Sport

                                               SPORT

What sports do you know?

Vocabulary:

ball      bat (n+v)      board     boxer    cleats    club     court     cup     draw     field       game     goal     hit    jump     kick     lose    match     medal     net     piece    pitch     player     pool     puck       protective pads      racket     ring      rink      reserve (n)      run     runner    saddle      sail (n+v)     score (n+v)     shuttlecock    stadium      stick       swimmer     team     track      win       winner

What do you think of these statements?

I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT SPORT.

I ALWAYS SUPPORT THE UNDERDOG.

SPORT IS BEING RUINED BY MONEY.

SPORT IS A WASTE OF TIME

SPORT HELPS COUNTRIES TO HAVE BETTER RELATIONS.

PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE GYM FOUR TIMES A WEEK ARE ADDICTED.

TOO MUCH SPORT CAN BE DANGEROUS.

IT IS NOT THE WINNING THAT IS IMPORTANT, IT IS THE TAKING PART.

Fill in GO, PLAY, or DO in the correct form.

1.       He used to ...................jogging every day when he was at university.

2.       I love ...............a good game of chess from time to time.

3.       She ...........................gymnastics when she was at university.

4.       This summer we ........................windsurfing every day on our holiday.

5.       He's quite an athlete. He ................basketball, baseball and hockey, too.

6.       My wife .................horse riding twice a week.

7.       Why don't we ......................a set of tennis?

8.       Some people think that ..................aerobics four times a week is the best possible way of keeping fit.

9.       His idea of the perfect summer holiday is to rent a sailboat and ..............sailing between the islands of the Tuscan archipelago.

10.   He ...........................athletics for his local track club

  Sport idioms:

a no-win situation                              less important workers

team players                                     to have the correct mental abilities, not stupid

going to play ball                               to succeed

to strike out                                      impossible to succeed

to score                                            to fail

to play with a full deck                       people who work together with other staff

second stringers                                do business with

Which sport is it?

I've decided to take up the game of ________after playing with a friend recently. However, the sport isn't as easy as it appears. To improve my game, I've been spending a lot of time at the driving range hitting balls with my clubs. I'm starting to hit the ball straighter off the tee, and I'm not slicing the ball as much. I'm able to drive the ball about 275 yards. About twice a week, I reserve a tee time at 6:00 a.m., and I usually play with a colleague from work. I enjoy carrying my own clubs around the _____course rather than renting and riding in a _______ cart. It just gives me more exercise. My tee shot is usually pretty straight down the fairway, but I have the tendency to hit the ball in the rough on my second or third shot. I can usually get the ball to the green on my third or fourth shot, but the ball sometimes lands in a bunker or sand trap. That's when I have a problem because I have a difficult time getting the ball out of the bunker and on to the green. If all goes well, I can put the ball into the hole on the fifth or sixth shot. As you can see, I almost always _______over par, but my game is getting better.

Every summer, I go on several ________ trips to lakes and streams a few hours from my house. First, I have to get a __________ license and review the __________ proclamation to check on the ________limits and rules for each body of water. Then, I have to prepare my ________ gear: my _______ rod and reel, my tackle box, and my _______ net. I usually ________ with traditional baits like worms or salmon eggs. If I am ________at a lake, I usually _______ from the bank. I put the bait on a hook, add a sinker and bobber to the ____________ line, and then cast the line out into the water. If I feel a ________ biting, I tug on the line to set the hook in the ______'s mouth, and then reel it into shore. I use the __________ net when the _____ is near shore, remove the hook from its mouth, and then put the _______ on a stringer in the water. When I have caught my limit of ________ I gut and clean them at the cleaning station, put them on ice, and take them home to cook.

One of my favorite hobbies is ______________---through areas that people seldom visit. However, before I go_________, I make sure to have all of the proper gear for the adventure. First of all, I wear proper clothing and _______ shoes for the current weather conditions. Next, I let my family and friends know where I will be going and when I will return. Also, I carry a compass and GPS unit to navigate and locate my position. I carry a topographical map with me as well. In addition to these items, I take plenty of food and water, and I also pack a water filter to purify any water I find in streams or lakes. Finally, I always pack emergency supplies including a lighter, emergency blanket, a signaling device like a mirror, and cellphone. You never know when you will need these things.

My kids are taking ____________ lessons now at a local ___________pool. The lessons first teach kids how to not be afraid of the water by learning how to put their face under the water and holding their breath for a few seconds. Next, the lessons teach children how to float on their backs. Later on, kids learn how to do some of the basic strokes including freestyle, breast stroke, and backstroke. Learning how to do these takes time, practice, and patience. Kids also need to learn how to tred water, and in some water safety classes, instructors teach people how to tie up the legs of their pants to make a flotation device. Kids can also learn how to dive of the side of the pool or from the diving board. If kids pass off the requirements for their class, they receive a certificate of completion