Sports Day has come round again!

The time of year has come again when children don their p.e. kit and step out in front of expectant parents to give their best efforts in the school sports event of the year, Sports Day!
In England, Sports Days are usually held on a weekday afternoon, and in my youth the events were many and varied. The 100-metre sprint was a favorite for competitive types who could show their speed and gain the coveted first prize.
A 100-metre relay and 400-metre race were also possible in my hometown as the grass covered playing fields were very large.
Less serious events held in elementary school included the egg and spoon race, sack race and three legged race.
The egg and spoon race involved balancing an egg-shaped stone on a dessert spoon while trying to run as carefully as possible. It wasn't only about speed, but balance and concentration skills, too.
The sack race was an opportunity to display serious energy and balance by jumping all the way to the tape while standing in a bag up to your waist.
The three legged race was about co-ordination as two people had to run together with their closest legs strapped together. Go at the same speed and you would have a good chance of winning, but get the timing wrong and both runners would likely fall in a heap on the floor.
#大人 #英会話
Words and usage:

1,   involve + gerund (....ing), which is a noun to describe an action.
     The gerund has no time expression.
      The example, 'The egg and spoon race involved balancing.....'
2,   (be) an opportunity to + verb.
      The example, 'The sack race was an opportunity to display.....'

Other forms and uses can be found at Oxford Dictionaries.
More explanation can be found at The British Council website.

Practice: Choose 2-3 events that you remember and describe them using the above words.

Quiz Me! Conversation card:

Card A3 below is from the new Student pack 1, which will be available soon from englishbooks.jp

#大人 #英会話

Sports Day has come round again!
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