Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a youngster
    • ex. The playground was full of youngsters playing games and having fun.
  2. a tryout
    • ex. Sarah spent weeks practicing for the school basketball team’s tryout. She worked hard so she could be a part of the team.
  3. participation
    • ex. Participation in the community clean-up day is very important, so we ask everyone to help.
  4. accelerate
    • ex. The company's new marketing plan accelerated its sales.
  5. all-time
    • ex. The number of visitors to the park reached an all-time high this summer.

Article

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

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Girls’ volleyball is becoming more popular in the United States. At the Premier Nebraska Volleyball facility in Omaha, over 200 girls aged 11 to 14 practice their volleyball skills. These youngsters are working on their passing and hitting skills, with coaches providing both teaching and support. This is to prepare the youngsters for fall tryouts and the season of competitions and tournaments.

Participation in volleyball has increased annually since 1980, except during the pandemic. And its growth even accelerated in the past decade. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of female high school volleyball players reached an all-time high in the 2022–23 season. In total, there were 470,488 female players.

So, what is the reason for volleyball’s increasing popularity? There are several reasons. First, there are more opportunities to join volleyball clubs now than 20 years ago. Second, Team USA’s Olympic success helped the sport become more popular. Third, college volleyball also got more exposure on TV and social media. Finally, the sport continues to attract many young athletes because it focuses on teamwork.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Sports for Youngsters

  • What are the benefits of playing sports for youngsters? Discuss.
  • As a youngster, did you enjoy playing sports? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your country, what sport is popular with youngsters now? Discuss.

Volleyball

  • Do you like playing volleyball? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your country, how popular is volleyball among youngsters? Discuss.
  • How might the increase in participation in girls' volleyball affect the sport in the future? Discuss.