- •Contents
- •Unit 1 part I geography
- •Introduction
- •Vegetation and wildlife
- •Part II american regionalism
- •Introduction
- •Unit 2 part I first explorers from europe
- •Part II early british settlements
- •Part III puritan new england
- •Unit 3 the colonial period
- •Unit 4 the independence war
- •Unit 5 part I the westward movement
- •Part II a divided nation
- •Unit 6 part I the civil war
- •Part II american reconstruction
- •Unit 7 part I miners, railroads and cattlemen
- •Part II the age of big business
- •Unit 8 part I the american empire
- •Part II america in world war I
- •Part III america in the 1920-s
- •Unit 9 part I the great depression and the new deal
- •Part II america in world war II
- •Unit 10 part I the cold war
- •Part II the new frontier and the civil conflict
- •Part III the vietnam war
- •I have a dream
- •Unit 11 part I america in the 1970s
- •Part II new federalism
- •Part III america in the 1990s
- •Unit 12 part I government
- •Part II political parties and elections
- •Unit 13 the native american
- •Unit 14 mass media
- •Unit 15 part I the system of education
- •Introduction
- •Part II college and university
- •Unit 16 sports and games
- •Introduction
- •Ice hockey
- •Bibliography
- •Internet
Ice hockey
Ice hockey (called simply hockey in North America, where hockey played on grass is called field hockey and isn't a major sport) was invented in Canada in around 1879 and is a major sport in the US. Canada produces most ice hockey players, with most of the rest coming from Europe. The National Hockey League (NHL) is divided into two conferences, Eastern and Western, each with three divisions. Each division has five teams, most of those in the Northwest and Northeast divisions being Canadian. The NHL competition runs from October to May, during this period teams play around 80 games, culminating in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup (played over a seven game series). Inaugurated in 1892, the Stanley Cup was originally contested between Canada and the US, but is now competed for by all 30 league teams.
Hockey is a violent sport and striking opponents often appears to be more popular then hitting the puck (hence the joke “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out”). It's the only sport where violence is an integral and accepted part of the game, for which there are usually no penalties, other than a few minutes in the “sin bin”.
DISCUSSION
Are Americans considered a sports conscious nation? What does it mean to be a real fan in the USA?
What are the most popular participant sports in America? What are the top spectator sports?
Are there good opportunities for keeping fit and playing sports in the USA?
Professional sport is a profitable business, isn’t it? What are the top sports which bring professional athletes huge sums of money?
What makes young athletes to make it to the top in their career?
Why do advertisers pay huge sums of money to sponsor sports programs?
Today American professional sport is dominated by TV, isn’t it? How does it influence sports rules?
What do we learn about cheerleaders from the text?
Is school and college sport considered important in the US? Why?
Why are promising young American athletes often offered scholarships irrespective of their academic abilities?
What kind of sports teams do American high schools and colleges usually have?
Sports events generate revenue for American colleges, don’t they? What are the most lucrative college sports today?
In America playing to win is often emphasized more than playing for fun even with kids. Can your prove it?
What are the divisions of the National Football League?
Why do foreigners may find American football boring?
What is the culmination of a professional football season?
Where did baseball originate from?
What are the two major baseball leagues?
How long does the baseball season run?
Why are minor baseball clubs sometimes called “farm” teams?
Baseball is only played in the US, isn’t it?
What are baseball rules?
What do we lean about playing basketball in the USA? What does NBA stand for?
Is Basketball only played at the professional level?
Is ice-hockey a dangerous sport? Is it popular in the USA? How many games are usually played by the NHL teams from October to May?
SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES
Listen to a special program from Voice of America – an intermediate listening comprehension course. This program speaks about the development of soccer in America.
Part 1
Listen to the first part of the report and answer the following questions.
What game will be played in Yokohama, Japan?
Why is this game very important?
Do American soccer teams often win international competitions?
Is soccer a popular game in the USA?
Part 2
Listen to the second part of the report and decide whether the following statements are true, false, or irrelevant.
According to the US Soccer Federation, today more than 15000000 people play soccer in the United States.
People of all ages play soccer in the USA today.
It is children who are making soccer popular in the United States.
Experts say that almost anyone can play soccer: boys and girls, young children and adults.
Every city and town in the USA has at least one soccer team.
A “Soccer Mom” is a rich woman who gives money for the development of soccer in the USA.
Soccer is becoming popular among many Americans because their children play this game.
The US Soccer Federation creates special training camps for young soccer players where they practice in spring, summer, fall and winter.
The American government provides $ 100,000,0000 a year for the development of soccer.
Americans are planning to win World Cup very soon.