Popular kinds of sport in the usa

POPULAR KINDS OF SPORT IN THE USA.

Almost everybody likes sport, either to play or to watch. It’s common knowledge that sport is a good and healthy activity. If you watch sports like professional baseball or figure skating, you can enjoy it with your family or friends. Children will learn many good things from watching sports contests, such as patience, hard work, teamwork and fair play. Sport is an important part of society.

Everybody choses his/her favourite kind of sport. For instance, some people like jogging. They say it is interesting to jog through the countryside, breathing the fresh air. Other people say biking is the best because you can go farther and faster. Still others think swimming is the best because it exercises the whole body and is easier on the joints like knees. They say jogging is bad for your knees and doctors seem to agree.
As for spectator sports, there might be an even bigger variety of tastes. Lots of people in the US swear that baseball is the best sport. They say it is a true gentleman’s sport. It is poetry in motion. Others criticize baseball as a boring sport with too little “action”. In America people who hate baseball probably prefer American football. They say it is highly competitive, with lots of excitement. On the other hand, it is a brutal sport because the players always hurt the other team’s players on purpose. In Europe lots of people prefer soccer. They say it’s better than American football because in soccer the players are fighting for the ball, not to hurt the other team. However, Americans don’t like soccer because they think there’s too much running and not enough scoring.
Recently auto-racing sport has become very popular. Exciting racing action attracts a lot of fans. They can see racing live and on television.
Basketball is a very common sport in the USA. It can be played indoors or outdoors at any time of a year. But it is usually played indoors during the winter. High schools, universities, and professional teams have exciting contests, and fans come to see great talent and skill.
Golf, some historians say, was originated in the Netherlands. Maybe it is true. But now it is very popular in the USA, too. There are lots of golf clubs in the country. They say, more than 12,400 golf courses serve over 20 million people.
Tennis may be played indoors and outdoors. There are lots of tennis clubs in the USA. It is played by children and adults, by professionals and amateurs. Fitness clubs are a popular place to find good partners for playing tennis. If you are very good at this game you can find a professional player, and even if you are a rookie, you will meet your match, too. Choose any sport and enjoy it!
If you just do your morning exercises, you know how they work. They help you to wake up, be ready to your classes, and set you into a cheerful working mood. Some students like to exercise in the evening. They go to the gym for aerobics, weight lifting, playing basketball, volleyball, or tennis. Some young people prefer jogging, or swimming. Whatever sport you play be sure you do it in a proper way. If you like to run, wear proper running shoes and dress for the weather conditions. If you prefer to ride your bicycle, ride with a helmet and wear bright clothing. Always keep safety in mind.
It’s great if you exercise every day or three times a week. Remember to warm up and cool down when exercising. A proper warm up increases the blood flow to your muscles.


Tasks to the text:
1. Read the text and answer the questions:
a) What good things will children learn from watching sports contests?
b) Where was golf originated (according to some historians)?
c) What kinds of sport may be played indoors and outdoors?
d) What rules is it necessary to follow when exercising and why?
e) How many kinds of sport were mentioned in the text? Name them.
2. Find the translation of the following sentences in the text:
a) Спорт – важная часть общества.
b) Говорят, бег трусцой плохо действует на колени и, кажется, что доктора согласны с этим.
c) В него играют дети и взрослые, любители и профессионалы.
d) Они помогают вам проснуться, подготовиться к занятиям, погрузиться в бодрое рабочее настроение.
e) Каким бы спортом вы ни занимались, удостоверьтесь, что вы делаете это правильно.
Keys to the tasks:
1. Read the text and answer the questions:

a) Children will learn many good things from watching sports contests, such as patience, hard work, teamwork and fair play.

b) Golf, some historians say, was originated in the Netherlands.
c) Basketball and tennis may be played indoors and outdoors.
d) Remember to warm up and cool down when exercising. A proper warm up increases the blood flow to your muscles.
e) Eleven kinds of sport were mentioned in the text. They are: baseball, figure skating, jogging, biking, swimming, football, soccer, auto-racing, basketball, golf, tennis.


2. Find the translation of the following sentences in the text:

a) Sport is an important part of society.

b) They say jogging is bad for your knees and doctors seem to agree.
c) It is played by children and adults, by professionals and amateurs. 
d) They help you to wake up, be ready to your classes, and set you into a cheerful working mood.
e) Whatever sport you play be sure you do it in a proper way.