a, Pongule Readers ae snplifed texts designed in association with Longman the word famous educational publither to provide a step-by-step approach to the joys of reading for pleasure. Each book has an nwrodution ane extensive activity material They are publhed a seven level from Exyystats (200 words) to Advanced (3060 words) Series Editors: Andy Hopkins ad oem Peter a) ee I] per reamed G00 wot i 4 teres (00 wor) orgs = 3 reer (30 er) ge cowry ath ni ere tor) fran Number of words (ex acti 2000 words Cazes so poblahed SBN 0382 1982-2 es | | Berfard Smith ole bled nd sted by Pearson Eason LesWho is a famous English footballer? Ask people this no question and they usually answer, ‘David Beckham! People in every country know his name. Manchester United's Number 7, the ea Real Madrid’ Number 23... David Beckham is aren't only about football. In Britain there is a new tory every day about his family, his advertisements, his nome, his ears or his hair. Many people love him: ome people don't. But David Beckham is a very Good Days and Bad Days Ie October 2001. Enghnd is plying Greece in the World Cup* The E are unhappy because Greece is winning, The score is 2 England 1 Suddenly the kick. The Greek players stand in front of thei A tall young Ex and player takes the kick. The ball left ~ and the ball is in the goal. The score is England 2 = Greece 2. England are going to the World Cup mals! The England fans are very happy. Now they ar shouting for thae young player, David Beckham Every newspaper has the same story: ‘David Beckham does it again!" Ieis a very good day for himnA all young England player takes the kick Bur David Beckham remembers a day in 1998, He orld Cup. But that day is going to be bad day for him. An Argentinian player suddenly runs into him and he falls down. The Argentinian, Simeone him, He is smiling, David is young and he is angry. He ly with his right foot The referee comes quickly: He has a red card in his hand. It is the end of the game for David Beckham. | only have ten players. The ten men play The mfeee has a red card in his hadJ, but the newspapers II ad che same story: ‘England can't win the World ‘Cup nowy; because David Beckham is an angry litle oy’ It was a very unhappy day for David. He doesn’ like remembering it eg egeitay Ua ora cae angry player is ays David The Schoolboy Footballer (On 2 May in Leytonstone, in London, His father and mot David Beckham came into the worl fed and Sandra Beckham, were big, football fans Every Christmas litle David had a new football and a new football shirt from his father. It was always a Manchester United shirt.The family lived in London, ut his father was a very big fan of “the reds David wasn't very good at school. Schoolwork Fea sae ee ee nec ane ae d with a ball every weekend sry evening after school, usally with friends or playing football. He playe swith his father. His father played football too and he David was small and thin ehen, but his legs were rong, He liked runnin very quickly with the ball at feet. He did long kicks and short kicks, again and again, every day Tn 1936 he was eleven yeats oli and he was a good litle footballer: aid soas sma (One day there was an advertisement on television for a competition. It was a football competition for schoolboys a¢ the Bobby Charlton Football School ‘Can | try the competition?" David asked his fa ‘You somipetition are usually big and strong, and fifteen or sixteen years old, But you can try: Why not?” His father went with David eo he football school, The people there smiled because David was small and hin. But then they started the competition — los Kicks, short kicks, running with the ball. And David won. Then those people asked, ‘Who is tha boy? His names David Beckham, David’ father smiled ‘And one day he’ going Manchester United and England:The Red Shirt with the Number Seven David played football at school, He ako played footh: for Chingford and Essex, places near his home At thirteen hi t9 a faotball school for boys at Manchester United. He went there summer poliday. At sixteen he stopped going to school and pree months later, in July 1991, a man from Manchester United came ¢0 Ted Beckham's hous. "Your son is good Manchester United: bi ang player. Weil like him for At sixteen years old, David was a boy playe for Manchester United, In 1992 the boys won an mportant competition, and in September that year D: igainst Brighton, He was seventeen. In the early years with Manchester United, David ‘as young and he was somet 1 played his fire game for Manchester United angry. Bat afte red card in the gume against Argentina, he stopp y: Today newspapers and fins sometimes say bad things about him or about Victoria and his hildren. Then he gets angry. But not often in a game In September 1996, David played for England f ‘many times and in November 2000, in a friendly game gainst Italy, he was the new captain. He played well for Manchester United too, nd in 1999 they won three big compe itions, The first wo were English football competitions, Then they beat Bayern Munich and won the European Cup. Ie was a 10d year for ‘the reds rember 2000, David ws“Posh and Becks’ The year 1999 was very happy for David too. That year hhe married Victoria In Britain were the Spice Girls. There were five of them. 6 and 1997, the number one gitl singers in They sang and they danced. They w One day some Manchester United players watched the Spice Girls on television. One of them said There’ the gil for you, David. The girl with th yellow hair ‘No; he said."The dark And he was right. Her name was Victoria Addams, cor Posh Spice At about the same time, one of the Spice Girls had some cards with photos of footballers on them. She nd Victoria looked at the cards ‘Who do you like?’ she asked Victoria look This many she said, lke this man. Her fiends semembs Beckham, ‘One day Vietoria went to a Manchest same in London and there was David Beckham. Iked, but David dida’t wanted to be her friend, bu ed. Ie was a photo of David wasn’t, He was only a footballer. A month lat talked again alfer a game in Manchester, and then he telephoned her, After that they were good fiends — and after six months they w But th their work. David played football and the Spice Girl wi a problem. They offen went away’ for sang in many countries ofthe word. One day Vie be away from Britain 1 sid,'T'm sorry but were going to ra year, We i svasn't a happy time for them, David telephone Victoria every chy, sometimes five or six times. In July 1999 he married her. Ie was the big story in the newspapers: ‘Football star marries singing star Aer that “Posh and Becks’ were abvays inthe newspapers, The World Cup 2002: Bekkamu! Bekkamu! In 2002 the final games of the Wor Japan and Korea England won theie eat no problems, The Eng final games and went to their hotel in a bus. There Cup were in land players arrived in Tokyo before the were a lot of England fans inthe streets. They were Japanese people, Look; David said to his friend. “We've gor alot of ans in Jypan.T didn’t know Not us’ his friend smiled. “es you. Look at the aumber seven on their shits. And listex The people in the streets shouted, ‘Bekkamul Bekkamu!A lor of Japanese people are fans of David Beckham "What are they saying?" David asked es your name’ his friend smiled. “Tes your name in Japanese For David the big day was 7 June 2002, England ‘2 famous sin, David seored the er talked about the red card in 1998 again (or not very offen!) beat Argentina 1! only goal. After chat goal the newspapers The World Cup in 2002 was a very good and interesting, competition. England didnt win, Brazil beat Germany in the fin But England played well A Family Man David loves children, all children, He gives a lot of time and money to ill children, He writes to them. Sometimes he and Victoria visit them, In March 1999 Vietoria had Brooklyn, their fist son. David was a father. Then in Sepeember 2002, Brooklyn had a little brother. His name is Romeo. At two years old Brooklyn had his first little red Manchester United shirt with his name on it, He can kick a football to.avid Viaoria and Be David and Vietoria come from good, happy families. Their fthers and mothers always loved them, David and Victoria give their ebildr Posh and Becks’ make a lot of money. They don't in the bank. They buy a lot of things, ‘expensive things, David likes buying hings for Victoria 1nd his litle boys. He Joves cars too, He has three Mercedes and two Ferraris, The Beckhams live in some very big Houses, David’ photo is always in the newspapers and on television, People see him in this coat, in those shoes, with that telephone, and then the things too. He makes a lot of money every year fiom advertisements Victoria makes a lot of money too, from her musi bur the big money comes from David now Goodbye to the Reds he year 2003 Was a very important year for David Beckham. First, Manchester United won a big competition. Then, in the summer, there was anew story in every newspapers R. for £25,0000,000, ARer ewelve years with Manchester United, David moved to. Spain. His father was 1 Madrid buys Beckham unhappy, but the move was good for David, Real Madrid and its players ~ Zidane, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Rail, Figo ~ are famous in every country in the world, Now David has a new white shire for Real Madrid, He has a new number, 23. But he i the same David Beckham. People like reading about him, his family, his houses, his hair. Children in many countries know his name They play football in his shirt. They want to be famous. They want to be David Beckham,In 2003 Du ‘moved te Real Madrid ACTIVITIES Before you read (pages 1-7) 2. What do you knaw about David Becknam? b Which footbalers trom your country do. you like wating? Wh? 2. Look st the Word List tthe back of his book What are the 3. Write about these Word Cup 2002 games, Germany 1 South Korea Braz ~ Tukey 0 South Korea 2~Turkey Germany 0 Braz 2 ‘South Korea © i), ile you read 2 David hac red card na game against in 1998, bb "The ec ea name for against in 2000. Manchester United beat and ion the European Cup in 1999, atter you read ‘5 Which word a At Civistmas Oavid always had a red/wnitrbiac At elaven Dav was tlfamousithin. © Inte ety yaare at Manchester United David was ofan Before you read (pages 8-14) {Tak about these questions 2 Why is Vctoia Beck famous? Whare were the Word Cup Final games in 200277 Arete vertences right (/) or wrong (0)? b Germany won the Wold Cup in 2002 © The name of Dave's frat chi a Romeo, After you road hapay’ game for Davie? Weting {8 Youare Davig Beckham. You arein Japan forthe World Cup 2002, Wr alter to Vectra in England, Wie about the Japanese fans and he gama ith Argentina, 40 Why co ehlen want 0 be David Beckman? Wiite about WORD LIST wih oan advertisement (ou oe ome against (rep) Were ping eof fol The ers bal) We want py foal we a in ue eaptaly () Davi Bekins he Eng card ( nd fe) don ie hs game When ic goin Wok o/) He ca hi wll marry 1) She marily tea thy bad ec referee (o) shout) Please dona can hea ou wor) People iy