English Lesson 90

Cold weather and competitions

Cold weather, a competition you took part in, and competition in schools and sport.

How to practise
  1. Listen to an answer two times. Read the text while you listen.
  2. Shadow it. Set the speed to 0.75×. Play it again and speak at the same time as the voice.
  3. Turn on practice mode. The answers are hidden. Read each question and answer it out loud.
  4. Make it yours. Use the same phrases, but say true things about your city, your job and your life.
  5. Practise with a partner. One person reads the questions. The other answers without looking.
Speed

Part 1 · Interview

Cold weather

Short answers. About 20 to 30 seconds each. Answer, give a reason, add one detail.

Have you ever been in very cold weather? When?

Yes, two winters ago, I went to Ardabil, a city in the north-west of my country. It was minus fifteen degrees. Even with a thick coat and gloves, my face hurt from the cold.

  • minus fifteen degrees-15 °C
  • a thick coat and gloveswarm clothes
  • my face hurt from the coldthe cold caused pain

How often is the weather cold where you come from?

Only in winter, for about three months. December and January are the coldest, and sometimes it snows. But it's not extremely cold. Most of the year, the weather is warm or hot.

  • for about three monthssay how long
  • the coldestthe most cold
  • it's not extremely coldnot very, very cold

Are some parts of your country colder than others? Why?

Yes, the north-west and the mountain areas are much colder, because they're high above sea level. The south is much hotter, because it's close to the Persian Gulf and lower down. The difference can be more than thirty degrees on the same day.

  • high above sea levelat a high altitude
  • lower downat a lower height
  • on the same dayat the same time

Would you prefer to live in a hot place or a cold place? Why?

I'd prefer a place that's a bit cold. In cold weather, you can always wear more clothes, but in very hot weather, there's not much you can do. I also love snowy landscapes and drinking hot tea by the window.

  • I'd prefer…say your preference
  • there's not much you can doyou can't change it much
  • snowy landscapesviews covered with snow

Part 2 · Cue card

A competition you took part in

You get 1 minute to prepare and then speak for 1 to 2 minutes. Follow the four points on the card in order.

Candidate task card

Describe a competition that you took part in.

You should say:

  • what kind of competition it was and how you found out about it
  • what you had to do
  • what the prizes were
  • and explain why you chose to take part in it
Ready 1:00

Start

I'd like to talk about a short story competition I took part in last year. It was the first time I'd ever written something for a competition.

What kind and how you found out

It was an English writing competition for adults, organised by a language institute in my city. I found out about it from a poster at my English class.

What you had to do

We had to write a short story in English, of no more than one thousand words. The topic was 'A day that changed everything'. We had one month to send our stories by email.

The prizes

The first prize was a free six-month English course and some books. The top ten stories were also published in a small book.

Why you took part

I took part because I wanted to challenge myself. I'd been studying English for years, but I'd never written anything creative. I wrote about my grandfather's first day in the city. I didn't win, but my story was in the top ten, and it was published. I was so proud to see my name in a real book.

  • the first time I'd ever written…past perfect for first experience
  • organised byplanned and run by
  • of no more than one thousand words1,000 words maximum
  • were also publishedwere printed in a book
  • challenge myselftry something difficult
  • I was so proud to…very happy about my success

Part 3 · Discussion

Competition in schools and sport

Longer answers. About 30 to 45 seconds. Give your opinion, explain why, and give an example.

Is it a good idea to give prizes to children who do well at school? Why?

Small prizes can be a good idea, because they motivate children. But only rewarding the best students can make others feel bad. I think schools should also reward effort and improvement, not only top marks.

  • they motivate childrenthey make children want to try
  • rewarding the best studentsgiving prizes to top students
  • effort and improvementtrying hard and getting better

Have schools for young children become more or less competitive since you were young?

I think they've become more competitive. Parents want their children to get into good schools, so even young kids have extra classes and tests. When I was a child, primary school was more relaxed, and we played much more.

  • more competitivewith more competition
  • get into good schoolsbe accepted by good schools
  • more relaxedless stressful

What are the advantages and disadvantages of intensive training for young sportspeople?

Intensive training can help young athletes become champions, because they develop skills early. But it can also cause injuries and stress. Some children lose their childhood, because they have no time for friends or school.

  • Intensive trainingvery hard, frequent practice
  • develop skills earlylearn skills when young
  • injuriesphysical damage to the body
  • lose their childhooddon't have a normal childhood

Does competition improve sports stars' performance, or make them feel insecure?

I think it does both. Competition pushes athletes to train harder and break records. But it also puts a lot of pressure on them. Some stars become anxious, especially when the media criticises them. They need good support to handle it.

  • break recordsdo better than anyone before
  • puts a lot of pressure on themcauses them stress
  • anxiousworried and nervous
  • handle itdeal with it

Is it possible to become too competitive in sport? In what way?

Yes. When winning becomes the only thing that matters, some athletes cheat, for example by taking drugs. Some players become aggressive towards others. And some fans become violent. Sport should be about fair play, not winning at any cost.

  • the only thing that mattersthe only important thing
  • cheatbreak the rules to win
  • fair playplaying honestly by the rules
  • at any costwhatever happens

Why do some teachers use competitions as class activities?

Competitions make lessons more exciting, and students pay more attention. They also help shy students take part as a member of a team. And a quick quiz at the end of a lesson is an easy way to review what students learned.

  • pay more attentionlisten and focus more
  • take partjoin in
  • review what students learnedcheck and repeat the lesson

Audio: Microsoft neural voices. A British voice reads the examiner's questions, and an American voice reads the model answers.