Vocabulary:
sport-lover — любитель спорта
to take the origin — происходить
cricket — крикет
rugby — регби
squash — сквош
snooker — снукер (вид игры на бильярде)
to invent — изобретать
soccer — футбол
medieval times — Средние века
separate — отдельный
to compete — соревноваться
to hold — проводить
opportunity — возможность
achievement — достижение
field — поле
goal post — ворота
violent — жёсткий, суровый
requirement — требование
helmet — шлем
padding — защитная накладка
spectator — зритель
patient — терпеливый
pitch — поле
wicket — ворота («калитка»)
to be associated with — ассоциироваться с
new-mown grass — свежескошенная трава
willow — ива
dress code — форма одежды
sponsor advertising — спонсорская реклама
court — теннисный корт
business community — бизнес сообщество
to establish good business relations — установить хорошие деловые отношения
to afford — позволять
to knock — закатывать
horseracing — скачки
croquet — крокет
running — бег
cycling — велогонки
rowing — гребля
Most people in Great Britain are real sport-lovers. Even if they don't go in for sport, they like to talk about it. Perhaps, you didn't know, but many kinds of sport have taken the origin in Great Britain. Cricket, football, rugby, tennis, table tennis, badminton, squash, canoeing and snooker were invented in Britain.
Britain's national sport is football or soccer. It was played there as far back as medieval times. Nowadays it has become the most popular game all over the world. There is no national football team in Great Britain. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their separate football clubs, which compete in European and World Cup matches.
English football fans are fond of most exciting games which are held between teams from the same city. For example, between Manchester United and Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea from London.
There are plenty of amateur association football clubs. Many schools form their own football teams, offering students an opportunity of entering prestigious universities according to their sport achievements.
There is a certain type of football called rugby. The game is called so because it was originated at Rugby — a well-known English public school. As well as common football it is a game played by two teams of fifteen players each. The game takes place on a field 100 metres long and 80 metres wide. There are goal posts at both ends of the field. Rugby is played with an oval or egg-shaped ball which can be carried by hands and kicked. The ball is passed from hand to hand in order to be thrown across the goal line. It is a rather violent game, that is why the players must be big and strong. Another requirement for the players is to wear helmets, masks and chest and shoulder padding.
Cricket is a popular summer sport in Britain. There are many cricket clubs in the country. Cricket players wear a certain uniform — white boots, a white T-shirt and white trousers. One cricket game takes a terribly long time. There are two teams of 11 players each and test matches between national teams can last up to 5 days. The spectators have to be very patient. The game is played on a pitch with a wicket at each end. The rules of the game have changed over the years. It is a game which is associated with long sunny summer afternoons, the smell of new-mown grass and the sound of leather ball beating the willow cricket bat. Cricket is more popular among men, but it is also played by women and girls.
Tennis is another favourite sport of the Englishmen. People all over the world know Wimbledon which is the centre of lawn tennis. It is the oldest tennis tournament in the world considered by many people to be the most prestigious. It takes place over two weeks in late June and early July. Wimbledon is known for its traditions — strict white dress code for competitors, the absence of sponsor advertising around the courts and some others. Every tennis player dreams of taking part at this tournament.
Golf is a game of business community. In Great Britain it is very common to establish good business relations playing golf. The equipment for this game is quite expensive as well as the entrance to a prestigious golf club, so not everyone can afford it. Golf is a ball and golf stick game played on a natural field. In this game one has to knock a ball into a hole.
There are a lot of other popular sports in Great Britain, for example, horseracing, croquet, swimming, running, cycling and rowing.
Answer the questions:
1. The Englishmen love sports, don't they?
2. Which sport do you associate with Britain? Why?
3. What sports have taken the origin in Britain?
4. Do you know any English football clubs?
5. What is rugby?
6. What equipment do you need to play rugby?
7 Cricket is a popular winter sport in England, isn't it?
8. Have you learnt any interesting information about cricket?
9. Why does every tennis player dream of taking part at Wimbledon?
10. Do you think golf is an exciting game?
Text 5. Sport in Russia.
Vocabulary:
archery – стрельба из лука
arrow – стрела
barrel – штанга
beach volleyball – пляжный волейбол
biathlon – биатлон
bow – лук
bowling/skittles – боулинг/кегли
canoeing – гребля на каноэ
car racing – гонки
chess – шахматы
climbing – скалолазание
club – клюшка
coach – тренер
court – корт
crew – команда
cricket – крикет
cross-country skiing / langlauf – бег на лыжах
cue – кий
curling – кёрлинг
cycling – велоспорт
darts – метание дротиков, дартс
diving – прыжки в воду
downhill skiing – горнолыжный спорт
draughts – шашки
Lots of people in the world are fond of sports and games. Some like keeping fit and healthy, some like doing sport to become more organized and disciplined, and some like sport because it’s a competitive activity. Russian people are no exception. They also like different types of sport both doing them and watching. Moreover, sport has always been very popular in our country and there are hundreds of Olympic champions who come from Russia. Among them, Alina Kabaeva, Evgeni Plushenko, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Ilia Kulik, Elena Berezhnaya and many others. Nearly every Russian city has a number of stadiums, swimming-pools, tennis courts, skiing slopes, ice rinks, and many other sports facilities.
Traditionally all sports in the country are divided into professional and amateur. Professional sportsmen take part in different important competitions and championships. Lots of world records in sports have been set by Russian sportsmen, especially by weightlifters, swimmers, gymnasts, figure skaters, tennis players, runners, jumpers and other professionals in their field. Apart from that, Russian sportsmen have won lots of gold, silver and bronze medals for their country in the Olympic Games.
Thanks to the growing popularity of sport, there appear more and more fitness centers, where not only professional sportsmen but also the amateurs can do yoga, aerobics and bodybuilding exercises. It’s useful for every person, as it helps to keep fit and in good shape. Other amateurs prefer simply to ride a bicycle or roller-skate in the nearest parks. More expensive and risky activities, which are available for amateurs in Russia, include scuba-diving, horse-riding, car-racing, skiing and some other sports.
Answer the questions:
1. In Russia love sports, do you?
2. What sport do you associate with Russia? Why?
3. What kinds of sport have taken the origin in Russia?
4. Do you know any Russian football clubs?
5. What is a football?
6. What equipment you need to play hockey?
7 hockey is a popular winter sport in Russia, isn't it?
8. Did you learn any interesting information about the tennis?
9. Why does every tennis player dreams to participate in Wimbledon?
10. You think hockey is a fascinating game?
UNIT 2
Topic: Youth problems.
Text 1. Generation gap.
Vocabulary:
generation gap — конфликт поколений, или проблема отцов и детей
definition — определение
to be aware of — знать что-либо, быть осведомлённым о чём-либо
difference — разногласие, различие
to deal with — иметь дело с
to keep in mind — понимать, уяснять
include — включать
several — несколько
world outlook — мировоззрение
patience — терпение
to devote — посвящать
attitude — отношение
close relative — близкий родственник
to give birth to a baby — родить ребёнка
to neglect — пренебрегать, забрасывать, игнорировать
upbringing — воспитание
guidance — наставление, руководство
to involve — вовлекать
to commit violence — совершать насилие
to commit crime — совершать преступление
alcohol addicted — зависимый от алкоголя
drug addicted — наркотически зависимый
strict — строгий
freedom — свобода
pariah — изгой
peer — сверстник
ban — запрет, запрещение
to increase — возрастать
insolent — дерзкий
defiant — непокорный
lying — лживость
to force — заставлять
to punish — наказывать
to put on a make-up — делать макияж
to rebel against discipline — восставать против дисциплины
family values — семейные ценности
inappropriate — неподходящий
to dye one's hair — красить волосы
inconceivable — немыслимый
independence — независимость
to establish one's identity — состояться как личность
to treat — обращаться, обходиться, вести себя
responsibility — ответственность
transitional age — переходный возраст
to handle a behaviour — справиться с поведением
full member — полноправный член
moreover — более того
to be in one's teens — быть подростком
vulnerable — уязвимый, ранимый
to avoid — избегать
unfair — несправедливый
authoritarian — властный
to overindulge — чрезмерно потакать
negligence — пренебрежение
to spoil a child — избаловать ребёнка
capricious — капризный
effort — усилие
mutual understanding — взаимопонимание
to disobey — не слушаться
to set smb. on the right path — направить кого-либо на верный путь
Do you know what a generation gap is? Even if you don't know the particular definition, you are aware of this problem, basing on your own experience. Generation gap is a popular term used to describe serious differences between people of two generations.
To realize how to deal with it, you should keep in mind that generation gap includes several aspects: children must know as much as possible about their parents and parents — about the world outlook of their children, about relations between brothers and sisters, and also about the attitude to them of close relatives on both sides — father's and mother's.
Children demand a great deal of attention, time and patience, so, if you are not ready to devote all that to your baby, it is better not to hurry There are many families where both parents keep working after giving birth to their baby It is similar to the situation with a single-parent family, when a father or a mother hardly have enough time and neglect their children's upbringing. In such cases most of the time the child has to spend on his own or with his friends. Due to the fact that he has not got any guidance from his parents he may be involved in some bad companies which commit violence or even crime and become alcohol or drug addicted. When the parents discover that, it's usually too late to change anything.
On the other hand, there is a different situation when the parents treat their children too strict and don't give them any freedom at all. In this case the children may become pariahs among their peers. Constant bans may increase the risk that the child will grow up insolent and defiant. This causes another big problem — lying. The child is forced to lie to the parents because of the fear to be punished. It can be anything from putting on make-up in the girls' room at school to stealing.
Some children rebel against discipline and family values. They listen to a loud music, wear inappropriate, to their parents' mind, clothes, dye their hair in inconceivable colours, have all their bodies pierced and tattooed trying to show their independence and establish their identity. They want to be treated as adults, but they are not ready to take all the necessary responsibilities. It doesn't mean that your child is bad and he will become a criminal. Of course, not! It only means that your child is in his transitional age and he is in need of your understanding and support.
But how to handle such behaviour? Parents should become his close friends. First of all they should learn to respect his interests. Try to speak with him as often as possible, offer some parent-child activities like shopping or going in for sports. It is worth involving the child in discussing some family questions, just to show that he is a full member of the family. Moreover, children in their teens are very vulnerable when they are criticized in public, so try to avoid it. Parents should always be honest and sincere with their child; otherwise it would be unfair to require the same from him.
Too authoritarian parents can't do any good to their children as well as parents who overindulge all the child's caprices. Overindulgence may lead to the same results as negligence. There are parents who are afraid of hurting the child by banning something when it is necessary. Such parents risk becoming powerless in the family and losing control over their children who may become spoiled and capricious.
It demands to make a great effort from both parents and children to reach mutual understanding. There are many different opinions on the question of treating children if they disobey their parents, but every parent should decide for himself what will be best for his child and set him on the right path.
Answer the questions:
1. Give your explanation of the notion "generation gap".
2. How do you think, which is the tensest period in the relationships between parents and their children?
3. What type of behaviour is usual for adolescents?
4. Have you noticed any changes in your own behaviour during the last years?
5. How would you characterize your relations with your parents?
6. Do you like to spend time with your family?
7. What is, in your opinion, the basis of healthy and peaceful relationship between parents and children?
8. Are you a spoiled child?
9. Do you approve of the way your parents brought you up?
10. What would you like to change in the way your parents brought you up?
