I. Từ vựng

• general knowledge quiz (n) cuộc thi kiến thức phổ thông
• insist (on) (v) [in'sist]khăng khăng đòi
• judge (n) ['dʒʌdʒ]giám khảo
• native speaker (n) người bản xứ

II. Cấu trúc cần lưu ý

• thank … (for) (v) cảm ơn

III. Hướng dẫn giải bài tập:

1. Before you listen:

 Work in pairs. Ask and answer the following questions. (Làm việc theo cặp. Hỏi và trả lời các câu hỏi sau.)

• 1. What is the Boston Marathon? (Cuộc thi chạy ở Boston là gì?)

=> Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon and ranks as one of the world's best-known road racing events.

• 2. Who do you think can take part in the Boston race? (Theo bạn thì ai có thể tham gia vào cuộc thi chạy Boston?)

=> Amateur and professional runners from all over the world can take part in the Boston Marathon each year.

Listen and repeat.

2. While you listen 

Tapescript: Dưới đây là nội dung bài nghe

• Trang: What are you reading, Paul?
• Paul: The history of Boston Marathon.
• Trang: It sounds interesting! How often is it held?
• Paul: Every year, in the USA.
• Trang: When did it begin?
• Paul: In 1897. And the same year, John McDermott won the first Boston Athletic Association Marathon.
• Trang: Who was John McDermott? Where did he come from?
• Paul: He was the first man who won the first Boston Marathon in the USA.
• Ha came from New York.
• Trang: How long did it take him to reach the finish?
• Paul: He clocked 2 hours 50 minutes and 10 seconds.
• Trang: Did women have right to participate in long distance running?
• Paul: Yes... But not until 1967, women were formally accepted to take part in the Boston races... A few years later. Kuscsik became the first official female champion.
• Trang: When did she win the race?
• Paul: In 1972. There were 8 women starting the race and all 8 finished.
• Trang: Is the race held for only American people?
• Paul: No. Each year, more runners from every part of the world join it. In 1984, 6164 runners from 34 countries ran in the marathon.
• Trang: What are the rules of the Boston Marathon?
• Paul: The Boston race is about 42km. Runners have to go throush 13 towns during the race. It ends in the centre of Boston.
• Trang: Oh, that's great. Thanks a lot, Paul.

Task 1. Listen to the dialogue about the Boston Marathon and ... . (Nghe bài hội thoại về Cuộc thi chạy Boston và xác định xem các phát biểu sau là đúng (T) hoặc sai (F).

Task 2. Listen again and answer the following questions. (Nghe lại và trả lời các câu hỏi sau.)

• 1. Where did John McDermott come from? (John McDermott đến từ đâu?)

=> He came from New York.

• 2. When did Kuscsik become the first official female champion? (Kuscsik trở thành nhà vô địch nữ chính thức đầu tiên vào năm nào?)

=> She became the first official female champion in 1972.

• 3. How many women started and finished the race in 1972? (Có bao nhiêu phụ nữ tham gia và hoàn thành cuộc chạy đua vào năm 1972?)

=> 8 women started and finished the race in 1972.

• 4. How many runners joined the Boston Marathon in 1984? (Có bao nhiêu vận động viên điền kinh tham dự Cuộc thi chạy Boston năm 1984?)

=> 6164 runners joined the Boston Marathon in 1984.

3. After you listen 

Work in groups. Name some famous runners in Vietnam and say what is special about them. (Làm việc nhóm. Kể tên một số vận động viên điền kinh nổi tiếng ở Việt Nam và nói xem điều gì đặc biệt ở họ.)

Gợi ý:

Truong Thanh Hang - "The gold girl" of Vietnam's sports, "Athletic Queen".

Vu Thi Huong is a track and field sprint athlete who competes internationally for Vietnam.

Dang Thi Teo, one of the most famous marathon runners in Vietnam, began her first race when she was only 14 years old and won the gold medal. She can not remember how many medals she won. She finished her career as a runner in 1997 when her first son was born. Now she is an athletics coach.