The Reading / Listening - Level 1

U.S. singer Jennifer Lopez was going to sing the official song at the opening ceremony of the World Cup. However, she has pulled out. Her agent said she would "not be attending" because of "production issues". Ms Lopez did not give a reason why. Lopez, the rapper Pitbull and Brazilian star Claudia Leitte were going to sing the song, "We Are One (Ole Ola), before the opening game. Instead, just Pitbull and Ms Leitte will sing it.

The World Cup song started in 1966. People have been unhappy that the song is not from the host country. A Colombian singer sang the South Africa World Cup song in 2010. A Puerto Rican sang it in the France World Cup in 1998. Many Brazilians do not like the 2014 song. There are few Brazilian musicians and it is mostly in Spanish and English. There are a few seconds of Portuguese at the end. A Brazilian music critic said it has been "stripped of local colour".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/09/sport/football/jennifer-lopez-world-cup-performance/
  • http://www.ibtimes.co.in/fifa-world-cup-2014-song-jennifer-lopez-wont-perform-pitbull-claudia-leitte-opening-ceremony-601908
  • http://www.theweek.co.uk/football/world-cup-2014/58709/world-cup-anthems-shakira-vs-pitbull-and-j-lo-in-brazil-row


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

Lopez was

a.

song

2.

the official

b.

"production issues"

3.

she has pulled

c.

Ms Leitte will sing it

4.

she would not

d.

reason why

5.

because of

e.

going to sing

6.

Lopez did not give a

f.

game

7.

before the opening

g.

out

8.

just Pitbull and

h.

be attending

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

The World Cup song started

a.

Portuguese at the end

2.

the song is not from

b.

Brazilian musicians

3.

Many Brazilians do not

c.

colour

4.

There are few

d.

the host country

5.

it is mostly

e.

critic

6.

There are a few seconds of

f.

in 1966

7.

music

g.

like the 2014 song

8.

stripped of local

h.

in Spanish

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

U.S. singer Jennifer Lopez (1) ___________________ the official song at the opening ceremony of the World Cup. However, she (2) ___________________. Her agent said she would "not be attending" because of "(3) ___________________". Ms Lopez did not give (4) ___________________. Lopez, the rapper Pitbull and Brazilian star Claudia Leitte were going to (5) ___________________, "We Are One (Ole Ola), before the (6) ___________________. Instead, just Pitbull and Ms Leitte will sing it.

The World Cup song (7) ___________________. People have been unhappy that the song is not from (8) ___________________. A Colombian singer sang the South Africa World Cup song in 2010. A Puerto Rican sang it in the France World Cup in 1998. Many Brazilians (9) ___________________ 2014 song. There are few Brazilian musicians (10) ___________________ Spanish and English. There are (11) ___________________ Portuguese at the end. A Brazilian music critic said it has been "stripped (12) ___________________".

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

U.S.singerJenniferLopezwasgoingtosingtheofficialsongattheopeningcere
monyoftheWorldCup.However,shehaspulledout.Heragentsaidshewould"n
otbeattending"becauseof"productionissues".MsLopezdidnotgiveareason
why.Lopez,therapperPitbullandBrazilianstarClaudiaLeitteweregoingtosing
thesong,"WeAreOne(OleOla),beforetheopeninggame.Instead,justPitbulla
ndMsLeittewillsingit.TheWorldCupsongstartedin1966.Peoplehavebeenun
happythatthesongisnotfromthehostcountry.AColombiansingersangtheSo
uthAfricaWorldCupsongin2010.APuertoRicansangitintheFranceWorldCu
pin1998.ManyBraziliansdonotlikethe2014song.TherearefewBrazilianmusi
ciansanditismostlyinSpanishandEnglish.ThereareafewsecondsofPortugu
eseattheend.ABrazilianmusiccriticsaidithasbeen"strippedoflocalcolour".

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about the World Cup for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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