1. The document discusses key dates and events related to South Africa hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including Nelson Mandela being released from prison in 1990 and South Africa winning its bid to host the tournament in 1994. 2. It notes that South Africa almost won its bid to host the 2006 World Cup but lost by one vote. 3. The South African government spent billions to build stadiums, transportation, and infrastructure for the successful 2010 World Cup in an effort to promote national unity after apartheid.

2. GENERAL COMPREHENSION
Dates/time expressions and corresponding events:
1. 2010 > FIFA World Cup organized in South Africa
2. six years ago > South Africa won its bid to become the
organizer of the World Cup
3. decades > racial separation and conflict during apartheid
4. 1990 > Nelson Mandela was released from prison
> creation of a new South Africa
5. 1994 > elections
> World Cup in the USA
> meeting of the organizers of the South African
officials in the US to apply for the 2006 World Cup
6. after the elections > organization of a democratic non-
sexist country.

3. DETAILED COMPREHENSION
a. first
b. Campaigned
c. to further reconciliation
d. 1990
e. walked out
f. Decided
g. to bid on hosting
h. the team's resolve
i. serious candidates
1. c. – 2. b. – 3. d. – 4. a. – 5. f. – 6. e. – 7. g

4. DETAILED COMPREHENSION
Nelson Mandela really wanted the World Cup to be organized in South Africa.
Mandela campaigned hard for the prestigious tournament
He thought it would be good for the unity of the country.
he saw it as a way to further reconciliation
South Africa almost won the organization of the 2006 World Cup.
 South Africa lost out to Germany by one vote
 when we lost to Germany 12 to 11
It has not been easy to convince people that SAfrica could host the
Cup.
it’s been a tough journey, first, just to convince people
The South African government spent a lot of money to make the 2010
World Cup a success.
(The South African government launched a massive effort to
build the infrastructure needed for the World Cup,)
investing billions of dollars in stadiums, transportation
hubs, security and communications

5. Follow-up work – optional HW – Corrigé ici en anglais
The new democratic South Africa, led by Nelson Mandela after
the 1994 elections, eventually won its bid to become the first
African nation to host the World Cup. It was both a challenging
decision and a great opportunity to further reconciliation and
develop the country’s infrastructure.