Sport

1.  Why do you think sport is important?

    스포츠가 왜 중요하다고 생각합니까?

2. Who is the most famous sports player in Korea?

    한국에서 가장 유명한 스포츠선수는 누구인가요?

3. Do you think famous sports stars are good role models for children?

   여러분은 유명한 스포츠선수가 아이들에게 좋은 본보기가 될 수 있다고 생각하나요?

4. Do men and women usually choose to play the same sports?

   남성과 여성은 보통 똑같은 스포츠를 즐기나요?

5. Would you agree that sports stars earn too much money?

    스포츠스타가 돈을 너무 많이 번다는 의견에 동의하나요?

6. What are the effects of parents who become too involved in their children’s activities?

   아이들의 활동에 지나치게 관여하는 부모의 영향에는 어떤 것이 있나요?

7. What does the government do to encourage people to live healthily in your country?

    여러분의 나라에서는 국민들이 건강한 생활을 하도록 하기 위해 정부가 무슨 일을 하나요?

8. What are the benefits of having sports as part of the school curriculum?

   학교 커리큘럼에 스포츠를 포함시키는 것의 장점은 어떤 것들이 있나요?

9. What are the most popular sports in Korea?

    한국에서 가장 인기 있는 스포츠 종목은 무엇인가요?

10. Do you think international sports events have important roles for the world?

     여러분은 세계적 스포츠 이벤트가 세계에서 중요한 역할을 한다고 생각하나요?

< Sample answer >

Sport

1. Why do you think sport is important?
Um… I guess there are physical and mental benefits…In terms of physical advantages, by working out or engaging in intense physical activities, we can lower our blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease. Also… it’s great for weight loss and weight control. On top of that… a healthy body is closely connected to a positive mind as well. I mean, regular aerobic exercise is proven to increase endorphins and other positive hormones in the body. So I think it’s important to keep exercise as a daily routine.

2. Who is the most famous sports player in Korea?
Um… In my opinion, the most famous sports star in Korea right now is Yuna Kim. She’s a figure skater… She’s well-known partly for her achievements; I mean she’s won lots of prizes and competed in high-profile competitions like the Olympics… And she’s also known for her personality. She always comes across as really kind, hard-working, and a good role model. So I’d say Yuna Kim is probably the most famous sports figure right now.

3.  Do you think famous sports stars are good role models for children?

Erm… I think it depends. Some sports stars are good role models because they demonstrate good sportsmanship, I mean they are gracious whether they win or lose, and they work hard to achieve their goal, I mean they have to get up early and stick to a grueling training schedule. But other sportspeople can be bad models to follow, especially if they cheat, take performance-enhancing drugs, splash out on expensive cars, binge drink, stuff like that. So basically, I’d say it depends. 

4. Do men and women usually choose to play the same sports?

Hmm, it seems to me that men and women choose different sports in Korea. Men choose more physically-demanding sports and women tend to go for more relaxing exercises such as yoga. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason behind it, but I think it’s partially the influence of early education, because… in Korea boys are encouraged to play active sports like soccer and girls play rather more relaxing sports. So all in all, men and women do usually choose different sporting activities.

5. Would you agree that sports stars earn too much money?
Sure, I’d say so. I mean… although sports are important because they entertain billions of people and bring fans together, they aren’t essential enough to deserve millions of dollars a month… Also, there are professions like teachers or doctors that are just as beneficial for society, if not more so, but they earn a pittance in comparison to athletes. So yeah, their salary’s too high, in my opinion.  

6. What are the effects of parents who become too involved in their children’s activities?

Right…There are several negative effects to overparenting… I mean, if parents control the activitiestheir children participate in, their kids might end up doing things they don’t like, and this might make them unhappy…As an example, my parents forced me to learn the piano for ten years, and I hated it because I couldn’t pursue what I wanted to or gain a sense of independence by making my own decisions… So I’d say there are a few disadvantages to overbearing parents.

7. What does the government do to encourage people to live healthily in your country?

OK…Compared to other countries, Korea has a relatively good medical support system for its citizens. I mean, the cost of medical treatment is affordable and service is very fast and efficient. Every year, the government provide almost free medical check-ups to adults over a certain age. Also physical education is compulsory at schools so that students can maintain their health. On top of that, these days, more and more local governments install small public exercise facilities in the parks and playgrounds as well. That said, I think the government should build more community centres in each region where people can swim or work out at a more affordable cost, because gyms are really pricey these days.

8. What are the benefits of having sports as part of the school curriculum?

I guess having sports in the school curriculum has a number of benefits for students. I mean, students can improve their health through various activities. That helps them stay healthy, which can positively affect their concentration for studying. Er, secondly… students can learn how to work with other people through team sports. Team sports such as soccer require a good level of cooperation, which can be a very effective method for students to gain team work skills. So I can see a few advantages.  

9.What are the most popular sports in Korea?

I’d definitely say Koreans feel most passionately about football. It’s a source of national pride… I mean, before the 2002 World Cup, football was considered a sport for Europeans and South Americans, but the Korean team reached the semi-final, which changed the global perspective of football a bit, and now we’ve had outstanding players in European football teams, like Son Heung Min. It’s really boosted the reputation and awareness of Korea worldwide, so Koreans are very fond of football, yeah.

10. Do you think international sports events play an important role in the world?

Yeah, I believe so. I mean, international sports events like the Olympics and the World Cup not only stimulate the hosting country’s economy but also contribute to maintaining world peace. And… They’re also an important venue for countries to show off their national power through sports, not through violence. They also produces a great deal of inspiring stories for people around the world… for example, Korea’s women handball team miraculously, and unexpectedly made it to the final in the Olympics, and even though they were defeated by the Norwegian team, a lot of people were impressed by this story. So I’d agree that international sports events play very important roles in the world in countless ways.

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