Sometimes it may seem like it, but eating, and waiting for the bus aren’t the only fun (!) activities that Americans enjoy. Americans love their sports. They play sports, and they watch sports; their kids play sports, and they watch their kids play sports… you get the idea. Organized sports make it easy for adults and children to join local teams and play their favorite sports competitively. Local towns have sign-ups each season for various teams. Heck, our husbands think they’re superstars of the over-40 soccer team! (They still think they’re 21, but that’s a topic for another book.) Many companies sponsor teams, and their employees practice and play after work. On weekends, lots of people love to catch a game, either on TV or at the stadium.
Although Americans enjoy almost every sport, major league baseball is often considered the allAmerican sport. Couch potatoes enjoy watching every game on TV. The season’s high point is the championship series between the top two professional teams. Yes, even though the teams only come from the U.S. or Canada, the championship is called the World Series. I guess the baseball “world” is smaller than the real world.
When the seasons change, so do the sports. Soccer (yes, we know the rest of the world calls it football) is becoming very popular, and a pickup game of basketball is always fun. Some U.S. presidents even shoot hoops on the White House basketball court. But in the winter, Americans love their football! (Yes, we know the rest of the world calls it American football.) And what could be better than combining two favorites: football and food. The concession stands at any sports activity are always crowded. No health food here; the favorites are hot dogs, fries, hot pretzels, peanuts, and beer. In fact, the last football game of the season, the Super Bowl, is a hugely popular event with lots of parties and, of course, plenty of junk food. Yum!
LIA: Wow, look at that guy. He can really move!
ALAN: What’s the big deal? I can do that!
LIA: Ha! You want me to believe that you can run like a football player?
ALAN: You don’t think I can? Of course I can! Okay, maybe I can’t. But I sure could run when I was in high school. I was a star of the school track team.
LIA: Wow, you can remember all the way back to high school? Well, let’s just watch the pros. Woo hoo! Touchdown!
JAE: I don’t know about anyone here running, but both of you sure can eat. You’re hogging all the snacks. If you guys don’t stop pigging out, there won’t be any left for the next half. Pass the nachos.
LIA: Here, dig in.
ALAN: Not me! I guess that’s a hint that I should watch my weight, haha!
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During the Super Bowl is the perfect time to go to a restaurant or go shopping. The place will be empty! Everyone will be home watching the game. |
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VOCABULARY
big deal: something important
catch a game: watch a game
competitively: playing to win
concession stand: place to buy snacks at a game
couch potato: someone who prefers to relax and watch TV
dig in: eat and enjoy!
he can really move: an expression of admiration at someone’s ability to run
heck: another exclamation; just for fun
hint: a gentle suggestion
hogging: keeping most of something for yourself
junk food: food that tastes great but isn’t good for you (Come on, we know you love it!)
major league: professional baseball; also an idiom meaning “really important”
nachos: a snack of crispy tortilla chips, melted cheese, and salsa
organized sports: local teams that meet on a regular basis
pickup game: an unscheduled, informal game that happens when people just start playing at a park or other place
pigging out: eating greedily
pretzels: a popular salty snack, sometimes soft, sometimes crunchy, in a twisted shape
pro: professional sports player
shoot hoops: play basketball
sign-ups: when people join a local team
stadium: an arena, or place where a game is played
touchdown: scoring six points in football (Yes, we mean American football!)
various: different
watch one’s weight: be careful about diet and avoid gaining extra pounds
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