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The Ryder Cup is a big golf competition. Team Europe won the competition. They beat the U.S. team on Sunday.
The final score was 15 points for Europe. The U.S. team got 13 points. It was a close game.
Europe needed only two wins on Sunday to keep the Cup. The U.S. team played very well. They fought hard. Luke Donald is team Europe’s captain. He said the last day was very stressful. He thought the U.S. team was strong.
The U.S. team won the first two games on Sunday. The score became close. The U.S. captain said that “anything is possible.”
Later, Shane Lowry from Europe tied his game. Europe got 14 points. With 14 points, Europe defended the Ryder Cup.
Next, Tyrrell Hatton from Europe won another half-point. This made the score 14.5 points for Europe. This score was enough to win the Ryder Cup. Hatton said it was a very hard day.
Europe has won the Cup 11 times. Europe has also won five times when the competition was in the United States.
Vocabulary
- Cup – A special trophy given to the team that wins a big game or tournament; a tournament; 🏆
- Competition – contest; game to find the best or a winner; tournament
- Beat – to defeat an opponent or win a competition; to win a match/game against another person/team; to complete a game successfully
- Final score – the last numbers that show who won the game; the score at the end of the game/match
- Point – A unit of scoring in a game or sports league; A score in a game or competition;
- Close – a very small difference in the score between the two teams; the score is almost the same; either team can win
- Keep – hold onto something and not let it go; to save; to store something
- Fight hard – To try your best until the game is finished
- Captain – a player that is the leader of the team/players on the sports field
- Stressful – feeling worried or very tense because something is hard or scary
- Tie – To have the same score or result as someone else; when two teams in a game have the same score
- Defend a cup – To win a trophy/cup/tournament again after your team won it the time before
- Enough – Having what is needed or sufficient; plenty; a good amount; abundant
Discussion Questions
- Do you think it is more exciting when the final score is close (like 15 to 13), or when one team wins easily? Why?
- The U.S. captain said, “anything is possible.” Do you agree with this idea in sports? Can any team win if they try very hard?
- Shane Lowry got a point that helped Europe keep the Cup. Do you think one person’s small win is as important as the whole team’s big win?
- Europe has won the Cup 11 times. Why do you think one team wins a big competition so many times? Is it skill or luck?
- Tyrrell Hatton said the final day was very hard. Do you think playing in a team game is more difficult than playing alone? Why?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
The Ryder Cup _____ a big golf competition. Team Europe _____ the competition. They beat the U.S. team on Sunday.
_____ final score was 15 points for Europe. The U.S. _____ got 13 points. It was a close game.
_____ needed only two wins on Sunday to keep the _____ . The U.S. team played very well. _____ fought hard. Luke Donald is team Europe’s _____ . He said the last day was very stressful. He thought the U.S. team _____ strong.
The U.S. team won the first _____ games on Sunday. The score became close. The U.S. captain _____ that “anything is possible.”
Later, Shane Lowry _____ Europe tied his game. Europe got 14 points. With _____ points, Europe defended the Ryder Cup.
Next, Tyrrell Hatton _____ Europe won another half-point. This made the _____ 14.5 points for Europe. This score was enough to win the Ryder _____ . Hatton said it was a very hard day.
Europe _____ won the Cup 11 times. Europe has also won five times when the _____ was in the United States.
