Unit 12: Darts and Chess

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Aims and Objectives

In this lesson you are going to learn vocabulary and phrases concerning darts and chess. You will also review ways of expressing that you like something. Finally you are going to practice reported speech.

The grammar focus of this unit is:

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise not available in this language version.

Comprehension

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:
INTERVIEWERWhat do you think about losing in chess?
GARYIt is important to be aware of the fact that those who are losing are analysing. They are trying to find reasons for their mistakes and if the winner does nothing, they will eventually come after him.
INTERVIEWERSo it's important to analyse even if you win.
GARYAbsolutely, because even the winning game contains mistakes. It's inevitable. I can't imagine one brilliant game with no mistakes.
INTERVIEWERWhy does it seem to annoy you when people ask how many moves you can see ahead during the game?
GARYBecause there is no answer. The possibility to calculate depends very much on the character of the position. It also depends on the way your opponent plays.
  1. Those who are losing
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. It is inevitable
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. Gary doesn't like
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:
REPORTERHow did you start playing darts, Adrian?
ADRIANI usually went to the pub with my friends on Friday afternoon after work. They introduced me to the sport.
REPORTERDid you have any other occupation or were you a professional player right from the beginning?
ADRIANI used to give driving lessons.
REPORTERSo when did you turn professional?
ADRIANI think it will have been 4 years in two months.
REPORTERAnd is it difficult to compete against all those big names?
ADRIANWell, it was at the beginning, but not any more. Of course I feel a lot of respect towards them.
  1. Adrian started playing darts
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. Adrian
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. Adrian decided to become professional
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  4. These days Adrian
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 3: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • amount
  • extremely
  • master
  • moves
  • openings
  • simple
  • tactics
Transcript:

Chess is a game that looks simple to a beginner but it is extremely difficult even for a master. You must have great amount of intuition to master the game. It has hundreds even thousands of openings and finishings. But the middle game tactics is the most complicated. Besides there are also special moves such as castling and en-passent.

Chess is a game that looks ? to a beginner but it is ? difficult even for a master. You must have great ? of intuition to ? the game. It has hundreds even thousands of ? and finishings. But the middle game ? is the most complicated. Besides there are also special ? such as castling and en-passent.

Exercise 4: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • contradiction
  • during
  • enjoy
  • near
  • through
  • without
Transcript:

I’ve gone through a long career in darts - from near obsession to present during which I’ve been thinking of how to enjoy the game without winning at it. This has always been a contradiction to me - how can you enjoy losing?

I’ve gone ? a long career in darts - from ? obsession to present ? which I’ve been thinking of how to ? the game ? winning at it. This has always been a ? to me - how can you enjoy losing?

Grammar Practice

Exercise 1: Substitution

Say what your friend told you.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 2: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

Denise is coming back tonight. Is she? I thought you said she was coming back on Thursday.

The knight can only move diagonally. Really? I thought you said it could only move in an L shaped style.

I really like Killer, it's such a great game. Do you? I thought you said you liked 301 more.

Jack is able to hit the triple ring almost every time. Is he? I thought you said he was almost unable to hit the triple ring.

This game will be long. Really? I thought you said it would be quick.

I am not enjoying my job very much. Really? I thought you said you were enjoying it a lot.

Example:

This game is quite hard.
Is it? I thought you said it was easy.

Denise is coming back tonight. Is she? I thought you said she ? on Thursday.

The knight can only move diagonally. Really? I thought you said it ? in an L shaped style.

I really like Killer, it's such a great game. Do you? I thought you said you ? 301 more.

Jack is able to hit the triple ring almost every time. Is he? I thought you said he ? almost unable to hit the triple ring.

This game will be long. Really? I thought you said it ? be quick.

I am not enjoying my job very much. Really? I thought you said you ? it a lot.

Exercise 3: Cloze

Use say or tell in the correct form.

Transcript:

He said he would win but in the end lost.
My cousin told us she couldn't come because she was ill.
My doctor said I should stay in bed for at least one week.
Tell me what are you going to do tonight?
Jackie said I would not make it on time.
Tony told her he would miss her.

He ? he would win but in the end lost.
My cousin ? us she couldn't come because she was ill.
My doctor ? I should stay in bed for at least one week.
? me what are you going to do tonight?
Jackie ? I would not make it on time.
Tony ? her he would miss her.

Exercise 4: Substitution

Use the text in brackets to transform each sentence.

Example:

I was in Egypt last month.
He said he had been to Egypt last month.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 5: Substitution

Use the text in brackets to transform each sentence.

Example:

Go away! (him)
She told him to go away.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

  7. ?

Dictation

Exercise 1: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

I have never played darts outside and I would like to try it.

?

Exercise 2: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

The initial setup of a chess game is literally a mirror match. Black's setup is the reverse of white's, so that the Kings and Queens appear to be facing one another.

?

Checklist

Now, after finishing this lesson you should be able:

To understand general vocabulary and phrases concerning darts and chess.

To express that you like/don't like something.

To use reported speech.

Version 2.0 (2013-01-03 13:42 CET)
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