Physical activity targets

It's possible to achieve your target by making fairly simple changes to your everyday routine without needing to join the gym or run a marathon. Moderate intensity physical activity such as brisk walking, or doing household chores such as painting, vacuuming and mowing the lawn, all count and are enough to benefit your health.

Examples of everyday activities that count include:

• walking up stairs instead of using lifts;

• walking up moving escalators;

• walking instead of driving for short journeys or getting off the bus one or two stops earlier than usual;

• doing the housework at a quicker pace;

• DIY and gardening.

You can achieve your exercise target either by doing all the daily activity in one session or through several shorter bouts of activity of 10 minutes or more.

You can include everyday activities or structured exercise or sport, or a combination of these. Adapt your weekly routine to fit in with your own personal circumstances - some ways of doing this are described below.

• Walk or cycle to work daily.

• Take all opportunities to be active - use the stairs, do manual tasks.

• Play a sport, go to the gym or go swimming two or three times during the week.

• At the weekend take longer walks, go for a bike ride, go swimming, play a team sport or do some DIY or gardening.

Achieve your goals

Even if you usually enjoy exercising, it's likely there will be days when you can't find the motivation to get active. Here are some practical tips to help keep up your enthusiasm.

• Keep a diary that highlights the sport or activity you do. For example, note how far you ran or the match score, your pulse rate or how you felt. That way you can look back and see how you have improved over time.

• Collect inspiration and stick quotes from coaches, athletes or anyone successful around your house or office. Inspirational stories from people who have achieved against the odds may help - if they can do it, so can you.

• Set yourself some short- and long-term goals. Success will provide you with a sense of satisfaction and further motivation to keep up the new lifestyle. Keep your goals specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based. For example, rather than saying you will get fit by summer, start by setting a more specific goal of going to a one-hour aerobics or yoga class each week.

Vocabulary work

1. Find in the text English equivalents for the following Russian words and word combinations.

Достигать цели, вносить изменения в режим дня, физические упражнения средней интенсивности, быстрая ходьба, выполнение домашних обязанностей, подъем по лестнице, подходить (соответствовать) обстоятельствам, поддерживать энтузиазм, подчеркивать (выделять), тренер, спортсмен, чувство удовлетворенности.

2. Find synonyms or synonymous expressions for the following lexical units.

To reduce substantially, beneficial effects, to maintain a healthy weight, social interaction, to achieve a target, household chores, to adapt one’s weekly routine, to highlight, inspiration, against the odds, a specific goal.

3. Insert appropriate prepositions into the gaps.

… combination … a balanced diet, to make changes … one’s everyday routine, to walk … … driving, to do the housework … a quicker pace, to fit in … your own personal circumstances, to go … a bike ride, to improve … time, provide smbd … a sense of satisfaction, to start … setting a more specific goal.

Section 3. Listening

3.1. Look through the words which may present certain difficulty in understanding.

cricket – крикет (спортивная игра с битой и мячом)

obvious – очевидный

to score a goal – забить гол

to sign a contract – подписать контракт

changing room – раздевалка

to be in a peak physical condition –быть в наилучшей физической форме

limited – ограниченный

marvelous – великолепный

nil – ноль (в счете спортивной игры)

3.2. Listen to the text and choose the correct alternative.

1. John Cleef played football at school … .

a) four times a week

b) all year round

c) only in summer

2. John signed a contract with the club when he was… .

a) 14

b) 16

c) 18

3. The day started at the football ground at … with a meeting.

a) 8

b) 10

c)11

4. Young apprentices are not allowed to … .

a) eat fast food

b) communicate with girls

c) keep late hours and drink alcohol

5. John’s father wants his son to play for … .

a) Holland

b) England

3.3. Mark the sentences below as true or false.

1. John’s family was surprised when he started to take an interest in football.

2. When John was 12, it became clear that he had certain abilities for football.

3. All apprentice players of the club will become football stars.

4. After lunch apprentices had a training.

5. Parents helped their son to fulfill his dream of becoming a football star.

3.4. Answer the questions and discuss the issues touched upon in them.

• What are the major differences between amateur and professional sport?

• Which of these two types of sport is more health enhancing?

• Is sport an activity for everyone irrespective of his / her age, physical abilities, gender, etc.?

Section 4. Follow up activity

4.1. Write an article for a health magazine aimed at motivating the readers to take up the kind of sport described in it. Don’t forget to mention in your article: a) necessity of regular sport activities; b) social and health benefits of this sport; c) its possible dangers; d) necessary equipment.