IV. Continue the following sentences.

1. Two main types of cycling are: _____________.

2. One of the most exciting cycling races is____________.

3. A velodrome is a place _____________.

IN THE WORLD OF SPORT.

UNIT 1. TEAM GAMES.

In team games, the players need to be fit and skilful – that’s obvious. But they also have to learn to work as part of a team. They have to help each other, not just play for themselves. Lots of team games are played with a ball.

TEXT 1 FOOTBALL/SOCCER

Soccer, or association football, is an exciting ball game played by two teams. It’s also the most popular team sport in the world.

The Chinese played a kind of football over 2, 300 years ago. But the rules most people follow today were first invented in Great Britain. Football was very popular with the British people, but not so popular with their rules. King Edward II banned football in the 1300s because the players made too much noise! But, by 1800s, football was played in schools all over Great Britain. Games were played with many different sets of rules. So a group of young men met at Cambridge to draw up one set of rules that everyone could use. The Football Association was formed in 1863 and took on the ‘Cambridge’ rules. Soon, the game we call association football, or soccer, spread across the world.

Football is played by two teams of 11 players. Each team tries to kick or head the round ball into the other team’s goal. Players on the field must not touch the ball with their hands. A game starts with a kick-off from the centre of the half-way line and lasts for 90 minutes. It is divided into two 45-minute halves and teams play towards opposite ends of the field, changing at half time. The team that scores the most goals wins the game.

There are four main positions in a football team – forward, midfield, defence and goalkeeper. Forwards usually score goals and are often called strikers. Midfield players help both the forwards and the defenders. Defenders try to stop goals being scored. They tackle the other team’s forwards and kick the ball away from the penalty area. All these players can score goals. The goalkeeper’s job is to stop shots at goal. Goalkeepers are the only players who can touch the ball with their hands.

Which is the best soccer team in the world? That’s a difficult question which is decided by the greatest football championship in the world – the World Cup.

The first World Cup competition was held in 1930 in South America. The World Cup is held every four years in a different country.

Early soccer teams from South America and Europe did not always agree on rules for tackling from behind and shoulder charging. But the differences were sorted out, and now teams all round the world play soccer by the same rules.

EXERCISE 1. Translate into Russian.

Team games, to kick a ball, team’s goal, kick off, forward, midfield, defence, goalkeeper, competitions.

EXERCISE 2. Find in the text the English for:

Захватывающая игра, свод правил, составить правила, футбольная ассоциация, вводить мяч в игру ударом с центра, трогать мяч руками, чемпионат мира по футболу, проводить соревнования.

TEXT 2 RUGBY

In 1823, an English schoolboy named William Webb Ellis was playing soccer at his school in Rugby. He became bored with the game, so he picked up the ball and ran with it down the field. William’s teachers were not very pleased with him, but some schoolboys thought it made the game more exciting. A Cambridge University student named Arthur Pell agreed with them. In 1839, he and his friends formed a club to play ‘Rugby’. They drew up rules that were similar to soccer rules but which included running with the ball. Soon many schools played the game.

The English Rugby Union was formed in 1871. Today, Rugby is popular in countries such as South Africa and Australia.

A game of Rugby starts with a kick-off from the centre of the half-way line. Each team tries to move the ball towards the goal line of the other team so it can score a try, worth four points. When a try is converted into a goal, it is worth six points. Players can either kick, carry or pass the ball to move it forward. If the game is stopped, play may start again with a scrummage, a line-out or a kick. A game is divided into two 40-minute halves and the teams change ends at halftime. The team that scores the most points wins the game.

A Rugby team is made up of forwards and backs. The forwards should be big, strong and tough, but the backs are usually lighter and very quick. Both backs and forwards must be able to run with the ball, pass accurately and tackle fearlessly.

EXERCISE 1. Translate into Russian.

Pick up the ball, kick off, the goal line, point(s), a try, carry, pass, forward(s), back(s), tackle.

EXERCISE 2. Find in the text the English for:

Скучная игра, быть чем-то недовольным, составить похожие правила, драка за мяч в регби.

TEXT 3 BASKETBALL

Basketball began in the United States of America in 1891. A physical education teacher named James A. Naismith was asked to invent a team game that could be played indoors in the winter. He looked for two boxes that he could use as goals. But, instead, he found two baskets. He attached these to the railings of his gymnasium. Then he found a football, which was a good size for throwing and catching. He decided that players would score points by throwing the ball into the raised baskets.

James Naismith’s pupils thought this new game was great fun. So he drew up a set of rules and soon, basketball was played all over the world.

To play basketball you need two teams of five players. Teams play on an indoor court with two baskets at each end, raised three metres above the floor. You score points by shooting the ball into the baskets. Even very tall players need to jump high to reach them! Players move the ball along the court by bouncing it in front of them. This is called dribbling. Or they can pass the ball to each other. Games last for 40 minutes or more and the team that scores the most points wins.

There are five players in a basketball team – a centre, two forwards and two guards. The centre and forwards need to be tall and agile, so they can shoot and reach for the ball. The guards are usually smaller and quicker. They need to be good at dribbling and passing. But during a game, basketball players move all over the court. So every player must be good at both attacking and defending.

EXERCISE 1. Translate into Russian.

Basket(s), score points, indoor court, shooting the ball into baskets, dribbling the ball, passing the ball, a centre, a forward, a guard.

EXERCISE 2. Find in the text the English for:

Учитель физкультуры, искать что-либо, составить правила игры, в игру играют во всём мире, высокие игроки, быстрые, подвижные игроки.

TEXT 4 VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball was invented in the United States of America in 1895 by a physical education teacher called William Morgan. He wanted to find a new team game for his keep-fit class. He liked basketball, but he thought it was too tiring for his students. So he invented a game where the players hit a basketball to each other over a net with their hands, instead of throwing it into a basket. His students enjoyed his new game, so William Morgan drew up a set of rules.

Soon, volleyball became popular all over the world, particularly in Russia and Japan. Today, people play volleyball on the beach for fun, as well as for trophies at the Olympic Games.

Volleyball is played by two teams of six players. There are three forward positions and three backs. The game can be played outside on sand or grass, or on an indoor court. The court is divided by a net which is 2.4 metres high. Players try to hit the ball over the net in such a way that the other team cannot return it. They score points when the ball hits the floor on their opponents’ side of the net. Only the serving team can score points.

A game begins when the right back of the serving team hits, or serves, the ball over the net. The receiving players try to hit the ball back with their hands. They cannot catch, lift, scoop or throw the ball. If a team hits the ball more than three times before sending it back over the net, the other team wins a point. If the serving team fails to return the ball, there is a side out and the other team serves the ball. After a side out, all the players move around one position, and a different player becomes the right back. This way, everyone has a chance to serve. The first team to score 15 points wins the game, but it must lead by two points.

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