Download this free B2–C1 English worksheet PDF for English learners and teachers. This lesson explores competition, anger, sportsmanship and how people behave when they lose.
The article describes a woman approaching 40 who cannot bear to lose at board games. When a result goes against her, she may lash out, sweep pieces from the table or storm off, leaving other family members uncomfortable.
Students examine how the wider family reacts by laughing off the outbursts and trying to smooth things over. The article questions whether this response may actually reinforce the behaviour by treating it as a harmless personality trait.
The worksheet also considers how family members can respond without creating a public confrontation. The advice is not to make a scene in the heat of the moment, but to stop joining in the laughter and show disapproval more clearly.
A more constructive approach may be to bring up the issue privately after emotions have settled. The article stresses that there is no guaranteed quick fix, but learning to take defeat in your stride may be important in everyday relationships as well as competitive situations.
The discussion section develops these ideas through questions about healthy ambition, destructive competitiveness, fairness, emotional self-control, coaching, workplace competition and whether poor behaviour during games can reveal how someone handles conflict more generally.
Level: B2–C1
Date: 2 November 2026
Focus: Reading comprehension, phrases, vocabulary and discussion about competition, anger and emotional self-control
This free worksheet includes:
- A three-paragraph article about sore losers, family reactions and competitive behaviour
- Eight True/False reading-comprehension questions
- A Phrase Match activity with 10 useful expressions
- A Synonym Match exercise with 10 vocabulary items
- A Use the New Language activity requiring students to write their own sentences
- 16 discussion questions divided between Student A and Student B
- Speaking topics including ambition, fairness, emotional control, competition and sportsmanship
- A complete answer key
- Example sentences showing the target phrases in natural contexts
Useful phrases from the worksheet include come out on top, lash out, storm off, get on well with, laugh off, smooth things over, make a scene, in the heat of the moment, bring up and take defeat in your stride. Students also practise vocabulary such as uneasy, disagreement, harmless, reinforce, unintentionally, confront, tact, constructive, consequences and determined.
A central classroom point is the difference between being competitive and allowing competition to damage relationships. The worksheet encourages students to discuss when ambition becomes unhealthy and whether emotional self-control can be more important than winning.
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