A ten‑year‑old girl from Austria practices hard, gets better every week, and is proud of her swimming certificate.
Mia is ten years old. She goes to Volksschule in Austria. She can already swim a little. She knows how to float and move her arms and legs. She is safe in the water and will not drown. But Mia wants to learn more. She wants to swim better and learn all the swimming styles.
Every week her class goes to the indoor swimming pool. The teacher shows them different styles. First, Mia learns breaststroke. She moves her arms like a big circle and kicks her legs slowly. Then she learns backstroke. It feels strange to swim on her back, but she practices and gets better.
Later she learns crawl, or freestyle. This is fast and fun. She also tries butterfly, the hardest style. Mia works hard, but she enjoys it. She wants to swim faster and longer.
After some months, the teacher makes a swimming test. Mia shows all four styles. She is proud because she can do them all. The teacher gives her a certificate. At home, Mia shows it to her parents. They are very proud of her. Mia smiles and thinks: “I can do everything if I try.”
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Vocabulary:
- a swimming style – a special way to swim, like breaststroke or backstroke.
- to practice – to do something many times to get better at it.
- to be proud – to feel happy about what you did well.
- a swimming certificate – a paper that says you can swim.
- a little – not much, only a small amount.
- to float – to stay on top of the water without sinking.
- to be safe – not in danger; nothing bad will happen.
- to drown – to die because you cannot breathe in water.
- breaststroke – a swimming style where arms make a big round movement and legs move like a frog.
- a circle – a round shape like a ball or the sun.
- to kick – to push with your foot or leg.
- backstroke – a swimming style on your back where you move arms one after the other.
- to feel strange – to feel different or not normal.
- to crawl (freestyle) – a fast swimming style with one arm after the other and kicking legs.
- butterfly (swimming) – a hard swimming style where both arms move together like wings.
- to enjoy – to like something very much.
- to try – to do something to see if you can do it.
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Multiple choice, one answer correct:
1. What is a swimming style?
a) A way to move in the water when you swim
b) A big pool for swimming
c) A class for running and jumping
2. What does to practice mean?
a) To watch other people swim
b) To do something many times to get better
c) To play a game in the pool
3. What does to be proud mean?
a) To want to stop swimming
b) To feel happy about what you did well
c) To be sad about something
4. What is a swimming certificate?
a) A swimsuit for the pool
b) A paper that says you can swim
c) A lesson for learning to dive
5. What does a little mean?
a) Very big
b) Very fast
c) A small amount
6. What does to float mean?
a) To stay on top of the water
b) To swim under the water
c) To jump into the pool
7. What does to be safe mean?
a) To swim very fast
b) Nothing bad will happen
c) To be in danger
8. What does to drown mean?
a) To learn to swim faster
b) To die because you cannot breathe in water
c) To lie on the water and relax
9. What is breaststroke?
a) A swimming style with arms in a big circle and frog legs
b) A way to breathe in water
c) A swimming style on your back
10. What is a circle?
a) A shape with four sides
b) A shape that is round like the sun
c) A swimming pool
11. What does to kick mean?
a) To use your hands only
b) To hold your breath
c) To move your legs in the water
12. What is backstroke?
a) Swimming on your back
b) Swimming under water
c) Swimming on your stomach
13. What does to feel strange mean?
a) To feel very hungry
b) To feel happy and safe
c) To feel different or not normal
14. What is crawl (freestyle)?
a) A style where you sit on the edge of the pool
b) A fast swimming style with arms one after the other
c) A swimming game with balls
15. What is butterfly (swimming)?
a) A slow swimming style
b) A style where you swim on your back
c) A hard style with both arms moving together like wings
16. What does to enjoy mean?
a) To like something very much
b) To stop doing something
c) To be afraid of something
17. What does to try mean?
a) To do something to see if you can do it
b) To sit and watch
c) To already know everything
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Answers:
1 A, 2 B, 3 B, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 B, 9 A,
10 B, 11 C, 12 A, 13 C, 14 B, 15 C, 16 A, 17 A
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Fill in, one answer correct:
1. Mia likes to __________ every day.
a) sleep
b) practice
c) play
2. Mia can swim a __________ distance.
a) little
b) big
c) fast
3. Mia feels __________ when she swims well.
a) proud
b) tired
c) sad
4. Mia learns to __________ and not be afraid in the water.
a) swim
b) float
c) jump
5. Mia uses her legs to __________ in the pool.
a) clap
b) kick
c) sit
6. Mia wants to __________ to swim better.
a) try
b) watch
c) rest
7. Mia’s favourite style is __________.
a) crawl
b) breaststroke
c) backstroke
8. Mia swims on her back. This is called __________.
a) backstroke
b) crawl
c) butterfly
9. Mia moves her arms in a big __________ when swimming.
a) square
b) circle
c) triangle
10. Mia feels __________ when trying a new style.
a) happy
b) strange
c) sleepy
11. Mia learns a new __________ in swimming.
a) swimming style
b) song
c) game
12. Mia gets a __________ when she passes the test.
a) medal
b) certificate
c) prize
13. Mia can swim a __________ distance.
a) little
b) big
c) fast
14. Mia’s teacher says, „It is important __________ in the pool.“
a) to be safe
b) to eat fast
c) to run
15. Mia __________ swimming very much.
a) forgets
b) enjoys
c) hates
16. The __________ style is hard for Mia.
a) butterfly
b) breaststroke
c) free
17. Mia moves her arms fast in the __________ style.
a) butterfly
b) crawl
c) backstroke
18. Mia can __________ on the water.
a) float
b) jump
c) run
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1 B, 2 A, 3 A, 4 A, 5 B, 6 A, 7 A, 8 A, 9 B,
10 B, 11 A, 12 B, 13 A, 14 A, 15 B, 16 A, 17 B, 18 A
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Match the words with the correct definitions:
Words:
- swimming style
- to practice
- to be proud
- swimming certificate
- a little
- to float
- to be safe
- to drown
- breaststroke
- a circle
- to kick
- backstroke
- to feel strange
- to crawl (freestyle)
- butterfly (swimming)
- to enjoy
- to try
Definitions:
a) to do something many times to get better
b) a paper you get when you finish swimming lessons
c) to move your legs in the water
d) a type of swimming where you move your arms and legs fast
e) a way of swimming
f) to move on the water without sinking
g) to be happy because of something good you did
h) to want to do something new or difficult
i) to be safe and not in danger
j) to feel different and not normal
k) to move on your back in the water
l) a shape like a ring or round
m) a little bit or small amount
n) a style where you swim on your chest and move your arms forward
o) a style where you move your arms like butterfly wings
p) to like something very much
q) to die because you cannot breathe underwater
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Answers:
1 e, 2 a, 3 g, 4 b, 5 m, 6 f, 7 i, 8 q, 9 n,
10 l, 11 c, 12 k, 13 j, 14 d, 15 o, 16 p, 17 h
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True or false?
- Mia wants to learn all swimming styles.
- Mia is afraid to float in the water.
- Mia gets a certificate when she finishes swimming lessons.
- Mia can swim on her back, this is called butterfly.
- Mia feels proud when she swims well.
- Mia uses her legs to kick in the pool.
- Mia does not want to drown in the water.
- Mia thinks swimming is boring.
- Mia practices swimming every week.
- Mia feels strange when she tries a new swimming style.
- Mia does not know how to float yet.
- Mia enjoys swimming very much.
False: 2, 4, 8, 11
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Listen and complete:
Mia is ten years old. She can __________ a little. She does not drown. Mia wants to learn all __________ styles. She learns breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly. Mia practices every __________ with her class in the pool. Sometimes she feels __________ when she tries new styles. She kicks her legs and moves her arms. Mia wants to be __________ in the water. After a long time, Mia gets a swimming __________. She is proud of it. Mia enjoys swimming very much. She tries hard and __________to swim every day.
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Correct order: swim – swimming – week – strange – safe – certificate – likes