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Cholet Basket Wins First Pre-Season Game Against Nantes

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Cholet Basket has started its pre-season with a hard-fought win against Nantes in its first friendly match before the new season.

The team had to work hard to beat Nantes, showing that more preparation is still needed before the season begins.

Before the game, Cholet's coach spoke about the team's goals. He said the team wants to find its old identity again.

This means Cholet wants to return to the style of play that has made the club successful in the past.

One of the best players in the match was Noah Locke, who was described as being on fire during the game.

His strong performance was seen as a good sign for the team as it starts its preparation for the new season.

Cholet Basket and Nantes are both basketball clubs from the west of France. They often play each other in friendly matches.

These pre-season games are important because they let coaches see how their players perform before the official league games start.

Cholet's win gives the team a positive start, even if the coach said there is still work to do.

Vocabulary7 words

friendly match
a game that is not part of the official competition
work hard
try very much to reach a goal
coach
the person who trains a sports team
identity
the special style or character of a team
on fire
playing extremely well
preparation
getting ready for something
league
a group of teams that play against each other in a competition

Quiz

1. What kind of match was this between Cholet and Nantes?
2. What did the coach say the team wants to do?
3. Who was praised for playing very well in the match?

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Cholet Basket has started its pre-season with a hard-fought win against Nantes in its first _____ match before the new season.

The team had to _____ hard to beat Nantes, showing that more preparation is still needed.

Before the game, Cholet's _____ spoke about the team's goals.

He said the team wants to find its old _____ again.

One of the best players in the match was Noah Locke, who was described as being _____ during the game.

His strong performance was seen as a good sign for the team as it starts its _____ for the new season.

These pre-season games are important because they let coaches see how their players perform before the official _____ games start.

Cholet's win gives the team a positive start, even if the coach said there is still work to _____.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think pre-season friendly matches are important for sports teams?
  2. What do you think a coach means when they talk about a team's 'identity'?
  3. Have you ever watched a friendly match before an official season started? What was it like?
  4. Why might a team need to 'work hard' even if they win a game?

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