The Reading / Listening - Level 2

American singer Jennifer Lopez was going to sing the official song at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Brazil. However, she has pulled out. Her agent said: "Regretfully, Jennifer Lopez will not be attending this year's World Cup opening ceremonies." Ms Lopez did not give a reason why. Her agent said it was because of "production issues". Lopez, the rapper Pitbull and Brazilian star Claudia Leitte were going to be onstage ahead of the opening game to sing the song, "We Are One (Ole Ola). It will now be sung just by Pitbull and Ms Leitte.

The World Cup song has been a tradition since 1966. In recent World Cups, people have been unhappy that the song has not represented the host country. At the South Africa World Cup in 2010, a Colombian singer sang the official song. For the 1998 France World Cup, a Puerto Rican sang it. Many Brazilians do not like the 2014 song. They say it is weak. There are few Brazilian musicians and it is sung mostly in Spanish and English. There are a few seconds of Portuguese at the end. A Brazilian music critic said the song has been "stripped of local colour".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 1   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.

be attending

2.

she has pulled

b.

"We Are One"

3.

Lopez will not

c.

"production issues"

4.

Lopez did not give

d.

of the opening game

5.

Her agent said it was because of

e.

out

6.

be onstage ahead

f.

a reason why

7.

sing the song,

g.

by Pitbull and Ms Leitte

8.

It will now be sung just

h.

going to sing


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.

a tradition

a.

Portuguese at the end

2.

the song has not represented

b.

in Spanish

3.

Many Brazilians do not

c.

colour

4.

There are few

d.

like the 2014 song

5.

it is sung mostly

e.

since 1966

6.

There are a few seconds of

f.

Brazilian musicians

7.

music

g.

the host country

8.

stripped of local

h.

critic

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

American singer Jennifer Lopez (1) ___________________ the official song at the (2) ___________________ of the World Cup in Brazil. However, she has pulled out. Her agent said:  "Regretfully, Jennifer Lopez will (3) ___________________ this year's World Cup opening ceremonies." Ms Lopez did not (4) ___________________ why. Her agent said it was because of "production issues". Lopez, the rapper Pitbull and Brazilian star Claudia Leitte were going to be (5) ___________________ the opening game to sing the song, "We Are One (Ole Ola). It will (6) ___________________ by Pitbull and Ms Leitte.

The World Cup song has been (7) ___________________ 1966. In recent World Cups, people have been unhappy that the song has not represented (8) ___________________. At the South Africa World Cup in 2010, a Colombian singer (9) ___________________ song. For the 1998 France World Cup, a Puerto Rican sang it. Many Brazilians do not like the 2014 song. They say it is weak. There are few Brazilian musicians and it (10) ___________________ Spanish and English. There are (11) ___________________ Portuguese at the end. A Brazilian music critic said the song has been "(12) ___________________ colour".

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AmericansingerJenniferLopezwasgoingtosingtheofficialsongattheopening
ceremonyoftheWorldCupinBrazil.However,shehaspulledout.Heragentsaid
:"Regretfully,JenniferLopezwillnotbeattendingthisyear'sWorldCupopening
ceremonies."MsLopezdidnotgiveareasonwhy.Heragentsaiditwasbecause
of"productionissues".Lopez,therapperPitbullandBrazilianstarClaudiaLeitte
weregoingtobeonstageaheadoftheopeninggametosingthesong,"WeAreO
ne(OleOla).ItwillnowbesungjustbyPitbullandMsLeitte.TheWorldCupsongh
asbeenatraditionsince1966.InrecentWorldCups,peoplehavebeenunhappy
thatthesonghasnotrepresentedthehostcountry.AttheSouthAfricaWorldCup
in2010,aColombiansingersangtheofficialsong.Forthe1998FranceWorldCu
p,aPuertoRicansangit.ManyBraziliansdonotlikethe2014song.Theysayitis
weak.TherearefewBrazilianmusiciansanditissungmostlyinSpanishandEng
lish.ThereareafewsecondsofPortugueseattheend.ABrazilianmusiccriticsai
dthesonghasbeen"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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_____________________________________________________________________________

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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