Sport in our life.

Russia is a sporting country. Millions of people go in for various kinds of sport. Approximately one out of every five people is a sports fan. Physical training is a matter of national importance.

Physical strength is not only the matter of personal importance. It is a national problem. The old proverb says: “A sound mind in a healthy body”. Sport helps to keep the body healthy, to store vital energy and encourage all of us.

During the last years there was a great increase in keeping fit and staying healthy in Russia. A lot of people started jogging and going to fitness clubs in their spare time. Aerobics classes and fitness clubs were opened in every town, and the number of recreation centres greatly increased. Indoor pools, with their wave-making machines, water slides and tropical vegetation have become very popular in Russia.

Notes:

recreation centre - центр отдыха и развлечений

wave-making machine – устройство, создающее волны

water slides – водные горки

10. Give a talk on the topic “Sport in Russia”. Unit4 sport in great britain

1. Practise the pronunciation of the following words from the text.

Engage, Premier League, association, amateur, competition, honour, stadium, rugby, the Derby.

2. Guess the meaning of the following international words. Consult a dictionary to check for the translation of the words.

nation (n), professional (a), divisions (n), final (n), fan (n), game (n), risk (v), active (a), interest (v).

Read and translate the text consulting the vocabulary in case of difficulty.

To be fond of – любить что-либо;

To be engaged in – заниматься чем-либо;

To run – зд.управлять;

To be interested in – интересоваться;

Chief spectator sport – главный зрелищный вид спорта;

According to – в соответствии с;

FA Cup competition – состязание на кубок Футбольной Ассоциации;

A type of football – разновидность футбола;

Amateur – любитель;

To be typical of – быть характерным для чего-либо;

Above all – прежде всего;

To risk money on – ставить деньги на что-либо;

To attract – привлекать;

British people are fond of sports, perhaps more than any other nation in the world. Almost everybody is actively engaged in this or that kind of sports.

Football is a very popular sport in Britain, played between August and May (the football season). The 22 best English teams play in the Premier League, run by the Football Association (the FA). The other professional teams play in the three divisions run by the football League. Teams play regularly against other teams according to a fixed programme. A very important competition is the FA Cup which is also open to amateur teams that belong to the Football Association. The two teams which are the winners of the FA Cup competition, play in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London. This is a very important national sporting event, and it is always watched by eighty thousands fans at the stadium and by millions of people on TV.

Rugby is a type of football played with an egg-shaped ball which may be carried and thrown (but not forward). There are two types of rugby: in Rugby Union there are teams of 15 players, who are amateurs, in Rugby League there are 13 players in a team, the players are all professionals and it is mostly played in the north of England.

Cricket is another very popular sport in Britain, played mainly in summer (May – September). It is not played much in Wales, Scotland and Nothern Ireland, but it is played in the Commonwealth countries of Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and the West Indies. Many people consider cricket to be England’s national game and to be typical of the English style of behaviour, which includes above all a sense of honour and fairness.

Next to football, the chief spectator sport in Britain is horse-racing. A lot of people are interested in the races and risk money on the horse which they think will win. The most famous horse races are the Derby and the Royal Ascot.

Britain is also famous for motor-car racing, boat-racing, dog-racing, and even races of donkeys. The famous Boat Race is held every year at the end of March or the beginning of April between teams from Oxford University and Cambridge University, attracts large crowds of people and is shown on TV.

Various forms of athletics, such as running, boxing, jumping, swimming are widespread in England. The English weather is not always cold enough to ski, skate, or toboggan, but winter is a good season for hunting and fishing.

Indeed sport in one form or another forms an essential part of daily life in Britain.

3. Give the Russian equivalents of the following English word combinations.

Open to amateur teams, FA Cup Final, a very important national sporting event, three divisions run by the football League, according to a fixed programme, amateur teams, a sense of honour and fairness, attract large crowds of people, various forms of athletics, an essential part of daily life.

4. Give the English equivalents of the following Russian words and word combinations.

Активно заниматься тем или иным видом спорта, профессиональная команда, любительская команда, регулярно играть с другими командами, принадлежать к футбольной ассоциации, популярный вид спорта, считать крикет национальной английской игрой, ставить деньги на лошадей, главный зрелищный вид спорта, проводить соревнование между командами университетов Кембриджа и Оксфорда.

5. Match the words in column A with their antonyms in column B.

A B

1. impossibly a) to attract

2. professional b) fixed

3. changeable c) small

4. open d) to watch

5. to lose e) fairness

6. to exclude f) close

7. injustice g) perhaps

8. to reject h) to include

9. to show i) amateur

10)large j) to win

6. Complete the following sentences inserting the proper prepositions.

1. Many people are fond ___ sport.

2. This place is good ___fishing.

3. The Boat Race is the competition ___ the teams ___ Oxford University and Cambridge University.

4. They are engaged ___ sport.

5. FA Cup is open ___ some amateur teams.

6. It is watched ___ eighty thousands fans at the stadium.

7. Many people consider cricket to be typical ___ the English style of behaviour.

8. British people are so interested ___ the races that they risk money ___ the horses which they think will win.

9. Britain is famous ___ different kinds of races.

7. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Support your judgement.

1. Almost all British people are engaged in this or that kind of sport.

2. Rugby is the most famous English kind of sport.

3. Only professional teams can participate in FA Cup competition.

4. There are 15 players in a team in Rugby League.

5. People consider horse-racing to be typical of the English style of behaviour.

6. The chief spectator sports in Britain are football and horse-racing.

7. Cricket is not played much in Scotland, Wales and Nothern Ireland.

8. A few old people risk money on horses in Britain nowadays.

9. The famous Boat Race is held every year at the end of March or the beginning of April.

10)The English weather is quite cold to ski, skate and toboggan.

8. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the most popular sports in Britain?

2. How many people are engaged in sport in Great Britain?

3. The best English professional football teams play in the Premier League, don’t they?

4. What teams can participate in FA Cup competition?

5. Is FA Cup Final watched by fans at the stadium or by people on TV?

6. What may be done with the ball in rugby?

7. Where is cricket played?

8. What are the most famous horse races?

9. What forms of athletics are widespread in England?

10)Does sport form an essential part of daily life in Britain?

9. Read the text for the specific information and answer the following questions.

1) Are many winners of the world sporting championships from Britain?

2) When and where was cricket first played?

3) What sport rules were written in Britain? When were they written?