APIEVocabulary: Running and Marathons
Running and marathons
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
Running and Marathons
Learn 10 running words, do 16 practice tasks, and practise saying them.
📌 How to use this lesson
For teachers
Guide learners through the 10 words in 20 minutes, either in pairs or as solo study.
Check answers together using the instant feedback and have students read aloud to test pronunciation.
For learners
First, study the 10 words in the table below and read their simple memory tricks.
Next, solve the 16 practice questions and record your voice in the shadowing section.
Word table
Read each word, notice its collocations, check the forms, and use the memory trick.
| Word | Meaning | Common collocations | Word forms | Example sentence | Memory tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏁 (1) On the course | |||||
| athlete | A person who is trained in sports or physical exercises. | top athlete, professional athlete | – | Every Olympic athlete trains for years before the big race. | Sound: rhymes with fleet — imagine fast feet on the track. |
| podium | A raised platform where the top three runners receive medals. | stand on the podium, podium finish | – | She stood on the top step of the podium with gold around her neck. | Word part: pod- means foot in Greek — a place where winners place their feet. |
| spectator | A person who watches a sports event without taking part. | cheering spectator, line of spectators | – | Thousands of spectators cheered along the city streets. | Picture: like spectacles (glasses) — you watch the action. |
| cramp | A sharp and sudden pain caused by a muscle tightening up. | muscle cramp, stomach cramp | – | At mile 20, a sharp cramp in his calf slowed him right down. | Picture: the muscle clamps shut like a tight clamp. |
| 👟 (2) The runner | |||||
| training | The process of regular physical exercise to prepare for a race. | marathon training, hard training | – | Her daily marathon training begins at six every morning. | Picture: like railroad tracks — a steady path leading to race day. |
| pace | The speed at which someone runs or moves forward. | steady pace, set the pace | – | Runners who start too fast often lose their pace near the end. | Sound: reminds you of space — measure the rhythm between steps. |
| jogger | Someone who runs at a gentle and relaxed speed for exercise. | morning jogger, casual jogger | jog (v, n) | You will meet many friendly joggers in the park on weekends. | Contrast: a sprinter flies, but a jogger just bounces along. |
| 🔥 (3) How it feels | |||||
| sore | Painful and tender, especially after strenuous physical exercise. | sore muscles, sore feet | soreness (n) | His thighs were very sore the morning after the marathon. | Sound: like "ooh, so sore!" when climbing the stairs. |
| determined | Having a firm intention to do something without giving up. | stay determined, determined runner | determination (n) | She was determined to beat her personal record this season. | Word part: term- (finish line) — eyes fixed on the end. |
| breathless | Breathing very fast and with difficulty after heavy exercise. | feel breathless, left breathless | breath (n), breathlessly (adv) | The final hill sprint left every runner breathless. | Word part: breath + -less = out of air! |
Practice
Test yourself with 16 quick questions from easy to hard.
1. Match each running action to the correct noun:
Choose one matching column for each action row.
2. Lisa: "Who is that fast runner in front?"
Tom: "He is a professional ____ who won gold last year."
3. "I am not racing today; I am just a casual ____ who enjoys a quiet morning run."
4. Coach: "How is your marathon ____ going?"
Mark: "Good! I run 30 kilometers every week."
5. "After running twenty kilometers on Saturday, my legs were very ____ on Sunday."
Every option makes a correct English sentence, but only one matches the meaning of the story.
6. "At mile 18, a sudden muscle ______ forced Mark to stop and stretch by the road."
7. "After crossing the line in third place, Elena proudly stepped onto the ______ to receive her bronze medal."
8. "Despite the icy wind and heavy rain, David remained ______ to reach the finish line before dark."
9. "She looked down at her GPS watch every two minutes to keep an even ______ over the 10-kilometer route."
Fill in the blank using the exact word form listed in our word table.
10. Base word: jogger.
"I like to ____ through the botanical garden before breakfast."
11. Base word: sore.
"A warm salt bath will help reduce muscle ____ after hard exercise."
12. Base word: determined.
"Running an entire marathon requires great courage and ____."
13. Base word: breathless.
"She stopped at the top of the hill to catch her ____."
Shadowing
Listen, repeat out loud, and tap record to check your voice.
Part 1: Key collocations (4 items)
1. Collocation
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____2. Collocation
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____3. Collocation
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____4. Collocation
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____Part 2: Short real-life sentences (6 items)
5. Short sentence (7 words)
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____6. Short sentence (6 words)
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____7. Short sentence (5 words)
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____8. Short sentence (7 words)
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____9. Short sentence (6 words)
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____10. Short sentence (7 words)
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____Part 3: Hard words practice (2 items)
11. Word challenge
Stress: SPEC-ta-tor[Bài tập luyện nói]
____12. Word challenge
Stress: de-TER-mined[Bài tập luyện nói]
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