Episode 0093

And I'm Erica.

And today we're bringing you another part of our sports series and today we're going to be talking about volleyball.

That's right, and we're going all the way to New Zealand to visit the Men's Volleyball Championships.

So we're going to be looking at some great words and phrases related to volleyball and also how to describe a sporting event.

So before we start on the dialogue, let's take a look at two words on vocabulary preview.

Vocabulary preview.

All right, we're going to hear both of these words in the dialogue. Now, the first one, encounter.

Encounter.

An exciting encounter.

All right, so if we have an exciting encounter, it means we have an exciting meeting of two people or two teams or two groups.

Meeting of two people or two teams or two groups.

If I say I had an incredible encounter last night with my best friend.

Um, you met up your best friend with your best friend and something happened.

Okay. So, that's what an encounter would mean.

Yes.

Looking at our second word now, powerhouse.

Two powerhouse teams.

All right, so we have two powerhouse teams, China and Brazil.

That's right. So, a powerhouse team is basically a strong, powerful, really energetic, great team, right?

Okay, so we can use it for teams such as in this case, but we can also describe maybe a company or a person as a powerhouse.

That guy is a powerhouse. He can lift 500 pounds.

Now, I think it's time for us to listen to our dialogue for the first time. We're going to be listening to this great sporting event as we are taken to New Zealand to see China and Brazil play.

Without a doubt, both teams are in top shape and this will prove to be a competitive match.

The ref signals the start of the game, and here we go.

Ribeiro serves and China quickly receives the ball.

The Brazilian blockers anticipated the play and tried to block him, but he managed to get the ball in. Great play.

It's China's service now.

What a superb jump serve by Lee! Oh, oh, and we have a let serve.

The ball was coming in fast and almost made it over the net.

Brazil calls for a timeout and we'll be right back after a short commercial break.

Well, sounds like a pretty exciting encounter between these two countries.

Very good teams and both of them, as they mentioned, are powerhouse teams.

Well, why don't we take a look at some of the vocabulary that we came across in this dialogue? We're going to be focusing on volleyball words here in Language Takeaway.

Language Takeaway.

Okay, so in Language Takeaway today, we're going to have six words. And let's start with the first one.

Chun bumps it to the setter.

All right, to bump.

All right, so in volleyball when you are going to receive the ball, you put your arms together and you hit it with your forearms.

That's right, so at the top of your arm.

Right. And that's how you pass it to another player. That's called a bump.

So, it is a noun and a verb, a bump to bump.

Exactly.

Now, another type of way to move the ball in volleyball, we heard in the dialogue, is a set.

A very nice set by Chen.

So, a set or to set.

Right, the word can be used as a verb and a noun and again, you take the ball and you move it with the tips of your fingers.

That is actually done by the setter.

Right. That is done by the setter and he does this, he sets the ball so then the attacker can spike the ball.

That's our next word, to spike.

So, to spike the ball.

Or a spike.

Is when you hit the ball very hard and very fast with the palm of your hand.

That's right. And that's how you score your points, right?

Exactly. So, you'll see three basic moves: the bump, set, and spike.

But what about the serve?

All right, so our fourth word in volleyball is service.

So, it's China's service now.

Right. So, the service is the opportunity for the team to serve the ball.

Yeah, pretty simple.

Right. And that means basically to start the game by hitting it to the other side.

Now, one type of serve is the jump serve.

Jump serve.

Jump serve.

Now, this is very popular and you will see some players do this. They will throw the ball in the air and then jump in the air and hit it.

That's right.

All right, so that's a jump serve. And our last word for today is let serve.

A let serve.

Okay, we have a let serve today.

So, a let serve is, uh, when you serve the ball and it sort of brushes over the net.

Right, it'll hit the net but it will still pass to the other side.

That's right. And that's an illegal move in volleyball, isn't it?

When you are serving, yes.

So, a let serve.

Right. So, those are the six terms related to volleyball that we're going to be looking at today.

And, uh, well, with this in mind, let's move on to looking at some phrases now in, what is it? Fluency builder.

Fluency builder.

All right, so our two announcers, Bob and Rick, said that we've got an exciting encounter ahead of us.

Right. So they use this phrase ahead of us.

Ahead of us.

So basically, what does that mean?

Um, something will happen in the very near future.

So they are expecting it or they will encounter it maybe.

Yes. So why don't we give a few examples of this phrase? Marco, we've got a long day ahead of us.

We have a very exciting trip ahead of us today.

Mhm. Okay, so ahead of us.

So we know it's an exciting game and we heard the announcers say without a doubt, both teams are in top shape.

Okay, so the phrase without a doubt.

Without a doubt.

So if I start a phrase using 'without a doubt,' you're basically saying there's no question. It's so obvious, this definitely is true.

Without a doubt, this is the strategy we should take.

Okay, very good. So, without a doubt. Why don't we move on to our third phrase now?

This will prove to be a competitive match.

So let's look at the phrase will prove to be. Something will prove to be.

Okay. So before we get into it, why don't we listen to some examples.

Example one.

And I think he will prove to be the greatest president we've ever had.

Example two.

The new HR policy is proving to be a waste of time.

Example three.

We were worried that we were going to get laid off, but our fears proved to be untrue.

Okay, so when something will prove to be, it will show itself to be this thing, right?

It will demonstrate. We will see it, we will see for sure how it will be.

And now for our fourth phrase, a very simple one but very common in sports commentators or when you're watching a game.

You'll say 'Great play'.

Great play.

Great play.

A great play.

Now we know play is usually a verb, right?

But here it's acting as a noun. A play is basically a move in a sport or a game.

So when somebody says a great play, it means all the succession of moves and passes and hits to make the point.

Yeah. So it was a great play.

And that, you can use that for any sport.

Right. So, why don't we listen to our dialogue now for the second time, and then we'll come back and talk about this very popular sport, volleyball.

Without a doubt, both teams are in top shape and this will prove to be a competitive match.

The ref signals the start of the game, and here we go.

Ribeiro serves and China quickly receives the ball.

The Brazilian blockers anticipated the play and tried to block him, but he managed to get the ball in. Great play.

It's China's service now.

What a superb jump serve by Lee! Oh, oh, and we have a let serve.

The ball was coming in fast and almost made it over the net.

Brazil calls for a timeout and we'll be right back after a short commercial break.

So, are you a volleyball fan, Marco?

It's a very nice sport, it's very fast and it's very hard.

And do you have sand?

Um, occasionally.

All right, so volleyball is a great sport, but now we want to know what sport you want to learn about. We've covered soccer, we've covered basketball, we've covered volleyball. So, tell us what other sports you would like to learn vocabulary and phrases on.

That's right. You can tell us this and many more things at englishpod.com, our website. So check it out.

Right, leave your questions and comments and we'll see you guys there.

Thanks for downloading and until next time, goodbye.

Bye.

The English Pod audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

Meet for a game or battle.

Encounter.

In the future.

Ahead of someone.

A highly energetic, strong team.

Powerhouse.

To reach the latter stages of a selection or process by competing successfully in earlier rounds.

Qualify.

In their best condition.

In top shape.

Hit the ball to start the game.

Serve.

To pass a volleyball by redirecting it with the forearms.

Bump.

The action of putting the ball in the air so it can be driven to the opponent's court.

Set.

Strongly hit the ball to the opponent's court using the palm of the hand.

Spike.

To foresee and act in advance of.

Anticipate.

A serve with the ball firstly thrown overhead and then the player jumping to hit it.

Jump serve.

The ball touches the net in a serve but still crosses into the opponent's court.

Let serve.

A pause during the game.

Timeout.

When the team that served the ball loses the rally, causing the other team to serve the next point.

Side out.

A miss-hit, when a player attempts to hit or spike the ball with an open hand and nearly misses the ball.

Whiff.

The ability to prevent the ball from touching one's court after a spike or attack, particularly a ball that is nearly touching the ground.

Dig.

It is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to resolve a dispute between two parties.

Coin toss.

A contest or game ending in a tie.

Draw.

A highly energetic, strong team.

Powerhouse.

To foresee and act in advance of.

Anticipate.

To reach the latter stages of a selection or process by competing successfully in earlier rounds.

Qualify.

In their best condition.

In top shape.

The ability to prevent the ball from touching one's court after a spike or attack, particularly a ball that is nearly touching the ground.

Dig.

It is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to resolve a dispute between two parties.

Coin toss.

To pass a volleyball by redirecting it with the forearms.

Bump.

In the future.

Ahead of someone.

A pause during the game.

Timeout.

A serve with the ball firstly thrown overhead and then the player jumping to hit it.

Jump serve.

Hit the ball to start the game.

Serve.

When the team that served the ball loses the rally, causing the other team to serve the next point.

Side out.

A contest or game ending in a tie.

Draw.

A miss-hit, when a player attempts to hit or spike the ball with an open hand and nearly misses the ball.

Whiff.

Meet for a game or battle.

Encounter.

Strongly hit the ball to the opponent's court using the palm of the hand.

Spike.

The ball touches the net in a serve but still crosses into the opponent's court.

Let serve.

The action of putting the ball in the air so it can be driven to the opponent's court.

Set.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Powerhouse.

Our company is considered to be a powerhouse in the manufacturing industry.

Powerhouse.

How did Austria become a powerhouse of soccer in the 1920s?

Powerhouse.

China has grown into an economic powerhouse in the past decade.

In top shape.

Sarah ran a marathon this weekend and won. She is really in top shape.

In top shape.

You have to be in top shape to climb Mount Everest.

In top shape.

Our company had great sales this quarter, so we are in top shape.

Anticipate.

We thought we could see all the animals in the zoo, but we didn't anticipate there would be so many people.

Anticipate.

I anticipated it would rain today, so I brought my umbrella.

Anticipate.

A businessman must try to anticipate what his customers will want.

Set.

The setter must set the ball precisely so the other player can hit it.

Set.

You are setting the ball too low, I can't hit it.

Set.

I was almost late to the sales meeting but managed to make it on time.

Sarah was sick, but she managed to make it to work today.