GETTING READY. GETTING READY. VOCABULARY DRILL. EXPRESSION PRACTICE. EXPRESSION PRACTICE. EXPRESSION PRACTICE. READING─PRE-READING TASK. a. The rules that must be followed during the competitions b. The history of water ballet c. The number of people who participate today - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
1 Audio Transcripts: Technology has opened doors for people who used to be excluded from the athletic elite: disabled athletes. I was a basketball player before I got into a car accident that left me in a wheelchair. Fortunately, there are wheelchair sports, like basketball and hockey. Modern wheelchairs made from lightweight materials are more flexible and offer greater stability than before. My personal hero is Marlon Shirley, who ran a 100-meter sprint in 11.09 seconds despite having only one leg. Shirley was injured in a lawn mower accident, but with the help of an artificial leg, he is able to race his able-bodied peers. GETTING READY
Transcript
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Audio Transcripts:
Technology has opened doors for people who used to be excluded from the
athletic elite: disabled athletes. I was a basketball player before I got into a car
accident that left me in a wheelchair. Fortunately, there are wheelchair sports, like
basketball and hockey. Modern wheelchairs made from lightweight materials are
more flexible and offer greater stability than before. My personal hero is Marlon
Shirley, who ran a 100-meter sprint in 11.09 seconds despite having only one leg.
Shirley was injured in a lawn mower accident, but with the help of an artificial leg,
he is able to race his able-bodied peers.
GETTING READY
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Audio Transcripts:
Cancer claimed McKayla Hanson’s leg, but that doesn’t prevent her from cycling.
How? She uses a handcycle—she pedals with her hands rather than her feet. If it
weren’t for creativity, blind cricket wouldn’t exist either. The major adaptation to
the game is the ball, which rattles as it rolls. This allows players to hear it.
Because of these creations, handicapped people can still be champions!
GETTING READY
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VOCABULARY DRILL
Audio Transcripts:
Melinda: Welcome to The Melinda Show. Taking your calls in the studio are three Olympic medal hopefuls—Marty Clark from Canada, Gota Friggeberg from Sweden, and Heinrich Koch from Germany. Lucy from Atlanta, you’re on the air.Lucy: Thanks! Marty, I’m curious about curling because honestly, the game looks ridiculous. How is it played anyway?Marty: Well, players are equipped with brooms. Teams guide a stone down the
slick ice using the brooms, aiming for a target area. Lucy: People watch this?Marty: Yeah. There has been tournament coverage since 1998. Melinda: OK, next caller. May: Hey, Gota. Could you explain the biathlon event?Gota: Sure. It combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, so contestants are judged on skiing ability and shooting accuracy. Melinda: Sounds like that demands rigorous training. Heinrich, you’ve passed the skeleton preliminary round. Tell us about that.Heinrich: Riders race on a metal sled that travels at up to 90 miles per hour. The sled design was introduced in 1892, and everyone thought it resembled a skeleton, hence the name. Melinda: We’re taking a break, but we’ll be right back!
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Audio Transcripts:
Brittany: Guess what I bought today? The newest edition of Guinness World Records!
Jason: Cool! Those can be so entertaining. Last year, this kid named Andrew Dahl set a record for blowing up 23 balloons in three minutes—with his nose. It blew my mind!
Brittany: Gross.
Jason: What are some of this year’s achievements?
Brittany: Chris Walton has the world’s longest fingernails which extend to 19 feet and 9 inches. She stopped cutting them one day, so they’ve been growing for 18 years.
Jason: That’s off the charts.
Brittany: Listen to this. Lady Gaga has the most followers on Twitter.
Jason: I follow her! She’s not your average Jane.
Brittany: Here’s another: the Super Wan Wan Circus in Japan was able to coordinate the largest group of dogs skipping rope simultaneously—13!
Jason: That kind of talent puts them head and shoulders above Lady Gaga.
Brittany: And Roger Allsopp, who is 70 years old, succeeded in swimming across the English Channel, making him the oldest man to do so. That certainly exceeds expectations for someone his age!
EXPRESSION PRACTICE
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EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
Anne: OK, Josh. Anne’s Spectacular Seafood is holding its grand opening in two weeks. We need to decide whom we want to hire. What are your opinions of the people we’ve interviewed?
Josh: Since Charlotte has two years of server experience, she is absolutely qualified. However, I didn’t feel comfortable around Pete. Judging from how many jobs he has been fired from, he isn’t reliable.
Anne: I respect your judgment, so that’s it: he doesn’t cut the mustard.
Josh: I’d like to hire Bob though. He really fits the bill, and he would definitely impress our customers.
Anne: Really? He acted professionally at first, but then he cursed right in front of us. To me, he doesn’t make the grade.
Josh: Oh yeah! I forgot how he fell flat on his face. Instead, let’s give Aaron a chance and see how he measures up. He was courteous and well- dressed.
Anne: What about Suzie?
Josh: She has little practical experience, but with training, she could make the cut.
Anne: Then I think that’s everyone we need.
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EXPRESSION PRACTICE
Audio Transcripts:
David: Welcome back to You’ve Got Talent! It’s time to decide who is a gifted entertainer and who needs to refine his or her act, so fill out your ballots! While you’re voting, let’s hear from my lovely cohost.
Janice: Hi, everyone. Great job tonight! I wanted to comment on Sean’s hip-hop dance. It was both graceful and dynamic; he’s obviously endowed with some serious skills.
David: I agree that Sean is a natural dancer, but the real champion is Jessica. Her adapted version of the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow was moving. She has been blessed with a beautiful voice.
Janice: Everyone was sensational, but you know whose performance really deserves an award? Jimmy! Carving an ice sculpture on stage was an ingenious idea—I’ve never seen that at a talent show before. I know that takes a lot of practice, but it seemed to come naturally to him. He must have been born with artistic ability.
David: Thanks for the comments. We’re going to add up the scores, and I’ll return with the results!
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READING─PRE-READING TASK
Read the title and the first paragraph. Which of the following do you think the writer will talk about?
a. The rules that must be followed during the competitionsb. The history of water balletc. The number of people who participate todayd. The sport’s rigorous demandse. The training process in various countriesf. How traditional ballet and underwater ballet are similarg. The ways in which the sport has changed over the years
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Those who wish to succeed in water ballet will need the
elegance of a ballerina* and the strength of a long-distance
swimmer. Within its relatively short history, water ballet has
captured the admiration of millions and has earned recognition as a
legitimate sport.
READING
* ballerina: a female ballet dancer
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READING
Water ballet has attracted fans since the early 1900s.
Annette Kellerman, an Australian, is often credited as the
founder of this sport. As a child, she was afflicted with rickets, a
disease that weakens the bones. She began swimming in order
to strengthen her legs. After years of practice, she dubbed
herself an “underwater ballerina” and started to perform a
swimming and diving routine in a glass tank. Her act was so
dazzling that she was soon convinced to take her show to
America, where it had triumphant success.
The Beauty and Power of WATER BALLET
Photo: Flickr / KRHamm
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READING
Originally an individual sport, water ballet became a popular group
activity after membership in water ballet clubs grew. In the 1930s, it was
renamed “synchronized* swimming,” which more accurately describes the
perfect unison* of swimmers’ dance moves. It wasn’t until the 1980s that it
was included in the Olympic Games as a competitive sport.
* synchronized: caused or planned to occur at the same time
The Beauty and Power of WATER BALLET
* unison: happening together at the same moment
Photo: Flickr / Jesus de Blas
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READING
Today’s synchronized swimmers are more athletic than the water
ballerinas of the past. Members of the Aquamaids, the toughest
synchronized swimming club in America, practice eight hours a day, six days
a week. Not only do they complete thousands of laps every week, they also
spend numerous hours in gymnastics* classes. Although it’s a formidable
commitment, joining the Aquamaids is the best choice for anyone who wants
to make the US Olympic team. This club has produced more than 60
percent of the swimmers that have gone to the Olympics to
participate in the sport.* gymnastics: a sport that requires strength and difficult movements, such as jumping or balancing on special equipment
The Beauty and Power of WATER BALLET P.42
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READING
There are other options available for professional synchronized
swimmers. One of the most famous groups in the world is the Weeki
Wachee Mermaids, who put on shows in Florida. These talented
swimmers have been doing amazing stunts in an underwater theater
for over 60 years. Interestingly, the mermaid costumes are based on
the original designs that were used by Annette Kellerman during her
acts almost 100 years ago.
It’s true that synchronized swimmers make their sport look
effortless, but don’t be fooled! It takes extensive training to pull off the
complicated movements these real-life mermaids perform every day.
The Beauty and Power of WATER BALLET P.42
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READING
‧ Discussion ‧
In recent years, the Weeki Wachee Mermaids have
become one of the only synchronized swimming groups to
accept male swimmers. Today, male synchronized swimmers
are not allowed to participate in most competitions, including
the Olympics. Do you think men should receive equal
opportunities in synchronized swimming?
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READING ─AFTER YOU READ
A. Understand from the ContextChoose the meaning of the word or phrase in bold.
1. Linda has great admiration for her father. She hopes to follow his example.
B. Water Ballet TimelineFill in the chart using words from the article.
Annette Kellerman is widely regarded as the 1. __________ of water ballet with her 2. ___________ at the Melbourne Theatre Royal in Australia, which was a(n) 3. ___________ success.
Water ballet is renamed “4. ______________ swimming” at the World Exhibition in Chicago when a group performed their moves in 5. ___________.
Swimmers in mermaid 6. ___________ begin impressing crowds of people with amazing 7. ___________ in an underwater theater.
Athletes train hard to compete in the Aquamaids group to make sure their performances look 8. __________.
Olympic audiences are dazzled by the 9. ___________ acts that the 10. ___________ competitors of the sport put on.
1903
1933
1947
1964
1984
founderroutine
triumphant
synchronized
unison
costumesstunts
effortless
complicatedtalented
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READING ─AFTER YOU READ
C. MatchMatch the sentence parts.
1. Gracefulness and perseverance are ____
2. Strengthening her poor health was ____
3. Clubs became popular, so it was natural for ___
4. Those who hope to make the US Olympic squad should join the Aquamaids ____
5. The Weeki Wachee Mermaids continue to maintain ___
a. some of the essence of Annette Kellerman.
b. because the group is known for producing exceptional synchronized swimmers.
c. necessary for becoming a water ballerina.
d. Annette Kellerman’s motivation to take up swimming.
e. water ballet to evolve from a solo activity into a group sport.
