Part 3. Sports in the usa.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS:

spectator [spek'teɪtə] competitive [kəm'petɪtɪv] recreational [ˌrekrɪ'eɪʃənəl]  participant [pɑː'tɪsɪpənt] amateur ['æmətə] admission [əd'mɪʃn] to originate [ə'rɪʤineɪt] a helmet ['helmət] throughout [θru'aut] a bat [bæt] probably ['prɔbəblɪ] to reveal [rɪ'viːl] to expect [ɪk'spekt] attractive [ə'træktɪv] to strengthen ['streŋθən] to reduce [rɪ'djuːs] an obsession [əb'seʃn] a choice [ʧɔɪs] facilities [fə'sɪlətɪz] rowing ['rəuɪŋ]  in turn [tɜːn]

зритель соревновательный развлекательный участвующий любительский входная плата брать начало, происходить шлем на всём протяжении бита вероятно показывать, обнаруживать ожидать привлекательный укреплять снимать, снижать навязчивая идея, мысль выбор условия гребля в свою очередь

Sports in the usa.

Sport in the USA develops along two separate lines – spectator, or competitive, or professional when huge crowds come to cheer their favourite team to victory, and recreational, or participant, or amateur sport played for pleasure. Professional sports in the USA are big business with players being paid for their participation and with spectators paying admission to watch.

The most popular kinds of professional sports are American football, baseball, basketball, boxing, rugby, hockey, horse and automobile racing.

Football game originated as a college sport. It is still played by almost every college and university in the country, and the football stadiums of some of the largest universities seat as many as eighty thousand people. There are professional football teams in all major cities of the USA. But American football rules differ from those of the ordinary football. The field looks different and Americans play with an oval-shaped ball. The players can run, touch and push each other. So they are often hurt that is why the teams wear special clothes and helmets as in hockey.

Baseball is the second most popular sport in the USA. It is played throughout the spring and summer by schools, colleges and professional teams. The game is played on a field with a bat and a small white ball. Baseball heroes are talked about and remembered as perhaps in no other sport.

Basketball is a winter sport in American schools and colleges. Many Americans prefer it to football because it is played indoors throughout the winter and because it is a faster game.

There are many participant sports in America. Golf is probably the most popular. Although the game originated in Scotland, it is possibly more popular in the States than anywhere else. Statistics reveal that swimming, bicycling, fishing, jogging, gymnastics and bowling (in that order) are American’s favourite participant sports.

Exercise has become an important part of daily life for many Americans. They expect a lot from it – having a more attractive body shape, strengthening their hearts, lowering their blood pressure, and reducing stress. In a nation where about half a million people die of heart attacks each year, exercising has become an obsession. In health and fitness centres people work out on the exercise machines or take aerobic, step, yoga, or stretch classes.

Why are so many sports so popular in the USA? One reason may be that the variety and size of America and the different climates give Americans a large choice of summer and winter sports. Besides, there are a great number of public sports facilities in any American town. The average high school, too, offers its students a great variety of sports, often including rowing, tennis, wrestling and golf. This, in turn, may explain why Americans have traditionally done well internationally in many of these sports. Another reason may be that Americans like competition, by teams or as individuals, of any type.

Exercise 1. Translate into Russian: to cheer their favourite team to victory; the different climates; one reason, another reason; the game originated in Scotland; American’s favourite participant sports; about half a million people die of heart attacks; to work out on the exercise machines; almost every college and university in the country; for pleasure; spectators paying admission to watch; as many as eighty thousand people; American football rules differ from those of the ordinary football; to wear special clothes and helmets; throughout the spring and summer; a field with a bat and a small white ball.

Exercise 2. Translate into English:размер страны; в свою очередь; кроме того; огромный выбор летних и зимних видов спорта; важная часть повседневной жизни американцев; привлекательная форма тела; оздоровительные и фитнес центры; снижение кровяного давления; укрепление сердечных мышц; снижение стресса; статистика показывает; предпочитать баскетбол футболу; толкать друг друга; развиваться по двум отдельным направлениям.

Exercise 3. Find synonyms to these words and make up some sentences with them: competitive, amateur, large.

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1. What are the ways of developing sport in the USA?

2. What are the most popular kinds of professional sport in the USA?

3. What do you know about football in America?

4. What are America’s favourite participant sports?

5. Why are health and fitness centres so popular among people in the USA?

6. Why are so many sports so popular in the USA?