Vocabulary and Speech Exercises

Ex. 1 a. Match a verb in A with a noun in B:

A B

to win a movement

to run a rival

to study a mile

to go into an event

to defeat a scheme

to outwit a problem

to wok out an opponent

2. Fill in the gaps with the above word combinations to describe Bannister’s system of training:

1. In 1947 R.Bannister …his first Inter-Vasity….

2. In the 1954 he became the first man … … under four minutes.

3. R.Bannister was one of the first athletes who…into the technical….of … …

4. Medical knowledge helped him … tactical.... to ...his....

5. He … his … in front of the cinema screen.

Ex. 2. To prove the above statements find in the text the paragraphs describing:

the main idea of Bannister’s system of training;

his main training methods.

Ex. 3. Complete the chart:

_________________________________________________________

years what did Bannister do these years

_________________________________________________________

1947 _______________________________________

1950 _______________________________________

1954 _______________________________________

1. Ex. 4 a.What should one do to become a great athlete? Read the answers below and agree to them saying “That’s right” or disagree saying “That’s wrong”:

1. He should find out what his body can stand.

2. He should do a lot of training.

3. He should go into the technical problems of defeating his opponents.

4. He should work out tactical schemes to outwit his opponents.

5. He should study the abilities and intentions of his rivals.

b. Find in the text and read aloud the sentences that prove your answers.

Ex. 5. Comment on the statement :” Tactics is not only a study of what you plan to do yourself but also the ability and intentions of your rivals.”

Task 6. Learn the following medical terms you will come across in Text 1 C:

1. disease n болезнь

2. back problem n боли в спине

4. diagnose v, n ставить диагноз, диагноз

5. chronic colitis[ хронический колит

6. diabetes n [ диабет

7. test n анализ

8. consultation n консультация

9. medication n лекарство

10. fitness n физическое состояние, подготовленность

11. pressure n напряжение, давление

12. suffer v (from) страдать (от)

Task 7. Read the text and say why we call Steve Redgrave a phenomenal athlete.

TEXT 1 C

THE GOLD RUSH

Note the pronunciation: Marlow [

Los Angeles [

Seoul [

Atlanta [

Barcelona [

Sydney [

Lucerne [

Munich [

Vienna [

Steve Redgrave a five-time Olympic champion in rowing ¹ was born in Marlow, a small Thames-side town ² in Great Britain. At school teacher selected him as a potential oarsmen ³ because of his big hands and feet. He hoped that Steve would grow up to be big and powerful. That teacher was not far wrong.

After failing to establish himself among the elite as an international single sculler ⁴, Redgrave switched to the coxed four ⁵ and won gold at Los Angeles.

Four years later he won gold at Seoul in the coxless pair ^6. Acknowledged as the world’s finest rower he proceeded to win further golds at Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney.

To achieve this the great oarsman had to overcome a number of severe medical diseases. He became a walking medical dictionary. After the 1984 Los Angeles Games he suffered a serious back problem. Only weeks before Barcelona he was diagnosed with chronic colitis. He overcame that obstacle to win at Barcelona but late in 1997 he discovered he had diabetes. For a time his energy level dropped and he became depressed. Fortunately after more tests, more consultations and new medication his fitness returned. He decided to return to the water after Atlanta because he believed he could do it.

In the early part of 2000 preparing for Sydney the British coxed four won World Cup events in Munich and Vienna. Then at the final Lucerne World Cup they were beaten into the fourth place. Italy finished six seconds in front of them. The significance of that defeat only became evident at Sydney. “It’s not a disaster”, Redgrave said. “It has actually taken the pressure off us”.

Certainly if there is one man capable of turning gloom into glory it’s the phenomenal Redgrave. The British coxed four became the Olympic Champion at Sydney.

Notes:

¹ rowing – зд. академическая гребля

² the Thames-side town – городок на берегу Темзы

³ as a potential oarsman….- потенциальный гребец

⁴ as an international single sculler….- гребец международного класса в одиночке (в академической гребле)

⁵the coxed four – парная четверка с рулевым

⁶the coxless pair –двойка без рулевого