Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a rumor
    • ex. Don’t believe the rumor that the actress is sick. She’s totally fine.
  2. take off
    • ex. Jenna’s singing career took off after she released her third single.
  3. miss
    • ex. I miss my parents because I haven’t seen them in months.
  4. former
    • ex. The teacher is happy because his former student got into a top university.
  5. glory
    • ex. Some people care about glory, but I just want to have a simple, happy life.

Article

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

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Famous boxer Oscar De La Hoya confirmed rumors about returning to boxing. De La Hoya retired in 2008, a few months after he lost to Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao. Known as “The Golden Boy,” De La Hoya has a record of 39 wins, 6 losses, and 30 knockouts. His boxing career took off at the age of 19 when he won an Olympic gold medal in 1992.

In an interview, De La Hoya explained that he’s returning to boxing because he missed the sport. The 47-year-old former boxer said that he’s in good health and his punches are faster than before. He plans to fight in the middleweight division, where challengers weigh between 70 and 73 kilos.

According to De La Hoya, most boxers these days only fight for money, and they don’t train the way boxers used to train 15 to 20 years ago. De La Hoya said that he’s different from these boxers because he knows how to work hard and fight smart in the ring. He also explained that he wants to fight for glory, and in the end, glory will always win.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Retirement

  • What do you think is the best age to retire? Why? Discuss.
  • Aside from age, what are some good reasons to retire (ex. wanting to rest, spending more time with family)? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think it's a good idea to return to work after retirement? Why or why not? Discuss.

Money and Glory

  • Which is more important, money or glory? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you agree with De La Hoya that glory will always win over money? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Aside from money and glory, what motivates people to do something (ex. happiness, personal goals)? Why? Discuss.