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

• ☐ ☐ ☐ drag racing [n] - a a straight-line short-distance car race [image]
• ☐ ☐ ☐ squeeze the most AAA out of BBB [exp] - get the maximum amount of AAA from BBB
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a stride [n] - a long step when walking, running, or skating
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a freeway [n] - a wide, fast road for cars with no traffic lights
• ☐ ☐ ☐ an oval [n] - a long circle
• ☐ ☐ ☐ grueling [adj] - very tiring and difficult
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a time trial [n] - a race in which each competitor tries to get the fastest time, not a direct head-to-head race
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a lap [n] - one complete trip around a track
• ☐ ☐ ☐ cut off [phv] - move in front of someone suddenly and block their path
• ☐ ☐ ☐ jump the gun [exp] - start too early before the signal
• ☐ ☐ ☐ be waved out [exp] - be told to leave, be disqualified
• ☐ ☐ ☐ medal contention [exp] - being in a position to possibly win a medal
• ☐ ☐ ☐ shrink [v] - become smaller
• ☐ ☐ ☐ lean [v] - bend the body to one side
• ☐ ☐ ☐ scrape [v] - rub roughly against a surface
• ☐ ☐ ☐ mayhem [n] - chaos, confusion, disorder
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a mass start [n] - a race in which all competitors start at the same time
• ☐ ☐ ☐ slingshot [v] - move forward very quickly using momentum
• ☐ ☐ ☐ sprint [v] - run or move at top speed
• ☐ ☐ ☐ tactics [n] - strategies used to win
• ☐ ☐ ☐ launch [v] - start

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

1. Long track speed skating takes place on a 400-meter oval.
   True
   False
   
   
2. In long track races, four skaters compete on the track at the same time.
   True
   False
   
   
3. Missing a lane change in long track can lead to disqualification.
   True
   False
   
   
4. Short track racing happens on a hockey-sized rink.
   True
   False
   
   
5. In team pursuit, each team consists of three racers.
   True
   False
   
   
6. In team pursuit, the time is based on when the first skater finishes.
   True
   False
   
   
7. Teams must complete 60 laps around the track in team pursuit.
   True
   False
   
   

Score:

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. It's all about who can [ get, extract ] the most speed out of every [ step ].

   [ squeeze ] [ stride ]

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2. There are a variety of distances from 500 meters to a [ exhausting, demanding ] 10,000-meter race.

   [ grueling ]

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3. Miss your lane change, [ get in front of ] another racer, or [ start before ] the starting gun, and you can be [ disqualified ] of medal [ opportunity ].

   [ cut off ] [ jump ] [ waved out ] [ contention ]

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4. It's shoulder-to-shoulder [ chaos ].

   [ mayhem ]

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5. In the wild 16-lap [ group ] start, two dozen skaters [ start ] together.

   [ mass ] [ launch ]

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6. Part [ strategy ], part traffic jam, all chaos.

   [ tactics ]

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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.

• In long track skating, racers are on a 400-meter oval and hit freeway speeds in a variety of distances (from) 500 meters (to) a grueling 10,000-meter race.
• Each race (is) a time trial.
• Two skaters on the track, one in the inner lane, one on the outer, trading places (every) lap.
• Miss your lane change, cut off another racer, (or) jump the starting gun, and you can (be) waved out of medal contention.
• Then there's short track racing, (which) shrinks the action into a hockey-sized rink.
• They lean (so) far into the turns that their hands scrape the ice.
• Three skaters from each country move like a flying zipper, taking (turns) at the front and winning or losing by the (time) the last skater crosses the finish line.
• They sprint for points along the (way).

1. The text compares speed skating to “drag racing on ice.” Do you think this is a good comparison? Why or why not?
2. In long track, skaters race against the clock. In short track, skaters race directly against each other. Which style do you think feels more exciting to watch?
3. Which event sounds the most difficult: long track, short track, or team pursuit? Which sounds the most fun? Give reasons.
4. Which countries do you think usually do the best in these events?
   
   Long track: Netherlands, Norway, United States, Germany, Russia
   Short track: South Korea, China, Canada, United States, Netherlands
   Team pursuit: Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Norway
   
   
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5. Did any of the countries on the lists surprise you? Why do you think these countries tend to have the most success?