Lesson 4: Sports Personalities

Key words: stout, attractive, boring, energetic, manly, entertaining, interesting, smashing, successful, sober, dependable, unattractive, slim, smart

A

Look at the pictures. Who are they? What are these people famous for?

B

Read the following words. Use them to describe each person above.

• stout, attractive, energetic, strong, young, middle-aged, old, manly, entertaining, interesting, smashing, successful, great, sober, slim, smart

C

Some of the words in the box above have opposite meanings. Work in pairs and write the opposite words against them. The first one is done for you.

• stout - slim

D

Read the text on the great Brazilian footballer, Pelé.

Pelé is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. In 1999, he was voted Football Player of the Century by the IFFHS. IFFHS stands for International Federation of Football History and Statistics. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) named Pelé the “Athlete of the Century”. In his career, he scored more than 1200 goals. Thus he has become the top scorer of all time. In his own country - Brazil, Pelé is a national hero. People call him "The King of Football", "The King Pelé" or simply "The King". He is the all-time leading scorer of the Brazilian national team. He is the only footballer to be a part of three World Cup-winning squads and the only player in the world to have three World Cup winning medals.

True or false? If false, give the correct information.

1. In 1999, Pelé was voted Football Player of the Century by IOC.
2. In the same year, Pelé was honored as the Athlete of the Century.
3. He is one of the top scorers in the football world with more than one thousand goals.
4. Pelé is an international hero in his country.
5. He is one of the football players with three World Cup winning medals.

E

Now read about Maradona, another world-famous player, completing the text with the right form of verbs given in the box. You may use a word more than once.

• prove, play, become, vote, win, be, captain, spend

Diego Armando Maradona was born in a poor family and ______ his childhood in a slum. However, he ______ his football talent at the age of ten only. Now he ______ considered the greatest football player of all time. He ______ the FIFA Player of the Century too. He ______ in four FIFA World Cup tournaments in 1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994. In 1986, he ______ Argentina and ______ the World Cup. He ______ the tournament’s best player in 1986 and won the Golden Ball. His second goal with England in 1986 was ______ the Goal of the Century. In that match, he dribbled through six English players to cross 60 meters (66 yards). He also ______ the Golden Ball at the FIFA under 20 World Cup in 1979. In 1990, Argentina ______ the runner-up in the World Cup under his captaincy too. This is why he ______ a living legend not only in Argentina but also in the whole world.