Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. close (adj.) [klohs]– having very little difference
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. close (adj.) [klohs]– having very little difference
Example: The basketball game ended 80-79, making it a very close game.
2. lap (n.) [lap]– [in sports] a complete course or track that a person goes through
Example: The athlete trained for the competition by swimming ten laps in the pool every day.
3. clash (v.) [klash]– to hit another object while moving
Example: The two cars clashed briefly, but the cars continued racing towards the finish line.
4. momentous (adj.) [moh-men-tuhs]– very important
Example: The team’s first win was a momentous event that encouraged them to win many more games.
5. hero (n.) [heer-oh]– a person who is admired for doing something great
Example: Michael Jordan became a hero to fans because of his great skill in playing basketball.
Article
Read the text below.
Last December in Bologna, Italy, thirteen-year-old Shinji Sawada raced against champions from 20 different countries and took first place at the 2012 Red Bull Kart Fight.
It was a close race. At the 28th and final lap, Sawada’s kart clashed with the kart of his competitor, 23-year-old Vasily Rozhkov from Russia. Rozhkov had the fastest laps recorded that day, but Sawada managed to race ahead after they clashed in the last lap and to finish just a little bit ahead of the Russian.
The third place went to 19-year-old Croatian, Ivan Visak. Unexpectedly, the fastest racer in the qualifying rounds, 24-year-old Italian Mirko Laurito, only ended up in fifth place.
Rozhkov was upset at first. He was disappointed that he did not win the championship. Later on, Rozhkov realized that getting second place was still a great achievement, especially when racing against the best kart racers from all over the world.
The Red Bull Kart Fight was a momentous experience for Sawada. Not only did he win the Red Bull Kart Fight, but he also gained a lot of experience. It was his first trip outside Japan so everything was new to him.
Sawada also got the chance to meet some of his racing heroes among the many racers who watched the competition. Many professional racers including Sebastian Loeb from France and David Coulthard from Scotland praised and congratulated the young Sawada for his performance.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· Do you think children should be encouraged to get into sports or should they focus on studying/other activities?
· What are the advantages and disadvantages of being involved in sports while still young?
Discussion B
· How involved were you in sports when you were younger?
· What sport would you recommend for children or young people?