Fanny: Hey, Brian, what's the most popular sports in Canada?

Brian: The most popular sport is definitely ice hockey.

 

Fanny: Ice hockey! So do you play hockey by yourself?

 

Brian: I don't actually. When I was a kid, I wanted to play ice hockey, and I was always like begging my dad and asking him but he always said 'NO'.

 

Fanny: Why?

 

Brian: I think the big reason is that... Well, he told me it was too expensive.

 

Fanny: Is it?

 

Brian: It's not cheap. You know, it costs quite a bit to get all the gear but the big reason I think is the practice was always very early in the morning.

 

Fanny: Oh, I see.

 

Brian: Like five a.m. is when the practice is, and I think he was too lazy to wake up and take me to the practice.

 

Fanny: Oh, I see.

 

Brian: He told me it was too expensive. Deep down I think he was.... he didn't want to drive me.

 

Fanny: So are there many people playing hockey?

 

Brian: There are. It's a great sport. It's very popular with many children, and maybe high schools and universities all have hockey teams.

 

Fanny: Oh, nice. That means you're a lot of rich people in Canada, then.

 

Brian: Or maybe they spend all of their money on hockey gear. Have you ever played hockey?

 

Fanny: No, no, not really. It's not that popular in China.

 

Brian: What kind of sports are more common in China?

 

Fanny: People always play soccer...

 

Brian: Ah, soccer.

 

Fanny: And table tennis. Table tennis is very popular.

 

Brian: You're country is very strong at table tennis I think.

 

Fanny: We always get all the medals in the big, you know, big events

 

Brian: Why is table tennis so popular now do you think?

 

Fanny: I think the first reason is that everybody can play it because it's very easy to get the, you know, the... to get ready for the sports. It's not expensive.

 

Brian: No, I guess you just need the ball and the paddle.

 

Fanny: The paddle. The ball and the paddle. Yes, and a partner.

 

Brian: Right. Right. So have you played it then?

 

Fanny: Yeah, I'm quite good at it.

 

Brian: Oh, really.

 

Fanny: Because my mother plays very well and so I always played with my mom, so I got better now.

 

Brian: OK. So she taught you how to play table tennis?

 

Fanny: Actually she didn't teach me but we always played together.

 

Brian: Right.

 

Fanny: Practice makes perfect.

 

Brian: So they say.

 

Fanny: Yeah.