Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
DAVID BECKHAM:
World Soccer Superstar
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE (born 2 May 1975) is an English footballer who plays in midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Milan, as well as the England national team, for whom he holds the all-time appearance record for an outfield player.
Beckham's career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17. During his time there, United won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cuptwice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, where he remained for four seasons, clinching the La Liga championship in his final season with the club. In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real Madrid for the Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy, signing a five-year contract with them on 1 July 2007. While a Galaxy player, he has also spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010.
In international football, Beckham made his England debut on 1 September 1996 aged 21. He was made captain from 15 November 2000 until the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, during which he played 58 times. He earned a much-publicised hundredth cap against France on 26 March 2008, and became the all-time outfield player appearance record holder on 28 March 2009 when he surpassed Bobby Moore's total of 108 caps. With 115 career appearances to date he has stated that he does not intend to retire from international football, having missed the 2010 World Cup through injury and not featuring in England manager Fabio Capello's post-World Cup plans.
Beckham has twice been runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 was the world's highest-paid footballer when taking into account salary and advertising deals. Beckham was the first British footballer to play 100 Champions League matches. He was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004. With such global recognition he has become an elite advertising brand and a top fashion icon. When joining the MLS in 2007 he was given the highest player salary in the league's history, with his playing contract with the Galaxy over the next three years being worth $6.5m per year.
Beckham is married to former Spice GirlVictoria Beckham (née Adams). The couple have three sons and currently reside in Beverly Hills, California.
GRADE 9
LISTENING TEST - 2012
1.1Write down Beckhams’s initials.
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1.2What do you call the punctuation mark used in the word Beckham’s? Give a reason why the punctuation mark is used.
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1.3Say in your own words what it means when they say “making his first-team debut”.
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1.4How many years did Beckham play for Manchester United?
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1.5What is the meaning of the following expression: “clinching the La Liga championship”?
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1.6How many times did David Beckham play for England?
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1.7Does the word “post” in “post-World Cup” refer to BEFORE the World Cup or AFTER the World Cup?
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1.8Why didn’t David Beckham take part in the 2010 Worldcup?
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1.9What is the meaning of the word “cap”? Write a sentence in which the word “cap” has a different meaning.
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1.10Say whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE. Give a reason for your answer.
David Becham won the FIFA World Player of the Year award twice.
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1.11What does the abbreviation MLS stand for?
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1.12What does the passage mean when it says “He was Google’s most searched of all sport topics”?
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1.13What was Victoria Beckhams maiden surname?
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1.14Write down a synonym for “reside”?
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1.15Say whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE.
David Beckham makes a lot of money playing football.
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1.16What is a “fashion icon”?
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