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English for THE GAMES

Football (5-a-side)When athletes come together from around the world to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, they are fulfilling their dreams and competing at the highest level. Billions of people across the globe join in; watching, listening to and reading about the greatest global celebration of sport. To celebrate the London 2012 Games, the British Council is making a wide range of classroom resources available for learners of English worldwide.

There are two football events at the Paralympics: 5-a-side and 7-a-side. 5-a-side football is played by visually impaired athletes using a special ball which has a noise-making device inside. have you ever played 5-a-side football? imagine trying to do it with a blindfold on!

Guides’ areas

Guides’ areas

Guide

Rebound wall

5-a-side team

Eyeshades

B122 London 2012 English Worksheets Football_5 a-side_V2_new.indd 1 15/02/2012 10:24

1. Vocabulary

a. Write the correct words in the spaces provided.

a. Rebound wall b. Guides’ area c. Guide

d. Eyeshades e. 5-a-side team

4

3

2 1

5

5

2. The rules of Football 5-a-side

What is it?

5-a-side football is a type of football played on a smaller pitch, with smaller goals, and a

shorter duration. Generally the rules are similar to 11-a-side football, but with

adaptations for athletes with a disability.

Who can participate in 5-a-side football at the Paralympics?

5-a-side football is open to visually impaired athletes.

Classification

Classification B1 (totally blind) only

How is it played?

Games are played between two teams, each with four outfield players and a

goalkeeper.

The outfield players are visually impaired, but the goalkeeper may be fully or

partially sighted.

All outfield players wear eyeshades, which make it impossible to see, and mean

that players with different degrees of visual disability can compete together.

The ball contains a noise-making device - a bell. This allows the athletes to hear

the ball.

Teams may use one guide, who is positioned off the field of play, to assist in

directing players.

The pitch is surrounded with a rebound wall.

There are no throw-ins and no offside rule.

Each half lasts 30 minutes.

1. A fully-sighted person who assists the players by giving instructions from the side

of the pitch.

2. A small object inside the ball that makes a ringing sound when the ball moves.

3. A covering for the eyes which makes it impossible to see, and means that players

with different degrees of visual impairment can compete together..

4. A wall around the pitch, which prevents the ball from going out of play.

5. A two-minute period of time at the end of each half when the clock is stopped for

free kicks, kick-ins, goal clearances and corner kicks.

6. Parts of the pitch where guides are allowed to stand.

3. Reading

I’d like to see Messi do that!

FC Barcelona’s Messi, Xavi and Iniesta are three of the best football players in the world.

If you watch or listen to one of Barcelona’s games, you will hear things like:

“…Xavi catches sight of Iniesta on the left … he sees Messi … Messi goes round two

defenders … goal!”

“… Xavi looks up … spots Messi … the pass is inch perfect … goal!”

“That was brilliant! Messi observed the goalkeeper off his line, set his sights, and the

shot was perfect into the top corner.”

Notice the verbs in bold. They are all verbs of ‘seeing’. The three great players work so

well together because they are always looking to see where the others are.

Commentators also often claim that they could perform their ‘tricks’ “with their eyes

closed”, “blindfolded” or “without looking”.

But despite what they say, there’s no way that Messi and company could play the same if

they really couldn’t see. And yet that’s exactly what Paralympic 5-a-side footballers do

every time they take to the field! Without being able to see anything, they pass the ball

to each other and score goals in the same way as sighted players! I’d like to see Messi

do that!

a. Match the words in the table with their definitions below.

a. eyeshades b. guide c. noise-making device

d. countdown e. rebound wall f. guides’ areas

a. Select the best answer to the questions below.

1. Messi, Xavi and Iniesta play for FC Barcelona’s 5-a-side football

team.

a. True

b. False

2. Commentators commonly use verbs of ‘seeing’ when they describe

what the three players do.

a. True

b. False

3. Messi, Xavi and Iniesta always know where each other is. a. True

b. False

4. The three players could play the same even if they couldn’t see. a. True

b. False

5. Paralympic 5-a-side footballers do things that Messi, Xavi and

Iniesta can’t.

a. True

b. False

b. What is the meaning of the words or phrases in bold?

1. The three great players work so well together

because they are always looking to see where

the others are.

a. The others

b. The three great players

2. The three great players work so well together

because they are always looking to see where

the others are.

a. The other players in the

team

b. The other two of the

three great players

3. Commentators also often claim that they could

perform their ‘tricks’ “with their eyes closed”,

“blindfolded” or “without looking”.

a. The commentators

b. The three great players

4. But despite what they say, there’s no way that

Messi and company could play the same if they

really couldn’t see.

a. The commentators

b. The three great players

5. Without being able to see anything they pass the

ball to each other, and score goals in the same

way …

a. Paralympic 5-a-side

footballers

b. The three great players

4. Solution

Exercise 1a

1. e; 2. c; 3. d; 4. a; 5. b;

Exercise 2a

1. b; 2. c; 3. a; 4. e; 5. d; 6. f

Exercise 3a

1. False (F); 2. True (T); 3. T; 4. F; 5. T

Exercise 3b

1. b; 2; b; 3. b; 4. a; 5. a