World Cup Soccer - Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Level	Topic	Speakers	Length
Intermediate	World Cup Soccer	Man – Woman	01:48

Pre-Listening Exercise

In what way(s) is the game of soccer similar and/or different from other individual or team sports?

Agree or Disagree? Let’s Spark Some Conversation!

These statements are designed to get everyone thinking, moving, and talking! The goal is to explore ideas, share opinions, and get ready for the next part of the lesson.

In a face-to-face classroom: Read each statement aloud. If you agree, move to one side of the room; if you disagree, move to the other. Talk with your group—why do you feel that way? Then, pair students with members of the other group and have students explain their reasons. Rotate partners for more practice.
In an online classroom: Use polls, emojis, or the chat box in your online platform to show your opinion. Then, join the conversation as a group or in breakout rooms. What do others think? Do you agree or disagree with them?
For independent learners: Read each statement and think about your opinion. Then say your answer out loud and explain your reason, as if you’re talking to a classmate. This helps you get ready to speak and join real conversations in English. Consider recording your ideas and check your progress.

Soccer is the most exciting sport in the world.
Soccer players are more skilled than athletes in most other sports.
Watching soccer is better than playing it.
Soccer is more popular because it is easier to play than other sports.
Other sports are more physically demanding than soccer.
Soccer is better for children to learn teamwork than individual sports.
Professional soccer is more entertaining than professional basketball or football.
Soccer fans are more passionate than fans of other sports.
Soccer should be part of every school’s physical education program.
Soccer is overrated compared to other sports in terms of strategy and skill.

Idioms

“be bounced out” = be eliminated from
“Although there were high expectations from our team, they were quickly bounced out of the tournament.”

“roll over” = beat a team convincingly
“The championship team rolled over the competition with ease.”

Listening Exercise

A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

Vocabulary Practice

Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:

Mixed-Up Sentence | Multiple-Choice Questions | Sentence and Vocabulary Matching

Post-Listening Exercise

What do you think are the three specific keys to becoming a good soccer player and a great soccer team?

Online Investigation

Use the internet to learn three things about the history of soccer around the world. Here are some possible questions:

Where and when did the sport begin?
What are the basic objectives and rules of the sport?
How is the game different from sports such as American football and rugby?
Which two or three players in the world have made a significant impact on the game?

See Listening Script

Back to Intermediate Quizzes

General Listening Quiz