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Interview with the Blazers' Nicolas Batum: 'Slam Dunk'

Interview with the Blazers' Nicolas Batum: 'Slam Dunk' English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Jan 23 2009

Themes: Sports

Grammar: Modal Verbs

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Basketball was invented in North America, and the US almost always wins the gold at the Olympics. But every year, more international players are drafted into the NBA.

Currently, the Portland Trail Blazers have three foreign players. The youngest is Nicolas Batum, who just came over from France for his first season in the NBA. Jason recently went to the Blazers’ practice facility to talk to Batum about what it’s like to play pro basketball in your second language.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jason

Jason

Nicolas

Nicolas

Jason:  Welcome to English, baby! I’m Jason, here with Nicolas Batum of the Portland Trail Blazers. How old are you and where are you from, Nicolas?

Nicolas:  I’m twenty. I’m from France.

Jason:  When did you learn all the terms for basketball?

Nicolas:  I know the terms in basketball because in France the coach speaks English almost all the time.

Jason:  Has there ever been a time, though, where there’s been, like, a funny misunderstanding?

Nicolas:  Sometimes I don’t understand what he’s saying during the game. Yeah.

Jason:  You’re new to the team this year. Have the guys teased you for being from another country or anything?

Nicolas:  Yeah. They joke about if you can play basketball in France. “They play basketball in France? You sure?”

Jason:  They do play basketball in France, but you play a lot more games here. How’s that goin’ for you?

Nicolas:  Yeah. It’s tough. I’ve played almost thirty-four, thirty-five games in two months. In France I played thirty-five games in six or seven months, so…Yeah.

Jason:  Is it OK though?

Nicolas:  It’s tough, but I’m good. Yeah.

Jason:  We were wondering if you could explain what a slum dunk is now?

Nicolas:  Slam dunk?

Jason:  Yeah.

Nicolas:  You just go to the rim, and crush...crush the ball in the rim. That’s all. Yeah.

Jason:  Can you show us one?

Nicolas:  OK.

Jason:  Sweet.

 

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Discussion

When Jason arrives at the practice, Nicolas was running drills and practicing his jump shot. He learned terms like that early on because his coach in France usually spoke English. So Nicolas can easily explain what slam dunk means in a basketball game. But did you know that you can use slam dunk in your daily life, even if you don’t play or watch sports?

Since when a player dunks the ball almost always goes in the basket, you can call any sure success a slam dunk. If your job interview goes really well, you could tell your friends, “It was a slam dunk. I’m sure I got the job.” Or if you want to convince your friends to go into business with you, you could say, “We have such a good idea. It will be a slam dunk. We’ll make lots of money!”

Is there anything coming up in your life that you hope will be a slam dunk? Is there an NBA player from your country?

For more with Batum, watch another video of him dunking, check out this YouTube fan channel or visit the Portland Trailblazers’ website.

 

Comments

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kpl

kpl

Taiwan

I like to watch LIVE NBA shows on tv . Watching some flyer to crush basketball into the basket with diffrient pose  is so scream , that figure shows are  body extreme art   performaces . hardcore !

03:32 PM Mar 16 2010 |

jysfernandez

Brazil

Basketball is a great sport, but I prefer volleyball and futebol (I'm from brazillian, off course.) ajajajajajajaja

02:01 PM Dec 24 2009 |

vip_groovygirl

United Arab Emirates

I love basketball, it is a good sport though.

{ Thanks 4 the lesson }.

06:26 AM Nov 08 2009 |

jim lorry

China

I love basketball very much, while I was 12 of age when I first contact with basketball .It has brought me excitemet and happiness is more important is that I learned to never give up

10:31 AM Oct 03 2009 |

nancy_810311

China

My husband like playing basketball very much,so he often plays it when he rest on noon.This sports action make his body more healthy.Therefore,I'm very happy!

06:55 AM Apr 07 2009 |

 Love@Bobo

Love@Bobo

China

i like playing

07:07 AM Mar 29 2009 |

tangbin

tangbin

China

Smile

12:39 PM Mar 13 2009 |

Arenas0

China

i am a rockets ,and i wanna know do you ever love the team ? i mean you love the player in the team?
most people said you looks like scottie pippen ,and what do you think of this ?
lastly, which player you like best ?now and the former ?

02:10 PM Mar 05 2009 |

Arenas0

China

i am a rockets ,and i wanna know do you ever love the team ? i mean you love the player in the team?
most people said you looks like scottie pippen ,and what do you think of this ?
lastly, which player you like best ?now and the former ?

02:10 PM Mar 05 2009 |

Hani44

Hani44

Saudi Arabia

Really I love this game,,,but I'm short :(

08:42 PM Mar 01 2009 |

zoebaby

zoebaby

China

i like basketball,i spent most time in watching NBA during the vocation,it's cool,chinese people are looking forward to seeing SunYue show us a slam dunkTongue out

02:24 AM Feb 26 2009 |

Micheal Lee

China

this lesson is very helpful for me, not only i can watched the player in th NBA,but also learned new things from this lesson. thanks.

03:30 AM Feb 19 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

...When I can to complete my trip to Ireland it will be a slan dunk! ;)

06:48 PM Jan 29 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Slan Dunk it would be something that it gave right or could give right…When I can to concret my travel to Ireland it will be a slan dunk!

06:47 PM Jan 29 2009 |

Finx

Finx

Brazil

nice one!! Just as i learn :D

12:13 AM Jan 29 2009 |

Finx

Finx

Brazil

Just like at english course XD

12:03 AM Jan 29 2009 |

Billie joe

Colombia

Good Lesson, I can´t tell you Nothing more ´causea basketball is not my favorite sport

03:05 PM Jan 28 2009 |

kukuka

kukuka

Ukraine

Alexandr Volkov is a ukrainian csitizen and was an NBA player

11:16 AM Jan 28 2009 |

Amido Hernan Rios

Colombia

It is very good to know that your coach  is constantly speaking English to you. It'll be more easier for you to learn english

08:21 PM Jan 26 2009 |

cooller

cooller

China

basketball is very popular  among the young. NBA is a so energetic! full of vigor!l

12:20 PM Jan 26 2009 |

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