http://younglearners.eslreading.org/football/football/wordlist.

html
http://www.asroma.it/en/team/daniele-de-rossi/
http://www.transfermarkt.com/dani-alves/profil/spieler/15951
http://www.biography.com/people/lionel-messi-5557!"synopsis
http://www.englishe#ercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp$id%&95
'or centuries( people have been playing kicking games with a ball. )he game of soccer
developed from some of these early games. )he *nglish probably gave soccer its name and its
first set of rules. +n *uropean countries( soccer is called football or association football. ,ome
people believe that the name -soccer- came from -assoc.(- an abbreviation for the word
association. .thers believe that the name came from the high socks that the players wear.
.rgani/ed soccer games began in 10&. +n soccer( two teams of eleven players try to kick or
head the ball into their opponents1 goal. )he goalie( who tries to keep the ball out of the goal( is
the only player on the field who is allowed to touch the ball with his or her hands. )he other
players must use their feet( heads( and bodies to control the ball.
*very four years( soccer teams around the world compete for the 2orld 3up. )he 2orld 3up
competition started in 194.
5ra/il is the home of many great soccer players( including the most famous player of all( 6el7.
2ith his fast footwork( da//ling speed( and great scoring ability( 6el7 played for many years in
5ra/il and then later in 8ew 9ork. :uring his !! years in soccer( he scored 1(!01 goals and held
every ma;or record for the sport.
6eople in more than 1<4 countries around the world play soccer. +t is the national sport of most
*uropean and =atin >merican countries. ,occer is definitely the world1s most popular sport?
@ames 8aismith( a physical education teacher in Aassachusetts( invented basketball in 1091.
8aismith1s boss asked him to invent a game that students could play indoors during bad
weather. Be wanted to find a game that wasn1t as physically rough as soccer( football( or
wrestling.
8aismith attached peach baskets to a railing ten feet above the floor at either end of the gym.
)he players used a soccer ball.
> person sat on a ladder ne#t to each basket at either end of the gym( and threw out the balls
that landed in the baskets. 8aismith decided that having only five players on each team would
keep the game from getting too rough.
)wo years later( metal hoops with net bags replaced the peach baskets. .fficials pulled a string
on the nets to release the balls that went in. +n 109<( 8aismith added the backboard behind each
net and changed to a larger ball. +n 191( people began using the bottomless nets that are used
today.
:uring a basketball game( two teams of five players each throw the ball into two baskets at
opposite ends of a court. 6layers bounce( or dribble( the ball to the basket or pass the ball to
teammates. > team scores points by getting the ball into their team1s basket. )he team with the
highest score wins.
5y the 1944s( basketball was the most popular indoor sport. >thletes in appro#imately 14
countries play the game. 5asketball is especially popular in the Cnited ,tates( 3hina( and
6uerto Dico.
5aseball began in the Cnited ,tates in the early 1044s. ,ome people believe that >bner
:oubleday invented the game. .thers think that baseball came from an old 5ritish sport called
rounders. 5aseball and rounders are very similar. Bowever( in rounders the field players throw
the ball right at the runner. +f the ball hits the runner( he or she is out. +n baseball( a field player
;ust touches the ball to the base or the running player to get the player out.
)oday1s baseball players use special eEuipment to help prevent in;uries. 'ield players wear
baseball gloves to protect their hands. )he catcher wears a metal mask( a chest protector( and
shin guards. 5atters wear plastic helmets to protect their heads.
*very spring in the Cnited ,tates( people of all ages play baseball at local baseball fields. +t1s no
wonder that baseball is called the national pastime of the Cnited ,tates.
Now answer Numbers 9 through 16. Base your answers on the article "Popular Sports Around the
World."
2hich of the following events happened first$

basketball was invented
2orld 3up competition was invented
baseball began in the C.,.
organi/ed soccer games began
6el7 is a famous

soccer player.

baseball coach.
basketball player.
baseball player.

Dead this sentence from the story.

With his ast ootwor!" da##ling speed" and great scoring
ability" Pel$ played or many years in Bra#il" and then
later in New %or!.

2hat does dazzling mean$
ama/ing
funny
light
difficult

2hat conclusion can you draw from this article$

,ports are more popular in 5ra/il than in the
C.,.
Aost sports involve kicking a ball.
,ports can be very dangerous.
,ports are popular in many different countries.
2rite a brief summary of the article( using only the most
important details.