The victory of the underdog over the favored team, the last-minute penalty shot that wins the tournament, the high-energy training montages. Many people love to glorify victory on the playing field, cheer for favorite teams, and play sports. But here's a question: Should we be so obsessed with sports? Is playing sports actually as good for us as we make it out to be, or just a fun and entertaining pastime? What does science have to say? First of all, it's well accepted that exercise is good for our bodies and minds, and that's definitely true. Exercising, especially when we're young, has all sorts of health benefits, like strengthening our bones, clearing out bad cholesterol from our arteries, and decreasing the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Our brains also release a number of chemicals when we workout, including endorphins. These natural hormones, which control pain and pleasure responses in the central nervous system, can lead to feelings of euphoria, or, what's often called, a runner's high. Increased endorphins and consistent physical activity in general can sharpen your focus and improve your mood and memory. So, does that mean we get just as much benefit going to the gym five days a week as we would joining a team and competing? Well, here's where it gets interesting: because it turns out that if you can find a sport and a team you like, studies show that there are all sorts of benefits that go beyond the physical and mental benefits of exercise alone.
Some of the most significant are psychological benefits, both in the short and long term. Some of those come from the communal experience of being on a team, for instance, learning to trust and depend on others, to accept help, to give help, and to work together towards a common goal. In addition, commitment to a team and doing something fun can also make it easier to establish a regular habit of exercise. School sport participation has also been shown to reduce the risk of suffering from depression for up to four years. Meanwhile, your self-esteem and confidence can get a big boost. There are a few reasons for that. One is found in training. Just by working and working at skills, especially with a good coach, you reinforce a growth mindset within yourself. That's when you say, "Even if I can't do something today, I can improve myself through practice and achieve it eventually." That mindset is useful in all walks of life. And then there's learning through failure, one of the most transformative, long-term benefits of playing sports. The experience of coming to terms with defeat can build the resilience and self-awareness necessary to manage academic, social, and physical hurdles. So even if your team isn't winning all the time, or at all, there's a real benefit to your experience.
“you'll be a part of a supportive community”
Now, not everyone will enjoy every sport. Perhaps one team is too competitive, or not competitive enough. It can also take time to find a sport that plays to your strengths. That's completely okay. But if you spend some time looking, you'll be able to find a sport that fits your individual needs, and if you do, there are so many benefits. You'll be a part of a supportive community, you'll be building your confidence, you'll be exercising your body, and you'll be nurturing your mind, not to mention having fun.
Questions:
Part 1: Comprehension
Watch and summarize the video thinking of who, what, when, where & why.
Part 2: True or False Questions
a) True or false – The video recommends that people should just play sports in a team. T/F
b) True or False – Increased endorphins and consistent physical activity, in general, can sharpen your focus. T/F
c) True or False – Most people enjoy playing sports in a team. T/F
d) True or False – The speaker believes that losing can also have benefits. T/F
Part 4: Dictation
a) Fill in the blanks (0:15 - 0:23 minutes) Many ________________________________________________________ sports.
b) Fill in the blanks (1:10 - 1:19 minutes) Increased _____________________________________________________memory.
c) Fill in the blanks (3:11 - 3:30 minutes) But____________________________________________________________benefits.
Part 5: Talking Points
1. Do you exercise regularly?
2. Do you play any sport in a team?
3. What sports did you play when you were in school? Tell me about a memorable experience playing sports when you were in school.
4. Do you think diet is more important than exercise? Why or why not?
5. Are there any sports you have never played but you would like to try? Why?
6. Do you prefer playing in a team or exercising alone?
7. With rising obesity levels throughout the world, do you think the government should do more to encourage exercise or promote sports?
8. Do you think men and women should play sports together in competition?
9. Do you support any sports teams domestic or foreign? Why do you support them? tell me in as much detail as you can about them.
10. Do you have any future plans to start a new sport or a way to stay healthy? What will you do to maintain or improve your health in the future?
Part 6: Role play Scenarios
Scenario 1: Joining a sports team.
In this scenario, one person plays the role of a coach, and another person plays the role of a student who is interested in joining the coach's sports team. The student asks questions about the team, such as when they practice, what the expectations are for players, and what kind of commitment is required. The coach can describe the benefits of being on the team, such as building teamwork skills and improving physical fitness.
Scenario 2: Encouraging a friend to exercise.
In this scenario, one person plays the role of a friend who doesn't exercise regularly, and another person plays the role of a friend who wants to encourage them to start exercising. The second friend can suggest different activities, such as going for a walk together or taking a fitness class. They can also talk about the benefits of exercise, such as reducing stress and improving overall health.
Scenario 3: Setting fitness goals.
In this scenario, two people talk about setting fitness goals and how to achieve them. They can discuss different types of exercise, such as cardio or weightlifting, and set specific goals, such as running a certain distance or lifting a certain weight. They can also talk about the importance of tracking progress and staying motivated, such as by using a fitness app or joining a fitness group.
Part 7: Writing Activity
Tell me about the last time you played sports in a team, what sports did you play? Did you enjoy it? Did your team win? What happened?
Part 8: Critical Thinking - Should there be sports in schools?
Objective: To reach a consensus on whether to implement a school sports program and, if so, what sports to include.
Team A thinks that there should be a sports program in schools and team B is against it.
Answers:
Part 1: Comprehension
This is a video about the benefits of playing sports and how it can help improve your physical and mental health. The speaker talks about not just the benefits of exercise but also the additional benefits of playing sports in a team. The speaker states that all exercise is good for our body in terms of lowering cholesterol, strengthening bones, and lowering blood pressure. The speaker describes how exercise produces endorphins which in turn improve both mood and memory. Lastly, the speaker proposes that exercise or playing sports with a team can have further benefits such as long-term and short-term psychological benefits. Some examples include learning to work as a team and learning to trust others. The speaker does state that it can take time to find a sport that you like and plays to your strengths but eventually you can find one that meets and individual needs. This video is a Ted talk and, in my opinion, I think it was made to help raise awareness that sport is good for both our body and mind.
Part 2: True or False
A: False B: True C: False D: True
Part 3: Guess the meaning of unknown vocabulary or phrases
a) "Euphoria" Answer: I think euphoria means an intense feeling of happiness or excitement because in the video the speaker talks about how our bodies release endorphins when we exercise, and these usually make us feel very happy.
b) "Self-esteem" Answer: In my opinion self-esteem means being confident in your ability to do something because in the listening the speaker talks about how sports can improve confidence and reduce the risk of depression.
c) "All walks of life" Answer: I think all walks of life means everyone no matter what your job or background is because in the video the speaker states a quote that can apply to everyone no matter where they are from or what they do. ("Even if I can't do something today, I can improve myself through practice and achieve it eventually.")
d) "Hurdles" Answer: I think a hurdle means a difficulty that we must overcome because in the listening the speaker describes the various types of hurdles both mental and physical ones and says that sports help us to defeat them.
Part 4: Dictation
a) Fill in the blanks (0:15 - 0:20 minutes) Many people love to glorify victory on the playing field, cheer for favorite teams, and play sports.
b) Fill in the blanks (0:22 - 0:39 minutes) Increased endorphins and consistent physical activity in general can sharpen your focus and improve your mood and memory.
c) Fill in the blanks (1:22 - 1:50 minutes) But if you spend some time looking, you'll be able to find a sport that fits your individual needs, and if you do, there are so many benefits.
Part 7: Writing (example)
Last month, I had a fun day playing golf with my coworkers. We split into two teams, and we played at a beautiful local golf course. The weather was perfect. Our team won, but it was really close, just by two shots. We had a great time, and we all laughed a lot while we played. After golf we went for lunch in the golf club, they served some fantastic burgers. We also had a few well deserved cold beers. It was a special day where we became even better friends outside of work, and I'll always remember it.
