Sports Around the World

   

   Sport is no longer a matter of simply playing games. It is a way of life for people all over
   the world. It can also be an international language, a force for peace or a political weapon
   as well as business.

   

   Sport is something that touches our lives to a lesser or greater degree. Some sports are
   global, others are more localised. Many sports have changed through the ages, others have
   stayed essentially the same for hundreds of years.

   

   QUESTIONS

   Can you give examples of global and local sports? Are there any sports played exclusively in
   the Czech Republic?

   What are the sports with a long history? What are the most recent sports and games?

   

   CLASSIFICATION OF SPORTS

   

   Stadium Team Sports

   American Football, Football, Rugby, Baseball, Softball, Cricket, Hockey

   

   Court Games

   Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Tennis, Squash

   

   Athletics

   Track Events, Field Events

   

   Gymnastics

   Men´s, Women´s Gymnastics (Artistic); Rhythmic Gymnastics

   

   Combat Sports

   Boxing, Wrestling, Sumo Wrestling, Martial Arts

   

   Water Sports

   Swimming, Rowing, Canoeing, Windsurfing, Diving, Scuba Diving

   

   Winter Sports

   Skiing, Ski Jumping, Bobsleigh, Snowboarding, Skating, Ice Hockey

   

   Activity/ Adventure Sports

   Cycling, Mountain Biking, Skateboarding, Inline Skating, Mountaineering, Paragliding

   

   

   TASK

   Add to the list more sports you know.

   Give characteristics of sports you like best.

   

   

   

   WORLD SPORTS QUIZ

   "The most popular sport in the world is football (called soccer in some countries). However,
   it is not always the designated national sport of a country. Match these national sports with
   their nation."

   

   1. The winter sport is hockey and the summer sport is lacrosse in which country?

       Canada

       Finland

       United States

       Russia

   

   2. The most popular sport in this country is kickboxing. Which country is it?

       Indonesia

       Myanmar

       Cambodia

       Singapore

   

   3. If singing was a sport, it would be the national sport of Wales. As it is, which sport
   enjoys the most  

       support in that hilly country?

        Rugby Union

        Cricket

        Football (Soccer)

        Rock-climbing

   

   4. What is the most popular sport in the People's Republic of China?

       Ice Skating

       Dragon Boat Racing

      Table Tennis

       Mahjong

   

   5. What is the national sport of Pakistan?

       Horse racing

       Cricket

       Field Hockey

      Football (Soccer)

   

   6. Basketball is the national sport of this country, but football is also a popular sport.

      Sweden

      United States

      Lithuania

      Finland

   

   7. What is England's national sport?

      Football

      Rugby

      Polo

      Cricket

   

   8. In which country is darts the national sport?

      Tonga

      Fiji

      Tuvalu

      Papua New Guinea

   

   

   

   VOCABULARY

   

   Exercise 1:

   What sports are the people probably talking about?

    1. It is all a matter of balance really.
    2. You need a good eye and a lot of concentration.
    3. The women´s downhill starts at ten.
    4. After his performance on the rings, he´ll be hoping for something better on the horse.
    5. You get sore at first and can hardly sit down, but you get used to it after a while.
    6. The next big race is the 800 metres, in which Sarah Gates represents Great Britain.
    7. It´s incredibly noisy, fast and dangerous, but exciting to watch.
    8. And so Clare Downs wins the 100 metres freestyle to add to her victory in breaststroke.

   

   Exercise 2:

   Read this text and choose the best alternative from the four choices given to fill each gap.

   

   To be good at whatever sport you (1) _________ , you need to (2) ____________ a lot of time
   and energy on it. Professional footballers, for example, need to develop particular

   (3) ______________ , like passing the ball and tackling, but they also need to improve their
   endurance and general (4)_____________ . They (5) ___________ most days. This usually involves
   running around the (6)______________ and doing lots of exercises.

   

   1. A do            B  make               C play          D take

   2. A give         B  spend              C  use           D waste

   3. A abilities   B characteristics  C strategies  D skills

   4. A state        B fitness               C form         D image

   5. A prepare   B perform             C rehearse    D train

   6. A pitch       B court                  C grass         D pool