Curriculum focus
Language knowledge: building a football vocabulary
Character building: developing a love for football

Pre-reading

1. Do a survey in class. Ask questions like:
   What's your favourite sport?
   How often do you play it?
   What can you learn from playing the sport?
   Which team is your favourite?
   Who is your favourite football star?
2. Brainstorm words used in a football game.
   Possible answers: goal (球门), goalkeeper, score(得分), tie(平局), defender(后卫), captain(队长), dribbling(带球), instep(脚背), passing, heading(头球), shooting.

While reading

1. Look quickly through the passage. Fill in the information card for Li Weifeng.
   

   Name: Li Weifeng Sex: ____ Job: ____ of China's football team Position in the team: ____ Part-time job: teaching kids ____ Hope: ________________

   Key: male, captain, defender, how to play football, Teens can play better and take Chinese football much higher.
2. Choose the best answer:
   1) What did Hou Jiaqi learn from Li Weifeng?
   　A. How to be a defender.
   　B. Playing with his instep.
   　C. Playing with his head.
   　D. How to be a goalkeeper.
   2). For how long can Li Weifeng juggle a ball with his feet?
   　A. More than three minutes. B. Two minutes.
   　C. A few seconds.
   　D. Only one minute.
   3) Why was Zhou Qiyang sad?
   　A. Because he couldn't play football.
   　B. Because he didn't like Li to be his teacher.
   　C. Because China can't play in the World Cup finals.
   　D. Because he couldn't juggle the ball with his feet.
   4) What is Zhou Qiyang's dream?
   　A. He wants to juggle the ball for a long time.
   　B. He wants to practice football every day.
   　C. He wants China's football team to become the best in the world.
   　D. He hopes to be taught by famous stars.
   Key: B A C C

Post-reading

1. Have a discussion in groups of four:
   What are good ways to improve China's football teams? Why?
   Possible suggestions:
   They should invite famous coaches to teach Chinese players.
   They should send more players abroad to learn skills.
   They should have better food and train themselves harder.
2. Who is your favourite sports star? Make a poster of him or her. Show it to your classmates.
3. Fill in the blanks with words from the story.
   　1) A ____ is someone who follows a sport, a star and so on, with great passion.
   　2) A ____ is a big wish.
   　3) If you ____ three balls, you keep them in the air by throwing them quickly and catching them again.
   　4) A(n) ____ is someone who organizes a meeting or a party.
   　5) If you ____ to do something, you make up your mind to do it.
   Key: fan, dream, juggle, organizer, decide