Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- give (something) a shot / gɪv ə ʃɒt / (idiom) – to try to do something, usually something new or difficult
Example:I’ve never played tennis before, but I’ll give it a shot.
- out of / aʊt ʌv / (prep.) – used to show the reason for something
Example:John visits his grandmother every weekend out of love and care for her.
- exertion / ɪgˈzɜr ʃən / (n.) – strong physical or mental effort
Example:The doctor told him to avoid too much physical exertion while he recovers from his illness.
- strenuous / ˈstrɛn yu əs / (adj.) – needing or using a lot of effort or energy
Example:Playing soccer can be strenuous.
- deal-breaker / ˈdil ˌbreɪ kər / (n.) – something that is so important that it stops a person from agreeing to or continuing something
Example:Jane really liked the apartment, but the loud noise at night was a deal-breaker, so she decided not to rent it.
Article
Read the text below.
If more tennis players find themselves breathing easier, it might just be thanks to Carlos Alcaraz.
The four-time Grand Slam champion has often worn a nasal strip in matches since last season and the sport’s other athletes took note. After all, if Alcaraz finds something useful on the court, their thinking goes, maybe it makes sense to give the adhesive bands a shot.
Once associated with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, the bands, which essentially look like a Band-Aid worn across the bridge of the nose, are popping up on tennis courts—sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of curiosity.
They are designed to open the nostrils slightly, making it easier to breathe through the nose. Originally marketed to reduce snoring, they’re being embraced to enhance air intake during physical exertion.
The idea is simple: Better breathing could mean better oxygen intake. In practice, the science is less convincing.
In 2021, Brazilian academic Ricardo Dinardi reviewed more than 600 studies on nasal strips and found they didn’t make a real difference in how much air athletes took in, their heart rate or how strenuous exercise felt.
“The effect on athletic performance is mostly placebo,” Dinardi said. “But in elite sports, even perceived benefits can count.”
For other players, like Nicolás Jarry, the strips are more than a trend—they’re a necessity. After nasal surgery in 2020, the Chilean still needed help to draw air into his nose, so he puts them on for every practice and every match he plays.
Jarry definitely has noticed a recent spike in interest among players. He said that even though he’s worn the strips for years, including at this French Open, other competitors on tour never asked about them—until Alcaraz started wearing one last year, sometimes in black, sometimes in pink.
There are those, like 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula, who are tempted to try.
“I have a horrible deviated septum. I can’t really breathe out of one side of my nose,” said Pegula. “Maybe I should start wearing one.”
She admits, though, that the aesthetic aspect might be a deal-breaker.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Tennis players are trying nasal strips after seeing Carlos Alcaraz use them, some out of curiosity and some out of necessity. Do you think people often try new health products because they’re trending or because they really need them? Do you think curiosity is a good reason to try something new, or should people wait for proof? Why do you say so? Discuss.
- Jessica Pegula is considering using a nasal strip for breathing, but is concerned about how it looks. How much does appearance influence your decisions about health-related items (ex. glasses, braces)? Do you think people should prioritize performance over appearance, or is there a balance? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Research suggests nasal strips might not have a big impact on air intake, but some athletes feel they do, which Dinardi calls a “placebo.” When there’s a difference between scientific findings and personal experience, which do you tend to believe more? Why? If you’re using something that you feel is useful for you, but scientific evidence disproves it, would you stop using it? Why or why not? Discuss.
- The placebo effect is when someone feels better after taking a treatment that has no real medicine, just because they believe it will work. Do you think that believing something will help can actually improve performance or well-being? Why or why not? How powerful do you think the mind is in influencing physical abilities? Discuss.