Sports

Posted by MichikoNakamura Sun, 25 Nov 2007 00:46:50 GMT

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Michiko: Michael, what sports do you like?
Michael: I really like many different sports. But my favorite ones are basketball, golf and ultimate frisbee.

Talking about sports is very common and you can start a conversation with almost anyone using this topic. American people in general are crazy about sports.   Where do people go to watch these sporting events? Read these examples:

"Gymnasium"

"The UH volleyball team practices in a gymnasium"

"Stadium"

"The football players were the first to enter the stadium"

"Arena"

"The arena was packed with people"

How do you know where to sit when you go to these sporting events? Well, when you get inside, you can ask an usher for help. They usually have ushers available to help you find your seat.

Read this next conversation:

Michiko: Excuse me, I'm lost. Where is section 7, seat 14?
Usher: It's across the stadium. Just go all the way around to the other side.
Michiko: Oh, I see. Thank you.

Whenever you get lost, you can take your ticket and show it to the usher and they will help you find your seat. If you lose your child, you can ask one of the ushers by saying:

"Excuse me, I lost my child. Could you help me find him?"

If you lose something else like a wallet or a purse, you can go to the lost and found department. In that case, you can ask the usher these questions:

"Excuse me, where is the Lost   and Found department?"

"Could you tell me where the Lost and Found department is?"

When you go to the Lost and Found department you can ask this question:

"Excuse me, I left my purse here about an hour ago. Did anyone turn it in?"

Did anyone see my zoris?

Now, what do you do when you get hungry at a sporting event?    Go to the concession stand of course. Now let's read a conversation at a football game:

Michael: Wow, it's half - time already. This game is going fast.
Michiko: Yeah, I'm starved.
Michael: Me too. I'll go get us some food at the concession stand. Can I get you anything?
Michiko: Yeah, could you get me a regular coke and a hot dog?
Michael: OK, I'll be right back.

Watching a sporting event can give a person a big appetite. In the conversation above, Michael was being nice. He asked her if she wanted anything. He said:

"Can I get you anything?"

If you're hungry, you can use one of these sentences.   Read these example sentences:

"I'm starved"

"I'm starving"

"I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse"

At a sporting event, there are certain rules of etiquette that you should follow. Let me briefly explain 2 of the most important ones. Number one, "don't stand up for too long because other people won't be able to see. Number two, don't make too much noise in other people's ears. Read this next conversation:

Michael: Oh, hi Michiko.
Michiko: Hi, Michael. What are you doing?
Michael: I'm watching a football game.
Michiko: Who's playing?
Michael: The Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys.
Michiko: Who do you want to win?
Michael: The Cowboys of course.

In this conversation, Michiko came into the room while Michael was watching a game.

If you don't know who the teams are, you can ask these questions:

"Who do you want to win?"

"Whose side are you on?"

"Who are you for?"

"Who are you rooting for?"

Another question that you might ask when you begin watching a game in the middle is:

"What's the score?"

or
"Who's winning?"

A "fan" is someone who is a strong supporter of a team. They always want them to win. They might even buy some pictures or posters of the team. You can be a fan of a person too. Read these example sentences:

"I'm a baseball fan"

"I'm a Joe Montana fan"

Sometimes fans do things like writing letters to their hero or asking
for autographs. If you want to ask someone for their autograph you
can ask these questions:

"May I have your autograph?"

"Could you sign this please?"

When you are a child, it's easy to ask for an autograph. But sometimes adults are embarrassed to ask someone for their autograph.

Read this conversation:

Michiko: May I have your autograph?
Michael: Sure, what's your name?
Michiko: Oh, It's not for me. It's for my son. He watches you on
TV all the time.

Every sporting event has rules. If you don't follow those rules, there are penalties. These penalties are called different names. In football or basketball, they are called fouls.   In golf or hockey, they are just called "penalties" These penalties or fouls are called by a referee or umpire. Read these examples:

"referee"

"The referee blew his whistle to call a penalty"

"umpire"

"The umpire called a personal foul"

Calisthenics are a kind of exercise. The most common forms of calisthenics are situps and pushups.   Read these examples:

"calisthenics"

"I do calisthenics every night"

Michael: Now let's do some calisthenics ourselves.
Michiko: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. Ugh!   I can't do it anymore.
Michael: I guess you're out of shape.
Michiko: You're right. Are you out of shape, Michael?
Michael: I think I'm in pretty good shape. I have been running a lot these days.

Read these example sentences:

"Are you out of shape?"

"I think I'm in pretty good shape"

Michiko: Ouch. I'm so sore from calisthenics.
Michael:   You know what they say, "no pain, no gain".
Michiko: What does that mean?
Michael: It means if you want to get in good shape, you will have to experience some pain.

In this conversation, did you hear the idiom, "no pain, no gain." It means in order to achieve something, you must spend some effort.

Read these example sentences:

"Stretch your arms up to the sky"

"Run in place"

"Lift your right leg"

"Lift your left leg"

"Bend forward"

"Bend backward"

"Touch your toes with your hands"

"Sway from side to side"

Finally after you exercise, you need to cool down. You can do some
relaxing exercises like these:

"Roll your head from side to side"

"Stand with your feet apart and touch the ground with your hands"