📙 Part 2: Describe a sports event that you would like to attend as part of the audience

This episode's vocabulary

Firsthand (adverb) – by experiencing something directly rather than hearing about it. → I wanted to see the festival firsthand instead of watching it online.

Go up against (phrasal verb) – to compete or face someone in a challenge. → Our team will go up against the champions next week.

Once-in-a-lifetime (adjective) – extremely rare and unlikely to happen again. → Seeing the northern lights was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Vicariously (adverb) – experiencing something through another person rather than directly. → I live vicariously through my sister's travel photos since I can't afford to travel.

Electrifying (adjective) – extremely exciting and thrilling. → The concert atmosphere was absolutely electrifying.

Atmosphere (noun) – the mood or feeling created in a particular place or situation. → The café has a really cozy atmosphere that makes you want to stay longer.

Cheering on (phrasal verb) – encouraging and supporting someone enthusiastically. → The fans were cheering on their team throughout the match.

Catch up on (phrasal verb) – to learn about or do something you missed. → I need to catch up on the news after being away for a week.

Huge fan (noun phrase) – someone who is very enthusiastic about something. → I'm a huge fan of traditional music and attend concerts regularly.

Join in (phrasal verb) – to participate or become involved in an activity. → Everyone was singing, so I decided to join in.

Overwhelming (adjective) – so intense or large that it's difficult to handle. → The amount of information was overwhelming at first.

Memorable (adjective) – worth remembering; making a lasting impression. → My graduation ceremony was one of the most memorable days of my life.

Immersive (adjective) – providing a deeply engaging experience. → The museum offers an immersive exhibition with interactive displays.

Perspective (noun) – a particular way of viewing or understanding something. → Traveling gives you a different perspective on life.

Anticipation (noun) – excited expectation about something that will happen. → The anticipation before the exam results was nerve-wracking.

Questions and Answers

Maria: You should say what it is, who you want to watch it with, why you want to be part of the audience, and explain how you feel about it.

Rory: I'd quite like to see how things are at the Olympics first hand, if I could. It's this big international sports competition where different athletes from around the world go up against each other in various events. I think it happens about once every four years in a major city. Well, cities, I suppose, since there's a summer and a winter Olympics, and I'm pretty sure they happen in different places. I think the last ones were in France or various French territories, because they couldn't have surfing in Paris, for example. I think they needed to have it in a different place. Anyway, ideally, I'd like to go in the summer, well the summer one, since it would be a good chance to travel and have a nice time in the sun while seeing a once-in-a-lifetime event like that. Plus, I already live in a country that is usually cold, so I don't think I'd be missing much if it were the winter Olympics.

When it comes to who I'd go with, I'm not really sure. Maybe just by myself or some close friends who are into certain sports, then I can kind of live vicariously through their excitement with things, because I'm not a huge sports fan. That's just one of the reasons I'd like to be in the crowds. There's also the atmosphere that such an event might generate, as people are cheering on their nation's teams to win at various events. That must be pretty electrifying. And like I said, it's something that only happens once in your lifetime. Even if it's once every four years, it always happens in different places, and the style and management of the event is always different. So it's always unique. Or it seems that way, at least. I'm not really an expert.

While it would be good fun to go and see what happens with the various sports, like diving and running, if I don't get to go and see it, I won't be too upset. After all, these things are always recorded these days, so it's easy to catch up on what actually happened. It is fun to dream about what might be, though.

Maria: And what about your friends? Would they like to join in?

Rory: I think they'd probably like to go more than I would.