Unit 9: Winter sports

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Aims and Objectives

In this lesson you are going to learn vocabulary and phrases concerning ice hockey and skiing. You will also review some weather vocabulary. Finally you are going to practice second conditional as well as comparatives and superlatives.

The grammar focus of this unit is:

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise not available in this language version.

Comprehension

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:
JIMMYDo you have the keys from the cottage?
SUENo, I lent them to your brother, he said he would come at three, that is in 5 minutes.
JIMMYWell, you know my brother. Next time I wouldn't do that if I were you.
SUEI'm sorry, Jimmy. Perhaps we can go down the slope once more instead of waiting.
JIMMYI would agree with you Sue, if it was not so misty.
SUEOK, if you prefer freezing here.
JIMMYOh look, they are coming.
SUESee, he is not that irresponsible after all.
  1. Jimmy's brother
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. Jimmy thinks it was not a good idea to
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. Sue suggests
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  4. Jimmy's brother is
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:
RALPHHey Van, you comin' with us this afternoon?
VANWhat are you up to?
RALPHThere is an open ice-hockey tournament on the pond behind Joe's hardware store.
VANSounds great but I only have skates.
RALPHIt's OK, I can lend you a helmet and a stick, you don't need much more.
VANHow about shinguards, I may need some.
RALPHI'm sorry, I don't have any spare shinguards, you'll have to ask someone else.
VANAll right, I'll see you there.
  1. Van wants to know
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. The tournament takes place behind a shop where they sell
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. Van is missing
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  4. Ralph doesn't have
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 3: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • cross-country
  • long
  • move
  • thick
  • weight
  • wide
Transcript:

The cross-country skis are long and narrow, to evenly distribute the weight of the skier and allow the skier to move quickly. Typical skis are 2 metres long, about 5 centimetres wide and one to four centimetres thick at different stations along the length of the ski.

The ? skis are ? and narrow, to evenly distribute the ? of the skier and allow the skier to ? quickly. Typical skis are 2 metres long, about 5 centimetres ? and one to four centimetres ? at different stations along the length of the ski.

Exercise 4: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • hardest
  • hit
  • players
  • popular
  • puck
  • time
Transcript:

The object of an ice-hockey game is to hit a rubber, circular thing called puck into a net while wearing skates. The game is played with 5 players and 1 goalie on the ice at a time. Ice-hockey is by far the most popular sport in Canada. It is also one of the hardest team sports to master at the highest level.

The object of an ice-hockey game is to ? a rubber, circular thing called ? into a net while wearing skates. The game is played with 5 ? and 1 goalie on the ice at a ?. Ice-hockey is by far the most ? sport in Canada. It is also one of the ? team sports to master at the highest level.

Grammar Practice

Exercise 1: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

These goggles are much (good) better then the red ones.
It is (difficult) more difficult to swim in the ocean then in the pool.
Her swimsuit is (nice) nicer then yours.
This pool is (long) longer then the one in Coventry.
It is (far) further to the Land's End then to the Glenn cove.
The weather is much (warm) warmer then yesterday.

These goggles are much (good) ? then the red ones.
It is (difficult) ? to swim in the ocean then in the pool.
Her swimsuit is (nice) ? then yours.
This pool is (long) ? then the one in Coventry.
It is (far) ? to the Land's End then to the Glenn cove.
The weather is much (warm) ? then yesterday.

Exercise 2: Cloze

Use a bit or much + a comparative.

Transcript:

Jill is 22. Her friend is 22 and a half.
Jill's friend is a bit older.

Last year the tickets cost 2 pounds. This year they cost 13.
The tickets are much more expensive this year.

Yesterday it was -2 degrees, today it is -3.
The weather yesterday was a bit warmer.

Last season our team scored 52 goals. The previous season the team scored only 20.
Our team played much better in the last season than in the previous one.

Yesterday I felt OK. Today I feel terrible.
I feel much worse than yesterday.

I am 180 cm tall. My father is 179 cm tall.
I am a bit taller than my father.

Example:

He is slow. You are very fast.
You are much faster than him.

Jill is 22. Her friend is 22 and a half.
Jill's friend ?.

Last year the tickets cost 2 pounds. This year they cost 13.
The tickets ? this year.

Yesterday it was -2 degrees, today it is -3.
The weather yesterday ?.

Last season our team scored 52 goals. The previous season the team scored only 20.
Our team played ? in the last season than in the previous one.

Yesterday I felt OK. Today I feel terrible.
I feel ? than yesterday.

I am 180 cm tall. My father is 179 cm tall.
I am ? than my father.

Exercise 3: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

This is (good) the best match I have ever seen.
(Old) The oldest stadium in the country is in the capital.
Ice hockey is (popular) the most popular sport in Canada.
This was (bad) the worst mistake our team has ever made.
Yesterday was (cold) the coldest day in this month.
He is (interesting) the most interesting person I have ever met.

This is (good) ? match I have ever seen.
(Old) ? stadium in the country is in the capital.
Ice hockey is (popular) ? sport in Canada.
This was (bad) ? mistake our team has ever made.
Yesterday was (cold) ? day in this month.
He is (interesting) ? person I have ever met.

Exercise 4: Substitution

Use the text in brackets to transform each sentence.

Example:

I don't know, if I (know), I (tell) you.
I don't know, if I knew, I would tell you.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 5: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • I got injured
  • I knew the competitors
  • I would travel to the Olympics
  • it was not so demanding
  • the overall time wasn't that good
  • they weren't so expensive
Transcript:

I would buy these skis if they weren't so expensive.
We wouldn't win if the overall time wasn't that good.
Cross-country skiing would be my favourite sport if it was not so demanding.
I would watch the race if I knew the competitors.
If I had more money I would travel to the Olympics.
I would go to the doctor if I got injured.

I would buy these skis if ?.
We wouldn't win if ?.
Cross-country skiing would be my favourite sport if ?.
I would watch the race if ?.
If I had more money ?.
I would go to the doctor if ?.

Exercise 6: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

I (not do) wouldn't do it if I (be) were you.
If he (have) had his elbow pads he (not get) wouldn't get injured.
Jack (play) would play at a centre position if he (be) was faster.
If the mountains (not be) weren't so far we (go) would go skiing every weekend.
She (be) would be slimmer if she (take) took more exercises.
I (meet) would meet you tomorrow if I (not have to) didn't have to go to work.

I (not do) ? it if I (be) ? you.
If he (have) ? his elbow pads he (not get) ? injured.
Jack (play) ? at a centre position if he (be) ? faster.
If the mountains (not be) ? so far we (go) ? skiing every weekend.
She (be) ? slimmer if she (take) ? more exercises.
I (meet) ? you tomorrow if I (not have to) ? go to work.

Dictation

Exercise 1: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

It is safer to wear shin guards and other protective gear when playing ice-hockey.

?

Exercise 2: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

Let's go down once more, we still have some time.

?

Checklist

Now, after finishing this lesson you should be able:

To talk about weather.

To understand common vocabulary and phrases concerning ice hockey and skiing.

To use second conditional.

To use comparatives and superlatives.

Version 2.0 (2013-01-03 13:43 CET)
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