By Ajarn Helen Jandamit
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
University Tips is here to help you prepare for the English exams and tests that are coming your way. It gives you practise answering questions similar to those you may have at school and also on the University Entrance Examination.
Read the following story from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers told Liverpool supporters to expect changes after long-serving captain Steven Gerrard played his final home game for the club.
LAST TOURNAMENT
Steven, 34, said he was devastated following the recent 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace on May 16 at a sold-out Anfield stadium, and would prepare for his last ever Liverpool appearance at Stoke City the following weekend.
Steven, like Jamie Carragher, who bowed out in 2013, is leaving the Liverpool team. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has not yet found a good replacement for Luis Suarez who moved to Barcelona last year either, so he knows he needs to find good new players.
PROFESSIONAL PLAYER
When he was asked if it would be possible to replace Steven with one player, Brendan told his post-match press conference: "I don’t think so. Steven will be joining the Los Angeles Galaxy team in July.”
Brendan said, "Steven is a player and a person who is irreplaceable for the club. What he's given over his time here and the standards he's set are second to none.”
POSITIVE CHANGE
Recently, Liverpool had been competing with Manchester City for last season's title race. They slipped back in 2014-15 and did not yet know if they would get a Europa League place.
But asked if he felt optimistic about the future, Brendan Rodgers replied, "We have to be.
In my time here, we've lost a couple of players with more than 700 games for the club in Jamie Carragher [737 matches] and Steven Gerrard [709 matches]. Those two guys have been monumental players for the club, so losing both of those is a big blow. Throw in a world-class player like Luis Suarez, and of course it's difficult.”
DIFFICULT YEAR
"This year has been very difficult for us in many ways,” said Brendon. “But the players have given everything they possibly can and hopefully in the summer we can add the quality that the group clearly needs. There is a feeling that Steven could return to Anfield on loan but he told the BBC that he would only consider returning in an emergency situation.”
Exercises
Section 1
Read the story and answer the following multiple-choice questions.
1. What is Brendan’s position?
a. He’s the manager of Manchester City.
b. He’s the captain of the Liverpool football Club.
c. He’s the manager of the Liverpool football Club.
2. Where did Steven Gerrard play in a Premier League match on May 16, 2015?
a. Anfield.
b. Stoke City.
c. Barcelona.
3. Which of the following players recently left Liverpool to play for Barcelona?
a. Steven Gerrard.
b. Luis Suarez.
c. Jamie Carragher.
4. Brendan said, "Steven is a player and a person who is _____________ for the club.”
a. unstoppable
b. unbelievable
c. irreplaceable
5. Which team will Steven be joining in July?
a. Los Angeles Galaxy.
b. Manchester City.
c. Crystal Palace.
6. How old is Steven?
a. 30 years old.
b. 34 years old.
c. 37 years old.
7. How many matches has Steven played with the Liverpool team?
a. 700.
b. 737.
c. 709.
Section 2
Read the story and decide whether the following statements are true or false.
8. Steven has played for Liverpool as a goalkeeper.
………………………
9. Liverpool beat Crystal Palace in the recent match.
………………………
10. Steven’s last match with the Liverpool team took place at Stoke City.
………………………
11. The tickets for the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace were sold out.
………………………
Section 3
Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the correct words from the choices given.
Former Crystal Palace midfielder Alan Pardew …..12… rejuvenated the club since returning …..13….. manager …..14….. January and he hopes that performances such as the …..15….. win will help the club …..16….. transformative signings.
12.
a. has
b. having
c. have
13.
a. as if
b. as
c. as of
14.
a. on
b. in
c. between
15.
a. recently
b. recentness
c. recent
16.
a. made
b. making
c. make
Section 4
Read each of the following sentences and underline the grammatically correct words in each from the choices given.
17. The year has been vary/varied/very difficult for the team.
18. The club manager is looking from/for/on new talented players.
19. Manchester City has been competing within/with/under Liverpool.
20. The team manager said he/him/his performance is second to none.
Section 5
Find vocabulary words in the story that are synonyms of the following words.
21. feasible ………………….
22. substitute ………………….
23. boss ………………….
24. hard ………………….
Vocabulary
- devastated (adj): extremely upset and shocked
bow out (phrasal v): to stop taking part in an activity, especially one in which you have been successful in the past
optimistic (adj): expecting good things to happen or something to be successful
monumental (adj): very important and having a great influence, especially as the result of years of work
