China’s Ding Liren is the new world chess champion for men. He won after beating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi at the World Chess Championship in Kazakhstan. Ding had to play 14 games before winning the tiebreaker. He is the first Chinese man to ever win this tournament. Magnus Carlsen, the five-time champion from Norway, did not play this year, saying he did not want to defend his title. Ding’s victory is celebrated by chess fans and patriots in China. The government also congratulated him. Ding started playing chess when he was young and became China’s youngest chess champion at the national level in 2009. He is also the highest-ranked Chinese player in the world rankings, reaching second place.
Original news source: Ding Liren becomes China’s first male world chess champion (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Chess Champion Interview
Instructions: Have one student pretend to be Ding Liren and another student pretend to be a reporter. The reporter will ask Ding Liren questions about his victory, such as “How does it feel to be the first Chinese man to ever win the World Chess Championship?” This activity will allow students to practice asking and answering questions in English while also learning about the news.
– Nationality Match
Instructions: On the whiteboard, draw two columns. In one column, write down different countries (e.g. USA, China, France, Brazil). In the other column, write down different nationalities (e.g. American, Chinese, French, Brazilian). Have students match the country to the nationality. This activity will help students practice vocabulary related to countries and nationalities.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Who is the new world chess champion for men?
2. Who did Ding Liren beat to win the World Chess Championship?
3. How many games did Ding Liren have to play before winning the tiebreaker?
4. Is Ding Liren the first Chinese man to ever win this tournament?
5. Who is Magnus Carlsen?
6. Did Magnus Carlsen play in this year’s World Chess Championship?
7. How do people in China feel about Ding Liren’s victory?
8. When did Ding Liren become China’s youngest chess champion at the national level?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
China’s Ding Liren is the new (1)_________ chess champion for men. He won after beating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi at the World Chess Championship in Kazakhstan. Ding had to play 14 games before winning the (2)________. He is the first Chinese man to ever win this (3)_________. Magnus Carlsen, the five-time champion from Norway, did not play this year, saying he did not want to (4)_________ his title. Ding’s victory is celebrated by chess fans and (5)__________ in China. The government also congratulated him. Ding started playing chess when he was young and became China’s youngest (6)_________ champion at the national level in 2009. He is also the highest-(7)________ Chinese player in the world rankings, reaching second place.
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Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Who won the World Chess Championship for men?
2. Who did Ding Liren beat to become the champion?
3. How many games did Ding have to play before winning the tiebreaker?
4. Is Ding the first Chinese man to win the World Chess Championship?
5. Who is Magnus Carlsen?
6. Did Magnus Carlsen play in the championship this year?
7. Why did Magnus Carlsen not defend his title?
8. Who is celebrating Ding Liren’s victory?
9. Who congratulated Ding on his victory?
10. When did Ding start playing chess?
11. When did Ding become China’s youngest chess champion at the national level?
12. What is Ding’s ranking in the world rankings?
13. How does Ding’s victory make you feel?
14. Have you ever played chess? Do you like it?
15. What other sports or games do you enjoy playing?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. champion
2. tiebreaker
3. tournament
4. victory
5. patriot
6. government
7. national
8. player
Meanings:
A) Someone who loves their country
B) The group of games played to decide who is the winner
C) Someone who plays a game or sport
D) Relating to a whole country
E) A person who wins a competition
F) The people who rule a country
G) The last game played to decide the winner
H) An event where people compete against each other
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Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Who is the new world chess champion for men?
(a) Magnus Carlsen
(b) Ian Nepomniachtchi
(c) Ding Liren
(d) Sergey Karjakin
2. Who did Ding Liren beat to win the World Chess Championship?
(a) Magnus Carlsen
(b) Ian Nepomniachtchi
(c) Sergey Karjakin
(d) Viswanathan Anand
3. How many games did Ding Liren have to play before winning the tiebreaker?
(a) 7
(b) 10
(c) 14
(d) 20
4. Who is Ding Liren?
(a) Chinese basketball player
(b) Chinese chess player
(c) Chinese football player
(d) Chinese swimmer
5. Who is Magnus Carlsen?
(a) Chinese chess player
(b) Norwegian chess player
(c) Indian chess player
(d) Russian chess player
6. Why did Magnus Carlsen not play in the World Chess Championship this year?
(a) He did not want to defend his title
(b) He was injured
(c) He did not qualify for the tournament
(d) He was busy with other things
7. When did Ding Liren become China’s youngest chess champion at the national level?
(a) 2001
(b) 2007
(c) 2009
(d) 2014
8. What is Ding Liren’s ranking in the world chess rankings?
(a) First place
(b) Second place
(c) Third place
(d) Fourth place
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True or False Questions:
1. Ding Liren won the World Chess Championship in Kazakhstan.
2. Ian Nepomniachtchi is from China.
3. Ding had to play 14 games before winning the tiebreaker.
4. Magnus Carlsen played in this year’s World Chess Championship.
5. Ding is the first Chinese man to ever win this tournament.
6. Chess fans and patriots in China hated Ding’s victory.
7. Ding became China’s youngest chess champion at the national level in 2009.
8. Ding is not the highest-ranked Chinese player in the world rankings.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. Who is the new world chess champion for men?
2. How many games did Ding Liren have to play before winning the tiebreaker?
3. Is Ding Liren the first Chinese man to win the World Chess Championship?
4. Did Magnus Carlsen play in this year’s World Chess Championship?
5. When did Ding Liren become China’s youngest chess champion at the national level?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Who is the new world chess champion for men?
– Ding Liren is the new world chess champion for men.
2. Who did Ding Liren beat to win the World Chess Championship?
– Ding Liren beat Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi to win the World Chess Championship.
3. How many games did Ding Liren have to play before winning the tiebreaker?
– Ding Liren had to play 14 games before winning the tiebreaker.
4. Is Ding Liren the first Chinese man to ever win this tournament?
– Yes, Ding Liren is the first Chinese man to ever win this tournament.
5. Who is Magnus Carlsen?
– Magnus Carlsen is a five-time champion from Norway.
6. Did Magnus Carlsen play in this year’s World Chess Championship?
– No, Magnus Carlsen did not play in this year’s World Chess Championship.
7. How do people in China feel about Ding Liren’s victory?
– People in China are happy and proud of Ding Liren’s victory.
8. When did Ding Liren become China’s youngest chess champion at the national level?
– Ding Liren became China’s youngest chess champion at the national level in 2009.
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. world
2. tiebreaker
3. tournament
4. defend
5. patriots
6. chess
7. ranked
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. champion
Answer: E) A person who wins a competition
2. tiebreaker
Answer: G) The last game played to decide the winner
3. tournament
Answer: H) An event where people compete against each other
4. victory
Answer: B) A win in a competition
5. patriot
Answer: A) Someone who loves their country
6. government
Answer: F) The people who rule a country
7. national
Answer: D) Relating to a whole country
8. player
Answer: C) Someone who plays a game or sport
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. Who is the new world chess champion for men?
Answer: (c) Ding Liren
2. Who did Ding Liren beat to win the World Chess Championship?
Answer: (b) Ian Nepomniachtchi
3. How many games did Ding Liren have to play before winning the tiebreaker?
Answer: (c) 14
4. Who is Ding Liren?
Answer: (b) Chinese chess player
5. Who is Magnus Carlsen?
Answer: (b) Norwegian chess player
6. Why did Magnus Carlsen not play in the World Chess Championship this year?
Answer: (a) He did not want to defend his title
7. When did Ding Liren become China’s youngest chess champion at the national level?
Answer: (c) 2009
8. What is Ding Liren’s ranking in the world chess rankings?
Answer: (b) Second place
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Ding Liren won the World Chess Championship in Kazakhstan.
Answer: True
2. Ian Nepomniachtchi is from China.
Answer: False
3. Ding had to play 14 games before winning the tiebreaker.
Answer: True
4. Magnus Carlsen played in this year’s World Chess Championship.
Answer: False
5. Ding is the first Chinese man to ever win this tournament.
Answer: True
6. Chess fans and patriots in China hated Ding’s victory.
Answer: False
7. Ding became China’s youngest chess champion at the national level in 2009.
Answer: True
8. Ding is not the highest-ranked Chinese player in the world rankings.
Answer: False
Go back to questions ⇧
