Unit 11: sports and games Ex. 1. Study the text:

Sport activities date back to ancient times. Naturally enough, our ancient ancestors couldn’t afford doing sport just for pleasure. With all difficulties and dangers of life they had to be very practical in everything, they couldn’t waste time on anything but needs of existence. The activities, which we may call now ‘sporting’, were used for physical development, which was a matter of vital importance for a person and the community in the whole. We may suppose that the first necessity activities were running, jumping, stone and dart throwing, and a sort of weightlifting. We assume that children were trained in those activities from early age, because at the age of 10 -12 they were hunters and warriors providing the survival of their tribe.

The next stage in the development of the mankind was the stratification of the society. One group received a greater part of the common product. This separation brought about a new social phenomenon – leisure. The rich turned sport activities into a show, organised competitions and orgies of slaughter. Who do you think enjoyed those shows: patricians or plebeians?

In the Middle Ages the situation didn’t change much. Leisure and the right to have entertainment belonged mainly to the nobles. They had their own physical training and practised in archery, fencing, equestrian sport and some other activities, necessary for knights. Common people enjoyed watching archery contests and knight tournaments.

With the rise of labour efficiency after the Industrial Revolution people didn’t have to spend all their time on the needs of existence, they received some spare time and spare money, which could be spent on entertainment. This period is characterised by the rise of spectator sports. Some people experienced in boxing, weightlifting and equestrian sport could earn their living joining circuses or participating in some contests for money.

The real surge for spectator sports occurred in the 20^th century. Such sports as football, basketball, ice hockey appeared. The matches in these sports gather huge audiences. Sport has become a very profitable business. Bets are made on the results of football and ice hockey matches, extra-class professionals earn incredible fees; sportsmen are bought and sold at fantastic price.

Nowadays the attitude of people towards sports and games vary from stubborn nihilism to blind fanaticism. Some people exercise sports as a part of their profession. Physical fitness is a matter of primary importance for soldiers, firemen, policemen, rescue teams and people of some other professions. Among the rest of the mankind there are two groups of people: those who do sport professionally and those who are amateurs. The amateurs in their turn may be divided into ‘active’ amateurs and ‘passive’ ones. The ‘active’ amateurs do sports for pleasure and for keeping in good shape and fitness, while the ‘passive’ ones enjoy watching sports and games at stadiums and on TV munching a hot-dog and washing it down with a pint of beer.

Vital Dart Assume Warrior Survival Stratification Patrician Plebeian archery fencing equestrian sport

Жизненный Дротик Предполагать Воин Выживание Расслоение Патриций Плебей Стрельба из лука Фехтование Конный спорт

knight efficiency surge To make a bet Fee nihilism fanaticism rescue amateur munch

Рыцарь Эффективность Волна, подъем Делать ставку Плата, гонорар Нигилизм Фанатизм Спасение Любитель Жевать

Ex. 2. Answer the questions:

1. What were the reasons for physical exercises for our distant ancestors?

2. What social and economic changes facilitated the rise of spectator sports?

3. People’s attitudes towards sports differ a lot. What are these attitudes?

Ex. 3. Imagine you are a Stone Age warrior, a Middle Ages knight or a lady, or a 19^th century circus weightlifter. Try to explain why you or your contemporaries do physical exercises.

Ex. 4. Study the text and dwell upon the following points:

1. ancient Greece Olympiads;

2. the revival of the Olympic movement;

3. the modern Olympic Games.