The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the 19th since the beginning of this championship. It is going to take place from June 11 to July 11 in South Africa.

The team qualification process for the championship began last August and didn't finish until the end of 2009.

Morocco and Egypt also wanted to host the World Cup but South Africa beat them . As the host nation, South Africa automatically qualifies for the tournament.

The official mascot is Zakumi, a green-haired leopard. His name comes from ZA, the international abbreviation for South Africa, and “kumi”, a word that means “ten” in various South African languages.

There will be thirteen stadiums where the matches will take place. Five new ones have been built and others have been improved.

The government is also planning to make changes in its public transport system, to make it faster to people visiting the country in June and July.

A little bit of history

The first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay, a small country in South America. Thirteen nations took part : seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America.

The first two matches took place simultaneously on 13 July, 1930, and were won by France and USA, who defeated Mexico and Belgium.

In the final match, Uruguay played with the Argentinian team and beat them in Montevideo, the capital city, becoming the first nation to win the World Cup.

Centenario Stadium in Montevideo

True or false ? give evidence for false sentences

1- There have been 19 World Cups before this one.

2- It will last a month.

3- “Zakumi” comes from 2 South African words.

4- They built 13 stadiums.

5- There will be improvements regarding taxis and buses.

History.

6- 13 matches were played in the first World Cup.

7- France beat USA.

8- Uruguay won the first World Cup in 1930.

COMPLETE THESE QUESTIONS AFTER YOU READ THE ANSWERS

1___________________ will the World Cup ______________________ ?

It will start in June.

2_______________ South Africa qualify for the ___________________ ?

Yes, it does.

3_______________ _________________ the Word “Zakumi”

_______________ _________________ ?

It comes from an abbreviation and a South African term.

4 _______________ _________ the government planning ?

Changes in the public transport system.

5__________ ____________ European nations took part in the World

Cup __________ 1930 ? Four.

6_______________ team ______________ Uruguay beat ?

Argentina.

Find synonyms for these words

start (noun) _________________ make better __________________

end (verb) _________________ little __________________

some _________________ at the same time __________________

K e y

FALSE : THERE HAVE BEEN 18

TRUE

FALSE : “ZA” IS AN ABBREVIATION

FALSE : THEY BUILT 5

TRUE

HISTORY :

FALSE : 13 IS THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WHICH TOOK PART IN IT

FALSE : FRANCE BEAT MEXICO

TRUE

QUESTIONS

1. WHEN - START

2. DOES - TOURNAMENT

3. WHERE - DOES / COME - FROM

4. WHAT - IS

5. HOW - MANY / IN

6. WHICH - DID

SYNONYMS

start : beginning make better : improve

end : finish little : small

some : various at the same time : simultaneously

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