1、Activate and ShareRead and Discuss Words and phrasesto push oneself to the limits to be totally focused on the sportto give up everything for the sport to strive for greatnessto live ones life to extremes to be willing to do the extra little bitdefensive: intended to protect yourself from being crit
2、icizedintensity: the quality of being extreme or very strongsacrifice: something valuable that you give up in order to achieve something, or the act of giving it up triathlete: a competitor in a competition in which people competing must swim, ride a bicycle and run particular distances without stop
3、ping between events1. What is the article about?2. Is it from an encyclopedia entry, an academic book or possibly a blog?3. Who do you think the writer is?Read and Explore Read Answer the questions.1. The article tells the story of an athlete and the sacrifices she makes for her sport.2. I think it
4、is from a blog.3. I think the writer is a triathlete.Read and Explore Read paragraphs 1-4 on page 36. Complete the information. Why do Olympic athletes push themselves to the limits? As one of the Olympic athletes, I miss birthday parties, ruin family holidays and skip nights out, but there is a ver
5、y good reason for giving up so much. “Were worried about you,” said my friend from across the table. He was worried that I had no longer become fun to train with and that I was in danger of being left with only a world championship medal and no one to share it with. I could have become angry or defe
6、nsive. Dont they know how hard it is to be at the top in sport? Dont they know what it takes to get there? However, deep down I knew elements of what he was saying were right. I was always tired and every workout had a mental intensity that seemed too much for most to handle. I was pushing the limit
7、s and extremes beyond what most thought were healthy.These are the fears I face as a professional athlete on a day-to-day basis. Who am I doing this for? How much is too much? Why am I doing this? How can I be so selfish? What are the sacrifices for?I think of countless birthday parties and nights o
8、ut I have missed, ruining a family holiday in France because of the endless search for a swimming pool to train in, almost missing my brothers wedding because I was too busy hiring a car in downtown Johannesburg and driving through the “no-go” areas in order to do a group ride with the local triathl
9、etes. The list is endless.Read and Explore Read paragraphs 1-4 on page 36. Complete the information.The situation the writer faces Things she gives up as an Olympic athlete. _Her friends worries and her reactions._The fears she faces on a daily basis._Birthday parties, family holidays, nights out. S
10、he will lose her friends; She knew they were right.Whether she is pushing the limits too much; whether she is being selfish.6Answer the questions based on what you have read. 1. Did her friend understand her? Why? 2. Did the writer get angry with her friend? Did she try to explain? Why?3. Was she cl
11、ear about why she had chosen to be an athlete? How do you know?3. Yes, she was. From the description of her sacrifice we could know she is a “go-getter” with an enormous amount of drive and determination to be the best. We can see that through her descriptions such as “ruining a family holiday becau
12、se of the endless search for a swimming pool to train in”, “almost missed my brothers wedding because I was busy hiring a car and driving through the no go areas in order to do a group ride with the local triathletes.”1. No, he didnt, because he was afraid that when she reached the top she would hav
13、e no friends.2. No, she didnt, because she knew what her friend said was right and she was pushing the limits too hard. She did not try to explain because most people would not understand. 6It boils down to this: I was born with an enormous amount of drive and determination. From a small girl, I wou
14、ld stay in at lunch time just to get ahead on class work rather than go out and play; I would get the bus on my own at ten years old and go to swim 100 lengths of the pool while other kids played pool games; I was the only girl in a rugby club of 250 boys. I have always lived my life to extremes. Ca
15、ll it unhealthy if you want, but that is the way I roll, no matter what it is Im applying myself to.Being a professional athlete is no different. If you want to be an Olympic champion, its all about that little extra thing you have done in your preparation that will set you apart from your competito
16、rs.Can this be overdone? Absolutely. But if your dream is to be the best and reach the winners platform, you had better be totally committed to your sport. In the words of the British triathlete Alistair Brownlee, even if it means getting injured, “Id prefer to have three or four outstanding years o
17、f winning stuff than having ten years of being average.”Doing what we do as athletes sets us apart because we are willing to do that extra little bit that might take us to the top. It is certainly not a balanced way to live and it is certainly not normal but those words are generally not used for an
18、yone who is striving for greatness.Read paragraphs 5-8. Identify the reasons why the writer was able to get to the top.get ahead on class work rather than go out and play the only girl in a rugby club of 250 boysget the bus on her own at ten years oldgo to swim 100 lengths of the pool while other ki
19、ds played pool gamesSuggested Answers: 6Read again. What do the phrases or sentence refer to? a very good reason (line 3)The list is endless.(line 19)on a day-to-day basis (line 12) an enormous amount of drive and determination (line 20)three or four outstanding years of winning stuff (lines 37-38)
20、An enormous amount of drive and determination: refers that from a small girl, I would stay in at lunch time just to get ahead on class work rather than go out and play; I would get the bus on my own at ten years old and go to swim 100 lengths of the pool while other kids played pool games; I was the
21、 only girl in a rugby club of 250 boys. I have always lived my life to extremes.A very good reason: refers that it takes a lot to be at the top.On a day-to-day basis: refers to every day.The list is endless: refers to countless birthday parties and nights out I have missed, ruining a family holiday
22、in France because of the endless search for a swimming pool to train in, almost missing my brothers wedding because I was too busy hiring a car in downtown Johannesburg and driving through the “no-go” areas in order to do a group ride with the local triathletes.Three or four outstanding years of win
23、ning stuff: refers that if your dream is to be the best and reach the winners platform, you had better be totally committed to your sport. 6Which statements are true according to the article?1. The writer is a professional triathlete.2. Her first sport was rugby.3. At first, she was afraid to join t
24、he rugby club because it had 250 boys.4. She missed many birthday parties, ruined family holidays and skipped nights out for the sport she devoted herself to. 5. What makes an Olympic champion stand out from other competitors is the special talent she or he has.6. Although she knows that her way of
25、life is unbalanced or unhealthy, she is determined to continue.TTT6Think and Share Answer the questions.1. What are the three most important reasons why the writer was able to get to the top? Find evidence to support your conclusion.2. What is your opinion about the writers attitude and commitment t
26、o the profession she has chosen? 1. The first important reason is that she was born with an enormous amount of drive and determination (in paragraph 5). The second important reason is that she has always lived her life to extremes, whatever it is she is applying herself to (in paragraph 6). The thir
27、d reason is that as a professional athlete she is prepared to do that little extra in her preparation that sets her apart from her competitors (in paragraph 8) . 2. I think she will get to the top because she has so much commitment to the profession she has chosen and she is so determined to be the
28、best.6Complete the summary. enormous outstanding extreme countless intensity length selfish normal boil down to apply myself It 1. this: I was born with an 2. amount of drive and determination. In my attempt to strive for greatness, I made 3. sacrifice, living my life to 4. where every workout had a
29、 mental 5. that seemed too much for most people. If you are not totally committed to your sport and want to lead a 6. life, you can never be a(n) 7. athlete, let alone an Olympic champion. You may think it is unhealthy or 8. to go to these 9. , but that is the way I roll, no matter what Im 10. to.1.
30、 boils down to 2. enormous 3. countless 4. extremes 5. intensity6. normal 7. outstanding 8. selfish9. length10. applying myself6Complete the sentences using the or zero articles. 1. Why do Olympic athletes push themselves to limits?2. I miss birthday parties, ruin family holidays and skip nights out
31、.3. “Were worried about you,” said my friend from across table.4. Dont they know how hard it is to be at top in sport?5. . because I was too busy hiring a car in downtown Johannesburg.6. I was born with an enormous amount of drive and determination.7. I was only girl in a rugby club of 250 boys.8. B
32、ut if your dream is to be best and reach the winners platform, you had better be totally committed to your sport.1. the 2. /3. the 4. the 7. the 8. the 5. /6. /6Find examples for the rules about definite article the and zero articles from the sentences in Activity 10. We use the definite article the
33、:when there is only one of something (e.g. the top).when we refer to something unique (e.g. )for superlatives (e.g. ) for known things that do not need to be introduced or explained (e.g. ).for certain idioms (e.g. ) We use the zero article:with proper nouns, i.e. the names of people and places (e.g
34、. ).with plural countable nouns referring to things in general (e.g. ).with uncountable nouns referring to something in general (e.g. ) the only girl the best the sacrificesacross the table, put the limit Johannesburg birthday partiesdrive6Complete the sentences with “the” or “/”.1. How far is it fr
35、om capital city?2. Did you see last episode of Heroes?3. Ive bought a new phone. phones got a fantastic camera.4. Who is best singer at the moment?5. All children should do sports when they are at _school.6. Is that house where you grew up?/theThethethethe/HomeworkWrite your own opinions about how to get to the top.
