Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. make the (something) team
    • ex. You made the football team? Congratulations!
  2. give up
    • ex. She had to give up a lot of her hobbies because she was so busy with work.
  3. a sponsorship
    • ex. In many sports, athletes make most of their money through sponsorships.
  4. come in (ordinal number) place
    • ex. My team came in first place!
  5. postpone
    • ex. We postponed the meeting because my boss was sick.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In a recent interview, athlete Molly Seidel said that she almost quit running before making the US Olympic team this year. After a number of injuries, Seidel gave up her sponsorships in 2019. She also told her coach that she didn’t know if she could keep running anymore. Just one year later, however, Seidel finished second place in the 2020 US Olympic marathon trials.

Four years ago, Seidel was one of the top American long-distance runners, but she missed the 2016 US Olympic trials due to physical and mental issues. After more injuries in 2019, she moved to Boston to live with her sister. The athlete says that she was ready to give up her running career and even started to look for a job.

Earlier this year, Seidel joined the 2020 US Olympic marathon trials for the experience. The runner said that because it was her first full marathon, she was shocked to come in second place. Seidel also explained that she feels lucky that the 2020 Olympics were postponed because she now has more time to train.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Quitting

  • In your opinion, what are good reasons to quit something (ex. you don't enjoy it, it affects your health)? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think it's okay to quit a job or hobby right away, or is it better to wait a little? Why? Discuss.
  • Should people consult with others before they decide to quit something (ex. a coworker, a friend)? Why or why not? Discuss.

The Olympics

  • Do you agree with the decision to postpone the 2020 Olympics? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, should the Olympics happen in 2021? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think the Olympics help or hurt the cities that host them? Why? Discuss.