If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the News story.
Use the vocabulary list to check the meanings of some words before you listen.
Vocabulary
soccer – another word for football
influencer – in this context, a person who influences other people on social media
Try these activities while listening
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- When does the FIFA World Cup begin?
- Which teams are in Group G?
- When are the three All Whites games?
- What is New Zealand’s current World Cup ranking?
- In which two years have the All Whites already played in the FIFA World Cup?
- Who are (i) Tim Payne and (ii) Valen Scarsini?
- Why has Tim Payne become very famous in the last week?
- How many Instagram followers does Payne now have?
- How can you watch all the World Cup games?
News story
The New Zealand men’s soccer team, the All Whites, are playing in the FIFA World Cup, which begins in Mexico this Friday 12 June NZ time.
The All Whites are in Group G with Iran, Egypt and Belgium. They play Iran on 15 June in Los Angeles and then Egypt on 21 June and Belgium on 26 June in Vancouver. Last week, they played a friendly game against Haiti and lost 4-0. They played England yesterday and lost 1-0. England is ranked 4th in the world, whereas the All Whites are ranked 85th and are the lowest-ranked team at the World Cup.
The All Whites have played in the FIFA World Cup twice before – in 1982 and in 2010. Both times they were eliminated in the group stage. However, in 2010 they were the only team which was undefeated, as they drew all their matches in their group. They are hoping this year to improve on that record and win a game and progress to round 2.
One of the All Whites players, Tim Payne, has become very famous in the last week. An Argentinian social media influencer, Valen Scarsini, identified Payne as the “least known” player of the World Cup, based on his Instagram following. Scarsini encouraged his followers to support him. The number of Payne’s Instagram followers then increased dramatically from 4,700 to more than 5.4 million. Payne and Scarsini met in Florida on Wednesday. Payne thanked him for everything he has done. He also said the attention was good for New Zealand football.
If you want to watch all the World Cup games, you need to buy a TVNZ+ Event Pass. However, every All Whites game is live and free on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+.
Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer.
a. When does the FIFA World Cup begin?
This Friday 12 June NZ time
b. Which teams are in Group G?
The All Whites, Iran, Egypt, and Belgium
c. When are the three All Whites games?
15 June, 21 June, 26 June
d. What is New Zealand’s current World Cup ranking?
85th; the lowest-ranked team
e. In which two years have the All Whites already played in the FIFA World Cup?
1982 and 2010
f. Who are (i) Tim Payne and (ii) Valen Scarsini?
(i) An All Whites player (ii) An Argentinian social media influencer
g. Why has Tim Payne become very famous in the last week?
Valen Scarsini identified Tim Payne, as the “least known” player of the World Cup, based on his Instagram following. Scarsini encouraged his followers to support him.
h. How many Instagram followers does Payne now have?
5.4 million
i. How can you watch all the World Cup games?
You need to buy a TVNZ+ Event Pass.