Cheese Rolling Race
WORKSHEET
Vocabulary
Steep
Rising or falling sharply.Recipe
A set of instructions or ingredients to make something, used figuratively here.Unusual
Not common or expected.Sporting event
A competition or event related to sports.Race
A competition to see who is the fastest.Injuries
Harm or damage to the body.Introduced
Brought into use or practice for the first time.Safety measures
Actions taken to increase safety.Outrun
To run faster than someone else.Organiser
A person or group that arranges an event.
Grammar Points
Present Simple Tense
Used to describe facts, habits, and general truths (e.g., "You’ve got the recipe for one of the most unusual sporting events").Present Perfect Tense
Used to describe past actions with present relevance (e.g., "You’ve got the recipe...").Comparatives
Used to compare two things (e.g., "I was looking around to see if anyone beat me").Modal Verbs
Used to express ability, possibility, or necessity (e.g., "There’s no right way to get down the hill").Past Simple Tense
Used to talk about completed actions in the past (e.g., "I was kind of surprised").Passive Voice
Used to focus on the action rather than who is doing it (e.g., "Injuries like these are common, but the race organisers have introduced some safety measures").
Activities
Activity 1
Sentence Reordering
Instructions
Put the words in the correct order to form sentences.
no / is / way / right / there / down / hill / to / get / the
the / from / people / world / travel / to / race / around / watch / the
to / reach / the / goal / main / is / bottom / one / piece / in
Activity 2
Role Play
Instructions
In pairs, role-play the conversation between a competitor and a reporter after the race. Use some of the new vocabulary in your conversation.
Activity 3
Fill-in-the-Blank (Choose the Correct Verb)
Instructions
Complete the sentences by choosing the correct verb from the two options provided.
The race (takes / eats) place every year.
You (have / need) the recipe for a fun event.
Injuries (are / sing) common in this race.
Many people (come / write) from around the world to watch the event.
The organisers (introduce / swim) some safety measures this year.
Questions
What makes the cheese rolling race challenging for the competitors?
Why do people from around the world come to this event?
What safety measures have the organisers introduced?
TRANSCRIPT
Cheese Rolling Race
NARRATOR:
Take one steep hill, one 8-pound block of cheese to chase, and you’ve got the recipe for one of the most unusual sporting events: The Cooper’s Hill cheese rolling race. Whether you’re running, rolling, or sliding, there’s no right way to get down the hill. The main goal is to reach the bottom in one piece.
SOUNDBITE - Dylan Twiss:
“It was great fun. I'm glad I came and did it. I was making sure I didn't break my neck for my mum.”
NARRATOR:
23-year-old Abby from North Carolina enjoyed winning the women's race so much last time that she came back to win again.
SOUNDBITE - Abby Lampe:
“I was kind of surprised. I was looking around to see if anyone beat me but I was like, am I… Did I win?“
UPSOUND:
“Are your teeth intact?”
“I think so! I wore my mouth guard this time.”
NARRATOR:
YouTuber IShowSpeed was hoping to outrun the others.
SOUNDBITE - IShowSpeed:
“It’s cheese and I’m here to win a cheese.”
NARRATOR:
He finished fourth, and was hurt in the race. Injuries like these are common, but the race organisers have introduced some safety measures.
SOUNDBITE - Kyla Hill:
“We introduced the fencing, we've introduced the medical tent and stuff like that. It's little things like that.”
UPSOUND:
“Cheese! Cheese! Cheese!”
NARRATOR:
It might not become an Olympic sport, but with thousands of people travelling from around the world to watch and compete, the organisers plan to keep the cheese rolling.