Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. traumatic
    • ex. The fall caused a traumatic injury to his leg, and he needed surgery to fix it.
  2. degenerative
    • ex. He has a degenerative brain disease, so his memory is getting worse.
  3. amateur
    • ex. The amateur team played against a professional team.
  4. a concussion
    • ex. He had a concussion after hitting his head during the game.
  5. a contact sport
    • ex. Rugby and football are popular contact sports.

Article

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

Font size

A study in Australia has found that 31 of 51 former rugby league players whose brains were examined had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease. The players had competed at different levels, from amateur to professional.

The findings were reported by the Australian Sports Brain Bank and presented at an international sports concussion conference in Melbourne. The study included former NRL player and coach Paul Green and Manly Sea Eagles player Keith Titmuss, who died at age 20 after a training session in hot weather. CTE has also been found in former American football players and people who play other contact sports.

Researchers say repeated head injuries may be linked to CTE. A concussion is a type of brain injury that can happen after a hit to the head or body. The latest figures are based on the first 150 brain examinations at the Australian Sports Brain Bank. The study has added to concerns about the long-term health effects of contact sports.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Playing Sports and the Risks

  • Do you consider yourself good at sports? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, what risks might playing a sport bring (ex. injuries, spending more time on sports instead of more important tasks)? Discuss.
  • How can you protect yourself from the serious risks involved when playing sports? Discuss.

Contact Sports

  • In your opinion, what is the value of contact sports? Discuss.
  • What do you think can be done to make contact sports safe for players? Discuss.
  • According to the study, 31 of 51 rugby players had a degenerative brain disease. Why do you think some players still want to play contact sports despite the risks? Discuss.