Outline what the reader learns about Zoe and her state of mind.

Analyse how the setting is used to create atmosphere. Focus on the author’s use of language.

Choose one of the following tasks:

“You’re actually pretty good,” she said.

“Get to my age, you’d better be.” (ll. 59-60)

Using the quotation as a starting point, discuss whether society can benefit from older people’s know-how and experiences.

or

You are doing an internship with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) in the US and have been asked to write an entry for the “AASP Blog for Athletes, Coaches, and Parents” on growing pressure in the world of sport.

Comment on how this affects professional and amateur sportspeople.

Zoe Castle:

• 24 years old

• good-looking, popular

• very successful and ambitious track cycling athlete:

  • competing in Athens Olympics

  • has reached finals

  • determined to win gold

Zoe’s state of mind while waiting for final race:

• increasingly tense and nervous:

  • feels trapped in the changing room

  • considers running away and doing something different with her life

  • can’t control her shaking body, feels embarrassed about it

• angry at her coach, who seems too relaxed to her; even considers changing coaches

• Zoe’s confidence returns when Tom reminds her of her ambition to win gold:

  • faith in herself and her coach restored

  • regains control of her body, can smile again

  • enters arena even more determined and motivated than before

• contrast between reality of the changing room and Zoe’s high expectations:

  • has imagined what the Olympics would look like: use of elevated vocabulary, e. g. “the floors and the walls of every building in Athens had been Platonic surfaces, hewn from an Olympian material that glowed with inner light” (ll. 8-10) → evoking ideal location: Olympic setting as something beautiful, far above the ordinary

  • finds herself in enclosed space with no way out: semantic field of confinement, e. g. “thin […] bench” (l. 4), “tiny, subterranean changing room” (l. 7), “door […] alarmed” (l. 6) → pointing out that room feels like a prison cell to Zoe

  • place is depicted as being unfinished: semantic field of construction/building site, e. g. “unpainted metal door” (l. 2), “bench with the blue protective film still on it” (ll. 4-5), smell of “drying cement” (l. 10), “air-conditioning unit […] partially connected” (l. 12) → illustrating unwelcoming atmosphere

  • experiences the reactions of the audience above her as negative: metaphorical language/personifications, e. g. “Air horns blared. The room shook – it was so loud that her back teeth buzzed in her jaw. The noise of the crowd was liquidising her guts.” (ll. 15-17) → creating an atmosphere that mirrors her feeling of being physically threatened

  → stark contrast between drab, prison-like changing room and high expectations mirror the tension that Zoe feels, creating an oppressive atmosphere

• realisation that the door has never been locked: detailed description (modal adverbials)/metaphor, e. g. “It swung open easily, on oiled hinges” (ll. 53-54), “rang with the deep note of a bell” (l. 55) → conjuring up an atmosphere of relief

• on her way up into the velodrome:

  • becomes aware of location: semantic field of light/brightness, e. g. “whitewashed stairwell” (l. 61), “silvered with sunshine falling from the high skylights in the velodrome roof” (ll. 61-62), “first step up into the light” (l. 66) → mirroring atmosphere of promise

  • reads writing on the stairs: quotation of Olympic motto in Latin “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (l. 63) → illustrating competitive Olympic atmosphere

  • takes in atmosphere in the velodrome: metaphor, e. g. “Zoe breathed a deep, slow lungful of the hot, roaring air.” (l. 64) → illustrating atmosphere of excitement that now rubs off on her

→ she steps upwards into the glorious Olympic environment and exhilarating atmosphere she had previously imagined, now highly motivated and ready to win

explanation of the quotation:

Zoe's coach reacts to her praising his abilities by saying that they can be attributed to his age and life experience

pro

• older people may have

  • developed skills over time → able to deal with problems more effectively

  • lived through situations that others have not yet encountered → more resilient

  • gained wisdom over the years → able to see situations in a new light

  • more discerning view of cultural heritage/traditions → aware of their importance for society

  • more stable financial background → able to boost economy

• older people may provide guidance or reassurance for younger people

→ valuable contribution to society as a whole

con

• knowledge and beliefs of older people may be outdated:

  • grapple with new technological developments

  • find it more difficult to adapt to new scientific findings, changes in society etc.

    → may hinder progress

• yet, disproportionate influence in politics and society due to positions and financial power

  → may block progress that appears inconvenient to them

→ input/contribution may be less valuable than it seems at first glance

growing pressure in the world of sport

• pressure from different directions: coaches, parents, siblings, fans, and even athletes themselves

• pressure on professional athletes: they need to

  • meet expectations of fans and (social) media

  • maintain status

  • make the most of limited time when they can perform at a high level

  • perform their best especially at high-stake events like the Olympics that may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for them

  • earn a living from their sport, provide for future (difficult unless top athletes)

• pressure on amateur athletes:

  • attempt to stay young and fit through sport

  • especially in youth sports: expectations of parents and coaches and possibly those of the young people themselves may simply be too high (only very few can perform well enough to become pros)

• possible negative effects of too much pressure on both pros and amateurs:

  • temptation to enhance performance by doping

  • deterioration of physical and mental health (e. g. injuries, anxiety, burnout)

  • especially in youth sports: loss of childhood

  • sports addiction

• how to deal with pressure:

  • certain amount of pressure necessary to succeed

  • setting of realistic goals; focus on improving individual performance

→ need to reduce unhealthy pressure and focus on healthy and enjoyable aspects of sport instead