Vocabulary Topic – Sport

Collocation Examples

Performance
Many athletes use performance enhancing drugs to do better in sports.
enhancing

Many students saw that their behavior record improved when they
Record improved
started to behave better.

Americans love watching competitive sports because they are

Competitive sports
inherently competitive.

Average body The average body weight for a 5 foot female is 105 pounds.

Ultra-endurance sports force humans to work their hardest for as long

Ultra-endurance
as possible.

Specialized bodies Tall people have specialized bodies for the sport of basketball.

Many athletes take steroids because performing better provides

Financial incentives
financial incentives.

Athletic Athletic performance varies between people and is based on body type
performance and experience.

It is most energy efficient to eat protein and carbs before playing

Energy efficient
sports.

Over time, changing genes in humans has caused athletes to perform

Changing genes
better.

We have a different mindset today about global warming than we did

Different mindset
twenty years ago.

Athletes must be careful when lifting weights because tearing tendons

Tearing tendons
is a serious concern.

Human health Taking drugs and drinking alcohol is not good for human health.

Controversial issue Global warming is a controversial issue in today’s political world.

5 Questions Eliciting the Collocations:
1. What does David say contributes to the increase in performance
in athletes abilities over time?
2. How have genetics and technology affected athlete’s
performance?
3. What is the difference in athletes’ mindsets between today and in
the past?
4. How do the accomplishments of runners Jesse Owens and Usain
Bolt differ?
5. Are ultra-endurance sports harmful to our health? Explain.
Video: Listen to the topic vocabulary in use
Task Two Sample Essay - with collocations removed
(Gap fill task)
Performance enhancing drugs are a _____________ _____ in the
sports world today. While some people believe these drugs can
increase ________ ___________, it is obvious that these drugs are
detrimental to _____ ______. These drugs cause athletes to have
unfair benefits over others as well.Firstly, supplements to increase
athletic performance should not be allowed because they can cause
significant harm to the human body. For example, athletes who take
these supplements may overwork their bodies and end up _______
_______ in the process. While professional athletes take these
supplements because of _________ __________ in order to perform
better, they are not ______ _________ to the body. Most athletes
end up crashing after taking these drugs. Therefore, these
performance drugs should be banned from all markets.
Secondly, supplements should be banned because they provide an
unfair advantage. In the world of __________ ______, an unfair
advantage can result in money loss and defamation for the losing
athlete. These drugs help athletes create ___________ ______ for
the sport in question. Athletes on drugs have _____ _________
capabilities unlike the athlete with the drug-free and _______ ____.
This causes the competition to lose its value and the real athletic
talent to be lost. These drugs get rid of the real meaning of sports.
In conclusion, performance enhancing drugs and supplements
should not be allowed in competitive sports due to unfair
advantages, and they should not be allowed in any marketplace,
because they are unhealthy.
Performance enhancing drugs are a controversial issue in the sports
world today. While some people believe these drugs can increase
athletic performance, it is obvious that these drugs are detrimental to
human health. These drugs cause athletes to have unfair benefits
over others as well.
Firstly, supplements to increase athletic performance should not be
allowed because they can cause significant harm to the human body.
For example, athletes who take these supplements may overwork
their bodies and end up tearing tendons in the process. While
professional athletes take these supplements because of financial
incentives in order to perform better, they are not energy efficient to
the body. Most athletes end up crashing after taking these drugs.
Therefore, these performance drugs should be banned from all
markets.
Secondly, supplements should be banned because they provide an
unfair advantage. In the world of competitive sports, an unfair
advantage can result in money loss and defamation for the losing
athlete. These drugs help athletes create specialized bodies for the
sport in question. Athletes on drugs have ultra-endurance
capabilities unlike the athlete with the drug-free and average body.
This causes the competition to lose its value and the real athletic
talent to be lost. These drugs get rid of the real meaning of sports.
In conclusion, performance enhancing drugs and supplements
should not be allowed in competitive sports due to unfair
advantages, and they should not be allowed in any marketplace,
because they are unhealthy.

Some people believe that governments

should ban dangerous sports even though
others claim they should have the freedom
to choose a sport to their liking. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

What book or film do you think portrays a country’s culture the

best? Would you recommend it to a foreign friend who wishes to
learn and understand that country? Describe the book or film and
explain why you would recommend it. Use specific reasons and
details to support your answer.

International sporting events are costly and bring problems to the

hosting country. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give specific reasons and examples to support your position.
Some say sports facilities are important and they promote healthy
lifestyles while others believe they have only a small impact on
individuals. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.

A film can portray the culture and traditions of a country. What

films have you watched that tell a specific story of a country?
Use specific examples and details to support your response.

Do you think video games and action films promote violence that
could be harmful to children? Why or why not?
Give specific details and examples to support your answer.

Write about a certain hobby that has also provided income for
people. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Some people participate in extra-curricular activities such as

volunteering in charitable events or joining dance groups to gain
more knowledge and experience. Others simply focus on their goals
such as academic studies or work. Which do you think helps in
improving a person’s knowledge and experience? Use specific
reasons and details to support your answer.
Some people say that playing games teaches us about life. Others
emphasize that only practical experience teaches us valuable lessons
about life. Which statement do you agree with and why? Include
specific details and examples to support your choice.

Some people think that watching television does not make people
smarter. Other people think that watching television can be
informative. Which opinion do you agree with and why?
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Some people think it is okay for adults to play computer games.

Others think that only children should play computer games. Which
opinion do you agree with and why?
Include specific details and examples to support your choice.

Some parents do not allow their children to watch action films and
blood sports or play violent video games because it promotes bad
behaviour. Others say it does not. Which opinion do you agree with
and why?
Give specific examples and details in your explanation.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Sports can

bring world peace.
Give specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Some people go shopping as a form of recreation. It has replaced the
other activities that people used to do as hobbies. Is this a positive or
negative development? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.

Nowadays shopping has replaced many other activities that people

choose as their hobby in their free time. What are the reasons for
this? Is this a positive or negative development?

Most people prefer popular fun activities rather than visiting

museums. Why? Use examples and details in your answer.

Collocation Example

Many women discuss feminist theory and the

Feminist theory differences in why women are oppressed the
way they are.
Gender equality is an issue we have been
Gender equality struggling with in the world for centuries and
has yet to be fixed completely.
Men and women do not always receive equal
Equal pay pay in the workplace even when they are
doing the same work.
Collocation Example

Some men believe that women have trouble

Balancing balancing responsibilities involving the home
responsibilities and the workplace and therefore cannot do
both things.
We must empower women to achieve their
Empower women goals no matter how big they are in order to
see gender equality succeed.
Affirmative action involves choosing someone
Affirmative
for a job based on their race or gender as
action
opposed to their skills alone.
Male entitlement is a problem in today’s
Male entitlement society because men have been raised to think
they are in control of everything.
Many countries in the world revolve around
Patriarchal the idea of a patriarchal society where the
society male leads the household and make the
decisions.
Gender equality proves to be equally
Equally
beneficial to both men and women in the long
beneficial
run.
Women should be given the same opportunities as men in the
workplace, because although we live in a ___________ _______, it
is about time that we break the mould and let women make their
own decisions. While someone does need to take care of the
children and the home, a husband and wife should have _________
_______________ and should support each other in both their
careers and family lives. There is no reason why the woman should
stay at the home as opposed to the man.
Firstly, women should be given the same opportunities in the
workplace, because ____ ___________ is unfair and out of date.
Men should not be given privileges over women just because of
their gender. We need to promote ______ ________ in the
workplace as well as give men and women _____ ___. Studies show
that women excel just as quickly if not faster than men do in their
careers when given the opportunity. Therefore, we need to _______
_____ and allow them to grow with no boundaries.
Secondly, women should not be hindered in their careers, because a
working woman can be _______ __________ to the man as well. If
the woman in the home is working alongside the man, the family
can bring in more income and support their family more efficiently.
________ ______ studies how women are discriminated against in
their jobs and how this can be a disadvantage to the family as a
whole. Scientists have proved that couples who are equal when it
comes to gender are happier overall.
In conclusion, we must allow women to thrive in the workplace and
use ___________ ______ initiatives in order to ensure that women
get the same opportunities as men. It is better for the world as a
whole if we see both men and women in the home and leading
successful careers.

Collocations Examples

There are too many highly skilled people and not enough jobs for these
Highly skilled
people to fill.

Qualified Many qualified graduates find themselves without work, because the job
graduates market does not need them.

Increased Increase education such as graduate degrees has become more necessary
Collocations Examples

education when getting jobs, because college degrees are becoming very common
and therefore less valuable.

The job requirements for companies have become more extensive in

Job requirements
order to differentiate between recent graduates.

Company policies usually require new employees to have ample

Company policies
experience when coming on board.

Internship Internship experience is one of the most common requirements for new
experience graduates looking for work.

The job fields that many graduates are seeking jobs in already have
Job field
enough workers.

The working world is hard to enter as a graduate when you do not have a
Working world
unique and extensive resume.

Unemployment The unemployment problem for recent graduates is growing because

problem more people are graduating and there are less jobs becoming available.

5 Questions Eliciting the Collocations:

1. What is the “chicken and egg” issue that Yves explains in her talk
relating to the working world and its productivity?
2. How can we make people more productive in the workplace and
make them want to cooperate?
3. What does Yves explain as the smart simplicity approach based
on simple rules? What are these simple rules?
4. What is the flaw in management that causes companies to become
too complex and lose productivity?
5. How is it more effective to fight within companies against
complexity as opposed to simply fighting against competitors?
Many college graduates who are ______ _______ for jobs in their
preferred fields are finding themselves without work, because there
are not enough jobs to go around. The main problem is that young
adults are being told how important a college degree is, yet in the
end, there are too many people with this degree. A good way to fix
this problem would be to send people to technical schools in order
to fill positions that need to be filled.Firstly, _________ _________
are having trouble getting into the _______ _____, because there are
not enough jobs for these qualified people to go around. Many
graduates are qualified in specific, popular ___ ______ that have too
many people to being with. Because of this, _________ _________
is beginning to be required for these jobs. In order to combat this
problem, _______ ________ are becoming more strict and the ___
____________ now include __________ __________ in order to
get the job. This makes it more difficult for these highly skilled
graduates to get jobs.
Secondly, in order to fix the ____________ _______ for recent
graduates, we must try and create schooling other than college that
will allow students to get more specialized training in fields where
employment is needed such as computer systems and technology.
By creating and encouraging these schools, we will be able to
provide employment for people who are qualified and ready for
work. This will increase employment among recent graduates.
In conclusion, recent graduates are unable to find work because
there are not enough jobs in the fields they are skilled in. Also, this
is causing jobs in these fields to be even harder to get, because
requirements are becoming more extensive. In order to fix this
problem, we must create and encourage specialized schooling to
prepare for the workplace.

Collocations Examples
Collocations Examples

There are many political issues in America such

Political issue
as women’s rights and immigration.
The climate crisis is a huge problem today,
Climate crisis because temperatures are rising and the ice caps
are melting.
Global Global warming is causing polar bears in the
warming north and deep south to die.
Green Becoming a green consumer can help fix the
consumer climate crisis in the world.
Carbon Reducing our carbon emissions can slow down
emissions the effects of global warming on our planet.
Historical The temperatures have risen and beaten the
average historical average.
The current levels of carbon dioxide in the
Current levels
atmosphere are dangerously high.
Carbon Every person must reduce their carbon footprint
footprint by mindfully treating the environment better.
There are many climate solutions that can help
Climate
our planet, but we all must do our part to make a
solutions
change.
People are creating more waste and garbage today and it is
negatively affecting our planet by causing _______ ______ of
carbon dioxide emissions to rise and the _______ ______ to get
worse. We must fix this issue with _______ _________ that will
reduce our personal waste and, in turn, reduce our ______
__________.
Firstly, we must stop creating so much garbage by becoming _____
_________ . We have to be mindful of our use and learn to be more
environmentally friendly. Studies show that the __________
_______ of temperatures has been exceeded and this is related to
our amount of waste. We need to recycle more and emit less.
Otherwise, our ______ _________ will continue to increase.
Secondly, we need to fix the climate crisis on a personal level. We
cannot consider ______ _______ a _________ _____, because we
all need to participate in making a change. Scientists agree that in
order to make a difference and reduce our garbage, we need to drive
our cars less, stop drinking bottled water, and recycle and throw
away our trash. With each person making these small changes, we
can make a big difference in the world when it comes to climate
change.

People are creating more waste and garbage today and it is

negatively affecting our planet by causing _______ ______
of carbon dioxide emissions to rise and the _______ ______
to get worse. We must fix this issue with _______
_________ that will reduce our personal waste and, in turn,
reduce our ______ __________.
Firstly, we must stop creating so much garbage by becoming
_____ _________ . We have to be mindful of our use and
learn to be more environmentally friendly. Studies show that
the __________ _______ of temperatures has been exceeded
and this is related to our amount of waste. We need to
recycle more and emit less. Otherwise, our ______
_________ will continue to increase.
Secondly, we need to fix the climate crisis on a personal
level. We cannot consider ______ _______ a _________
_____, because we all need to participate in making a
change. Scientists agree that in order to make a difference
and reduce our garbage, we need to drive our cars less, stop
drinking bottled water, and recycle and throw away our trash.
With each person making these small changes, we can make
a big difference in the world when it comes to climate
change.

Vocabulary Topic – Law

Collocations Examples

Violent offender The violent offender was arrested and taken to jail.

Ultimate goal The runner’s ultimate goal was to win the race.

The puppy was placed in small confines so he would not use the
Small confines
bathroom in his cage.

Cell blocks The cell blocks of the prison held inmates of all shapes and sizes.

She was very smart compared to the knowledge of the general

General population
population.

The toddler needed more social contact with other toddlers in order to
Social contact
learn how to share and be kind.

I was kicked out of the classroom for my loud antics and disruptive
Disruptive behavior
behavior.

The girl collapsed on the floor and we dialed 999 for the emergency
Emergency response
response team.

The purpose of the correctional facility was to try and teach prisoners
Correctional facility
to behave better and be less violent.
Collocations Examples

Brute force We had to use brute force to open the rusty door.

The soldier had to go through a training academy in order to become

Training academy
part of the Army.

The school’s internal politics involving finding a new principal caused

Internal politics
the faculty to fight with one another.

Controversial The issue of electing a woman president has become a big

component controversial component in the 2016 election.

Intimidation
The school bully used an intimidation technique of
technique

The church provided a safe environment for members who were

Safe environment
feeling threatened at home.

t is a common viewpoint in today’s society that someone who has

been labeled as a criminal for committing illegal activity is unable to
change his or her identity and will always be considered a criminal.
Does this viewpoint align with yours? Support your argument with
specific reasoning.
Many people in today’s society believe that criminals cannot change
their identity and will remain criminals forever. However, there is
reason to believe that this viewpoint is false. With increased ______
_______ between prisoners as well as officers, a ____ ___________
can be created in which prisoners can improve themselves and
change who they are. This essay will discuss why it may be possible
for criminals to abandon their past and live meaningful lives in their
future.
Firstly, people always have the power to change their situation and
their lives for the better. A criminal’s life is not fixed forever and
prison can help these _______ _________ better themselves, hence
the titling of most prisons as “____________ ___________.” For
example, a recent study showed that when the _______ __________
interacted with prisoners before prison and again after prison, they
could tell a positive difference in the prisoner’s demeanor.
Therefore, it is possible for prisoners to change with the help of
prison.
Secondly, people outside of prison have proven change is possible is
everyday life and because criminals are human like everyone else,
change is possible for them as well. Various prisons strive to make
inmates’ lives more meaningful, because they believe in the power
of change. For example, many prisons have abandoned
____________ __________ and the use of _____ _____. Instead,
the ________ ____ of officers is to combat __________ ________
with nonviolence strategies. These radical techniques have resulted
in great success and have proven that criminals can change for the
better.
In conclusion, while some individuals in prison may not have the
power to improve themselves, many criminals have gone through
prison and proven that they can abandon their past and live
meaningful lives.

EDUCATION HUMANITIES

CREATIVITY ARTS

CHILDREN INTELLIGENCE

GRADUATION UNIVERSITY

TALENT PROFESSORS

MIND CONTROL
CONTROL SOMEONES
ATTENTION

HIGH-TECH PERCEPTION
EQUIPMENT

HUMAN DISTRACTION
BEHAVIOR

PICKING FOCUS
POCKETS

MISDIRECTION REALITY

Collocations: super power, surveillance system, security guard,

human attention.