Level 1 — Absolute Beginner
England and Argentina are playing a big soccer game. It is a World Cup semifinal.
The game is in Atlanta, USA. This is the first time these two teams have met at a World Cup in 21 years.
Harry Kane plays for England. Lionel Messi plays for Argentina. Both are famous soccer stars.
The winner of this game will play Spain in the final. Spain already won their semifinal game.
- semifinal
- A game played to decide who goes to the final
- soccer (football)
- A sport where two teams try to kick a ball into a goal
- captain
- The leader of a sports team
- goal
- A point scored in soccer, or the net where the ball is kicked
- final
- The last game of a competition, which decides the winner
- stadium
- A large building where sports games are played
- extra time
- Extra minutes added when a game is tied at the end
- record
- The best result ever achieved in something
Level 2 — Elementary
England and Argentina will meet in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, their first meeting at a World Cup in 21 years.
Both teams reached the semifinal after winning tense quarterfinal matches in extra time. England edged past Norway, while Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1 with a late goal from Julian Alvarez.
The match brings together two of the tournament's biggest stars: England captain Harry Kane and Argentina's Lionel Messi, who has scored a record 21 World Cup goals across his career, including 8 at this tournament.
Whoever wins will advance to the World Cup final to face Spain, who defeated France 2-0 in Dallas in the other semifinal.
- quarterfinal
- A match played to decide who reaches the semifinals
- tense (match)
- Full of pressure and excitement, with an uncertain outcome
- edge past
- To win a close, difficult contest by a small margin
- tournament
- A series of games played to find an overall winner
- advance
- To move forward to the next stage of a competition
- defeat
- To beat an opponent in a game or contest
- career
- The whole period of time a person spends doing a particular job or activity
- meeting (match-up)
- An occasion when two teams play against each other
Level 3 — Intermediate
England and Argentina will contest a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, marking their first encounter at the tournament in 21 years, since a David Beckham penalty settled their 2002 meeting.
Both nations advanced through gripping extra-time quarterfinal victories: England narrowly overcame Norway, while Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 behind a 112th-minute winner from Julian Alvarez and a late strike from Lautaro Martinez.
The fixture pairs England captain Harry Kane against Argentina's Lionel Messi, who extended his own record for career World Cup goals to 21 during this tournament, having scored in every match through the round of 16 and totaling eight goals so far.
The victor will progress to the final to meet Spain, who dispatched France 2-0 in Dallas courtesy of a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty and a second-half goal from Pedro Porro.
- contest (verb)
- To compete for or fight for something
- encounter (noun)
- A meeting, especially one between opposing sides
- gripping
- Exciting and holding one's full attention
- overcome
- To succeed in defeating a difficult opponent or challenge
- strike (goal)
- A shot that results in a goal being scored
- fixture
- A scheduled sports match
- dispatch (defeat)
- To defeat an opponent quickly and decisively
- penalty (kick)
- A free shot at goal awarded after a foul in the penalty area
Level 4 — Advanced
England and Argentina will contest a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, their first meeting at the tournament in 21 years, a rivalry last settled by a David Beckham penalty in 2002 and stretching back through five prior encounters dating to 1962.
Both nations advanced via gripping extra-time quarterfinal contests: England narrowly overcame Norway, while Argentina dispatched Switzerland 3-1 behind Julian Alvarez's 112th-minute winner and a late strike from Lautaro Martinez.
The semifinal pits England captain Harry Kane against Argentina's Lionel Messi, who at 39 extended his own career record for World Cup goals to 21 during this tournament, having found the net in every match through the round of 16 en route to eight goals so far.
The eventual victor advances to face Spain in the final, following the Spaniards' 2-0 dispatch of France in Dallas, courtesy of a 22nd-minute Mikel Oyarzabal penalty and a Pedro Porro strike in the 58th minute, closing out a tournament in which Spain's defense conceded remarkably sparingly.
- rivalry
- A long-standing competitive relationship between two teams or people
- en route to
- On the way to achieving or reaching something
- find the net
- An idiom meaning to score a goal
- eventual
- Happening at the end of a period or process
- sparingly
- In a very limited or restricted way
- conceded (goals)
- Allowed the opposing team to score
- closing out
- Bringing something to a successful conclusion
- settled (a rivalry)
- Decided or resolved, ending a dispute or contest
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