Unit 2 Heroes Communication WorkshopObjectives To prepare for a discussion by making notes. To participate in a discussion, expressing opinions, agreeing and disagreeing. To listen for expressions of agreement and disagreement in a conversation. To write a narrative in three paragraphs. To develop self-assessment of speaking and writing skills. Resources used Cassette, Writing Help 2. Possible problems Students, if friends, may agree with each other in group discussion and so not practise disagreeing. Grouping students in different groups may prevent this happening. Students ability to assess their own language skills will vary. Background Ma Lin is a Chinese table tennis star. Born in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, Ma Lin started to play table tennis at an early age of 6 and was inducted into the national team in 1994 when he was only 14. Ma Lin won the 2000 World Cup to become Chinas first mens singles world champion. In 2002, he again became the first Chinese to win a mens singles title under the new system, also at the World Cup tournament in 2003. In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Chen Qi/Ma Lin, known as Chinas new “golden pair”, won the mixed doubles and became the Olympic champion. However, Ma Lin failed to win the mens singles in Athens, which is considered to be his tragic loss. At present, he is considered to be the strongest player in the world. Liu Xiang, the 21-year-old Shanghai native, is considered to be a hero, a super hero. He is the pride of China. He became the first Asian in history to win the mens 110m hurdles at the Olympic Games in Athens on Friday, Aug. 27, 2004. He clocked a world record-equaling time of 12.91 seconds for his first Olympic title. He also broke the Olympic record of 12.95 seconds set by Allen Johnson of the United States in the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. Liu is the first Chinese athlete to take Olympic gold in the short-distance race, which used to be dominated by Americans and Europeans. His time of 12.91 seconds equalled the mark set by Briton Colin Jackson at the 1993 world championships in Stuttgart, Germany. Liu Xiang, Chinas first-ever male Olympic gold winner in track and field, was believed to be likely to break the world record in the mens 110m hurdles in 2005. Gao Ling took up badminton in Wuhan Gymnasium Sparetime Sports School at age of six. She began regular training in Hubei provincial sports school in 1989 and joined the national team in February 1997. Gao Ling, with Yang Wei, won the womens doubles in the 1996 World Youth Championships. She and Zhang Jun became the Olympic champion of the mixed doubles in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.In 2002, Gao Ling was named Best Badminton Player of 2001. Again, Gao Ling and Zhang Jun won the mixeddoubles and became the OlympicChampionin the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.Guo Jingjing was born in the province of Hebei. Guo won diving competitions at every level as a youngster, earning a selection to the China team that went to the 1996 Atlanta Games, where she finished fifth in the 10m platform at the tender age of 15. Ever since then, she has won almost every honour available in the world of diving. In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, she became the Olympic Champion of womens singles and she and Wu Minxia won the Olympic gold of the womens doubles in Athens. James Dean (1931-1955) was an American actor whose moody performances and early death made him a symbol of youthful rebellion. He made only three films (Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden and Giant) before dying in a car crash. Routes through the material If you are short of time, omit the Talkback stage of the speaking and writing workshops. Language Power: pages 74?C75. Speaking: Discussion Before you start Exercise 1 Students read the introduction to the exercise and look at the photos. Ask them to guess which student likes which sports stars. Play the cassette for students to check their guesses. Tapescript Interviewer: Welcome to this weeks “My Favourite Sports Heroes”. Today, we have two students, Zheng Hua and Hu Jun from Shenyang Number 1 High School. Welcome. So Zheng Hua, who are your favourite sports heroes? Zheng Hua: Well, I really like Guo Jingjing. She trains so hard and she always does her best in competitions. Shes also very pretty. Hu Jun: Oh, come off it. Yes, I suppose shes pretty, but I dont think shes the only hardworking sports star around. What about Gao Ling, the Olympic badminton champion? Every day, as part of her training, she wears special clothes filled with sand weighing 6 kilograms. Now thats what I call hardworking. Zheng Hua: OK, but I still admire Guo Jingjing. Interviewer: Hu Jun, who are your favourite sports heroes? Hu Jun: I guess I have to go for Liu Xiang, the mens hurdle champion. Zheng Hua: Mmm., youre dead right about Liu Xiang. He did really well in the 20