ESL Podcast 954 - Participating in Winter Sports

to snow - for small, soft ice crystals to fall from the sky, usually sticking together

If the weather gets a little colder tonight, it might snow. Otherwise, it will rain.

sled - several pieces of wood attached to a metal frame, used to sit or lie down on top of as one slides down a ramp or hill covered with snow

Be careful the sled doesn't crash into a tree!

downhill skiing - the sport and recreational activity of sliding down a mountain with skis (long, flat, narrow pieces) attached to one's shoes, usually at a very fast speed

Before you go downhill skiing, you'll need to buy warm clothing, a waterproof jacket, a hat, gloves, and goggles.

powder - snow that has recently fallen and is still dry and loose, not yet compacted (pressed together)

This powder is great for skiing, but not for making snowballs.

to careen - to move without control at a very high speed toward a specific palce, especially in a vehicle

The driver ignored the speed limit and careened down the dangerous cliff.

bunny slope - a low hill covered with snow, used by people who are just beginning to ski or snowboard so that they can practice on the easiest paths without going very quickly

Most children stay on the bunny slopes, but Craig was on some of the mountain's hardest trails by the time he was nine years old.

snowmobile - a motorized vehicle that one or more people sit on top of, similar to a motorcycle, but with ski-like pieces instead of wheels

In the wintertime, we use snowmobiles to get to the more distant fields.

cross-country skiing - the sport and recreational activity of moving over snow with skis (long, flat, narrow pieces) attached to one's shoes, usually slowly over relatively flat surfaces

Cross-country skiing offers a great workout, because it's a lot of work to glide over the snow!

ice skate - to move over a flat surface of ice while wearing special shoes with a single blade on each foot

I used to dream of doing jumps and spins while ice skating, but at this point, I'd be happy if I could just go in a straight line without falling down!

to get the hang of (something) - to become good at something; to learn to do something that is difficult or tricky

If you keep practicing every night, you'll get the hang of knitting in no time.

to snowboard - to slide downhill over snow with one's feet attached to a flat, oval-shaped board like a skateboard without wheels, often while jumping and performing special tricks

Snowboarding is very popular with young people, while older people tend to prefer skiing.

to blow smoke - to exaggerate; to say something that isn't true while trying to make one appear better than one actually is

Min says he can speak five languages fluently, but I think he's blowing smoke.

to have the nerve - to be very bold in doing something that is rude, arrogant, or inappropriate

I can't believe she had the nerve to criticize the way you dress, considering that she wears shorts and flip-flops to the office.

ice hockey - a game played by two teams on the ice, trying to get the puck (a small disc) into a net at either end of the ice rink, similar to soccer

Which sport is more violent: American football or ice hockey?

make it - a phrase used when one is making a suggestion, especially changing what another person has just proposed

A: Let's go get some hamburgers. B: Make it pizza, and I'll be ready to go in two minutes.

snowball fight - a playful game where people throw balls of snow at each other, usually without really trying to hurt the other person and without keeping score

It hardly ever snows here, but when it does, the college students go to the main lawn and have a huge snowball fight.

you're on - a phrase used to show that one agrees to and accepts what another person has proposed, especially when it is a challenge or an opportunity to compete

When Brandon proposed a 3-mile race, Sheila smiled and said, "You're on!"