Lesson 2 | Jan. 15
Weather | Snow Sports
“The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.”
Lesson Summary:
Today’s lesson was all about exploring weather differences and diving into the details of your snowboarding experience. We started with a bit of small talk about local weather, touching on vocabulary like "erratic" and discussing how conditions can change. Then we got into the step-by-step of your snowboarding trip, from the gear you use to how you navigate using the gondola and T-bar.
We also included some pronunciation practice, like the U.S. pronunciation of "gotten," and clarified some grammar points, including the difference between nouns and verbs like "shovel." Overall, it was a well-rounded lesson with a lot of spoken practice and vocabulary building.
Vocabulary
shovel:
Noun · A2
A tool with a broad blade and a long handle used for digging or removing material.
Example: He grabbed the shovel to clear the snow from the driveway.stroller:
Noun · A2
A small carriage with four wheels in which a baby or child is pushed around.
Example: she took her baby out for a walk in the stroller on a sunny afternoon.whiplash:
Noun · B2
Formal: A neck injury caused by a sudden, jerking motion of the head, typically in a car accident.
Slang: A sudden, drawing reaction to an unexpected change or abrupt shift in the situation.
Example: That sudden stop on the ski slope nearly gave me whiplash.erratic:
Adjective · B2
Lacking, consistency, regularity, or uniformity.
Example: The weather here is erratic, with temperature swinging dramatically from one day to the next.trolley:
Noun · B1
A wheeled cart, used for carrying groceries or other items while shopping.
Example: She filled the trolley with groceries as she moved down the supermarket aisles.ski:
Noun · A2
A long, narrow piece of wood, metal, or plastic that is attached to a boot, and used for gliding over snow.
Example: He strapped on his ski and headed down the snowy slope.pacifier:
Noun · A2
A rubber or plastic object, that a baby sucks on to comfort themselves.
Example: The baby finally calm down as soon as she was given her pacifier.gondola:
Noun · B1
An enclosed compartment suspended from a cable, used for transporting people, especially in ski resorts.
Example: They rode the gondola up the mountain to reach the highest ski slopes.impact:
Noun · B2
The strong effect or influence as something else on a situation or person.
Example: The icy conditions had a big impact on their skiing, making the slopes much more challenging.artificially:
Adverb · B2
In a manner that is not natural or real, often by human intervention or imitation.
Example: The ski resort covered its main runs with artificially made snow to ensure good conditions all season.caution:
Noun · B1
Care taken to avoid danger or mistakes.
Example: They advised all the skiers to use caution on the slopes, especially after the fresh snowfall.flexible:
Adjective · B1
Capable of bending easily without breaking.
Example: to handle the very terrain, skiers need to stay flexible in their knees and ankles.
Synonyms:
disappeared ↔ vanished
getting ↔ becoming
word ↔ term
Vocabulary Statistics:
Total words used in the lesson: 2471 ⬆️ 567
New words: 289
Speaking Statistics:
Speaking Speed: 122 WPM
Phrases and words we went over:
Arctic weather
It snowed this week.
The ski resort that I went to..
How is shovel spelled?
I have a jacket and snow pants already.
We have two feet on two skis.
Knee pads
While I am snowboarding..
We can move to another slope.
All the slopes have different levels of difficulty.
We went down three slopes.
They have one leg on either side of the bar because they are wearing skis.
Some of the slopes are quite steep.
My brain is fried.
Short story:
On a crisp winter morning, families arrived at the ski resort, ready for a day of fun. Parents carefully loaded their kids’ gear onto a trolley and made sure the little ones were snug in their stroller. Outside one of the cabins, someone used a shovel to clear a path through the snow. The slopes were covered in a layer of artificially made snow to keep conditions just right. Everyone knew to use a bit of caution, especially with the weather being a bit erratic lately.
By midday, everyone was enjoying the runs. Some were gliding down smoothly on their skis, while others took a break in the lodge. A few parents gave their babies a pacifier to keep them calm. Meanwhile, the gondola carried more skiers up the mountain, and everyone tried to stay flexible with the changing conditions. Even a small bump on the slope could give a bit of whiplash, but the impact was all part of the fun day.
Feedback
You did such a great job today jumping into speaking without worrying about mistakes, and it was awesome to see you using new vocabulary and even correcting yourself. One thing we'll keep working on is expanding your everyday vocabulary, focusing a bit on plural words and pronunciation, and we'll definitely incorporate some icebreakers in the future to get you even more comfortable. Overall, you're doing really well, and I’m excited to keep building on these skills together!