Cheerleading, one

 
 
 

Vocabulary

push	stamina	strength
max	win/won	sacrifice
chance	shot (2)	shoot (2)
routine	title (2)	pretty much
cheer	sole (2)	traditional
athletic	pompom	purpose
kidding	compete	teamwork
stunt	extreme	impressive
aside	goal (2)	countless
tumble	serious	teammate
fierce	warm up	on her own
hope	work out	Superbowl
sort	drive (2)	dedication
whole	misstep	opportunity
mat	show off	accumulate
breath	grueling	emotions run high
solid	overall	division (2)
proud	worth it	disappointed

 
 
 
 
 

Video 1

 

 
 

 
 

Video 2

 

 
 

 
 

Transcript

Pushing it to the max. Sixteen-year-old Mikayla Raleigh is out to win, training ten to twenty-five hours a week, full of pure strength, stamina and sacrifice.

All for a shot at winning her first world championship title in all-star cheerleading.

Journalist: So what is all-star cheerleading?
Mikayla: It’s pretty much cheerleading, and you’re cheering from a gym. You complete a routine and it’s not your traditional pompoms. The sole purpose of your team is to compete against others.

I like the athletic part of it and the stunts and tumbling and that’s what I’m really into.

Journalist: Mikayla is one of 200,000 athletes competing in the sport.

Competition is fierce.

Perfection is the goal.

Teams perform two-and-a-half minute routines: high-flying stunts, powerful tumbling and impressive teamwork.

Mikayla trains at Cheer Extreme in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Aside from countless hours training year-round with her team, Mikayla works out on her own—with grueling exercises like this.

Journalist: Are you serious?
Mikayla: This is just warm up.
Journalist: Are you kidding me?

Journalist: And this.

She’s hoping this type of dedication and drive will help her team win gold at the World Championship, All-Star Cheerleading—the Superbowl of the sport.

Journalist: What does “World” mean to you?
Mikayla: It means opportunity to show off and show everybody what you have worked for and make it all worth it.

It’s just your whole year accumulated into two-minutes and thirty seconds.

Moments before they take the mat, emotions run high.

Mikayla: I just take a deep breath and look at all the teammates and remember how hard I worked for it.

It’s kind of like: here we go. This is it!

Journalist: Overall a solid team performance. But there were a few missteps.

Journalist: Last year you came in second; this year you came in fourth. Were you a little disappointed?
Mikayla: Um, a little bit. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But at the same time, you can’t do more than your best; and you can’t control other teams.

This division is so competitive and there are so many great routines. You just have to do your best and I think we did.

Journalist: And for you personally, better this year than last?
Mikayla: Yes, definitely.
Journalist: A big smile for that one.
Mikayla: I feel like I’ve brought a lot more to the routine this year than last year, so I feel proud of that.

 

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Questions

1. Monday. Cheerleading comes easily and naturally for the cheerleaders. It’s all improvised. Is this correct or incorrect?

2. Tuesday. Is all-star cheerleading the same as or different from traditional cheerleading? Do the cheerleaders perform during sporting events, such as basketball? How is all-star cheerleading different?

3. Wednesday. The cheerleading training and practice is fun and easy. True or false? Do they practice one hour a day, three times a week?

4. Thursday. What do they say about time, i.e. two-and-a-half minutes?

5. Friday. Is their performance mostly dancing, or acrobatics, gymnastics and stunts?

6. Saturday. How did the cheerleaders feel before their performance?

7. Sunday. Mikayla’s team won. Is this right or wrong? How did they feel afterward? Does Mikayla feel proud or disappointed about her accomplishments?
 
 

R. Seasons. Is there cheerleading in your city? Is cheerleading popular in your country?

S. Spring. Have you or has your sister or daughter ever thought about becoming a cheerleader?

T. Summer. Dance troupes, clubs, schools, classes, Studios and organizations are common. Is this true or false?

U. Autumn/Fall. Are there lots of shows featuring dance, acrobatics, cheerleading and other talents?

V. Winter. What will happen in the future?