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Timed Reading — World Cup Stories

#8. America’s World Cup

Timed Reading icon
Published: 2026
Level 2  |  Words: ~250
Reading: 8 of 10
World Cup Stories

Many people thought hosting the World Cup in the United States was a terrible idea. They were wrong.

You can download a [ .pdf ] or [ .docx ] version of this timed reading set.

Readings Completed
My Progress

triangle Directions 목표 Direcciones Instruções

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What is timed reading?

Timed readings are a great way to track your reading speed and fluency over time. Each passage is the same length, so you can clearly see your speed and accuracy improve with each reading.

They are not meant to be your main reading practice. Instead, they are a tool to measure progress. For real reading practice, you can use graded readers or explore the reading materials on [ this site ].

Ideally, complete one or two passages per week. You can do them online and track your progress. You can also print the PDF versions and record your results yourself.

  1. Press START READING.

    This will start the timer.

  2. READ the passage.

    Read at a normal speed. Focus on comprehension. Do not look up difficult words. Just read.

  3. Press FINISHED READING.

    This will stop the timer, hide the passage, and reveal the comprehension questions.

  4. Answer the CHECK COMPREHENSION questions.

    Answer the questions from memory. Do not look back at the passage.

  5. Press CHECK ANSWERS and then VIEW your progress.

    This will give you your score and reveal the passage. You can also click "View" at the top to see your progress.

  6. DO the other ACTIVITIES.

    You can review the vocabulary or listen to the text.

¿Qué es la lectura cronometrada?

Las lecturas cronometradas son una excelente forma de hacer un seguimiento de tu velocidad de lectura y fluidez con el tiempo. Cada texto tiene la misma longitud, por lo que puedes ver claramente cómo mejoran tu velocidad y precisión con cada lectura.

No están diseñadas para ser tu práctica principal de lectura. En su lugar, sirven para medir tu progreso. Para una práctica real de lectura, puedes usar lectores graduados o explorar los materiales de lectura de [ este sitio ].

Lo ideal es completar uno o dos textos por semana. Puedes hacerlo en línea y seguir tu progreso. También puedes imprimir las versiones en PDF y registrar tus resultados tú mismo.

  1. Presiona START READING.

    Esto iniciará el temporizador.

  2. LEE el texto.

    Lee a una velocidad normal. Concéntrate en la comprensión. No busques palabras difíciles. Solo lee.

  3. Presiona FINISHED READING.

    Esto detendrá el temporizador, ocultará el texto y mostrará las preguntas de comprensión.

  4. Responde las preguntas de CHECK COMPREHENSION.

    Responde de memoria. No mires el texto.

  5. Presiona CHECK ANSWERS y luego VIEW tu progreso.

    Esto mostrará tu puntuación y revelará el texto. Puedes hacer clic en "View" en la parte superior para ver tu progreso.

  6. Haz las otras ACTIVIDADES

    Puedes revisar el vocabulario o escuchar el texto.

O que é leitura cronometrada?

Leituras cronometradas são uma ótima forma de acompanhar sua velocidade de leitura e fluência ao longo do tempo. Cada texto tem o mesmo comprimento, então você pode ver claramente como sua velocidade e precisão melhoram a cada leitura.

Elas não foram criadas para serem sua principal prática de leitura. Em vez disso, servem para medir seu progresso. Para prática real de leitura, você pode usar leitores graduados ou explorar os materiais de leitura [ deste site ].

O ideal é completar um ou dois textos por semana. Você pode fazer isso online e acompanhar seu progresso. Também pode imprimir as versões em PDF e registrar seus resultados manualmente.

  1. Pressione START READING.

    Isso iniciará o cronômetro.

  2. LEIA o texto.

    Leia em velocidade normal. Foque na compreensão. Não procure palavras difíceis. Apenas leia.

  3. Pressione FINISHED READING.

    Isso irá parar o cronômetro, esconder o texto e mostrar as perguntas de compreensão.

  4. Responda às perguntas de CHECK COMPREHENSION.

    Responda de memória. Não olhe o texto.

  5. Pressione CHECK ANSWERS e depois VIEW para ver seu progresso.

    Isso mostrará sua pontuação e revelará o texto. Você também pode clicar em "View" no topo para ver seu progresso.

  6. Faça as outras ATIVIDADES

    Você pode revisar o vocabulário ou ouvir o texto.

타임드 리딩이란 무엇인가요?

타임드 리딩은 시간에 따른 읽기 속도와 이해 능력을 추적하는 좋은 방법입니다. 각 지문은 길이가 동일하므로 읽을 때마다 속도와 정확도가 어떻게 향상되는지 명확하게 확인할 수 있습니다.

이것은 주요 독해 연습을 위한 것이 아닙니다. 대신 학습 진행 상황을 측정하기 위한 도구입니다. 실제 독해 연습을 위해서는 단계별 리더스나 [ 이 사이트의 ] 독해 자료를 활용할 수 있습니다.

이상적으로는 일주일에 한두 개의 지문을 완료하는 것이 좋습니다. 온라인으로 진행하면서 자신의 진행 상황을 기록할 수 있습니다. PDF 버전을 인쇄하여 직접 결과를 기록할 수도 있습니다.

  1. START READING을 누르세요.

    타이머가 시작됩니다.

  2. 지문을 읽으세요.

    보통 속도로 읽으세요. 이해에 집중하세요. 어려운 단어를 찾지 마세요. 그냥 읽으세요.

  3. FINISHED READING을 누르세요.

    타이머가 멈추고, 지문이 숨겨지며, 이해 문제들이 표시됩니다.

  4. CHECK COMPREHENSION 문제에 답하세요.

    기억을 바탕으로 답하세요. 지문을 다시 보지 마세요.

  5. CHECK ANSWERS를 누른 후 VIEW를 눌러 진행 상황을 확인하세요.

    점수가 표시되고 지문이 다시 나타납니다. 상단의 "View"를 클릭하면 진행 상황을 확인할 수 있습니다.

  6. 다른 활동을 하세요

    어휘를 복습하거나 텍스트를 들을 수 있습니다.

Passage hidden
Answer the questions, then press Check Answers to reveal the text.

In 1988, FIFA announced that the United States would host the 1994 World Cup. Many football fans around the world were shocked. The USA had no professional soccer league. Most Americans had little interest in the sport. Skeptics predicted empty stadiums and total indifference.

They were wrong.

FIFA had made one important condition: the USA must create a professional soccer league. That league — Major League Soccer — launched two years after the tournament, in 1996, and still operates today with thirty clubs.

The tournament itself was a stunning success. It was played across nine cities in nine different stadiums. Average attendance per match was nearly 69,000 — a World Cup record that has never been broken, even after later tournaments expanded to more teams and more matches. Total attendance reached 3.5 million. Stadiums were filled to nearly full capacity for every game. Four matches were even played indoors, the first time in World Cup history.

In the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, Brazil faced Italy in front of 94,000 fans. After ninety minutes and extra time, the score was still 0–0. Brazil won on penalties, becoming the first country to win four World Cup titles.

The 1994 World Cup did not just break records. It planted the seeds of a football culture in a country that had barely noticed the sport before. Thirty years later, the USA is preparing to host again — this time as one of the sport’s growing powers.

triangle Check Comprehension 이해도 확인 Verificar compreensão Comprobar comprensión

  1. The United States already had a professional soccer league when FIFA chose it to host the 1994 World Cup.
    True
    False

  2. FIFA required the USA to create a professional soccer league as a condition of hosting.
    True
    False

  3. The average match attendance at the 1994 World Cup is still a World Cup record.
    True
    False

  4. Some matches at the 1994 World Cup were played indoors.
    True
    False

  5. Brazil beat Italy 3–1 in the final of the 1994 World Cup.
    True
    False

  6. Major League Soccer was launched the same year as the 1994 World Cup.
    True
    False

Score:


triangle Vocabulary Review 어휘 검토 Revisão de vocabulário Vocabulario revisión

Directions: Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to each bold word or expression in the passage.



skeptics
people who report on what happens at events people who plan how something should work people who doubt that something will succeed people who decide where events should be held
indifference
a strong feeling of dislike a sense of national pride a lack of interest or concern a feeling of nervous excitement
condition
a suggestion offered to help a rule that can be changed later a requirement that must be met a payment made in advance
capacity
the number of seats sold before an event the number of matches played at a venue the maximum number of people a place can hold the size of the playing surface at a stadium
penalties
a tie-breaking method where players take turns shooting at goal a system where teams replay the match the next day a rule that gives extra time to the team that scored last a method where the referee decides the winner

Score:


triangle Listen & Read 듣고 읽기 Ouvir e ler Escuchar y leer

Directions: This is designed as a reading activity. However, you can also listen to the text.


Voice #1




Voice #2




square Read Next 다음 읽기 Próxima leitura Siguiente lectura


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World Cup Stories
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