Games tonight: running, wrestling, discus.
The Odyssey · A2+
Book Eight: The Games and the Songs
Good at, faster, don’t, the furthest, rude, apologised, while he sang, couldn’t help, if you win, and who: A2+ grammar for athletic games and a blind singer who sings about Troy.
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SOPHIA
MARCOS
Finally, sport.
The story
After Homer’s Odyssey
The Phaeacians held games. “You look strong. Are you good at sports?” asked a young man. “Don’t be shy!” Another young man, Euryalus, was rude: “You look like a merchant, not an athlete.”
Odysseus was angry. He picked up a heavy discus and threw it the furthest of all. Euryalus apologised, and gave him a sword.
While the blind singer Demodocus sang about the Wooden Horse, Odysseus couldn’t stop crying. The king, who was sitting next to him, noticed. “If you tell us your name, we will take you home,” he said.
Good at; don’t; rude; apologised
DEMETRIA
Are you good at sports? Don’t be shy! Euryalus was rude, and then he apologised.
SOPHIA
good at + noun / -ing. Don’t + verb. apologise (to someone) for something.
Faster; the furthest
MARCOS
He threw it further than anyone. The furthest of all!
SOPHIA
fast → faster → the fastest. far → further / farther → the furthest: irregular.
While; couldn’t; if; who
PHILO
While Demodocus sang, Odysseus couldn’t stop crying. The king, who was next to him, noticed. If you tell us, we will take you home.
SOPHIA
while for two things at the same time. First conditional: if + present, will. who for people.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| good at; don’t + verb | ability; orders | Are you good at running? |
| faster; the furthest | comparative; irregular superlative | He threw it the furthest. |
| while; couldn’t | at the same time; past ability | While he sang, … |
| if + present, will; who | first conditional; relative | If you tell us, we will take you home. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. Are you good ___ running?
2. “___ be shy!”
3. He threw it ___ of all.
4. He ran ___ than the others.
5. ___ Demodocus sang, Odysseus cried.
6. If you tell us your name, we ___ take you home.
B · Write
Write the missing word or words.
7. Euryalus to Odysseus. (apologise, past)
8. Odysseus stop crying. (not able, past)
9. The king, was sitting next to him, noticed.
10. Euryalus was very : he said he looked like a merchant. (not polite)
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “He is good in wrestling.”
12. “If you win, we will clap.”
13. “He threw it more far than the others.”
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