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Roller Derby
简体
Roller Derby
旱冰速滑赛

Learn English with this sports English lesson

Date: Dec 26 2012

Themes: Alternative, Hobbies, Sports

Grammar: Simple Present Tense

Intro

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Is that some blood on the roller rink floor? If so, chances are that the rink was recently the site of a roller derby competition. Roller derby is a sport that has been around for a while, but has become especially popular in the last decade. Two teams compete to pass each other as they skate around a rink, and if someone gets in one of the player’s way? Down she goes.

That’s right, she. In the US, at least, roller derby has become particularly popular among women. Maybe it’s because women don’t typically have the opportunity to put on helmets and act competitive and tough. Or maybe it’s just because it’s fun! Hear what Mason and Greta think about roller derby in this sports English lesson.

溜冰场地面上是否有血迹?如果有,那就说明最近溜冰场上举行了旱冰速滑赛。旱冰速滑赛这项运动已经存在很长一段时间了,但在最近十年才变得特别受欢迎。两支队伍在溜冰场上滑冰的时候,会争相超过彼此,如果一名队员挡住了对手的道路,会发生什么?她会被撞翻。

没错,“她”。至少在美国,旱冰速滑赛在女性中格外受欢迎。也许是因为女性通常很少有机会戴上头盔进行激烈的对抗。或者只是因为有趣!在这节运动英语课上,听听梅森和格里塔如何看待旱冰速滑赛。

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Greta

Greta

Mason

Mason

Greta:  I saw an advertisement up that there’s going to be a roller derby coming up in the next couple weeks or so, and I just don’t see the appeal.

Mason:  Have you been?

Greta:  No.

Mason:  Oh man, I mean, it’s pretty great. Like, first of all, there’s beer involved. Secondly, the fact that all these girls are into it. It’s so bizarre. It’s like really, really entertaining.

Greta:  So is it…Do only women play roller derby? Or is there teams for both genders?

Mason:  There probably have been male roller derby teams, but these days it seems like it’s what the ladies do.

Greta:  Isn’t it really violent? Like just a lot of bashing each other?

Mason:  It can be. I mean, it’s less violent than boxing, I would say, but, you know, blood has been spilt on the roller derby tracks.

Greta:  Ew. I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem like something that would…OK, I have another question. Is it a game, or like a performance?

Mason:  No. It’s one hundred percent a game. And the rules are kinda hard to understand. Like, you’ll probably spend your entire first match figuring out what is actually happening.

Greta:  There is not one part of me that wants to see that.

 

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Discussion

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Greta tells Mason that she recently noticed an ad for a roller derby event. She doesn’t understand why people like roller derby, although it turns out she’s never been.

Mason, on the other hand, really likes roller derby. He thinks it’s very amusing, and strange, and he also likes that there’s beer at the events.

Greta has some more questions, and Mason answers them. These days, roller derby is mostly a women’s sport. It’s also fairly violent. Finally, there are definitely rules to the game; it’s not just a performance. Greta is still not interested.

What do you think of roller derby? Have you ever seen a roller derby event, or would you like to? What are your thoughts about violent sports in general?

 

Comments

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La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

Roller derby! I haven’t heard of this sport before, but here I’m finding out it..


I entirely agree with Greta..


What can attract me to do or even watch such violent bloody scenes!!.. Oh my God! I can’t even imagine..

06:39 AM Jan 29 2013 |

jjalaa

jjalaa

Algeria

I have not any information about this game but one think am sure around hom not support the violant but we alwayse try to play away from the force and beat every think coming from violant

11:43 AM Dec 29 2012 |

blast204

blast204

Germany

It’s nice to see more females in competitive sports, in Roller Derby however it seems this sport revolves around guy’s and girl’s bashing into each while they skate. This is done within a rink, however it seems to have a odd appeal, oh man I must be messed up!

11:02 PM Dec 28 2012 |

Rashida567

Rashida567

United Arab Emirates

I dont like violent sports so I dont like roller derby
especially when women are doing it

09:48 PM Dec 28 2012 |

Adat

Costa Rica

The taste of these women for extreme sports is something i don’t finish to understand. There are all kind of people with all kind of tastes and likes but personally i don’t go with this one particulary. I don’t know if it is a way of people to express repression or anger or just and simply like it. Anyway i prefer artistic skating and love curling!

06:02 AM Dec 27 2012 |

i love life

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

My favourite sport is Tennis , I have never practice during my life , only I prefer watch on Tv when I have free time .


For me I oppose this sport , I think this sport may cause a lots of damages , specially when we talk about lots of people looking for practicing it .


12:07 AM Dec 27 2012 |

I M P E R I V M

United States

Oh NO! another “lets be tough like men feminist-lezbic sport”

10:23 PM Dec 26 2012 |

bellaboo2422

Pakistan


thanx julito, you are such a kind friend.

04:56 PM Dec 26 2012 |

1 person likes this

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Gosh, some women just have too much testosterone in them; they don’t know what to do :)


     I watched a short video summary about Roller Derby and I was mystified by how many women I saw with diastema : ). I don’t know whether it was a physical prerequisite or those girls might have all had their teeth knocked out after their first trials at this activity. There must be more than blood and chipped ice on the rink, it seems that one can find more teeth there than on an Archeological trove : ).


     I think this is just a vain sport that caters to those who live on the edge. This game is like a sandbox for bullies : ). To me it’s just a crummy version of Ice hockey, which, by the way, I watch sometimes. I think men are more suited for this kind of contact sport. Girls who practice this sport ought to pad themselves up a little bit more, and they could use a mask to guard their faces and teeth.  


I have heard stories about women who enlist in those types of activities just to alleviate stress and manage their anger. Some girls choose Yoga and kayaking, others prefer mud wrestling and Roller derby. To each his own, but I second the views of many posters here today, let’s just tone down the violence in sports, especially when young women are involved : ).


  Oh Yeah, Mason? Last week you propose to the girl of your dream, then the next you indulge in beers while rooting for girls in shorts running wild?. I don’t know man, but that sounds like a post -marital stag party to me : ). Find another Hobby. Just kidding!


: ))

seungmanlee68

South Korea

To get an information about roller derby, I browsed youtube site. There are many video clips to explain the sport. It looks dangerous for women. However, Many women are enjoying this sport. Some players took serious damages from roller derby games. I oppose this sport. Because It may cause big damages which we cannot recover in short time. If we can’t enjoy it with safe, we have to consider whether this sport continue or not.     

04:04 PM Dec 26 2012 |

aoshibinxue

China

Oh, roller derby i’ve never heard this game. so i can’t make a conclusion.  But i think if games can help people happy ,and don’t hurt anyone ,we love it ;if some game hurt someone ,make some bad or damage enviroment,we stop it! Do you think?

02:24 PM Dec 26 2012 |

MINA~seven

China

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_Derby  This website tells us more information about this sport. It’s will be in the 2020 olympic games !!!!

02:20 PM Dec 26 2012 |

MINA~seven

China

OMG!what kind of sports is that? It sounds noisy ,bloody and dangerous!is it like a kind of extreme sports?Does anyone played this roller derby sport? Who can share it with me and tell me what do you feel and what exactly you learn and get from this sport.After all ,sports should have its spirit,right?At least ,we should enjoy it or relieve our feelings.

02:13 PM Dec 26 2012 |

ballin25

ballin25

United Kingdom

willcome 2013  i hope be best year for all  make us happy year  i dont enjoy 2012 but year for me  I whit for new year ?

02:00 PM Dec 26 2012 |

1 person likes this

friendlover

Turkey

I haven’t heard about this game before. I didn’t like the way of playing. It’s violent. I don’t like violent sports. I hate seeing blood. I don’t even watch films with a lot of blood although I know they are just films. But this, this is real. I never support this.

12:48 PM Dec 26 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

bella, , off the hook has two meanings, out of an  embarrasing situation and  a modern one : fresh and new, just out of the store  shelf. 

12:44 PM Dec 26 2012 |

guoyi_@hotmail.com

China

Ladys and getlmen ,Merry Christmas I just signed in.

12:18 PM Dec 26 2012 |

bellaboo2422

Pakistan

thanx julito for your kindness. i have read another meaning of ‘off the hook ’ hope you dont mind if i ll share it with you. its very good, awesome, excellent. am i right?


12:08 PM Dec 26 2012 |

 aminoo2

aminoo2

Algeria

I don’t like violent sports for they are dangerous more than exciting and i wouldn’t sacrifice my life to entertain people .

12:07 PM Dec 26 2012 |

bellaboo2422

Pakistan

i dont know about ins and out of the roller derby much its just awful the way how girls play it, i mean its tragic to see blood on roller rink.i ‘m flabergasted about the enthusiastic girls. i think we people should avoid the violent games because there is alot of violence already we use to experience around the map. we have to abett the healthy sport and vivify them. 

12:04 PM Dec 26 2012 |

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