Lesson 33: Learning America's Sport

Conversation

Coworker 2: It is time for part two of the children’s show!

Coworker 1: It’s time! It’s time! I can’t wait!

Coworker 3: Shh! I can’t hear it!

Announcer: Last time on "The Time Traveling Treehouse," Anna was lost, really lost. She wants to learn about baseball. But her computer, MINDY, sent her to many wrong places.

Anna: MINDY! Help me! I am in the ocean with a shark!

MINDY: I will try one more time, Anna.

Anna: Please try harder, MINDY!

Anna: Now, where am I? I am at a playground with a baseball field! Yes! I can teach children about baseball here! MINDY, MINDY, it took you a long time. But you did it!

MINDY: Thanks, Anna. Give me a call when you find the answer.

Anna: Okay. Come with me. Let’s learn how to play baseball! This is a baseball field. This is a pitcher's mound. This is first base! This is second base! This is third base! This is home plate!

Anna: To play baseball, you really only need a bat, a ball and a glove. Each team has many players.

Pitchers pitch the ball.

Catchers catch the ball.

Batters bat the ball.

Runners run the bases.

Fielders field the ball.

Anna: First, the pitcher pitches the ball to the batter. The batter bats the ball. Then, the runner runs to first base.

Anna: Each time a batter bats, the runners run around the bases. Each time a runner runs across home plate, they score a run! There are nine innings in a game. The team with the most runs at the end of nine innings wins the game!

Anna: MINDY, MINDY, we found the answer! It’s time to return to the treehouse.

MINDY: Good job! That was fast.

Coworker 3: Good job Anna. You know, I still don't like children's shows, but I like this children's show.
Coworker 2: I liked the time travel.

Coworker 1: But time travel is not real. You’re so silly, Anna.

Anna: Yeah, time travel is so silly. Thanks, goodbye. Bye, thank you.

Anna: Hello, MINDY? Are you there?

MINDY: Hello, Anna.

Anna: MINDY, I want to go to China! Until next time …

New Words

bat - v. to hit (something, such as a ball) with a bat or club

batter - n. baseball. a player who is trying to hit the ball

catcher - n. baseball. the player who plays behind home plate and catches the pitches thrown by the pitcher

catch - v. to use your hands to stop and hold (an object that is moving through the air)

field - v. baseball or cricket. to catch or stop and throw a ball

fielder – n. baseball or cricket. a player who is in the field while the opposing team is batting

glove - n. baseball. a padded leather covering for the hand that is used to catch the ball and that has individual thumb and finger sections

harder - adj. (try harder) working or doing something with more energy

inning - n.baseball. one of the usually nine parts of a game in which each team bats until three outs are made

mound - n. the slightly raised area of ground on which a baseball pitcher stands

out* - adv. baseball. no longer batting or on a base because of a play made by the other team

pitch – v. baseball. to throw a baseball to a batter

pitcher – n. baseball. the player who throws the ball to the batter in baseball

player - n. a person who plays a sport or game

runner - n. baseball. a player who is on base or is trying to reach a base

* This word is not in the conversation but may be used for further explanation of the game of baseball