ACTIVITY 290:
You are going to listen to four short
extracts from a conversation between two 'couch potatoes' as they
look at a sports magazine. (A 'couch potato' is someone who spends a
lot of time sitting down on a couch, often in front of the TV. He or
she is likely to be overweight and unfit).
Which of the sports mentioned in the menus do
they discuss?
At this first step, just listen for
general comprehension, so don't worry if you don't understand every
word they are saying.
Listen each audio file carefully and
choose the most suitable sport from the menus. Then check
your answers.
For your comfort, the four sports involved in the
conversation are explained here:
archery:
the
sport of shooting arrows with a bow
bobsleighing:
riding a bobsled or long racing sled, usually for two
or more people, with a steering mechanism.
diving:
an athletic competition that involves diving into
water, a headlong plunge into water.
weight-lifting:
the sport of exercising by lifting weights.
DIALOGUE 1
DIALOGUE 2
DIALOGUE 3
DIALOGUE 4
SPORT THEY
ARE DISCUSSING
DIALOGUE 1
DIALOGUE 2
DIALOGUE 3
DIALOGUE 4
Agreeing and
disagreeing (II)
Now, listen again while you check their
comments with the audio transcriptions.
MAN:
As far as I can see, all you have to do is get into the thing at
the top of the mountain, lie back and let it take you back down
as quickly as possible. I don't think there's any great skill in
that.
WOMAN: Nor do I. But who knows - there must be something to it -
like how you and your partner lie, where you put your weight,
how you lean into corners, stuff like that. It wouldn't be an
Olympic sport if it was so easy, would it?
WOMAN: Here's one that's a bit better. You need a good body for
this, don't you? When they make hardly any splash at all, just
cutting through the water like a hot knife through butter, I
like that, I think it's good.
MAN: I don't. All you have to do is lean over, hold yourself in
a straight line and everything else happens automatically.
There's nothing physically difficult about that, is there?
WOMAN: Oh, come on! I'd like to see you do it – without emptying
the pool of water.
MAN: This is one I really can't see the point of – one very
large man trying to hold two very large lumps of metal over
his head. I don't think there could be anything less
interesting than that, do you?
WOMAN: Oh, I do. Certainly. Have you ever tried to stay awake
during the darts?
MAN: Rubbish!! Darts is positively thrilling compared to
watching fat men go red in the face, and drop lead weights
on their feet. Anyone can do that, can't they?
WOMAN: Well, you're right that it doesn't seem to require a
lot of skill. But I still like watching it.
WOMAN: This I like a bit more. I think you need a good eye for
this.
MAN: So do I. I'm sure it's difficult, holding still like they
have to. But it's not really a sport, is it?
WOMAN: Oh, I don't know. It's competitive, challenging,
skilful, you need special equipment.
MAN: I suppose so.
WOMAN: In the old days, maybe it wasn't a sport. I mean, it
was more a matter of survival then, wasn't it?
MAN: Exactly. Like where your next meal was coming from.
WOMAN: Talking of which, I think it's time for a snack.
MAN: Me too. Shall I see what's in the fridge?
Has tenido una excelente práctica
!!! En la página siguiente Mr. Grammar explicará cómo pronunciar
los QUESTION TAGS ...
