New sumo arena ready for big opening in Nagoya

Nick's ESL News Lessons

A printable worksheet for news-based English conversation classes.

Date: 2025/07/10

Difficulty: Intermediate B1

PDF: New sumo arena ready for big opening in Nagoya

Vocabulary Match

arena •• sumo coach
tournament •• supporters
stablemaster •• competition
rank •• position
fans •• shows
concerts •• venue

Vocabulary Answers

arenavenue
tournamentcompetition
stablemastersumo coach
rankposition
fanssupporters
concertsshows

Article

Preparation for the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament started on Wednesday at the new IG Arena, one of Japan's largest indoor venues. The tournament, from July 13-27, will be the arena's first major event, with 7,800 seats available.

The arena can hold up to 17,000 people and will also host figure skating and concerts later this year. Former wrestler Oginohana, now a stablemaster, said they are preparing carefully for the big event.

New yokozuna Onosato will make his debut at the top rank, joining Hoshoryu as the sport's two top wrestlers. Fans hope for exciting matches.

Quiz

  1. When does the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament start?
  2. How many seats are available for the tournament?
  3. Who is the new yokozuna making his debut?
  4. What other events will the IG Arena host later this year?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament starts on July 13.
  2. There are 7,800 seats available for the tournament.
  3. The new yokozuna making his debut is Onosato.
  4. The IG Arena will host figure skating and concerts later this year.

Conversation

A:Wow, the IG Arena is massive!
B:I know! It can hold 17,000 people.
A:Are you all set for the sumo tournament?
B:Not yet. I still need to get my tickets!
A:I can't wait to see Onosato's debut.
B:Same here! It's going to be exciting!

Discussion

  1. Have you ever been to a big sports event?
  2. What sport would you like to see at a big arena?
  3. Do you think sumo wrestling is interesting? Why or why not?
  4. What would you do if you were a sumo wrestler for a day?

Source Material

https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/54834

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