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

• ☐ ☐ ☐ precision [n] - exactness, great accuracy
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a sharp turn [exp] - a sudden, quick turn
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a slope [n] - a steep hill
• ☐ ☐ ☐ navigate [v] - find and follow a path
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a gate [n] - a pair of poles that skiers must pass between in a race [image]
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a discipline [n] - a specific type or event within a sport
• ☐ ☐ ☐ technical [adj] - focused on skill
• ☐ ☐ ☐ tight [adj] - close together with little space between
• ☐ ☐ ☐ zigzag [v] - move quickly left and right in sharp turns [image]
• ☐ ☐ ☐ reflexes [n] - quick physical reactions without thinking
• ☐ ☐ ☐ blend [v] - combine
• ☐ ☐ ☐ precise [adj] - exact, accurate
• ☐ ☐ ☐ adrenaline [n] - a hormone that increases excitement in dangerous or exciting situations
• ☐ ☐ ☐ carve [v] - make smooth, controlled turns on skis (cut)
• ☐ ☐ ☐ razor-sharp [adj] - very sharp
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a run [n] - one complete race from start to finish down the course
• ☐ ☐ ☐ flawless [adj] - perfect, no mistakes
• ☐ ☐ ☐ a slip [n] - a small mistake, a loss of balance
• ☐ ☐ ☐ empty-handed [adj] - without winning, receiving nothing

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

1. There are four disciplines in Alpine skiing.
   True
   False
   
   
2. The turns are sharper in Giant Slalom than in Slalom.
   True
   False
   
   
3. Super G stands for Super Gate Slalom
   True
   False
   
   
4. Downhill racers can reach speeds over 80 miles per hour.
   True
   False
   
   
5. Timing is used to determine the winners in Alpine skiing races.
   True
   False
   
   
6. In all Alpine skiing events, the fastest run decides the winner.
   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. Alpine skiing is all about speed, [ accuracy ], and sharp turns.

   [ precision ]

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2. Racing down icy slopes while [ steering through ] gates.

   [ navigating ]

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3. Giant Slalom opens the turns a bit, [ combining ] speed with skill.

   [ blending ]

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4. Skiers reach speeds over 80 mph, flying over jumps and [ cutting ] through turns with [ very ] sharp control.

   [ carving ] [ razor ]

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5. It's a mix of raw courage, strength, and [ perfect ] technique.

   [ flawless ]

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6. One [ mistake ] can make the difference between gold and going home [ with nothing ].

   [ slip ] [ empty-handed ]

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Directions: Choose the correct verb form.

• Alpine (ski) ski skies skied skiing (skiing) is all about speed, precision, and sharp turns.
• It involves (race) race races raced racing (racing) down icy slopes while (navigate) navigate navigates navigated navigating (navigating) gates.
• Racers (zigzag) zigzag zigzags zigzaged zigzaging (zigzag) through closely (space) space spaces spaced spacing (spaced) gates, (test) test tests tested testing (testing) agility and quick reflexes.
• Giant Slalom (open) open opens opened opening (opens) the turns a bit, (blend) blend blends blended blending (blending) speed with skill.
• Super G (push) push pushes pushed pushing (pushes) athletes faster while still (require) require requires required requiring (requiring) precise turns.
• Skiers (reach) reach reachs reached reaching (reach) speeds over 80 mph, (fly) fly flies flied flying (flying) over jumps and (carve) carve carves carved carving (carving) through turns with razor-sharp control.
• Each run is (time) time times timed timing (timed) .
• The fastest (combine) combine combines combined combining (combined) score or single run, (depend) depend depends depended depending (depending) on the event, (win) win wins won winning (wins) .
• Alpine (ski) ski skies skied skiing (skiing) at the Olympics isn't just (race) race races raced racing (racing) .
• It's a (thrill) thrill thrills thrilled thrilling (thrilling) dance between speed and control, where one slip can make the difference between gold and (go) go goes gone going (going) home empty-handed.

1. Can you explain the difference between the four disciplines: Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super G, and Downhill?
2. Which do you find more impressive: quick, tight turns in Slalom or the high speeds in Downhill? Explain your choice.
3. If you trained for Alpine skiing, which discipline would you choose to specialize in? Why?
4. Do you prefer skiing or snowboarding? Why?
5. When you are skiing or snowboarding, what do you enjoy more: going fast or doing tricks and jumps? Why?
6. What are your favorite moments from the Olympics so far?
7. What is your favorite memory from any Winter Olympics?