General Listening Quiz

Listen to the recording and read along with the conversation. Review the key vocabulary and the sample sentences.

Well, folks. The Cardinals are now down by 3 runs entering the bottom of the ninth inning with Mark Sosa up to the plate. The bases are loaded. Sosa has gone 0-for-3 this game with two strikeouts and a walk. Expectations have been high, and I’m sure Mark has felt the pressure trying to rebound from his five-game-home-run drought.

Mark is up to the plate. Here’s the pitch. Oh, an inside fastball. Strike one. Mark has been batting 279 this month, and he needs one more home run to pass the all-time home run record set back in 1961. And here we go. Here’s the wind-up and the pitch. Oh, a monstrous belt to left field . . . it’s . . . it’s . . . gone. And Mark has just earned himself the title of Home Run King, plus the Cardinals have picked up their 70th win of the season.

• down (adjective): behind
  – Our team was down two runs until I hit a home run.
• loaded (adjective): full with a person on each base
  – The bases were loaded when our best hitter struck out.
• rebound (verb): come back and return to form
  – The pitcher has yet to rebound from his injury.
• belt (noun and verb): hit
  – The other team belted three balls out of the park.