Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. anticipated
    • ex. The most anticipated movie of the year is showing next week, and everyone is excited to see it.
  2. blow (someone) away
    • ex. Her beautiful singing voice blew me away at the concert last night.
  3. an icon
    • ex. Michael Jackson is a music icon who is known all over the world for his singing and dancing.
  4. feature
    • ex. The video game features real-life teams so players can compete as their favorite athletes.
  5. historic
    • ex. We visited a historic building that was built over 100 years ago.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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EA Sports College Football 25, one of the most anticipated sports video games of all time, is now available to many people. It was released on July 19. Video game maker EA Sports said in a blog post that the excitement and energy people showed toward the game blew them away.

The game series was a cultural icon and used to be released every year. This stopped in 2013 when athletes argued they should be paid for being featured in the games. EA Sports decided to bring back the video games after solving this issue in 2021. Athletes who are featured in games can now receive at least $600 (about ¥92,000) and a copy of the game. Over 11,000 players accepted this offer.

EA Sports has said its goal for the game was “to feel like a love letter to college football and its fans.” EA Sports College Football games started in the 1990s. They became more popular in the 2000s because gaming systems got better. The game released in 2006 included a fun option to create a player. This game also featured historic teams like the 1992 Alabama Crimson Tide.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Sports Video Games

  • Are you a fan of sports video games? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Imagine that EA Sports is going to produce a new sports video game. What kind of sport would you like to be turned into a video game? Discuss.
  • EA Sports College Football game released in 2006 included a fun option where you could create a player. How do you think this option changes the game experience? Discuss.

EA Sports

  • Athletes who are featured in games can now receive at least $600 (about ¥92,000) and a copy of the game. What do you think about this (ex. it’s fair, it’s not enough)? Discuss.
  • EA Sports has said its goal for the game was “to feel like a love letter to college football and its fans.” What do you think this means? Discuss.
  • Why do you think it’s important for EA Sports to make its fans feel special? Discuss.