Rugby – exercise in accuracy
Rugby – exercise 2
This listening exercise tests your ability to transcribe the exact words and phrases you hear.
1 A recent form of rugby is ‘touch rugby’ in which the usual physicality of the sport is much reduced. How is conventional rugby described in the opening sentence?
2 Can you write the exact phrase describing the change in the pace of modern rugby?
3 What sort of game is described as being typical of men’s rugby in the 1980s?
4 How is the meaning ‘from the past‘ (used of amateur players) expressed here?
5 What do amateur internationals from the past admit freely?
6 What is obvious to everyone?
7 What adverb is used with the verb ‘hoped’?
8 What was the father quite happy for his sons to do?
9 What was his stance on professional rugby as far as his sons were concerned?
10 What two phrases let you know that the story being related is not one you normally hear?
11 What happens to many ‘promising teenagers’?
12 How are the short careers of certain professional players described?
13 How is the meaning of the phrase ‘at the age of 17‘ expressed here?
14 What happened to James Lofthouse’s rugby career?
15 Why?
16 How does he describe the physical contact typical in today’s matches?
17 How is the phrase ‘doing weight training‘ expressed here?
18 The speaker sounds a) keen on rugby and b) concerned it might get ruined by excessive rules and regulations. Can you write down the sentence which expresses both views?
19 What word describes the unusual and abnormal sort of people who will be able to play rugby in the future?
20 What phrase means ‘does the game a serious disadvantage‘?