History of Football in Great Britain - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Recent Actual Test 3 Academic Listening Test 2 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
Audio
Questions
Questions 31–32 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Questions 33–40 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
- At present the main reason why UK schools push football education is the pressure from 33.
- Prior to the 19th century, football players used different 34 of rules.
- People attempted to standardise the rules from the whole 35, known as the ‘Cambridge Rules’ in 1848.
- Attendances were increasing due to the improvement of infrastructure and the 36 system.
- Football became popular and it is regarded as a 37 event.
- The football clubs were responsible for most of the 38 and development for the football association.
- 39 against other teams were also organised by the football clubs.
- In 1910s, 40 football players were approved of in the game.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | — | — | |
| Q32 | C / D | Towards the latter end of the 19th century and moving into the early part of the 20th century, however, there appeared a new found emphasis on moral values in football Furthermore, as mob football died away, there grew a greater concern for players' health and general well-being, with many clubs affording their top players access to frequent medical check-ups and treatment |
Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that during the late 1800s, the sport started to prioritize good character and behavior. Additionally, as the game became more organized, protecting the physical health of players became much more important, leading to things like medical care. Answer Explanation: The answer means that when football changed at the end of the 1800s, the new ways of playing focused on good behavior (moral values) and keeping the players safe and healthy (physical protection). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the second paragraph, which discusses the historical shift in football. It explicitly mentions that during the late 19th century, there was a 'new found emphasis on moral values.' It also explains that as the older, violent form of 'mob football' ended, there was a 'greater concern for players' health and general well-being,' which matches the idea of physical protection. |
| Q33 | parents | This mainly comes as a result of pressure put on schools and the government by concerned parents, who felt that football education taught their children valuable lessons and indeed vital life skills, such as teamwork and a drive to succeed | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that schools and the government were asked by worried parents to teach football. These parents think football is good for children to learn how to live and work with others. Answer Explanation: The answer "parents" refers to the mothers and fathers of school children. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "parents" because the transcript states that schools in the UK have football teams mostly because of pressure from parents. These parents believe that football teaches children important skills like working together (teamwork) and wanting to do well (drive to succeed). |
| Q34 | versions | As I previously mentioned, it was only during the 19th century that football in its uniform concept truly began to emerge, with footballers previously playing according to their own versions of the rules | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that before the 19th century, when football rules became uniform (the same everywhere), players followed their own specific sets or 'versions' of rules. Answer Explanation: The answer 'versions' means different forms or variations of something. In this context, it refers to the different types of rules people used to play football. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the part of the text discussing the history of football before it became organized. The transcript explains that before the 19th century, there was no single way to play. Instead, players in different places followed their own specific sets of rules. The word 'versions' is used to describe these different sets of rules that existed before the rules were made the same (uniform) for everyone. |
| Q35 | country | The result of the meeting was what is now known as the 'Cambridge Rules', thereby uniting the rules from across the country into one simple document | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that the 'Cambridge Rules' were the final result of the meeting, and they brought together different rules from all over the nation into a single list. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the entire nation or land. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'country' because the transcript explains that a meeting in 1848 led to the creation of the 'Cambridge Rules'. These rules were made to combine different ways of playing football used in different areas. The text says this meeting helped join the rules from all over the nation, or 'across the country'. |
| Q36 | transport | Across the country, improvements in infrastructure and public transport had a knock on effect of dramatically increasing attendance to football games | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that better roads, buildings, and travel systems across the country caused many more people to go and watch football matches. Answer Explanation: The answer 'transport' refers to the systems or ways used for moving people or goods from one place to another, such as trains, buses, or roads. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the text which explains that more people started going to football games because of better infrastructure and travel systems. The text uses the phrase 'public transport' to describe this system. This shows that when it became easier to travel, 'attendance' (the number of people going to the games) went up significantly. |
| Q37 | social | Football quickly became a social event where spectators would meet friends, drink tea and chat about the good old days | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that football turned into a social event where the people watching could meet their friends and have a conversation. Answer Explanation: The answer 'social' means that football became an activity where people liked to meet and talk with others. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'social' because the text explains that as more people went to games, football became a 'social event'. This means it was a time for friends to get together, talk, and spend time with each other rather than just watching the game. Keywords like 'spectators' (people watching) and 'meet friends' help show it was a social activity. |
| Q38 | funding | But in the end, the onus fell upon Britain's local and regional football clubs for the funding and development of the football association | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that in the end, it was the job of the local football clubs to provide the money and help the football association grow. Answer Explanation: The answer 'funding' means the money provided for a specific purpose, such as starting or running an organization. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'funding' because the transcript explains that although there were debates about who should pay, the responsibility eventually landed on local and regional football clubs. They were the ones who provided the money (funding) and handled the growth (development) of the football association. Terms like 'onus fell upon' and 'responsible for' indicate that these clubs took on the financial burden. |
| Q39 | Competitions | They became responsible for the upkeep of football grounds, began to pay their best players a small salary, and organised competitions against other local and regional teams | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that football clubs were the ones who managed the sport's development by looking after the grass fields, paying players, and arranging formal matches (competitions) with other teams. Answer Explanation: The answer 'Competitions' refers to organized games or matches where different sports teams play against each other to see who is the best. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Competitions' because the text explains that football clubs took on several responsibilities, one of which was setting up games against other teams from different areas. The text uses the word 'organised' to describe how these match-ups were created, which matches the sentence structure in the task. |
| Q40 | professional | As the FA continued to grow and accumulate greater wealth, it was able to attract more and more talented young men from across the country, before finally accepting professional talent in the early 20th century | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that as the football organization (the FA) got more money, it began to allow players who were paid to play, which happened in the early years of the 1900s. Answer Explanation: The answer means players who are paid to play football as their job, rather than just playing for fun. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'professional' because the transcript mentions that the Football Association (FA) started accepting 'professional talent' during the early 20th century (the early 1900s, which includes the 1910s). Before this period, football was mostly played by amateurs. Using 'professional' describes the status of the players who were finally allowed or 'approved' to play at that high level. |
Transcript
Great Britain is often hailed as the home of football, with talented players travelling from far and wide to play for teams in the English Premier League – one of the most popular football leagues on the planet. Today we are going to take a look back to the 19th century Great Britain in an attempt to trace the evolution of ‘the beautiful game’ as it is now known.
Prior to the 19th century, the game featured a wide variety of local and regional adaptations, which were later smartened up and made more uniform to create our modern-day sports of association football, rugby football, and Ireland's Gaelic football. Even up to the mid-19th century, Shrovetide football or 'mob football' was still widely practiced. According to the rules of mob football, there were no rules...a player could legally use any means whatsoever to obtain the ball, such as kicking, punching, biting and gouging, with the only exceptions being murder and manslaughter. These games may be regarded as the ancestors of modern codes of football, and by comparison with later models of football, they were chaotic and had few cooperation. Towards the latter end of the 19th century and moving into the early part of the 20th century, however, there appeared a new found emphasis on moral values in football. Perhaps a more modern example of this can be seen in John Terry's suspension as England captain following reports of his infidelity to his wife. Furthermore, as mob football died away, there grew a greater concern for players' health and general well-being, with many clubs affording their top players access to frequent medical check-ups and treatment. Despite the presence of Great Britain's unique state-funded National Health Service, football clubs are still seen today providing team members with state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, with the top clubs even housing their own specialist doctors and physicians.
Today, football is a key feature of school children's day-to-day education, particularly for boys. With the help of football associations, all schools in the UK are boasting their own football teams. This mainly comes as a result of pressure put on schools and the government by concerned parents, who felt that football education taught their children valuable lessons and indeed vital life skills, such as teamwork and a drive to succeed. Nowadays, many of the UK's top football clubs provide training facilities and outreach programmes in an attempt to educate the nation's aspiring youths.
As I previously mentioned, it was only during the 19th century that football in its uniform concept truly began to emerge, with footballers previously playing according to their own versions of the rules. However, it was not until the early 20th century that different players actually began to play according to these standardised rules. Prior to the 19th century, football was played by all the major English public schools including the likes of Eton College, Winchester College, and Harrow. In 1848 there was a meeting at Cambridge University in an attempt to lay down the laws of football. Present at the meeting were representatives of each of these major public schools, whom each brought a copy of the rules enforced by their own individual school's rules of football. The result of the meeting was what is now known as the 'Cambridge Rules', thereby uniting the rules from across the country into one simple document. However, the Cambridge Rules were not liked by all, and a new set of rules, 'Thring's Rules' compounded in the book 'The Simplest Game' became common place among dissenters.
Across the country, improvements in infrastructure and public transport had a knock on effect of dramatically increasing attendance to football games. Football quickly became a social event where spectators would meet friends, drink tea and chat about the good old days. As football became more and more popular, it was decided that more money should be invested in maintaining the quality of pitches amongst other things, and there was even talk of installing seating for spectators. However, the question of who was to foot the bill quickly became a divisive issue, with many believing that the government should fund football's development as a national sport. But in the end, the onus fell upon Britain's local and regional football clubs for the funding and development of the football association. They became responsible for the upkeep of football grounds, began to pay their best players a small salary, and organised competitions against other local and regional teams. And there began England's Football Association, or the FA, as we know it in its current form, the governing body of football in England. As the FA continued to grow and accumulate greater wealth, it was able to attract more and more talented young men from across the country, before finally accepting professional talent in the early 20th century. Today, football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the Internet. [fade out]