cars and more often than not takes a handbag.

T / F

d.

Advice for soccer fans going to Cape Town is not to take handbags.

T / F

e.

Cape Town’s government isn’t so concerned about the baboons.

T / F

f.

Cape Town’s government spent almost $65,000 on baboon controls.

T / F

g.

Baboons weigh around 40kg.

T / F

h.

A Cape Town official thinks the baboons will not be a big problem.

T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.

authorities

a.

meetings

2

potential

b.

big

3.

resident

c.

agencies

4.

tracking

d.

magnificent

5.

encounters

e.

possible

6.

wonderful

f.

need

7.

obvious

g.

disturbance

8.

require

h.

following

9.

significant

i.

clear

10.

disruption

j.

inhabitant

3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.

trying to overcome a potential

a.

require hospital treatment

2

the run-up to

b.

search of food

3.

enter cars and houses in

c.

like pickpockets

4.

a warning for anyone

d.

of soccer supporters

5.

good advice for the thousands

e.

for everyone

6.

a wonderful event

f.

problem

7.

more obvious problems

g.

they need

8.

The last thing

h.

the 2010 World Cup Finals

9.

a powerful bite which will

i.

to tourists

10.

significant disruption

j.

who encounters Fred

 

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Authorities in South Africa are trying to ____________ a potential problem in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup Finals - baboon-jacking. For those who don’t know what this is, just ask any ____________ of Cape Town. They will tell you that the ____________ baboons like to enter cars and houses in search of food and drink. One ____________ monkey, Fred, has become quite famous. Mark Duffell, leader of a ____________ tracking Fred and his 26-strong troop, said: "Every day, it happens. He'll hit four or five cars in like five minutes. Fred's ____________ is to open car doors. He leaves normally with a handbag.” Mr Duffy had a ____________ for anyone who encounters Fred: “Don't try to get the bag back." This is good ____________ for the thousands of soccer supporters who will arrive in Cape Town in June.

 

 

 

warning
particular
advice
local
overcome
group
resident
operation

The Cape Town government is ____________ the baboon problem very seriously. They want to make sure the World Cup is a wonderful ____________ for everyone. They are worried about more ____________ problems like pickpockets or muggers. The last thing they need is for soccer fans to be attacked or ____________ by baboons. They have already ____________ over US$650,000 trying to protect the city from the baboons. Many football fans may not know how dangerous the baboons can be. They only weigh 40kg but they have a powerful ____________ which will require hospital treatment. City official Stephen Granger believes the soccer tournament will ____________ without incident: "I don't think there is going to be any significant disruption to ____________ …We haven't seen baboons invading the Cape Town stadium yet."

 

 

bite
obvious
pass
taking
spent
event
tourists
bitten

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Authorities in South Africa are trying ______________________ problem in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup Finals - baboon-jacking. For those who don’t know what this is, ______________________ of Cape Town. They will tell you that the local baboons ______________________ houses in search of food and drink. One particular monkey, Fred, has become quite famous. Mark Duffell, leader ______________________ Fred and his 26-strong troop, said: "Every day, it happens. He'll hit four or five cars in like five minutes. Fred's operation is to open car doors. He leaves normally with a handbag.” Mr Duffy had a warning for ______________________ Fred: “Don't try to get the bag back." This is good advice for the thousands of ______________________ will arrive in Cape Town in June.

The Cape Town government is taking the baboon ______________________. They want to make sure the World Cup is a wonderful event for everyone. They are worried about _________________________ pickpockets or muggers. The last thing they need is for soccer fans to be ______________________ baboons. They have already spent over US$650,000 trying to protect the city from the baboons. Many football fans ______________________ dangerous the baboons can be. They only weigh 40kg but they have a powerful bite ______________________ treatment. City official Stephen Granger believes the soccer tournament will pass without incident: "I don't think there is going to be ______________________ to tourists…We haven't seen baboons invading the Cape Town stadium yet."


 
 

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘potential’ and ‘problem’.

potential

problem

 

 

 

  • Share your findings with your partners.
  • Make questions using the words you found.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

  • Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

  • overcome
  • resident
  • local
  • famous
  • 26
  • advice
  • wonderful
  • obvious
  • last
  • 650,000
  • 40
  • yet

STUDENT 2010 WORLD CUP SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about the 2010 World Cup in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

THE 2010 WORLD CUP DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the term ‘Soccer World Cup’?

c)

Which word is better, ‘football’ or ‘soccer’?

d)

What do you think of football (soccer)?

e)

What do you think of baboon-jacking?

f)

Do you think baboon-jacking will be a problem for football (soccer) fans?

g)

How important is football in your culture?

h)

Why do you think football (soccer) is the world’s favourite sport?

i)

Do you think the South Africa World Cup will be good?

j)

What problems will authorities face with the World Cup?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)

Did you like reading this article?

b)

Which is better, the World Cup or the Olympics?

c)

Who do you want to win and who do you think will win the World Cup?

d)

What will having the World Cup in South Africa will add to the event?

e)

Qatar wants to stage the 2022 World Cup Finals. What do you think?

f)

Why are people so passionate about football (soccer)?

g)

What could be the bigger problem for Cape Town, baboons or soccer hooligans?

h)

Would you prefer to be a soccer superstar or Hollywood actor?

i)

Do you think football (soccer) will be the number one sport in all countries one day?

j)

What questions would you like to ask the organizer of the South Africa World Cup?

LANGUAGE – MULTIPLE CHOICE

Authorities in South Africa are trying to overcome a potential problem in the run (1) ____ to the 2010 World Cup Finals - baboon-jacking. For (2) ____ who don’t know what this is, just ask any resident of Cape Town. They will tell you that the local baboons like to enter cars and houses in search (3) ____ food and drink. One particular monkey, Fred, has become (4) ____ famous. Mark Duffell, leader of a group tracking Fred and his 26-strong troop, said: "Every day, it happens. He'll hit four or five cars in like five minutes. Fred's (5) ____ is to open car doors. He leaves normally with a handbag.” Mr Duffy had a warning for anyone who encounters Fred: “Don't try to get the bag back." This is good (6) ____ for the thousands of soccer supporters who will arrive in Cape Town in June.

The Cape Town government is (7) ____ the baboon problem very seriously. They want to make sure the World Cup is a wonderful event for everyone. They are worried about more (8) ____ problems like pickpockets or muggers. The last thing they (9) ____ is for soccer fans to be attacked or bitten by baboons. They have already spent over US$650,000 trying to protect the city from the baboons. Many football fans may not know how dangerous the baboons can be. They only (10) ____ 40kg but they have a powerful bite which will require hospital treatment. City official Stephen Granger believes the soccer tournament will (11) ____ without incident: "I don't think there is going to be any significant disruption to tourists…We haven't seen baboons (12) ____ the Cape Town stadium yet."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

along

(b)

down

(c)

across

(d)

up

2.

(a)

those

(b)

they

(c)

them

(d)

these

3.

(a)

by

(b)

at

(c)

of

(d)

to

4.

(a)

quiet

(b)

quote

(c)

quite

(d)

quit

5.

(a)

surgery

(b)

treatment

(c)

operation

(d)

cure

6.

(a)

advisory

(b)

advice

(c)

advise

(d)

advises

7.

(a)

taking

(b)

giving

(c)

having

(d)

doing

8.

(a)

obvious

(b)

obviously

(c)

clear

(d)

clearly

9.

(a)

necessary

(b)

need

(c)

needs

(d)

needy

10.

(a)

weight

(b)

weightless

(c)

weigh-in

(d)

weigh

11.

(a)

pass out

(b)

pass

(c)

past

(d)

security pass

12.

(a)

invasion

(b)

invades

(c)

invasion

(d)

invading

WRITING

Write about the 2010 World Cup for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about the Cape Town baboon problem at the 2010 World Cup. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. THE 2010 WORLD CUP: Make a poster about the 2010 World Cup. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. SOCCER: Write a magazine article about soccer. Include imaginary interviews with people who love it and hate it.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the boss of the South Africa World Cup. Ask him three questions about the tournament. Give him three pieces of advice on how to make it extra special. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a.

F

b.

T

c.

T

d.

F

e.

F

f.

F

g.

T

h.

T

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.

authorities

a.

agencies

2

potential

b.

possible

3.

resident

c.

inhabitant

4.

tracking

d.

following

5.

encounters

e.

meetings

6.

wonderful

f.

magnificent

7.

obvious

g.

clear

8.

require

h.

need

9.

significant

i.

big

10.

disruption

j.

disturbance

PHRASE MATCH:

1.

trying to overcome a potential

a.

problem

2

the run-up to

b.

the 2010 World Cup Finals

3.

enter cars and houses in

c.

search of food

4.

a warning for anyone

d.

who encounters Fred

5.

good advice for the thousands

e.

of soccer supporters

6.

a wonderful event

f.

for everyone

7.

more obvious problems

g.

like pickpockets

8.

The last thing

h.

they need

9.

a powerful bite which will

i.

require hospital treatment

10.

significant disruption

j.

to tourists

GAP FILL:

Baboons a 2010 Soccer World Cup problem

Authorities in South Africa are trying to overcome a potential problem in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup Finals - baboon-jacking. For those who don’t know what this is, just ask any resident of Cape Town. They will tell you that the local baboons like to enter cars and houses in search of food and drink. One particular monkey, Fred, has become quite famous. Mark Duffell, leader of a group tracking Fred and his 26-strong troop, said: "Every day, it happens. He'll hit four or five cars in like five minutes. Fred's operation is to open car doors. He leaves normally with a handbag.” Mr Duffy had a warning for anyone who encounters Fred: “Don't try to get the bag back." This is good advice for the thousands of soccer supporters who will arrive in Cape Town in June.

The Cape Town government is taking the baboon problem very seriously. They want to make sure the World Cup is a wonderful event for everyone. They are worried about more obvious problems like pickpockets or muggers. The last thing they need is for soccer fans to be attacked or bitten by baboons. They have already spent over US$650,000 trying to protect the city from the baboons. Many football fans may not know how dangerous the baboons can be. They only weigh 40kg but they have a powerful bite which will require hospital treatment. City official Stephen Granger believes the soccer tournament will pass without incident: "I don't think there is going to be any significant disruption to tourists…We haven't seen baboons invading the Cape Town stadium yet."

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - d

2 - a

3 - c

4 - c

5 - c

6 - b

7 - a

8 - a

9 - b

10 - d

11 - b

12 - d

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