节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2014-02-08
难易度:Low
关键字:line, palace, competition, bring to an end, biathlon, Paralympic Games
Hello again, friends.
Well, we are continuing our tour through Sochi, Russia, and the 2014 Winter
Olympic Games.
And right now we're on a train - at least that's where our tour guide has led us
as we leave the coast and go to the mountains.
We're almost there.
So let's continue with our tour by looking at the next section of the article
called The mountains.
(Music).
The 2014 Winter Olympics.
The mountains.
Welcome to the Krasnaya Polyana Mountains!
Ten of this year's 15 Olympic competitions are being held here, and many are
starting today.
Most are skiing events such as freestyle or ski jumping.
Please don't be alarmed by the gunshots - the biathlon event mixes skiing with
shooting.
Sliding events like the bobsled races will also be held in the mountains.
That brings to an end today's Olympic tour.
Enjoy your time at the Olympics, and don't forget to watch the Paralympic Games
next month!
(Chinese).
And now let's go to our teachers.
Thank you, Michelle.
And thank you to our tour guide.
We took a 30-minute train ride to the mountains, and there is a lot going on
here.
There really is.
In fact, 10 out of the 15 Olympic competitions will be taking place in the
Krasnaya Polyana Mountains.
And if they're happening on mountains, that must mean skiing.
That's right, Carolyn.
I'm excited about this, but not just any kind of skiing.
Our tour guide told us not to be alarmed by the gunshots.
What?
Well, that sounds a little bit scary.
But before we talk about that, let's look at the phrase our guide used:
Please don't be alarmed.
If you are alarmed by something, that means you are surprised and scared or even
worried.
So if someone thinks that you might have that type of reaction, well, they can
say: Please don't be alarmed.
So for example, please don't be alarmed by the large crowds of people.
They are all here to watch the skiing events.
Ah, yes, some people would have trouble being in such a large crowd.
Now our guide told us not to be alarmed by the gunshots.
Why are there gunshots?
I thought this was a skiing location, something fun for the Winter Olympics, not
a hunting ground.
Well, that is a good question, Gabe.
But there is a special skiing event called the biathlon, which mixes skiing with
rifle shooting.
Wow! Now that's starting to sound interesting here.
Let's learn some more about that word: biathlon.
This is actually a combination of a prefix bi- and a suffix -athlon.
Perhaps you have heard other words like this?
You mean like triathlon?
Exactly.
Now what exactly is an athlon, Carolyn?
Yes, so let's look at those two parts of this word.
Athlon is the Greek word for a sporting event or a contest where athletes
compete for a prize.
Now what does "bi-" mean, Gabe?
Well, bi- means two.
So there are two parts to this sporting contest.
And at the Olympics, a biathlon is one part cross-country skiing and one part
rifle shooting.
Oh. So athletes must ski a long distance and stop throughout the course to shoot
at targets.
Yeah, that's right.
This sounds like a very exciting and challenging event.
It sure does, and it's being held in the mountains.
Now before we move on, let's talk a little bit more about those two events: the
biathlon and the triathlon, so.
Winter Olympics we have the biathlon.
And it's cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
That's right. I never would've guessed that.
If you asked me what a biathlon was, I wouldn't know that it included rifle
shooting.
No. I wouldn't have guessed that, either.
I would have thought it was like a shorter version of the triathlon.
So what's a triathlon, Gabe?
Well, a triathlon is a long race, and it includes running, biking and swimming.
I've never participated in a triathlon, but I know many people who have.
And of course it is a very fun kind of race.
Carolyn, have you ever joined a triathlon?
Well, it sounds like it would take a lot of training, a lot of work.
But actually, my uncle participated in the Ironman competition in South Korea.
OK. Now tell me a little bit about the Ironman.
Is that like any old triathlon?
No. This is like a super triathlon.
So the distances are much longer, and you need to be in great physical shape if
you want to participate in an Ironman competition.
All right.
So friends, we've talked about biathlons, triathlons and of course the Ironman.
That is one great, big race.
And of course, one maybe you've heard more about is just the regular marathon -
when you run many miles but it's just running.
That's right.
So I wonder, which one of these would you be interested in participating in?
Do you like winter sports like cross-country skiing and rifle shooting?
So you could try out the biathlon.
Or maybe you like doing a little more - biking, running, swimming.
You could check out the triathlon or even something bigger like the Ironman.
But if you just like running, maybe you can join a marathon or a half marathon.
There are so many events to think about and train for.
But you know, Liz has something that she wants to share with us about that last
sentence in the Grammar Gym.
Well, let's go!
Hi there, friends.
Thanks for joining me here at the Grammar Gym.
My name is Liz.
Let's have a look at today's Grammar Tip sentence.
Sliding events like the bobsled races will also be held in the mountains.
Notice the phrase at the end of the sentence: in the mountains.
Today we're going to talk about prepositions.
Notice how it's in the mountains, and not in the mountain.
When a subject is in the mountains, that means there are mountains all around.
But if we say in the mountain, we really mean the subject is inside the
mountain, like: Gold was found inside that mountain.
Now what if you're climbing a mountain and you finally reach the top?
Then we can say you're on the mountain.
For example:
Somewhere on that mountain is a log book for mountain climbers to record their
names when they've reached the top.
So, there you have it: in the mountains, in the mountain and on the mountain.
And if you'd like to see some more information, be sure to check out today's
Grammar Tip section in your Studio Classroom magazine.
That's it for today.
This is Liz from the Grammar Gym.
I'll see you next time.
Thanks, Liz.
Well, it looks like our tour has come to an end.
That's right. It's come to an end.
And that's too bad because there's still so much to see and do at the Winter
Olympics.
Well, I said that the tour was at an end, but not the Olympics and not our
lesson.
Hey, you're right about that, Carolyn.
We can still enjoy a review skit and the Editor's Summary.
That's exactly what I was thinking, Gabe.
Let's review today's lesson and enjoy our summary with Linda.
So are you enjoying the tour?
Yes. Winter Olympics are so exciting.
I know.
I love seeing the Olympic flame arrive in the stadium. It's great.
It's the longest distance the flame has ever traveled.
Yeah. It was carried to the North Pole and even went into space.
Did you enjoy touring the coasts?
Yeah. That's where the skating events will take place.
The skating events are among the most popular for Olympic fans.
The Iceberg Skating Palace is so cool.
It's new. And this train line is new, too.
It was added just for the Olympics.
It's so convenient.
You know, we boarded the train at the coast 30 minutes ago.
And here we are in the mountains.
Yes. Ten competitions are being held here.
They start today.
Oh, oh. Freestyle and ski jumping are my favorites.
Oh, don't be alarmed.
The biathlon event mixes skiing with shooting.
Oh. I like the sliding events.
Can we watch the bobsled races?
I'm sorry. This brings to an end today's Olympic tour.
The tour is over? Oh, no.
Oh, yes, but the Olympics are just beginning.
Yay!
Today we learned that a 30-minute ride away from Sochi are the Caucasus
Mountains where 15... competitions are being held.
All ski and sliding events along with the biathlon are taking place here.
The new train line makes it easy to get to, so no one will miss anything.
Well, those review skits are always great.
And the past two days have taken us on a very fun tour through Sochi as we
learned about the 2014 Winter Olympics.
And now that the Olympics have finally begun, there is a lot more that we can
enjoy by watching the games.
That's right.
Like hockey, for example. I'm so excited about watching a hockey game.
Now what are you planning to do as you watch the Olympics?
What do you think, Carolyn?
Well, I'll probably have some hot chocolate... and just sit there and enjoy
watching the games.
It's very chilly in Sochi for the Winter Olympics.
But I think it'll be very enjoyable, and I can watch it from the comfort of my
living room.
That's right.
It's nice and warm in your living room with your hot chocolate and your blanket.
Well, that's usually where I watch the Winter Olympic Games from as well.
I am excited about hockey.
But I'm also excited about some of the other things we've mentioned in our
lesson, like that game with that odd name: the skeleton.
What is that again exactly, Carolyn?
Ah. Well, the skeleton wasn't in our lesson, but it is one of those sledding
events that is mentioned.
And the skeleton is when a person goes face first down a narrow tube of ice.
It seems very scary.
Yep, it seems kind of scary.
I might be alarmed by something like that if I tried it myself.
But it seems like something kind of fun to watch.
It would be fun to watch but maybe a little scary to do.
Now something else that would be very wonderful to watch are the Paralympic
Games that are happening next month.
You're right about that, Carolyn.
These can be kind of fun to watch.
People with disabilities or special needs, um, sometimes will join the
Paralympic Games.
And there are so many different activities and games for the Paralympic Games as
well.
But for now, it's time to watch hockey.
Ah, well, you watch hockey, I'll have some hot chocolate.
And we'll see you next time right here at Studio Classroom.