Winter Sports (Cultural Note)

Sometimes schools will close if there is a big snowstorm. Children usually love this, and take their sleds to a park or a hill and go sledding. Sledding is the most popular winter sport for children, because it doesn't take any special practice to learn how. You just jump on your sled at the top of a hill, get someone to give you a push, and hold on tight!

Winter Sports (Reading)

Does it snow where you live? Many people like snow because of all the winter sports you can do. Skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, sledding, and snowshoeing are some of the most popular winter sports. Even when it is very cold outside, doing any of these sports will keep you warm!

Do you like winter sports?

Winter Sports (Missing Words)

Can you remember the missing words from yesterday's reading? Number the words below from 1 to 5 in their correct place in the reading.

sports, snow, warm, cold, winter

Does it snow where you live? Many people like __________(1) because of all the winter __________ (2) you can do. Skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, sledding, and snowshoeing are some of the most popular __________ (3) sports. Even when it is very __________ (4) outside, doing any of these sports will keep you __________ (5)!

Answers: 1. snow 2. sports 3. winter 4. cold 5. warm

Winter Sports (Grammar)

If you want to say that you like to do something, there are two ways you can say it:

I like skiing.

or

I like to ski.

The first example uses the gerund form of the verb ski: ski plus -ing. The second example uses the infinitive form of the verb: to ski. You can use the same constructions to say what you hate doing:

I hate shopping.

or

I hate to shop.

Choose the correct word(s) to fill in the blank in each sentence below.

1. I like ______. (ski, to ski, to skiing)

2. I hate ______. (study, studying, to studying)

3. I like ______. (to drive, to driving, drive)

Answers:

1. to ski / skiing

2. studying /to study

3. to drive / driving

Winter Sports (Spelling/Vocabulary)

Look at each pair below:

ski(s) / skiing

snowboard / snowboarding

ice skate(s) / ice skating

sled / sledding

snowshoe(s) / snowshoeing

The first word is the name of the equipment you use to do the winter sport named in the second word. Note:

1. When the word ends in two consonants together, you simply add -ing. (snowboarding)
2. When the word ends in a consonant plus a silent "e," you drop the "e" before adding -ing. (ice skating)
3. When the word ends in a vowel plus a consonant, you double the consonant before adding Ving. (sledding)
4. In the last pair, you just add Ving because the word "snowshoe" ends in a digraph.* (snowshoeing)

*A digraph is two letters that together make one sound, as in the "oe" in snowshoe ("shoe" rhymes with "to").

Choose the correct form of the word in each sentence.

1. Six inches of snow fell last night, so let's go ____. (ski, skiing)
2. When the lake is frozen, we go ____. (ice skate, ice skating)
3. I got a new ____ for Christmas. (snowboard, snowboarding)

Answers: 1. skiing 2. ice skating 3. snowboard

At the Post Office (Reading)

Bill: I'd like some stamps to send postcards to my new friends in Greece.

Post Office Clerk: It costs 50 cents to send a postcard overseas. How many stamps would you like?

Bill: I'll take three. And then I'd like to send two letters, too.

Post Office Clerk: That will be 60 cents per letter, 50 cents per postcard, making your total $2.70, please.

Bill: Here you go. Thanks!

At the Post Office (Missing Words)

Can you remember the words from yesterday's reading? Number the words below from 1 to 5 in their correct place in the reading.

costs total send stamps take

Bill: I'd like some stamps to (1) _________ postcards to my new friends in Greece.

Post Office Clerk: It (2) _________ 50 cents to send a postcard overseas. How many (3) _________ would you like?

Bill: I'll (4) _________ three. And then I'd like to send two letters, too.

Post Office Clerk: That will be 60 cents per letter, 50 cents per postcard, making your (5) _________ $2.70, please.

Bill: Here you go. Thanks!

Answers: send costs stamps take total