II. Correct the mistakes.

1. Sport fans come to the stadium to learn their favourite poems.

2. If you want to play hockey, you will need a ball.

3. People who play chess are called draughtsmen.

4. The referee acts as a goalkeeper in football.

5. There is no difference between lawn tennis and table tennis.

6. Every player dreams of losing the game.

7. Chess is an outdoor game.

8. As a rule women are good football players.

9. Golf is played on ice fields.

10. Hockey is one of the most popular summer sports.

11. Boxers fight with bare hands.

12. You can touch the ball with your hands when playing football.

13. If you go in for sports you will put on weight.

III. Translate into English.

1. Найпопулярнішими видами спорту у всіх університетах є футбол, волейбол, баскетбол, гімнастика, атлетика, боротьба та інші.

2. Університети багатьох країн встановлюють спеціальні стипендії для студентів-спортсменів, які беруть участь в університетських змаганнях.

3. Тисячі глядачів на стадіонах та у спортивних залах, а також мільйони телеглядачів спостерігають за великими спортивними змаганнями.

4. Спортивні магання    мають    величезний    виховний    вплив  на  учнів, вони допомагають виховувати у дітей почуття патріотизму, дружби, силу волі та інші позитивні риси характеру.

5. Участь у спортивних змаганнях стимулює спортсменів удосконалювати свою майстер­ність, краще оволодівати спортивною технікою, підвищувати рівень всебічного фі­зичного розвитку.

6. Без змагань, без спортивної боротьби, не можуть зростати досягнення.

7. Після кожного туру команда набирає певну кількість очок.

8. Чесна гра і участь у змаганнях важливіші за перемогу.

Topic 9. Olympic Games

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in Greece and took place every four years for nearly twelve centuries at Olimpia. They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olimpia to compete in the Games. For the period of the Games all the wars stopped. So the Olympic Games became the symbol of peace and friendship. The Olympic emblem is five interlinked rings: blue, yellow, black, green and red. Any national flag contains at least one of these colours.

The Games were for men only. Greek women were forbidden not only to participate but also to watch the Olympics.

In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many centuries later. In 1894, a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all the sports governing bodies and pointed out the significance of sports and its educational value. Two years later the first modern Olympic Games took place. Of course, the competitions were held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of the centuries-old tradition.

In 1896 the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the central policy-making body of the Olympic movement. It is formed by the representatives of all countries which take part in the Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee decides upon the programme of the games, the number of the participants and the city-host for the Games. Over one hundred and fifty countries are represented in the International Olympic Committee now. Besides, each country has its National Olympic Committee.

Summer and Winter Games are held separately. There are always several cities wishing to host the Games. The most suitable is selected by the International Committee. After that the city of the Games starts preparations for the competitions, constructs new sports facilities, stadiums, hotels, press centres. Thousands of athletes, journalists and guests come to the Games, and it takes great efforts to arrange everything. There is always an interesting cultural programme of concerts, exhibitions, festivals, etc, for each Games.

Ukraine first participated at the Olympic Games as an independent nation in 1994, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games since then.

Previously, Ukrainian athletes competed as part of the Soviet Union at the Olympic Games.

Ukraine has won 96 medals at the Summer Games and five at the Winter Games. The most successful were such kinds of sports as gymnastics, light athletics and wrestling.

Vocabulary: ВС = Before Christ – до Різдва significance – важливість

Христового (до н.е.) to set up – створювати

AD = Anno Domini – в рік representative – представник

Господній (н.е.) host – хазяїн, власник

competitions – змагання separately – окремо to compete – змагатися sports facilities – спортивне обладнання

to participate (to take part) – effort – зусилля

брати участь exhibition – виставка to abolish – відміняти light athletics – легка атлетика to represent – представляти wrestling ['resliη] — боротьба

I. Answer the questions: 1.  When and where did the Olympic Games begin? 2.  Why did the Olympic Games become the symbol of peace and friendship? 3.  Were the Greek women allowed to participate in the Olympic Games? 4.  When did the Games in Greece stop?

5.  Who renewed the Olympic movement? 

6.  When was the International Olympic Committee set up?

7. What is its function? 8.  Are Summer and Winter Games held separately? 9.  How does the city-host prepare for the competitions?

10. When did Ukraine first participate at the Olympic Games as an independent nation?