Extreme heat at Australian Open Level 3 Advanced 1 Warmer How quickly can you find the answers to these questions? 1. At what venue was the tournament held? 2. What is the name of the tournament? 3. What was the highest temperature recorded? 4. Which of the following nationalities are not mentioned? – Japanese, Canadian, Swedish, British, German, Swiss, Chinese 5. Who played in the match with the score 7–5, 4–6, 6–3? Who won the match? 2 Key words Read the definitions and find the related words in the article. The paragraph numbers are given to help you. 1. severely criticized ___________________ (para 1) 2. suddenly fell down and became very ill or unconscious ___________________ (para 1) 3. feeling as if you or the things around you are spinning, especially when you think you are going to fall ___________________ (para 2) 4. preparations made for possible bad events ___________________ (two words, para 10) 5. the right or ability to make a judgment or decision ___________________ (para 10) 6. measures the amount of something using a piece of equipment or a particular method ___________________ (para 11) 7. felt or interpreted in a way that may differ from reality ___________________ (para 11) 8. a level at which something happens ___________________ (para 12) 9. continuing at the same level or rate for a long time ___________________ (para 12) 10. not protected from the weather ___________________ (para 14) • © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2014 NEWS LESSONS / Extreme heat at Australian Open / Advanced FROM WEBSITE •PHOTOCOPIABLECAN BE DOWNLOADED Extreme heat at Australian Open Level 3 Advanced Australian Open slammed for when I open the oven and the potatoes are done. “inhumane” conditions in extreme heat That’s what it’s like.” • Frank Dancevic collapses on court before 9 The defending champion Victoria Azarenka took the criticizing organizers same line. “It felt pretty hot, like you’re dancing in a • Andy Murray says “it looks terrible when people frying pan or something like that,” she said. are collapsing” 10 The tournament’s “extreme heat” contingency plan Staff and agencies was put into force for women’s matches on Tuesday, 14 January, 2014 allowing an extra ten-minute break between the second and third sets. Under a change to the rules 1 The Canadian tennis player Frank Dancevic for 2014, however, the decision on whether to stop slammed Australian Open organizers for forcing matches at the tournament is now at the discretion of players to compete in “inhumane” conditions after the tournament director, Wayne McKewen. he collapsed on court as temperatures rose to 41C. 11 Rather than use the raw Celsius readings to 2 Dancevic, who collapsed during the second set of assess the heat, organizers prefer to use the his first-round match against France’s Benoît Paire Wet Bulb Globe Temperature composite, which on the uncovered court six at Melbourne Park and also gauges humidity and wind to identify passed out for a minute, said conditions were plainly the perceived conditions. Organizers said dangerous for the players. He also said the heat temperatures peaked at 42.2C in the early had caused him to hallucinate: “I was dizzy from the evening on Tuesday and conditions had never middle of the first set and then I saw Snoopy and I reached the point where play would be stopped. thought, ‘Wow, Snoopy – that’s weird.’” 12 “We have to reach a minimum threshold and 3 “I think it’s inhumane. I don’t think it’s fair to anybody have a forecast that it will be sustained for a – to the players, to the fans, to the sport – when you reasonable time,” McKewen said in a statement. see players pulling out of matches, passing out,” he “That didn’t happen. While conditions were hot added. “I’ve played five-set matches all my life and and uncomfortable, the relatively low level of being out there for a set and a half and passing out humidity ensured play would continue.” with heat stroke, it’s not normal. 13 Dancevic, who said he had felt dizzy from the 4 “Having players with so many problems and middle of the second set, resumed after medical complaining to the tournament that it’s too hot to attention but, unsurprisingly, ended up losing play; until somebody dies, they just keep going 7–6, 6–3, 6–4. “I was really close to stopping on with it and putting matches on in this heat. I, completely,” he said. “I wasn’t really running too personally, don’t think it’s fair and I know a lot of much towards the end. I wasn’t tired; I just felt my players don’t think it’s fair.” body temperature was too high.” 5 Other players were in broad agreement. The British 14 A ball boy had earlier required medical attention number one, Andy Murray, said: “It’s definitely after collapsing during Milos Raonic’s 7–6, 6–1, something that you have to look at a little bit. As 4–6, 6–2 victory over Daniel Gimeno-Traver much as it’s easy to say the conditions are safe, on the equally exposed court eight and the it only takes one bad thing to happen. And it tournament shortened rotations for the ball boys looks terrible for the whole sport when people are to 45-minute shifts. China’s Peng Shuai also said collapsing, ball kids are collapsing, people in the the heat had caused her to cramp up and vomit, stands are collapsing. That’s not great. and she had to be helped from the court after her 6 “I know when I went out to hit before the match, 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 defeat to Japan’s Kurumi Nara. the conditions at 2.30–3pm were very, very 15 Officials played down health risks, saying the tough. Whether it’s safe or not, I don’t know. majority of matches were completed without calls There’s been some issues in other sports with for medical attention. players having heart attacks.” 16 “Of course, there were a few players who 7 Caroline Wozniacki said: “I put the water bottle experienced heat-related illness or discomfort, down on the court and it started melting a little bit but none required significant medical intervention underneath the plastic. So, you know it was warm.” after they had completed their match,” Tim Wood, 8 John Isner, who retired from his first-round match the tournament’s chief medical officer, said in with a right ankle injury, said: “It was like an oven a statement. • © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2014 NEWS LESSONS / Extreme heat at Australian Open / Advanced FROM WEBSITE •PHOTOCOPIABLECAN BE DOWNLOADED Extreme heat at Australian Open Level 3 Advanced 17 Most competitors, though, followed Roger Federer’s 18 Dancevic disagreed. “I don’t think it’s much line that, although conditions were tough, they were to do with the shape the players are in. Some the same for both players. “It’s just a mental thing,” players are used to the heat – their bodies can the Swiss said, albeit before Dancevic collapsed. “If genetically handle the heat and others’ can’t,” you’ve trained hard enough your entire life, or the he said. “It’s hazardous to be out there; it’s last few weeks, and you believe you can do it and dangerous. It’s an hour and a half since my come through it, there’s no reason. If you can’t deal match and I still can’t pee.” with it, you throw in the towel.” © Guardian News and Media 2014 First published in The Guardian, 14/01/14 3 Word groups Find vocabulary in the article to add to the two word wheels. The number of lines on each wheel may not match the number of answers. medical symptoms tennis-related language • © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2014 NEWS LESSONS / Extreme heat at Australian Open / Advanced FROM WEBSITE •PHOTOCOPIABLECAN BE DOWNLOADED Extreme heat at Australian Open Level 3 Advanced 4 Idioms Find these expressions in the article. Explain what the parts in bold mean and use them in sentences of your own. 1. throw in the towel 4. played down health risks 2. the shape the players are in 5. took the same line 3. put into force 5 Who said what? Who are these quotes attributed to? Who do you most agree with or sympathize with? 1. If you’ve trained hard enough your entire life, or 2. As much as it’s the last few weeks, and you believe easy to say the conditions are you can do it and come through it, safe, it only takes one bad thing there’s no reason. to happen. 3. Of course, there were a few players who experienced heat-related illness or discomfort, but 4. I think it’s inhumane. none required significant medical I don’t think it’s fair to intervention after they had completed anybody – to the players, to the their match. fans, to the sport. 6 A factual summary Write a 200-word summary of the article. Include the following words and phrases. extreme collapse fair heat pull out health risk Australia 7 Discussion and debate Which of the following statements do you most agree with? Defend your decision. a. Professional sportsmen and women earn a lot of money. It’s their chosen profession. Everyone has bad times at work and they should not moan when conditions are not ideal. b. No one should be required to play physically demanding sports in those kinds of extreme temperatures, no matter how much money they earn.