Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Triathlons
Triathlons

Learn English with this triathlons English lesson

Date: Apr 25 2018

Themes: Friend, Sports

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Playing any competitive sport is hard work. You have to practice long hours every day, learn good technique, and then do your best when it’s time to compete. Most athletes just train for one sport. However, that’s not enough for some people. For them, triathlons are a better challenge because they are doing three sports at one time.

Triathlons are popular sports events that combine running, biking, and swimming. There are different levels of triathlons, but the most intense triathlon is the ironman event. In the ironman, athletes have to run a marathon (26.2 miles or 42.2 km), bike 112 miles (180.2 km), and swim 2.4 miles (3.8 km)... all without stopping!

People who want to do well in a triathlon have to be serious about their training. Any sport takes a lot of dedication and focus. Preparing for a triathlon takes three times as much!

Who’s training for a triathlon? Find out in this English lesson about sports.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

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

Rafael

Rafael

Jeff

Jeff

Rafael:  Running, biking, and swimming. Those are my three favorite things to do, and that’s how I’m training for this next triathlon.

Jeff:  What? Three sports? Dude, I stick to one sport.

Rafael:  Three sports. Three times the intensity. Three times the bragging rights. Three times the pushing yourself to the limit, man. Come on, get off your butt and do some exercise!

Jeff:  All right, go getter. Well, I don’t know if you know this, I spend my time playing online poker. I’m pretty good at it, too…dedication, focus, one thing.

Rafael:  Well, maybe that’s adequate for your mind, but, for me, you have to do something that’s going to burn you out.

Jeff:  Yeah, my mind and my pocketbook.

Rafael:  Have you ever even heard of this concept called nutrition, for example?

Jeff:  Maybe. I’ve heard of money. Mental training.

Rafael:  OK, Jeff, just get off your butt and try doing some running tomorrow. I’ll take you with me. I’m training hard every day. Live on the extreme. That’s what it’s all about.

Jeff:  Yeah, push it to the limit. I get it. All right. We’ll see how my game goes tonight, how I’m feeling tomorrow.

Rafael:  All right, bro.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Present Progressive Tense" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Rafael shares some big news with Jeff: he’s training for a triathlon! Jeff, however, is not impressed. He actually thinks Rafael is crazy for spending so much time training.

Jeff plays online poker, and he doesn’t really like exercise. He thinks that keeping his brain sharp by playing games on the internet already takes enough of his time and focus.

Rafael tries to convince Jeff that his lifestyle isn’t very healthy. He thinks Jeff not only needs be more active, but he should probably eat healthier, too.

It’s clear that Jeff won’t be doing the triathlon with Rafael, but maybe he’ll start running. It just depends on how his poker game goes.

Do you think that Rafael or Jeff has a healthier lifestyle? Would you ever train for and compete in a triathlon? What’s your favorite sport?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

GWTA

GWTASuper Member!

Germany

my favorite sport is judo and motorbiking

04:30 PM Apr 25 2018 |

1 person likes this

ahmet55

ahmet55

Germany

I feel that we cannot jump into conclusion with this finite conversation that which one has a healthier life. Indeed, Rafael does exercise but Jeff does not, another main point is that we have to know their meal regiment and what they eat regularly to find out whether their life is healthier or not.


I’m really fond of physical games, sports and exercise. Basically, i know that it sounds so weird but honestly i played computer games just 4 or 5 times during my life time and only for fun and no more than 20 min. However, my life is full of my competition in high school, guidance, universities for volleyball, football, chest and so on. I’m keen on most of sports especially swimming, hiking, football, chest and volleyball.

10:09 AM Mar 21 2014 |

Eric_

Eric_

China

I like swimming the most….

01:34 AM Mar 17 2014 |

2 people like this

bravevivian

Ecuador

I think Rafael has a healthier lifestyle than Jeff.  Rafael likes to exercise and has a good nutrition plan.


I haven’t trained for competing in a triathlon, but I like to exercise and try to eat healthy.  


Even if I don’t practice as much as I would like, swimming is one of my favorites sports.   

11:53 PM Mar 16 2014 |

1 person likes this

dreadslayer

Turkey

I believe it’s rather interesting sport cos it combines 3 competitive variant of sport .we can call it as three in one. It seems quite though but i enjoy watching rather than participating in it 

06:24 PM Mar 16 2014 |

1 person likes this

kowatch

kowatch

Hungary

Definitelly Rafael has healthier lifestlye. Jeff should do some outside activites. He doesn’t need to run but does what he likes: playing football, tennis or whatever.

09:41 AM Mar 16 2014 |

1 person likes this

katyushka

katyushka

Ukraine

Rafael has a healthier lifestyle according this lesson. Activities are not very popular in our days in my family. But we go to swimming pool and go to walk on parks. I cannot spend more time for herself because I have daughters. And I have no good motivation. I’m lazy and I know it. I hope that I can change it

09:28 PM Mar 15 2014 |

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

life is a Triathlons,


made up from Childhood,Youth and Old age…


:))

12:18 PM Mar 15 2014 |

modaher

modaher

Iraq

Yes Alarbh good for the body and it’s agility and vitality

05:01 AM Mar 15 2014 |

1 person likes this

kmonte

Costa Rica

I would love to compete for a triatlon. It is an activity which makes you feel active and is really helpfull with both the physycal and mental area of the body. However, my favorite sport is gymnastic.

04:52 AM Mar 15 2014 |

1 person likes this

raybanbcn

raybanbcn

Spain


train for a triathlon is very hard, you have to have the things very clear.
I like to do sports, I like the bike and the run . and I try to practice everyday but it’s hard to find time to do these sports
 I’m going to my work by bike, like that I can do sport in this moment.
some days when I arrive at home I get out to run..
exercise your body es very important for your health and for have a balanced brain.

11:06 PM Mar 14 2014 |

cheer manal

Morocco

Any sport has got benifits when it comes to health. Rafael is definitely the one who has a healthy lifestyle. Sport not only helps a person to keep fit but it also affects positively his/her mental and physical well-being. 


i’m not sure if i’ll be able to compete in a triathon. that kind of sport needs energy and i’m not that strong to endure all that.


I love horses and my favourite sport is horse riding, i like tennis as well.

09:11 PM Mar 14 2014 |

Marcel We

Marcel We

Germany

@ttsuka I see your point and I agree with you that are quite a lot of these guys who are just worling out because they want their body to look good, but in my opinion that’s a reason for disapproving everybody who is doing sports “extremely” because in addition to the people who are doing sports this way or for this kind of reason, there are plenty of people who are doing sports because it makes them feel better and healthier. So, I you asked me, sports are a really valuable goal which it’s worth it to go for it. I for myself love doing sports, to look in the mirror to make sure that you’ve achieved your goal and to see your developments gives me power in life because it’s some kind of motivation to do for.

06:40 PM Mar 14 2014 |

ttsuka

ttsuka

Japan


A good contrast of two opposite types – a fanatic keep-fit macho man vs. a junk-dependent no-life geek. I wanna comment on the former only though. I have seen many training obsessed men in gyms. They would go there every day, spending hours each time and all they do is fighting the gravity for no real reason, except for fitting into XL shirts.  Wait, there is one more thing they never fail to do – looking at themselves in the mirror. They may pretend they are just casually standing in front of the mirror but I can see in their eyes that they are in love with themselves.  If we used their labor to turn turbines, we would have enough electricity to light half the country at night.


@Mercel We: Nothing wroing with loving yourself. But don’t do it too much, particularly when others are around.

03:38 PM Mar 14 2014 |

ahmedao

ahmedao

Egypt

my favorite sport is football i realy love it too much

03:35 PM Mar 14 2014 |

1 person likes this

palwashahassan

Pakistan

Today i really happy becuse i have gotten good result.i have just little rpblem in my fluncy,quite better imprvement that i had shown today…thanks to Almiht of Allah who has given to me that chance to speak and learn english well ..


02:39 PM Mar 14 2014 |

hattomi

hattomi

Yemen

I wouldn’t think about competing in triathlons just for now ,I’ll think about it ..I love biking actually not because to train my body or that stuff , i love biking because I can travel around my city freely cuz the streets here is  narrow and full of cars and also I hate bases .  I love camping ,I can travel with my friends to somewhere .. and all of it just for fun haha ,, and to do that I have to be healthy and athletic so I give up smoking and I started training my body .

09:21 AM Mar 14 2014 |

ynbrian86

China

a little embarassing here,actually i am kind of couch potato ,who like  movies .


I used to swim during my college time , But i always admire this kind of athlete who can accomplish sth on their own ,no matter how big they are

09:04 AM Mar 14 2014 |

sandraa95

sandraa95

Sweden

i want to be professional just in one field.
swimming is my favorite sport i used to do it about every day and practising with my friends for competition but i left it for some reason but i hope get back to it asap .its worth it.

alexa1

alexa1

Saudi Arabia

i haven’t been in any competitive sport, but i work out to be in shape, and my favorite sport , walk, dance, yoga. and sometimes i play football with my brothers.


i’ve heard about marathon, and someday i would like to join this kind of sport.

02:05 AM Mar 14 2014 |

Likes (21):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast