Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. urge
    • ex. The coach kept urging his team to stay focused in the final minutes of the game.
  2. a triathlete
    • ex. My friend is a triathlete. He trains every day to swim, bike, and run in the big race.
  3. a triathlon
    • ex. The triathlon will start with swimming in the lake. Then, the athletes will compete in biking and running races.
  4. entirely
    • ex. They closed the park entirely because of the heavy rain.
  5. pass out
    • ex. Jake nearly passed out after a long hike up the mountain.

Article

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

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Athletes Pragnya Mohan, Sam Mattis, and Katie Rood spoke at the United Nations climate event in Baku, Azerbaijan, last November. They discussed how climate change threatens athletes, fans, and sports itself. They’re part of a bigger movement of athletes and sports organizations urging the public to take action on climate change.

Pragnya Mohan has been a professional triathlete for ten years. She moved to the United Kingdom because the extreme heat in India is affecting her training. She worries that climate change might one day end the triathlon entirely. American player Sam Mattis also experienced high temperatures in Oregon during the 2021 U.S. preparation for the Olympics. The heat caused some fans and athletes to pass out.

Similarly, New Zealand soccer player Katie Rood trained in a heated room to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics because of the high heat and humidity. Climate change also increases training costs, making it harder for all athletes to compete equally. Leslie Mabon, an environmental expert, said that while athletes can help raise awareness about global warming, real change often needs action from outside the sports world.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Triathlon

  • Would you like to join a triathlon? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, is it easy or difficult to be a triathlete? Why? Discuss.
  • Pragnya Mohan worries that climate change might one day end the triathlon entirely. Do you think that the triathlon sport can end? Why do you think so? Discuss.

Sports and Climate Change

  • Which sports do you think will be most affected by climate change (ex. summer sports, winter sports)? Why? Discuss.
  • How might climate change affect sports in the future? Discuss.
  • Some athletes are raising awareness about climate change. Do you think their action can make a real change? Why do you say so? Discuss.