Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Maria Sharapova. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Maria Sharapova was born in Siberia, Russia, in 1987. She led a charge of Russian players who came to achieve great success in the women’s game. She has also brought her own brand of glamour to tennis by designing her own unique tennis outfits. At the 2007 US Open she wore a dress with over 600 crystals sewn into it.
Sharapova got her first tennis racket when she was four from the father of Grand Slam winner Yevgeny Kafelnikov. At the age of six, Maria attended a tennis clinic in Moscow run by Martina Navratilova. Navratilova recognized her talent and recommended that she go to the USA to study at a famous tennis academy in Florida.
Maria moved to the USA with her father in 1994. Neither of them could speak English. They had very little money and went to the tennis academy by bicycle every day. She described it as being a tough time. She turned professional in 2001 and a year later became the youngest girl ever to reach the junior final at Wimbledon.
Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, when she was 17. She is one of several top players who are known for loud on-court grunting. When reporters asked her about this in 2006, she told them to “put your grunt-o-meters down…and just watch the match”. Sharapova has been the world’s highest paid sportswoman and the women’s number one several times.
239 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
led
a.
managed
2
glamour
b.
went to
3.
unique
c.
(be) at the front of
4.
attended
d.
beauty
5.
run
e.
acknowledged
6.
recognized
f.
individual
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
moved
g.
noisy
8.
tough
h.
a number of
9.
reach
i.
relocated
10.
several
j.
get to
11
loud
k
rewarded
12
paid
l
hard
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
She has also brought her own
a.
to the USA to study
2
she wore a dress with over
b.
on-court grunting
3.
Sharapova got her first tennis
c.
could speak English
4.
a tennis clinic in Moscow run
d.
slam title at Wimbledon
5.
recommended that she go
e.
brand of glamour to tennis
6.
Neither of them
f.
paid sportswoman
7.
She described it as
g.
by Martina Navratilova
8.
Sharapova won her first grand
h.
being a tough time
9.
known for loud
i.
600 crystals sewn into it
10.
the world’s highest
j.
racket when she was four
LISTENING GAP FILL
Maria Sharapova was born in Siberia, Russia, in 1987. She ______________ Russian players who ______________ great success in the women’s game. She has also brought her ______________ glamour to tennis by designing her own unique tennis outfits. At the 2007 US Open she wore a dress with over 600 crystals ______________.
Sharapova got her first tennis ______________ was four from the father of Grand Slam winner Yevgeny Kafelnikov. At the age of six, Maria attended a tennis clinic in ______________ Martina Navratilova. Navratilova recognized her talent and recommended _________________ USA to study at a famous _________________ Florida.
Maria moved to the USA with her father in 1994. ______________ could speak English. They had ______________ and went to the tennis academy by bicycle every day. She described it as being ______________. She turned professional in 2001 and a year later became the youngest girl ever to reach ______________ Wimbledon.
Sharapova ______________ Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, when she was 17. She is one of several top players who ______________ loud on-court grunting. When reporters asked her about this in 2006, she told them to “put your grunt-o-meters down…and ______________ match”. Sharapova has been the world’s highest paid sportswoman and the women’s number ______________.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics:
Maria Sharapova was born in Siberia, Russia, in 1987. She fed / led a charge of Russian players who came to achieve great / greatness success in the women’s game. She has also brought her own bland / brand of glamour to tennis by designing her own unique tennis outfits. At the 2007 US Open she worn / wore a dress with over 600 crystals sewn into it.
Sharapova got her first tennis bat / racket when she was four from the father of Grand Slam winner Yevgeny Kafelnikov. At the age of six, Maria attended a tennis hospital / clinic in Moscow run / played by Martina Navratilova. Navratilova recognized her talent and recommended that she go / went to the USA to study at a famous tennis academy in Florida.
Maria moved to the USA with her father in 1994. Neither / None of them could speak English. They had very few / little money and went to the tennis academy by bicycle every day. She described it as was / being a tough time. She turned professional in 2001 and a year later became the youngest / younger girl ever to reach the junior final at Wimbledon.
Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title to / at Wimbledon, when she was 17. She is one of several top players who are known / knowing for loud on-court grunting. When reporters asked her about this in 2006, she told them to “put your grunt-o-meters down…and just watch the bout / match”. Sharapova has been the world’s highest pay / paid sportswoman and the women’s number one several times.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
Russian yelrsap
2.
eehvaci great success
3.
her own brand of orgmlua
4.
a dress with over 600 ctsalrys
Paragraph 2
5.
tennis crtake
6.
Maria ttanedde a tennis clinic
7.
Navratilova recognized her letnat
8.
a famous tennis dmceyaa
Paragraph 3
9.
ehtNeir of them could speak English
10.
She described it as being a tuohg time
11.
She euntrd professional in 2001
12.
caher the junior final at Wimbledon
Paragraph 4
13.
Grand Slam eitlt
14.
one of elaesvr top players
15.
loud on-court urgnntgi
16.
just watch the cahmt
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
to “put your grunt-o-meters down…and just watch the match”. Sharapova has been
( )
described it as being a tough time. She turned professional in 2001 and a year
( 1 )
Maria Sharapova was born in Siberia, Russia, in 1987. She led a charge of Russian players who came to achieve great
( )
players who are known for loud on-court grunting. When reporters asked her about this in 2006, she told them
( )
run by Martina Navratilova. Navratilova recognized her
( )
of them could speak English. They had very little money and went to the tennis academy by bicycle every day. She
( )
Maria moved to the USA with her father in 1994. Neither
( )
Sharapova got her first tennis racket when she was four from the father of Grand Slam winner Yevgeny Kafelnikov. At the
( )
the world’s highest paid sportswoman and the women’s number one several times.
( )
unique tennis outfits. At the 2007 US Open she wore a dress with over 600 crystals sewn into it.
( )
later became the youngest girl ever to reach the junior final at Wimbledon.
( )
talent and recommended that she go to the USA to study at a famous tennis academy in Florida.
( )
success in the women’s game. She has also brought her own brand of glamour to tennis by designing her own
( )
Sharapova won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, when she was 17. She is one of several top
( )
age of six, Maria attended a tennis clinic in Moscow
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
success great achieve to came who players Russian
2.
tennis She has also brought her own brand of glamour to
3.
crystals sewn into it she wore a dress with over 600
4.
was got tennis she Sharapova first when four her racket
5.
tennis academy go to the USA to study at a famous
6.
them of Neither English speak could
7.
time tough a being as it described She
8.
junior ever final to the reach youngest the girl
9.
Grand Sharapova Slam won title her at first Wimbledon
10.
loud who for players known on-court grunting are
MARIA SHARAPOVA DISCUSSION (Write your questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Maria Sharapova?
2.
Would you like to meet Maria Sharapova?
3.
What would you like to know about Maria Sharapova and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Maria Sharapova. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MARIA SHARAPOVA POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Maria Sharapova. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Maria Sharapova. Include an imaginary interview with her. Write about what she does every day and what she thinks about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Maria Sharapova. Ask her three questions about her life. Give her three suggestions on what she should do in her future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Maria Sharapova expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
led
a.
(be) at the front of
2
glamour
b.
beauty
3.
unique
c.
individual
4.
attended
d.
went to
5.
run
e.
managed
6.
recognized
f.
acknowledged
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
moved
g.
relocated
8.
tough
h.
hard
9.
reach
i.
get to
10.
several
j.
a number of
11
loud
k
noisy
12
paid
l
rewarded
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
She has also brought her own
a.
brand of glamour to tennis
2
she wore a dress with over
b.
600 crystals sewn into it
3.
Sharapova got her first tennis
c.
racket when she was four
4.
a tennis clinic in Moscow run
d.
by Martina Navratilova
5.
recommended that she go
e.
to the USA to study
6.
Neither of them
f.
could speak English
7.
She described it as
g.
being a tough time
8.
Sharapova won her first grand
h.
slam title at Wimbledon
9.
known for loud
i.
on-court grunting
10.
the world’s highest
j.
paid sportswoman
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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