The Great Math Golfing Contest vidIQ badge

02-07-24 00 / episode: 393

Hi and welcome to the English Listening World podcast episode number 393. This podcast is for listening practice. I have 29 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression 'as … as' is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below. Today's episode is about Eddie and an unusual math contest.

Questions

1. How much did Eddie love math?
2. What was different about the math contest?
3. Who came to the contest with Eddie?
4. Eddie remembered his Dad's words. What were they?
5. What kind of problem was the last problem?

The Great Golfing Math Contest

Eddie loved math as much as he loved his bike. He was a fifth grader who could solve math problems as fast as he could ride his bike down the hill near his house. When Eddie heard about the Great Golfing Math Contest, he knew he had to join.

The Setup

The contest wasn't just any math competition. It combined two of Eddie's favorite things: math and golfing. The rules were simple. Each math problem was like a hole in golf. The faster and more accurately you solved it, the fewer strokes you got. The winner was the one with the least strokes at the end of the contest.

Eddie practiced as much as he could. He solved math problems in the morning, during lunch, and even before bed. As far as he was concerned, the more he practiced, the better his chances of winning.

The Contest

The day of the contest arrived. Eddie sat in front of the computer with other kids from different schools. His best friend, Mia, cheered from the audience. "You got this, Eddie!" she shouted.

The first problem appeared on the screen. It was a tricky multiplication problem, but Eddie's fingers flew over the keys. He solved it in no time and moved on to the next. He was in the lead!

Keep Cool

As long as Eddie stayed focused, he knew he could win. But the problems got harder, and Eddie started to feel the pressure. He remembered what his dad always told him, "Try as hard as you can to keep your cool. You can do it!"

Eddie took a deep breath and tackled the next problem. It was a division problem with a remainder. Eddie smiled. He was good at these. He quickly found the answer and moved on. He could see the finish line ahead.

Last Question

In the final round, Eddie faced his toughest problem yet: a word problem that involved both addition and subtraction. He read it carefully, making sure to understand every detail. As much as he wanted to rush, he knew that accuracy was more important.

He solved the problem with just a few seconds to spare and entered his answer. Eddie's heart pounded as he waited for the results. The judge announced the winners, starting from third place. Eddie held his breath.

The Winner

When they announced his name as the first-place winner, Eddie couldn't believe it. He had won! Mia ran over and gave him a high-five. "I knew you could do it!"

Eddie received a shiny trophy and a new set of golf clubs. But the best part was knowing that all his hard work had paid off. As long as he stayed determined, Eddie knew he could achieve anything.

That night, Eddie went to bed with a big smile on his face. He had won the Great Math Golfing Contest, and he couldn't wait for the next challenge.

Answers

1. How much did Eddie love math? He loved math as much as he loved his bike.
2. What was different about the math contest?
   This contest combined two things Eddie loved, math and golf.
3. Who came to the contest with Eddie? Eddie's best friend Mia came with him and cheered for him from the audience.
4. Eddie remembered his Dad's words. What were they? His Dad said, "Try as hard as you can to keep your cool."
5. What kind of problem was the last problem? The last problem was a word problem with addition and subtraction.