Football players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria did really well in a big football tournament called the Africa Cup of Nations. Because they played so well, they are getting special gifts like money, big houses, and awards. The players from Ivory Coast will get $82,000 and a house, while the players from Nigeria will get an award, an apartment, and land near Abuja, their capital city. Even the team from South Africa, who came in third, will get $52,000 each.

Lots of people watched this football tournament, more than ever before. Almost two billion people around the world saw it on TV or online. People hope that because so many enjoyed watching it, African football teams might get to play in the World Cup more often. Right now, Africa gets to send fewer teams to the World Cup than Europe does, even though they have about the same number of countries that play football. In the past, players sometimes didn’t get paid, but this time they were treated better.

The Africa Cup of Nations made the players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria very happy because they worked hard and got great rewards. They got money, houses, and awards for doing a good job. Also, because so many people watched the games, more people around the world are starting to like African football. This might help African teams get more chances to play in big tournaments like the World Cup in the future.

Original news source: Afcon: Ivory Coast and Nigeria players get cash, villas and honours (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students.
2. Give each group a copy of the article.
3. In each group, students take turns summarizing different parts of the article.
4. The goal is to create a concise summary of the article as a group.
5. After a certain time limit, each group presents their summary to the class.

– Opinion Poll

Instructions:
1. Write the following question on the board: “Do you think African football teams should have more chances to play in the World Cup?”
2. Have students stand up and move around the room.
3. Students should find a partner and ask their opinion on the question.
4. After discussing with one partner, students find a new partner and repeat the process.
5. After a few rounds, have a whole class discussion to share different opinions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs.
2. Give each pair a list of key vocabulary words from the article.
3. One student from each pair chooses a word and draws a picture to represent it.
4. The other student must guess the word based on the drawing.
5. Students take turns drawing and guessing until all the words have been used.

– Keyword Hangman

Instructions:
1. Choose a keyword from the article and write the number of letters on the board using dashes.
2. Students take turns guessing letters to try and figure out the word.
3. If a guessed letter is in the word, write it in the correct position.
4. If a guessed letter is not in the word, start drawing a hangman on the board.
5. The game continues until the students guess the word correctly or the hangman is complete.

– Pros and Cons

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into two groups.
2. Assign one group to discuss the pros of African football teams having more chances to play in the World Cup, and the other group to discuss the cons.
3. Give each group time to brainstorm and come up with their arguments.
4. Have a debate-style discussion where each group presents their points and counter-arguments to the class.
5. Encourage students to use the language of giving reasons and supporting their opinions.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What special gifts did the football players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria get for playing well in the tournament?
2. How much money will the players from Ivory Coast get?
3. What will the players from Nigeria get as a reward?
4. What did the players from South Africa get for coming in third place?
5. How many people watched the football tournament?
6. Why do people hope that African football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often?
7. Why were the players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria very happy?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Football players from Ivory (1)______ and (2)______ did really well in a big football (3)______ called the Africa Cup of Nations. Because they played so well, they are getting special gifts like money, big houses, and awards. The players from Ivory Coast will get $82,000 and a house, while the players from Nigeria will get an award, an apartment, and land near Abuja, their capital city. Even the team from South Africa, who came in third, will get $52,000 each.

Lots of people watched this (4)______ tournament, (5)______ than ever before. Almost two billion people around the world saw it on TV or online. People hope that because so many enjoyed (6)______ it, African football teams might get to play in the World Cup more often. Right now, (7)______ gets to send (8)______ teams to the World Cup than Europe does, even though they have about the same number of countries that play football. In the past, players sometimes didn’t get paid, but this time they were (9)______ better.

The Africa Cup of Nations made the players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria very (10)______ because they worked hard and got great rewards. They got money, houses, and awards for doing a good job. Also, because so many people watched the games, more people around the (11)______ are starting to like African football. This might (12)______ African teams get more chances to play in big tournaments like the World Cup in the future.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is the Africa Cup of Nations?
2. How would you feel if you won a big tournament and got special gifts like money and a house?
3. Do you like watching football tournaments? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s fair that Africa gets to send fewer teams to the World Cup than Europe? Why or why not?
5. How do you think the players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria felt when they received their rewards?
6. What do you think about the idea of African football teams getting more chances to play in the World Cup?
7. How would you feel if you were a football player and didn’t get paid for playing?
8. Do you think it’s important for people around the world to watch and enjoy African football? Why or why not?
9. What would you do if you were given a big amount of money as a reward?
10. How do you think the players from South Africa felt when they found out they would receive $52,000 each?
11. What do you think about the idea of giving players houses and land as rewards?
12. Why do you think the Africa Cup of Nations is becoming more popular around the world?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. tournament
2. rewards
3. capital
4. apartment
5. continent
6. billion
7. online
8. treated
9. rewards
10. opportunities
11. tournament
12. recognized

Meanings:
(A) A very large area of land that can have many countries in it
(B) The city where the government of a country works
(C) Known or noticed by many people
(D) A number that is a thousand times a million
(E) Chances to do something that could bring good results
(F) A place where people live that is part of a bigger building
(G) On the internet
(H) A big competition where people or teams play against each other to see who is the best
(I) Things given to someone because they did something good or won something
(J) Acted towards or dealt with in a certain way
(K) Things given to someone because they did something good or won something
(L) A big competition where people or teams play against each other to see who is the best
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the football tournament that the Ivory Coast and Nigeria players did well in?
(a) Africa Cup of Nations
(b) World Cup
(c) European Championship
(d) Copa America

2. What special gifts are the players from Ivory Coast receiving?
(a) An award, an apartment, and land
(b) $52,000 each
(c) $82,000 and a house
(d) Money, big houses, and awards

3. How many people watched the football tournament on TV or online?
(a) One million
(b) Five hundred thousand
(c) Ten thousand
(d) Almost two billion

4. What do people hope will happen because so many people enjoyed watching the tournament?
(a) European football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often
(b) Asian football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often
(c) African football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often
(d) South American football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often

5. How many teams from Africa currently get to play in the World Cup?
(a) Fewer than Europe
(b) The same as Europe
(c) More than Europe
(d) None

6. In the past, what sometimes happened to the players?
(a) They received big rewards
(b) They didn’t get paid
(c) They played in the World Cup
(d) They won the Africa Cup of Nations

7. What might happen in the future because more people are starting to like African football?
(a) European teams might get more chances to play in big tournaments like the World Cup
(b) Asian teams might get more chances to play in big tournaments like the World Cup
(c) South American teams might get more chances to play in big tournaments like the World Cup
(d) African teams might get more chances to play in big tournaments like the World Cup

8. What made the players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria very happy?
(a) They watched the Africa Cup of Nations on TV
(b) They got money, houses, and awards for doing a good job
(c) They played in the World Cup
(d) They won the European Championship

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Africa currently sends fewer teams to the World Cup than Europe, even though they have a similar number of countries that play football.
2. The players from Ivory Coast will not receive $82,000 and a house as special gifts for their performance.
3. The players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria were not treated better this time and did not receive money, houses, and awards for their hard work.
4. Almost two billion people around the world watched the Africa Cup of Nations on TV or online.
5. The team from South Africa, who did not come in third place, will receive $52,000 each.
6. Football players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria did really well in a big football tournament called the Africa Cup of Nations.
7. People hope that because so many enjoyed watching the tournament, African football teams might get to play in the World Cup more often.
8. The players from Nigeria will not receive an award, an apartment, and land near their capital city, Abuja.
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. What special gifts did the football players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria receive for playing well in the Africa Cup of Nations?
2. How much money will the players from Ivory Coast receive as a reward?
3. What other rewards did the players from Nigeria receive?
4. How many people watched the football tournament on TV or online?
5. Why do people hope that African football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often in the future?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What special gifts did the football players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria get for playing well in the tournament?
They got money, houses, and awards.

2. How much money will the players from Ivory Coast get?
They will get $82,000.

3. What will the players from Nigeria get as a reward?
They will get an award, an apartment, and land near Abuja.

4. What did the players from South Africa get for coming in third place?
They each got $52,000.

5. How many people watched the football tournament?
Almost two billion people watched the tournament.

6. Why do people hope that African football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often?
People hope that because so many enjoyed watching the Africa Cup of Nations, African teams might get more chances to play in the World Cup.

7. Why were the players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria very happy?
They were very happy because they worked hard and got great rewards for doing a good job.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Coast
(2) Nigeria
(3) tournament
(4) football
(5) more
(6) watching
(7) Africa
(8) fewer
(9) treated
(10) happy
(11) world
(12) help
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. tournament
Answer: (H) A big competition where people or teams play against each other to see who is the best

2. rewards
Answer: (I) Things given to someone because they did something good or won something

3. capital
Answer: (B) The city where the government of a country works

4. apartment
Answer: (F) A place where people live that is part of a bigger building

5. continent
Answer: (A) A very large area of land that can have many countries in it

6. billion
Answer: (D) A number that is a thousand times a million

7. online
Answer: (G) On the internet

8. treated
Answer: (J) Acted towards or dealt with in a certain way

9. rewards
Answer: (I) Things given to someone because they did something good or won something

10. opportunities
Answer: (E) Chances to do something that could bring good results

11. tournament
Answer: (H) A big competition where people or teams play against each other to see who is the best

12. recognized
Answer: (C) Known or noticed by many people
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the football tournament that the Ivory Coast and Nigeria players did well in?
Answer: (a) Africa Cup of Nations

2. What special gifts are the players from Ivory Coast receiving?
Answer: (c) $82,000 and a house

3. How many people watched the football tournament on TV or online?
Answer: (d) Almost two billion

4. What do people hope will happen because so many people enjoyed watching the tournament?
Answer: (c) African football teams will get to play in the World Cup more often

5. How many teams from Africa currently get to play in the World Cup?
Answer: (a) Fewer than Europe

6. In the past, what sometimes happened to the players?
Answer: (b) They didn’t get paid

7. What might happen in the future because more people are starting to like African football?
Answer: (d) African teams might get more chances to play in big tournaments like the World Cup

8. What made the players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria very happy?
Answer: (b) They got money, houses, and awards for doing a good job
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Africa currently sends fewer teams to the World Cup than Europe, even though they have a similar number of countries that play football. (Answer: True)
2. The players from Ivory Coast will not receive $82,000 and a house as special gifts for their performance. (Answer: False)
3. The players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria were not treated better this time and did not receive money, houses, and awards for their hard work. (Answer: False)
4. Almost two billion people around the world watched the Africa Cup of Nations on TV or online. (Answer: True)
5. The team from South Africa, who did not come in third place, will receive $52,000 each. (Answer: False)
6. Football players from Ivory Coast and Nigeria did really well in a big football tournament called the Africa Cup of Nations. (Answer: True)
7. People hope that because so many enjoyed watching the tournament, African football teams might get to play in the World Cup more often. (Answer: True)
8. The players from Nigeria will not receive an award, an apartment, and land near their capital city, Abuja. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧