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In this main listening report we interview James Broadbridge, a teacher and author, who has recently written a graded reader for English learners with the famous Jules Rimet trophy in the plot. This report is a shortened version of the regular weekly podcast. You can listen to the report by clicking on the link above and you can read the transcript below with key vocabulary explained at the bottom of the post
Main Listening Report: An Interview with an Atama-ii author and Football Fan – James Broadbridge
Damon: So this week, we’ve got a special guest for our main listening report. Hello. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
James: Hi. My name’s James Broadbridge and I’m from the north west of England. And I support Manchester City.
Damon: Welcome to the show James. Now, you’re an author for an very interesting publisher, aren’t you. Could you tell us a little bit about the work you do.
James: Yes, I’ve written a story for atama-ii books, which is an e-publisher. They publish multiple path stories for learners of English. My story, The Lost Cup, is about a quest to find the lost Jules Rimet trophy. The old World Cup, which was presented to Brazil in 1970. What’s special about the multiple path stories is that the reader actually takes on the role of the lead character in the story and can choose what to do at fixed times in the book. The reader gets a choice – do you want to turn left or do you want to turn right? And the reader has to think about the decision and choose, and then the story will change according to which path the reader decides to take.
Damon: That sounds really interesting. So these books are obviously aimed at people who want to improve their English. So anybody listening to today’s show who is interested in English of course, I think they’d be a great idea for learning. Now, why did you choose the lost cup, the Jules Rimet trophy and the setting of Brazil?
James: Well, I chose to write this story about the Jules Rimet trophy, because, well, Brazil is such a romantic country when you think about football. All those images of Pele and of the great team from 1970 playing the most wonderful football, is really strong, when I was growing up. And then there’s the great mystery. The beautiful Jules Rimet trophy that had such a strange life being stolen in England in 1966 and found by the dog Pickles . Then being presented to Brazil for winning it for the third time and then being stolen in 1983 and just disappearing. And the police not knowing really what happened. They presume it was melted down for the gold, but who knows! It so it just seems a great mystery and a great idea for a story.
Damon: It does indeed! A fascinatingA story and a fascinating history for that trophy, isn’t it. Now, of course Brazil is famous for football and it’s going to be even more famous this year because it’s the World Cup taking place in that huge country this summer. I wonder, you’re a big football fan; Do you have any predictions for the up coming World Cup?
James: Yes, it’s a wonderful time to be a football fan. I’m so excited about this World Cup. I think it’s going to be one of the greatest World Cups ever with the atmosphere in Brazil and the fans. It’s just going to be wonderful. Predictions? Well, of course I want England to win, but there’s no chance of that. We’re just not good enough. I really want Brazil to win. I think that they play wonderful football, and I want them to play with a real flair, something that goes back to the style of 1982 or 1970. Predictions? Well, I don’t think a European team’llA win. They’ll suffer in the heat, the Spanish run is coming to an end. But I really want Brazil to win, but I have a feeling maybe Argentina, which would cause a bit of a stir in Brazil. Either way, it’s going to be a fantastic World Cup.
Damon: Yes, let’s hope it’s going to be a great one. And good luck with your books and with atama-ii publishing. Thank you very much for coming today, James.
Vocabulary
trophy: cup,(awarded when a team wins a competition)
flair: skill, imagination, ability
cause a stir: make people upset; result in controversy
