5.1 Read and translate the text 

Sports in Great Britain

The British are known to be great sports-lovers, so when they are neither playing, nor watching games, they like to talk about them. Many of the games we play now have come from Britain.

One of the most British games is cricket. It is often played in schools, colleges, universities, and by club teams all over the country. Summer isn’t summer without cricket. To many Englishmen cricket is both a game and the way of life.

But as almost everywhere else in the world, the game, which attracts the greatest attention, is football or soccer. There are plenty of professional and amateur soccer clubs all over Britain. International football matches and the Cup Finals take place at Wembley Stadium. Rugby football is also very popular, but it is played mainly by amateurs. Next to football, the chief spectator sport in British life is horse-racing. A lot of people are interested in the races and risk money on the horse, which they think will win. Derby is perhaps the most famous race-course competition in the whole world.

Britain is also famous for motor-car racing, dog-racing, boat-racing, and even races for donkeys. The famous boat-racing between the teams of Oxford and Cambridge attracts large crowds of people. A great number of Englishmen play tennis. Tennis tournaments at Wimbledon are known all over the world. The British also like to play golf, baseball, hockey, and grass-hockey. Various kinds of athletics, such as running, jumping, swimming, boxing are also popular. You can sometimes hear that there are no winter sports in England. Of course, in England it’s not always cold enough to ski, skate or toboggan, but winter is a good season for hunting and fishing.

 

Reference [7]

Exercise 5.1.1 Vocabulary: translate them:

1) cricket;

2) to attract attention;

3) soccer;

4) amateur;

5) Cup Final;

6) spectator sport;

7) racing;

8) boat-racing;

9) tournament;

10) to toboggan;

11) hunting.

 

Answer the questions 

1. What do the British do when they are neither playing, nor watching games?
2. What kind of sports is especially associated with Britain?
3. What is cricket for an Englishman?
4. What is the most popular game in the world?
5. Where do the Cup Finals take place?
6. Is rugby played by professionals?
7. What kinds of racing are popular in Britain?
8. What do you know about Wimbledon?
9. What other kinds of sports do the British go in for?
10. What winter sports are popular in Britain?
11. What kinds of sports are popular in your country?

 

Exercise 5.1.3 Translate from English into Russian:

1) I am keen on chess;

2) A new stadium was built in our town last year;

3) The stadium holds about ten thousand people. It is always full;

4) All the most important sports competitions will be held at the stadium;

5) When did he take up sport;

6) What is the score;

7) Who has scored;

8) The score is 5: 3 (five to three) in favour of the (team);

9) They won by a score of two to one;

10) Who scored the first goal for our team;

11) The score was 3 : 3; the game ended in a draw.

12) Each player won five games: the chess tournament ended in a draw;

13) Both opponents were very skilful, the competition was hard and ended in a draw;

14) This athlete does not lose composure in critical situations;

15) He is known for his will to win and self-discipline.

 

5.2 Read some different opinions about sport and say which opinion you agree/disagree with 

Alison: I am not very fond of sports. I am a bit plump and it is difficult for me to run and jump. I do not like to compete, but I like to watch sports on TV. Best of all I like watching figure skating. I admire beautiful women and strong men, who can dance on the ice so well. I sometimes go skating myself. But I have to practice a lot before I can tell my friends about my hobby and invite them to go to a skating rink.

Simon: Sport plays a great role in my life. In fact, it is all I care for. I love I love every kind of sports – football, hockey, volleyball and basketball. I also play chess and I even was a member of our school team. But most of all I like to play football. I go to our local football club every spare minute and my dream is to become a football player. I also watch football on TV a lot. I never miss a single match. I a fun of «Spartak» and I get very upset when they lose. However, I never betray my favorite team.

Ann: I not crazy about sport, but I think it’s very important to keep in good form and stay healthy. I want to become a model, so I take great care about my body. I go jogging every day and attend fitness room three times a week. When I have time I also attend classes of aerobics, but they are quite expensive, so I can’t go as often as I want to. It is difficult to do all these things. Sometimes I wake up in the morning – it rains and I don’t want to go outside and run along wet streets, but then I make myself do it and in a couple of minutes I feel great and fresh.

Alex: I don’t understand people who spend all their lives going crazy over sports and their body or watching others doing the same things on TV. I think aiming for physical perfection people miss out a lot in their lives. It is much more to fun to train brains. In the modern world people do not need muscles; difficult things can be done by machines. I knew one guy, who was very anxious about getting big muscles. He was exercising every day and was still not happy with his looks. So, he started taking special hormones to make his muscles grow. He got huge muscles, but ended in a hospital, because his excessive workout and hormones did a lot of harm to his health. I would never do anything like that. I am much happier sitting on my sofa with a book or in front of computer.

 Ted: I am professional sportsman. My attitude towards sports is problematic. On one hand, sport is my life. I play volleyball, that is the only thing I like to do and can do very well. I like this sport, because you have to be strong, fast and clever to play it. On the other hand, a professional sportsman gets old too quickly. You can’t play when you are old. You have to retire in your mid thirties and then you need to do something else in your life. By this time a lot of sportsmen have bad injures which influence their health. In general, sport costs professional sportsman too much.

 

Exercise 5.2.1 Vocabulary: translate them:

1) to compete;

2) to betray;

3) to retire;

4) injure;

5) anxious;

6) a muscle;

7) aiming for physical perfection;

8) to miss out;

9) excessive workout;

10) to influence.

 

Answer the questions

1. What kind of sport do you like?
2. Do you like to compete or to watch sports on TV?
3. Do you think is important to keep in good form and stay healthy?
4. What do you think about body-building?

5.Which arguments are convincing?

 

Exercise 5.2.3 Match the definition (1-5) and kind of sport (a-e):

1) parachuting; 2) potholing; 3) mountaineering; 4) windsurfing; 5) trampoline.

a) it is a sport of riding a small sort of boat with a sail; b) it is the sport in which acrobats and gymnasts jump up and down to perform exercises on a sheet of material stretched to a frame; c) it is a jumping from an airplane with a parachute; d) the sport of climbing down inside large holes which go deep underground in a rocky country; e) it is the sport of climbing mountains.

 

Exercise 5.2.4 Work in pairs: if you want to go in for sport, you should have certain features of character and skills. What skills should sportsmen have? You may complete the list by your own variants:

Example: a football player ….

Needs to be fast, doesn’t need to be patient, must be strong, has to be clever, doesn’t have to think clearly, be fit, have a lot of energy, be courageous, have great wish to win.

Exercise 5.2.5 Prepare a consistent, reasoned statement on «I am for/against sports» using the suggested arguments. You should use linking words as it’s shown in an example:

Example: To my mind, sport plays an important part of my life. I believe that it helps me in different ways. First of all, sport builds character. In other words, it teaches to win and to lose and so makes men out of boys. Besides, it is a good way to meet people, even from other countries as sportsmen often take part in world competitions. Finally, it makes you strong, fast and patient because regular trainings develop not only your body but also your mind.

Arguments for sports:

- Sport helps to meet people: taking part in different competitions means a lot of meeting with other people.

- Sport helps people to become good friends: sports brings people close because in order to win people have to work as a team.

- Sports makes you strong: sports helps people to become strong and develop physically. Besides, to have a healthy mind you must have a healthy body.

- Sport builds character: it teaches you to be disciplined. It helps to work off your extra energy.

- It teaches you about life. Sport makes men out of boys: sports teaches you to win and to lose, it may help you in real life.

- Sport gives you a chance to make a career: you can become famous through sports.

Arguments against sports:

- It takes a lot of time: many people cannot afford to exercise every day because they work hard to make their career.

- Sport causes a lot of injuries: going in for sports can cause many injuries: broken bones, torn muscles.

- It takes a lot of energy: there is no doubt that you feel tired after trainings but in time your muscles will become stronger and you will enjoy the process of developing your body.

- It makes you unhappy when you lose: it is really so but during our life we may fail sometimes. The habit of facing unpleasant moments helps you not to lose courage and start again.

- You have no friends, only rivals: this is not true because you are rivals only while doing sports.

- Sport is a job for young: when you are thirty you are old enough to be a professional sportsman. There are few sportsmen over 35 years old.

 

Exercise 5.2.6 Pre reading task: match the definitions (a–f) with the vocabulary (1–6):

1. session;                 2. gym;                         3. fitness; 4. training plan; 5. instructor; 6. fee.

a. a building or club where people go to do physical exercise; b. the state of being healthy and strong; c. a document that gives details about how and when you will do physical exercise; d. a period of time for a particular activity; e. money you pay so that you can do; something such  as join an organization; f. a person who teaches a skill or a sport.

 

Exercise 5.2.7 Answer the question: What do think about body fitness? Is it popular in your country?

 

5.3 Read a flyer promoting a new gym

 

Best body fitness

About us:

You don't want just a gym membership. You want a membership that means something. And that means you need support, expert help and a community.

Best Body Fitness isn't just a gym: it's a full-service fitness membership made for you.

Here's how it works:

Step one: Your assessment

We begin with an assessment session. This is a chance for you to see what we do at Best Body. Our assessment plans are no-cost and no-risk. We'll also make a training plan specifically for you

Step two: Your training

When you decide to become a Best Body member, we show you what to do, how to do it and why you are doing it. After a few sessions with an expert private trainer you will feel comfortable working out on your own. But don't worry, we'll always be nearby if you have questions

Step three: Your membership

Membership works on a month-to-month basis. There are no sign-up fees and no cancellation fees. Start and stop whenever you want. And the best part? Our fees are the most competitive in the whole downtown area.

Step four: Your community

At Best Body Fitness, we see everyone as part of a big team. And when you work with a team, you can do great things. Join any of our specialised classes, led by expert instructors. Come to our nutrition classes. Participate in our regular social events. Everything is included in your fee.

Finally, we wanted to share with you some reasons why our members say that they have chosen us over any other fitness centre in the city.

It's so EASY:

1) Easy to start, stop, cancel or refund a membership;

2) Easy to access – we're open 24/7, we never close;

3) Easy to do exercise – we have lots of equipment, no long wait;

4) Easy results – our trainers and equipment give you success, fast;

5) Easy to find – in the centre of town, near public transport and with parking.

It's WONDERFUL:

1) Wonderful members;

2) Wonderful trainers and staff;

3) Wonderful equipment;

4) Wonderful energy;

5) Wonderful location;

6) Come and visit us for a personal tour.

 

Reference [8]

 

Exercise 5.3.1 Vocabulary: translate them:

1) membership;

2) support;

3) community;

4) full-service;

5) assessment;

6) nearby;

7) private;

8) month-to-month;

9) cancellation fees;

10) nutrition;

11) to be included;

12) to cancel;

13) to refund.

 

Exercise 5.3.2 Are these sentences true or false?

1) The first visit to the club is free. T/FНачало формы

 

Конец формы

2) Everybody gets the same training plan. T/F

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Конец формы

3) At this gym, you always do exercise with an expert instructor. T/F

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Конец формы

4) If you stop your membership, you don't have to pay anything. T/F

Начало формы

 

Конец формы

5) This gym says it's the best value for money. T/F

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Конец формы

6) Nutrition classes cost a little bit extra. T/F

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Конец формы

7) The gym is open at 4 o'clock in the morning. T/F

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Конец формы

8) The gym is outside of town. T/F

 

Exercise 5.3.3 Complete the sentences with words from the box:

 

time                         membership                       over         whenever                                                                                 specifically             own                                     led            nearby

 

1) The gym offers a full-service fitness …………………………… ;

2) We’ll make a training plan …………………………… for you;

3) You can now work out on your ……………………………… ;

4) We’ll always be ……………………………… to help;

5) Start and stop ……………………………… you want;

6) Join any of our classes,  ……………………  by expert instructors;

7) This is why our members have chosen us ………… any other gym;

8) Stop, start or refund your membership any ……………………. .

 

Exercise 5.3.4 Work in pairs: using the vocabulary make a dialogue “In the fitness club”. Include two roles into your dialogue – an instructor and a new visitor.