Text d. Sports in america

Americans pay much attention to physical fitness. Many sports and sporting activities are popular in the USA. People participate in swimming, skating, squash and badminton, tennis, marathons, track- and-field, bowling, archery, skiing, skating etc. But the five major American sports are hockey, volleyball, baseball, football and basketball. Basketball and volleyball have been invented in America.

There is a large choice of sports in America. This can be explained by the size and variety of the country. Another reason of the popularity of sports is the people’s love of competition of any kind. One more reason is that Americans use sports activities for teaching social values, such as teamwork and sportsmanship. All this explains why Americans have traditionally done well in many kinds of sports.

Every high school offers its students many sports, such as wrestling, rowing, tennis and golf. There are no separate «universities» for sports in the USA. Students of any higher educational establishment are trained in different kinds of sports. Many colleges and universities are famous for their sports clubs. There are sports facilities at every school.

Some unusual kinds of sports originated in America. They are wind­surfing, skate-boarding and triathlon. Triathlon includes swimming, bicycle racing and long-distance-running. Now these sports are becoming more and more popular in Europe.

Indeed, sports is a part of life of an average American.

Exercise 1.

Memorize the following words and phrases.

to pay much attention sporting activities physical fitness to participate track-and-field bowling archery major sports large choice size variety reason competition social values teamwork sportsmanship to do well to offer rowing long-distance running average American

уделять большое внимание физкультура хорошая физическая форма участвовать лёгкая атлетика кегельбан стрельба из лука основные виды спорта большой выбор размер, масштаб разнообразие причина соревнование общественные нормы коллективизм мастерство преуспевать предлагать гребля бег на длинные дистанции средний американец

Exercise 2.

Answer the following questions.

1. What kinds of sports are popular in the USA?

2. What are the reasons of popularity of sports in America?

3. What part do sports play in educating young people?

4. What kinds of sports originated in America?

5. Why is it important to be fit?

6. Why do Americans love competitions of all kinds?

7. What sports does every high school offer its students?

8. What does triathlon include?

Exercise 3.

Translate the following sentences into English.

Американцы уделяют большое внимание поддержанию хорошей физической формы.

Американцы занимаются многими видами спорта, в том числе хоккеем, бейсболом, баскетболом, волейболом и футболом.

Разнообразие видов спорта в Америке объясняется разными причинами.

Одна из этих причин – любовь к соревнованиям разного рода.

Вторая причина – размер страны.

Спорт – это способ обучения молодого поколения социальным ценностям.

Американцы традиционно добиваются успехов в различных видах спорта.

В Америке были изобретены такие виды спорта, как волейбол, баскетбол, триатлон, виндсёрфинг и т.п.

Exercise 4.

Match the pairs of synonyms from the two columns.

1. fans 2. sporting club 3. to go in for sport 4. teenagers 5. to keep fit 6. gym 7. to take place 8. to take part 9. trainer 10. to cheer (for) 11. to amass medals 12. to be good at smth 13. artistic gymnastics

a) to do well b) gymnasium c) to be held d) calisthenics e) spectators f) to collect medals g) coach h) sporting society i) to do sport j) youth k) to be in form l) to support m) to participate

Exercise 5.

Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.

• horse-riding –

• water polo –

• sky diving –

• parachute jumping –

• free style skiing –

• speed mountain skiing –

• weight-lifting –

• chariot racing –

• chess players –

• cyclists –

• motor cyclists –

• pole jumpers –

• rock climbers –

• mountaineers –

• saber fencers –

• yachtsmen –

• box champion –

• to play snowballs –

• to be fond of sports –

• to do training –

• to keep healthy and strong –

• to watch a game on TV –

• the Olympic torch –

• the Olympic emblem –

• free events –

• victory stand –

• performance –

• scoreboard –

• finals –

• semifinals –

• swimming pool –

• in ancient times –

• to go skating –

• to go skiing –

• to make a snowman –

• to go tobogganing –

• a PT lesson –