Americans Making Final Preparations for Super Bowl Sunday

February 02, 2013

The helmets of the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens sit beside the Vince Lombardi trophy before a press conference ahead of the NFL's Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, Louisiana, Feb. 1, 2013.

From VOA Learning English, this is IN THE NEWS in Special English.

This Sunday, people around the world will witness two teams as they battle for the championship of American professional football. The Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers are in New Orleans, Louisiana, to prepare for the 47th Super Bowl. Over one hundred million people are expected to watch the game on television, with computers or other devices.

The Ravens were formed in 1996 when the owner of the Cleveland Browns decided to move his team to Baltimore, Maryland. In 2001, the Ravens won their only Super Bowl game. The 49ers were established in 1946 as a member of the All-American Football conference. The team joined the National Football League in 1950.

They have won five Super Bowl championships.

VOA reporter Jim Stevenson will be going to the game on Sunday.

“This is a really good match up. Most people thought that the 49ers were one of the favorites to reach the super bowl. They have an exceptional defense, explosive offense. Baltimore has always been known for its defense, very tough, physical, hard hitting team.”