Vocabulary
course
bat
speed
wetsuit
shuttlecock
rink
helmet
slopes
sticks
hoop
hardship
employment
consideration
likelihood
proceedings
✓
Short-sightednessLong-sightednesspassagescirculationcirculationdigestion✓
Use of English
1 ring / gloves
2 It / that
3 had / slope
4 see / as
5 neck / neck
LISTENING
Tapescript
Listen to people talking about their involvement in sport and match the statements to the speakers. You can use the speakers more than once.
Speaker A
Having been born in Ontario, of course I play it. In some countries the field version is popular, but here it's all about something interesting to do in winter. I was able to skate when I was about 3, and I'd say most kids where I live do this sport, because we have cold enough winters with reliable seasonal ice cover. It's a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden sticks to shoot a rubber puck into their opponents' net. The game is played between two teams of six players – five skaters and a goalie. Basically, we skate up and down the ice rink trying to take the puck and score a goal against the opposing team. I think it's a great sport, fast-paced and physically demanding. In a good way, of course. I love the competitiveness and the adrenalin rush it gives me.
Speaker B
I suppose it's an unusual thing to do, but I've always been fascinated by self-defence sports, like judo or karate. It originates in Korea and can loosely be translated as ‘the way of the hand and foot’, but the art actually emphasises kicks without moving the body. It's a lot about leg and muscle power, and some instructors also use pressure points and other interesting techniques borrowed from other martial arts. Besides exercise and self-defence, the focus is also on mediation and philosophy.
Speaker C
It was first played in England in the 16th century, so its roots go pretty deep. I'm very proud of our national sport. Actually, whenever the English team wins, I feel quite patriotic. How would I describe the game? Well, it's a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on a field. It's all about the batting team trying to score runs against the other team, which bowls and fields, basically trying to get the batsman out. I think it's a wonderful sport, with some great sportsmanship involved, and it certainly doesn't have as much commercialism in it as football does. It's definitely not as much about earnings or how much a player is worth in team transfer fees.
Speaker D
If you've ever hit a patch of ice while driving your car, you've experienced exactly what we experience driving down the track. You can't steer properly because the ice is so slippery, and if you suddenly use the brakes it can send you spinning out of control. And let's not forget the speed we are going at down a track full of twists and turns. Any wrong move can cause a dramatic crash, and with the driver and crew sitting out in the open, the results can be devastating. Of course we have to wear helmets, knee and elbow pads, and special goggles, but that doesn't always protect you from serious injuries. And we're not talking about bruises and sprains!
D
B
A
C
A
READING
T
F
F
F
T