II. Answer the questions to the text. 1. Which is greatest: to win the game, to play the game, or to love the game?

1. Which is greatest: to win the game, to play the game, or to love the game?

2. What do freedom, relaxation and absence of fear represent?

3. What does relaxation in play enable a human?

4. Do we need to conquer the fear of death?

5. What are the utility values of sport?

III. Find the Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions. freedom, relaxation, absence of fear, basic conditions, a human’s inner world, drug abuse, inner powers, untouchable

IV. Find the English equivalents for the following words and expressions. творчество, человеческое существование, самореализация, основные условия, на грани жизни и смерти, бросать вызов смерти, окружающий мир, работоспособность.

V. Discuss the following questions.

1. Do we need to conquer fear?

2. How do you conquer your fears?

3. How do you understand the phrase “broadening human’s recognition frontiers and his potentials”?

VI. Give a short summary of the text.

TEXT 18

Vocabulary

сycling the Field of Mars profitable outlet tag to beat

велосипедный спорт Марсово поле возможность профильного сбыта игра в салки (пятнашки) победить

I. Before you read the text discuss these questions.

1. What is cycling?

2. Can you name any famous cyclists?

CYCLING

Cycling gained prominence in the 1880s, both as a participant and as a spectator sport. The first cycling races in Russia were held on the Field of Mars in the centre of St Petersburg in 1882, a year later, the first club was formed – the Tsarskoye Selo Cycling Circle. At first, it was relaxing entertainment, then cycling began to be taken seriously, races were first held along the dirt paths of Catherines Park, then cement track was laid nearby and a stand for spectators built. Several other clubs grew up – so that, by 1892, there were as many as far away as Tashkent in Central Asia. (The Tashkent Amateur Cycling Society was formed in 1885.) Many of these were constructed and patronized by foreign bicycle firms, who not only saw a profitable outlet for their goods but also the prospect of big money in the first real Russian spectator sport, for cycling was drawing large crowds – on July 24, 1883, some 25,000 spectators watched cycling races at Moscow Hippodrome. Similarly, large crowds attended cycling meetings in St Petersburgs Semyonov Hippodrome.

In winter, racing took place indoors on wooden tracks, the first ones were laid in Moscow on Manege Square in 1892, in the St Petersburg Riding Academy and in Tula in 1894. The extent of the sports popularity may be judged by the fact that the manege used by the Petersburg Amateur Cycling Society was open daily from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Besides lessons in cycling, the society also provided instruction in a variety of sports – from tennis to tag. Entrance fees were high, but ladies were admitted free, though as spectators only.

The first national champion, 1893 (over 80 km), was George Davis, an English resident in Moscow. But Russian cyclists were no novices. Internationally, they gained a reputation that they have hardly matched since. In 1896, on the Catford track in London, Mikhail Dyakov won the 25-mile cycle race. He held four world records between 1894 and 1898 while Russian national champion, his compatriot, Nicolai Malkevich from Kiev, made the long – distance tours Kiev – Alexandria – Cairo, Chernyayev – Irkutsk – Moscow, and St Petersburg – Paris. In 1895, Mikhail Dzevochko beat the Austrian road champion, Franz Herger, in the Petersburg – Moscow road race (725 km).

II. Answer the questions to the text.

1. When and where were the first Russian cycling races held?

2. Where was the first cycling club formed?

3. Why many of the tracks and stadiums were constructed and patronized by foreign bicycle firms?

4. Where did racing take place in winter?

5. Who was the first national champion?

III. Put some more questions to the text and answer them.