Vocabulary 3

physical education – физкультура

to be keen on smth – увлекаться чем-то

to do sport/to go in for sport – заниматься спортом

to require stamina – требовать выносливости

to be fit/ to keep fit – быть в форме/держать форму

to exhaust/exhausted – выматывать/ обессиленный

to improve one’s skills at/in smth – улучшать свое мастерство в чем-то

to be skillful at/in smth – быть умелым в чем-то

coach – тренер

equipment – оборудование, оснащение

stand – трибуна

to be packed – быть заполненным

to cheer for the team– болеть

a fan – болельщик

to achieve results in sport – добиваться результатов в спорте

to have an effect (on smb) – иметь эффект (результат), повлиять на кого-то

attitude to smth – отношение к чему-то

to enjoy doing smth – наслаждаться чем-то

score – счет, забивать

– What’s the score? – Какой счет?

– It’s four to nill. – Четыре-ноль

goal – гол, ворота

to score a goal – забить гол

to end in a draw – закончиться вничью

to win/ to lose – выиграть/ проиграть

to lead – вести (в счете)

opponent – противник

defense/ to defend – защита/ защищать

a) WHAT SPORT? Read three people telling about their favourite kinds of sport. Pick out key-words which may help you to say what kind of sport is meant in each of the extracts.

Extract 1.

Well, I’ve been playing it since I was at school, since I was quite young, because my Dad was always very keen on it, and he used to give me lessons. And then at the university I joined the team and we used to play quite a lot. And it was quite fashionable at the moment, actually, all over Europe it’s becoming more fashionable. It’s often difficult to book courts – you’ve got to get in there a week before. I like it because it requires a lot of stamina. You’ve got to be fit. It’s constant running. It doesn’t take a long time – you can take half an hour at lunch-time, play, have a shower, and that’s it. Since it is not much standing around, it’s movement all the time, you feel absolutely exhausted at the end, and you can’t really play for two hours, though some people do. It’s usually for quite a short time. To play it you need a racket, a small ball and a net which separates you and your opponent.

Extract 2.

Well, I’ve been doing it every winter holiday since I can remember. I love it because your skills improve every time you do it. It’s a winter sport. You can do it in the mountains or in a forest. You enjoy this fast and beautiful exercise and it’s a pleasure to go to a café or bar after you do it, feeling pleasantly tired, and to have something hot to drink.

When you do it in the mountains there are two problems with it. Firstly, this is really expensive: you have to buy the equipment, and instructions are expensive too. Secondly it’s very dangerous – you can always break a leg while doing it. I like it because it helps to keep fit, but you are training not in a stuffy gym, but outdoors, in some beautiful place.

Extract 3.

I am a real fan of this kind of sport. I try to watch it on the stadium as it is more fun. The stands are packed and the people around you on the stand are cheering for the favourite team, all are excited, happy when their team scores and depressed and angry when they get scored. What I especially like about this game is that you never know what the result will be, even when a weak team is playing with a stronger team.

The success in this game depends on how quick the players can react, and that means they have to be fit, but not only physical abilities are important – tactics and strategy play great role here too – so it’s not only the contest of players, but of their coaches too.

b) Answer the following questions:

1) Are you keen on sports? What about your parents, friends?

2) What is your favourite sport?

3) Do you prefer team, one-to-one or individual kinds of sport? Tell about the main rules and the equipment necessary to play it.

4) What qualities do you think are important to achieve good results in sport? What qualities does the sport you do require?

5) When at school did you like physical education classes? Why (why not)? What would you change if you could?

6) What role do you think sports play in the life of people?

7) What kinds of sports do you think are the most useful for people’s health? Say what physical and psychological effect different kinds of sports have on people doing them.

8) What is your attitude to extreme sports and people doing them? Have you ever tried them? If not, would you like? Why (why not)?

c) Text 3. “At the Match”. Before reading answer the following questions:

1) Do you like watching sport programmes on TV? What kinds of sports do you enjoy watching?

2) What do you feel when you watch some sport events?

3) Are there any sportsmen that you particularly admire and who you consider an example for yourself? Why?

4) What is your attitude to professional sport? Have you ever had a wish to take up sports professionally?

Read the dialogue. What is it about? What opinions about the match do the speakers have?

“AT THE MATCH”

– Hi, Pit, where are you?

– Hi, Jonny, I am at a football match.

– Really? I thought you are not really keen on football?

– I am not, I just was bored and decided to try.

– Who’s playing?

– Have no idea. There is a team in white and a team in black. Each has a goal-keeper and 10 players: as a kind man near me explained, they are forwards and defenders.

– Have you chosen a team to cheer for?

– Yea, we are cheering for the whites. Now one of their forwards is running to the goal-area of the opponents. He scores … and misses. The ball hits the goal-post. What a pity.

– Oh, yes. I can hear the crowd sounds disappointed. What’s happening now?

– The opponents got the ball, and now they all are trying to break through our defense. No way! Ours are paying really skillfully. They are quick and their passes to each other are precise. What a tense struggle! It’s a real pleasure to watch them.

– Aha, you are starting to like it! And what’s the score by the way?

– It’s nil to one, ours lead. The blacks can still score one goal at least – they have time, and then the game will end in a draw, which will be great luck for the blacks. I do not think they can win.

– I see. Ok, then, I wish your team luck. I will be cheering for them too. Call me after the match, I’m curious about the results.

– Sure. Call you later. Bye.

d) Ask your friend:

– Смотрит ли он спортивные передачи, если да – то как часто, если нет, то почему?

– Какой спорт он любит смотреть больше всего и почему?

– Занимается ли он/она спортом?

– Какую роль играет спорт в его/ее жизни?

– Делает ли он утреннюю зарядку?

– Как относится к фанатам? Фанат ли он сам?

– Занимался ли когда-нибудь экстремальными видами спорта?

– Какие качества являются главными в спорте?

e) Now make up your own dialogues on the following situations:

1) You watched a sport event, which your friend couldn’t see. Answer your friends questions about the event, speak about the most interesting moments, express your opinion about the sportsmen and the work of their coach.

2) Interview a famous sportsman. Speak about his/ her life, sports career, the influence of sport on his/ her life and health. Ask about his/ her family and their attitude to his/her life style and achievements. Ask about the early times, the recent achievements, dreams and plans for the future.

3) You are parents choosing a sport for your child to go in for. Discuss your child’s abilities and character, and the good and bad sides of taking up this or that kind of sport.