B1 Dialog #78 Talking about Olympics

Today we are going to talk about the Olympics in English. As always you can read the text in the PDF which you can find in the description. Follow our podcasts on iTunes and Yandex Music. For more new dialogs subscribe to our channel.

How to work with the dialog?

1. Listen to the dialog and read the PDF transcript. Turn on subtitles if necessary.
2. Listen to the dialog again, repeating the questions and answers aloud (!!!).
3. Come up with your own answers to the questions. Use PDF vocabulary if needed.
4. Listen to the questions and answer them aloud (!!!), with a correct intonation, pronunciation and rhythm.
5. Go back to the video from time to time and repeat the exercise.

Talking about the Olympics in English

(1) What comes into your mind when you hear the word ‘Olympics’?

I think about different kinds of sports and the biggest sport contests between people. I also think about the Olympics that take place now in Beijing, China. It’s a wonderful event!

(2) Are you a big fan of the Olympics?

Not really. I used to watch the Olympics when I was younger. Now I am not a big fan of it, but I am always proud of athletes. I understand how difficult it is to present your country at the Olympics and how nervous it is to compete with others. I admire all the athletes that are involved. 

(3) Which Olympic Games can you remember well?

I remember the winter Olympics 2014 in Russia! It was taking place in Sochi and it was a fantabulous event! And a very important one for our country!

(4) Would your town be good at hosting the Olympics?

I live in a small town. It’s definitely not a good one for hosting the Olympics! 

(5) How does a country benefit from hosting an Olympics?

The Olympics is a popular event, which is well known worldwide. Millions of people watch it and a lot of people visit it! So it’s a good opportunity for the hosting country to promote itself and attract more tourists in the future.

(6) Do your country’s athletes do well in the Olympics?

We did well in Sochi in 2014 and got first place. In all other Olympics we were less successful. Russia is not that good in the Olympics in comparison with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was the best one during almost 40 years. It’s amazing!

(7) What is your favourite event at the Olympics and why?

The opening ceremonies are usually fantastic! I like watching it! As for contests, I like watching figure skating. It’s a hard and beautiful sport!

(8) What do you know about the Olympics rings?

It has a nice meaning. They represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from all over the world at the Olympic Games. Sport is something that unites people. It’s so cool!

(9) What do you think it’s like to win Olympic gold and stand on the podium with your national song playing?

It’s a big honor and a happy moment for each athlete. I am sure about that!

(10) Which is best – the opening ceremony or the closing ceremony?

They both are good. But the closing ceremony is a little bit sad, because it means the end of the Olympics!

Rinat —> Anya

(1) Is the Winter Olympics the best sports event in the world?

No, I don’t think so. According to statistics the most watched sports event is the Tour de France. Then the World Cup of Soccer, Cricket World Cup, Summer Olympics and only then the Winter Olympics.

(2) Would you like to carry the Olympics torch?

I’m not a big fan of the Olympics. So no, I wouldn’t.

(3) Do you think the Olympics should only be for amateur athletes and not professional athletes?

I think it would be the right decision, because many people are in sports nowadays. I’m sure they would like to take part in the Olympics. In my opinion, professional sport is not very good for health.

(4) Do you think sumo should be in the Olympics?

No, I don’t. Sumo is practiced only inside Japan.There is no competition between nations like at the Olympics.

(5) Which is better, the winter or summer Olympics?

I don’t think that we can compare the winter and summer Olympics. They are different. But maybe the Summer Olympics is better, because it is a bigger event with 204 countries participating.

(6) Who do you think is the greatest ever Olympian (Olympic athlete)?

American swimmer Michael Phelps is the best Olympic athlete in history. And what do you think?

(7) Do you think the Beijing Olympics is super successful?

It’s not so successful for Russia. But it’s not finished yet. Maybe we will gain more gold medals by the end of the Olympics. Let’s wait and see!

(8) What do you think about all these doping scandals at the Olympics?

It’s sad. I wish doping was never invented. It ruined the fair competitions among athletes. Moreover, there is a lot of politics in all these scandals nowadays.

(9) Why are the Olympics always held in rich cities? Should they be held in a poor country for once?

It costs a lot of money. As far as I know, the country pays for the bidding process first. Once a country wins hosting the Olympics, they usually make new roads, build new airports, railways and other infrastructure objects.

(10) What do you know about the history of the Olympics?

The history of the Games goes back around 3,000 years, to the Peloponnese in Ancient Greece. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896.