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Hideki Matsui Becomes New Manager of the Yomiuri Giants

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Former baseball star Hideki Matsui has become the new manager of the Yomiuri Giants, a top Japanese baseball team.

A manager is responsible for leading and training a sports team.

Matsui announced his new role during a press conference, where he spoke with many reporters.

At the event, he said the Giants are beginning 'a new golden era' under his leadership.

A golden era means a very successful and important time for a team.

Matsui also explained that he had already decided not to become manager before two other former Giants players, Yoshinobu Takahashi and Shinnosuke Abe.

He said he did not believe it was his right to take the position before them.

This shows respect for his former teammates.

Teammates are people who play on the same team.

During the press conference, Tetsu Ebihara, a well-known announcer from Nippon TV, asked Matsui a representative question on behalf of the media.

A representative question is one question that speaks for the whole group of reporters.

Ebihara later spoke about the event on the TV show 'ZIP!', sharing his memories of the moment.

Matsui is well known in Japan and the United States for his long and successful baseball career.

Many fans and former players are excited to see how he will lead the Giants.

His appointment marks an important change for the team and could shape its future success.

Vocabulary7 words

manager
a person who leads and trains a sports team
press conference
a public event where people answer questions from reporters
golden era
a very successful and important period of time
right
something a person is allowed or deserves to do
teammates
people who play together on the same team
representative question
a question asked on behalf of a group of people
appointment
the act of giving someone an official job or position

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Quiz

1. What new position has Hideki Matsui taken?
2. Why did Matsui wait to become manager?
3. Who asked a representative question at the press conference?

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Fill-in-the-blank listening

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

Former baseball star Hideki Matsui has become the new _____ of the Yomiuri Giants.

Matsui announced his new role during a _____, where he spoke with many reporters.

At the event, he said the Giants are beginning 'a new _____' under his leadership.

Matsui also explained that he had already decided not to become manager before two other former Giants players, Yoshinobu Takahashi and Shinnosuke _____.

He said he did not believe it was his _____ to take the position before them.

This shows respect for his former _____.

During the press conference, Tetsu Ebihara, a well-known announcer from Nippon TV, asked Matsui a _____ question.

Ebihara later spoke about the event on the TV show '_____', sharing his memories.

Matsui is well known in Japan and the United States for his long and successful baseball _____.

His _____ marks an important change for the team.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think Matsui waited to become manager until after Takahashi and Abe?
  2. What qualities do you think make a good sports team manager?
  3. Why might fans be excited about a 'new golden era' for a team?
  4. Have you ever followed a famous athlete who later became a coach or manager?

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