LA WEB DE READING COMPREHENSION PREFERIDA POR LOS HISPANOHABLANTES

To get information in Spanish place the arrow of your mouse on the highlighted words without clicking.
Para obtener información en español acerca la flecha de tu ratón a las palabras o frases resaltadas.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Melanie Hudson

A wave of
enthusiasm
is sweeping
America after
the 1999
World Cup.

 

 

A key moment for women's soccer happened at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California. At the end of the World Cup final, Brandi Chastain kicked the ball from the penalty spot past China's goalkeeper to win the match for the US.

She knelt down, took off her shirt to reveal her Nike-sponsored sports bra, and waved the shirt over her head. The US had won - on home territory.

America loved it. Women's soccer had arrived. It was exciting and successful. In just three weeks it moved from an unknown minority sport to being the main topic of conversation. More than 40 million viewers watched the game on TV. The crowd at the Rose Bowl was over 90,000, the largest ever at a women's sporting event. The players appeared on TV shows.

The president's wife, Hillary Clinton, sent them her good wishes. Victory parades took place in Disneyland and New York. A picture of Brandi waving her shirt appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

All the teams had captured the public imagination, ‘not only by their playing but by their behaviour,’ says Jerry Goldman, a US commentator. ‘They didn't argue, they didn't abuse anyone. They were always gracious.’

But what most Americans forgot is that this is the second time the US has won the women's World Cup. The first time was in 1991 in China. That year the press did not mention it. No-one came to greet the winning team at the airport when they returned home. In fact one player nearly wasn't allowed to go by her University professor. Let’s hope things will be different now.

Source: English Digest

GLOSSARY

key moment: momento clave
kicked: pateó
penalty spot: zona de castigo o penalidad
goalkeeper: arquera
match: fpartido
knelt down: ,se arrodilló
took off: se quitó
to reveal: pare mostrar
bra: corpiño, sostén
waved: agitó
home territory: territorio local
successful: exitoso
unknown: desconocido

viewers: televidentes
crowd: multitud
victory parades: desfiles o marchas de victoria
captured: captado
behaviour: comportamiento
argue: se pelearon
abuse: se abusaron
gracious: amables, gentiles
to greet: a saludar
nearly: casi
allowed: autorizada a
let’s hope: esperemos que

 

MAS "DEPORTES"   FORO   INICIO