Improve your English with an ESL lesson about the 2026 Winter Olympics

• ☐ ☐ ☐ precision [n] - being very accurate and exact
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a blade [n] - the thin metal parts under ice skates [image]
• ☐ ☐ ☐ an eighth [exp] - ⅛
• ☐ ☐ ☐ an inch [n] - 2.54 cm
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a discipline [n] - a category of a sport
• ☐ ☐ ☐ an axel [n] - a type of jump in figure skating
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a lutz [n] - a type of jump in figure skating
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a rotation [n] - one complete spin or turn
• ☐ ☐ ☐ determine [v] - decide, control
• ☐ ☐ ☐ pairs [n] - two skaters performing together
• ☐ ☐ ☐ daring [adj] - brave and risky
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a lift [n] - a move where one skater raises another
• ☐ ☐ ☐ synchronized [adj] - moving at the same time in the same way
• ☐ ☐ ☐ intricate [adj] - detailed and complex
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a routine [n] - a planned series of movements
• ☐ ☐ ☐ technical [adj] - related to skill
• ☐ ☐ ☐ artistry [n] - creative and artistic quality
• ☐ ☐ ☐ interpretation [n] - the way something is understood or expressed
• ☐ ☐ ☐ an edge [n] - the thin side of a skate blade

[n] - noun,  [v] - verb,  [phv] - phrasal verb,  [adj] - adjective,  [exp] - expression

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1. Figure skating combines athletic strength with artistic performance.
   True
   False
   
   
2. Olympic figure skating has four different categories.
   True
   False
   
   
3. Every figure skating event includes a short program and a free skate.
   True
   False
   
   
4. In singles skating, the difficulty of jumps depends on how many rotations are completed.
   True
   False
   
   
5. Ice dance focuses mainly on high jumps and throws.
   True
   False
   
   
6. In singles, skaters are judged only on technical elements like jumps and spins.
   True
   False
   
   
7. In ice dance, skaters are only judged on presentation like artistry and interpretation.
   True
   False
   
   

Score:

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Directions: What expressions from the video have the same meaning as the highlighted expressions in the sentences below?

Instrucciones: ¿Qué expresiones del video tienen el mismo significado que las expresiones destacadas en las oraciones siguientes?

Instruções: Quais expressões do vídeo têm o mesmo significado que as expressões destacadas nas frases abaixo?

지시 사항: 아래 문장에서 강조된 표현과 같은 의미를 가진 표현을 영상에서 찾아보세요.

1. Skaters combine power, [ accuracy, exactness ] , and performance.

   [ precision ]

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2. The number of [ 360° spins ] determines the difficulty.

   [ rotations ]

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3. Pairs adds [ brave, bold ] lifts and [ in unison, coordinated ] spins.

   [ daring ] [ synchronized ]

   Show Hide
   
   
4. In ice dance, they focus on [ complicated ] footwork, lifts, connection, and storytelling.

   [ intricate ]

   Show Hide
   
   
5. Every [ performance ] is judged on two things: [ skill-based ] elements and presentation.

   [ routine ] [ technical ]

   Show Hide
   
   

Directions: Choose the most natural word (only one word) for each blank.

Instrucciones: Elige la palabra más natural (solo una palabra) para cada espacio en blanco.

Instruções: Escolha a palavra mais natural (apenas uma palavra) para cada espaço em branco.

지시 사항: 빈칸마다 가장 자연스러운 단어(한 단어만)를 선택하세요.

• Figure skating is (one) of (the) most artistic and athletic sports at (the) Winter Olympics.
• Skaters combine power, precision, (and) performance, all while balancing (on) blades just an eighth of an inch wide.
• There (are) four Olympic disciplines: singles for men and women, pairs, and ice dance.
• Each event (has) two parts: a short program and a free skate, also called the long program.
• Single skaters perform jumps (like) the axel and lutz, (where) the number of rotations determines the difficulty.
• Pairs adds daring lifts (and) synchronized spins.
• (In) ice dance, they focus (on) intricate footwork, lifts, connection, and storytelling.
• Every routine (is) judged on two things: technical elements, (like) jumps and spins, and presentation, (which) is based on artistry, interpretation, and how the skater connects (with) the music.
• (When) it all comes together, it (is) a magical balance of athletic power and pure expression.
• It's (not) just sport, it's art in motion on (the) thinnest edge imaginable.

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Directions: Write sentences about the video clip using the words given. You can change the word form or add words, but you cannot change the word order.
Use a present time frame (tense).
( ) = optional   [ ] = necessary

Instrucciones: Escriba oraciones sobre el videoclip usando las palabras dadas. Puede cambiar la forma de la palabra o agregar palabras, pero no puede cambiar el orden de las palabras. Usa el tiempo presente.
( ) = opcional   [ ] = necesario

Instruções: Escribe oraciones sobre el videoclip usando las palabras dadas. Puede cambiar la forma de las palabras o agregar palabras, pero no puede cambiar el orden de las palabras. Usa tiempo presente.
( ) = opcional   [ ] = necessário

지시 : 주어진 단어를 사용하여 비디오 클립에 대한 문장을 씁니다. 어형을 변경하거나 단어를 추가할 수 있지만 어순은 변경할 수 없습니다. 현재 시제를 사용합니다.
( ) = 선택 사항   [ ] = 필수 사항

figure / skate / winter / Olympic / sport / that / combine / athletic / skill / with / artistic / expression

Figure skating is a Winter Olympic sport that combines athletic skill with artistic expression.

skater / perform / very / thin / blade / while / show / power / balance / creative

Skaters perform on very thin blades while showing power, balance, and creativity.

Skaters perform on very thin blades while they show power, balance, and creativity.

there / four / Olympic / discipline / men / single / women / single / pair / ice / dance

There are four Olympic disciplines: men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, and ice dance.

each / event / include / short / program / free / skate

Each event includes a short program and a free skate.

judge / score / routine / based / technical / element / presentation

Judges score routines based on technical elements and presentation.

when / both / these / element / strong / figure / skate / become / powerful / mix / sport / art

When both of these elements are strong, figure skating becomes a powerful mix of sport and art.

1. What else do you know about figure skating (not mentioned in the video)?
2. Which discipline sounds most interesting to you: singles, pairs, or ice dance? Why?
3. Some people say figure skating is more art than sport. Do you agree?
4. Do you think it is harder to judge technical skill or artistic performance? Why?
5. If you were a skater, what music would you choose for your skating routine?
6. Below are some famous gold medal-winning figure skaters. Do you know any of their names? What countries are they from? When did they win?
   
   
   

   Yuna Kim
   Korea
   Gold Medal: 2010

   

   Evgeni Plushenko
   Russia
   Gold Medal: 2006
   
   
   
   

   Yuzuru Hanyu
   Japan
   Gold Medal: 2014, 2018

   

   Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov
   Russia
   Gold Medal: 1988, 1994
   
   
   
   

   Nathan Chen
   USA
   Gold Medal: 2022

   

   Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir
   Canada
   Gold Medal: 2010, 2018

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