SESSION 10: EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION AND FINAL TASK
2. EXERCISES FOR DISCUSSION:
2.1 PROTECT: How can Britain protect its Olympic Games? Think about the problems these things my have and the measures the British government should take:
- the Olympic Park
- the athletes
- spectators
- the website
- London
- the Marathon
2.2 SPORT: What´s best? Rank the following, put the best at the top:
- Olympics
- Formula 1
- Tennis Opens
- Golf Opens
- Fifa Soccer World Cup
- America´s Cup Yacht Race
- NFL Super Bowl
- Baseball World Series
2.3 DISCUSSION: Here are some questions you can try asking yourself before you come to our discussion on Wednesday:
a) What did you think when you read the headline?
b) What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘Olympics’?c) What are your earliest memories of the Olympics?
d) How high-profile are the Olympics?
e) How easy or difficult do you think it is for terrorists to attack the Olympics?
f) Do you ever worry about terrorism?
g) What do you think of the Olympics being protected by missiles?
h) Would this news keep you from attending the Olympics or make you feel safer?
i) Are the Olympics a bigger target because they are in London?
j) Why do you think the Olympics security coordinator is denying reports that missiles will be deployed?
k) How important are the Olympics?
l) What’s your favourite Olympics event?
m) How happy are you when athletes from your country win gold?
n) What do you know of previous terrorist attacks at the Olympics?
o) How safe will London be during the Olympics?
p) What will an undercover FBI do at the London Olympics?
q) How important is it for a country to hold the Olympics?
r) Are you looking forward to the Games?
s) What questions would you like to ask London's Olympic security coordinator Chris Allison?
PREPARING A DISCUSSION IS FUNDAMENTAL:
THIS MUST BE DONE IN TWO DIRECTIONS:
FIRST, YOU NEED TO LEARN NEW VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO USE FOR THE DISCUSSION.
SECONDLY, YOU HAVE TO PREPARE THE TOPIC BY LOOKING UP INFORMATION IN THE INTERNET, BOOKS, ENCYCLOPAEDIAS.
THIS WAY YOU WILL FEEL MUCH MORE CONFIDENT AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU WILL HAVE MUCH MORE TO TALK ABOUT.
FINAL TASK:
HERE IS ONE FINAL TASK THAT YOU MAY DO IN ORDER TO COVER THE FOUR SKILLS YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON WHEN LEARNING A LANGUAGE: LISTENING, READING, SPEAKING AND WRITING.
Write a composition and leave it in the blog as a comment to Session 10, I will edit it in the blog so that everybody can learn from other people´s opinions:
- How important is it for a city to hold the Olympic Games? Express your opinion.
- Security in the Olimpic Games. Express your opinion.
Since the first Olympic Games were held in Olympia 2,700 years ago, The Games have become the most visible and spectacular sporting event in our modern society. Indeed, it has the capacity to be an enormous catalyst for a host region, city and country, adapting sport facilities and creating new opportunities within the chosen city. However, the potential for negative as well as positive effects is therefore significant.
ReplyDeleteClearly, the local sporting benefits created by the Games, can provide a significant boost to the local economy. Indeed, from the beginning, the Olympic Games have played an important role in attracting new businesses, so this means that wider investment in tourism, transport, hotel accommodation etc… are often necessary to ensure the easy running and success of the Games for both athletes and spectator in order to establish a remarkable image for the host city which is previously been involved into a tool of urban renewal. Consequently, there is an increase in visitor spending and more jobs are created.
Nevertheless, the main drawback of hosting the games is when they turn the situation to their own profit. The truth is that substantial infrastructural investments are required in some host cities to raise a higher status that most of the times are unnecessary as it costs an exaggerated amount of money. Furthermore, disruption of existing communities by Olympic development can be a significant problem, and the most affected are the working class population and remaining residents who may experience deprivation and exclusion in an area whose services, facilities, houses prices and rentals suffer an overwhelmingly increase.
In short, unquestionably the benefits the Olympics brings to the area are numerous, nonetheless there is a risk that the public is being misled of the opportunities, above all, for jobs because after the games the city still with a high level of unemployment and a huge economic deficit.