Listen to the recording and fill in the missing words in this summary.
Surfing is one of the most exciting water sports there is. Serious surfers must be brave, love 1) _____ and have lots of energy. Many surfers travel around the 2) _____ going to surf festivals. Some surfers carry pagers which beep when there are 3) _____ periods of perfect conditions. Surfers are always in search of the best waves in an unspoilt 4) _____ . Professionals are in 5) _____ every day, and do exercises with 6) _____ . You don’t need to wear a 7) _____ in summer, but it can protect you from the hot 8) _____ as well as from cold 9) _____. Professional surfers look as if they learned to surf as soon as they could _____ .
2. Find the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations:
Кататься на волнах, овладеть техникой, гири, профессиональный (опытный) серфер (3 variants), равновесие, доска для серфинга, мускулатура.
Give detailed answers to the following questions.
1. What makes surfing so addictive?
2. What is the surfers’ greatest disappointment?
3. Why do surfers have to travel a lot?
4. In what way do surfers practice?
5. What equipment do you need if you want to take up surfing?
6. Do you agree that surfing is exciting? What feelings does the idea of taking it up evoke in you?
SPORT PSYCHOLOGISTS
(03:37)
Before you listen, say whether you have ever heard of sport psychologists. What do you think their duties are?
Listen and answer the following questions.
1. Is a sports psychology industry really well-developed nowadays?
2. What sportsmen are examples of commitment to their success?
3. Do sportsmen have to prepare for the competitions mentally?
4. What do the sports psychologists do? How do they help athletes to succeed?
5. What are the main purposes of the Haka war dance used by the New Zealand All blacks rugby team?
Listen again and do the vocabulary quiz. Answer the following questions using the words and word combinations from the interview. The initial letter(s) will help you.
E.g. What a means accomplishment, success? Answer: achievement.
1. What a means ‘sportsmen’?
2. What d means ‘the ability to continue trying to do something, although it is very difficult’?
3. What v means ‘very important’?
4. What s b means ‘trust in your own abilities’?
5. What umeans ‘unable to be defeated’?
6. What f on one’s g means ‘to pay a lot of attention to one’s aim’?
7. What c means ‘devoted’?
8. What d means ‘very upset’?
9. What d means ‘suddenly or obviously’?
10. What g o means ‘to overcome’?
11. What e means ‘extremely happy’?
12. What b means ‘very good’?
13. What r means ‘a fixed way of doing things’?
CHILD ATHLETES
(03:45)
1. Listen to a psychologist talking about child sport stars and put the points below in the order they are mentioned.
Child sport stars may have problems when they become older.
Child sport stars do not have a happy childhood.
It’s important for tennis players to be successful before they are 16.
Sometimes it is the parents of the sports star who get the money.
Sports stars are getting younger and younger.
The first child sports stars appeared in 1970s.
Answer the questions.
1. Does the psychologist think the child star phenomenon is a positive one? Why? Why not?
2. What in your opinion does the life of the child athlete comprise?
3. Do you think that winning the Olympic medal is worth all the sacrifices the child has to make?
Summarize the information you have learnt. Use your active vocabulary.
THE BIRTH OF THE OLYMPICS
(video 05:07)
Answer the questions.
1. Where did Olympic Games originate?
2. When were they started? How often were they held?
3. In whose honour were the Games held?
4. What sports were included in the competition?
5. What award was given to the winner?
6. Why were the Games stopped?
TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE OLYMPICS
(video 03:30)
Answer the questions.
1. What is the motto of the Olympic Games?
2. How often are modern Olympic Games held?
3. Who competes in the Games: amateurs or professionals?
4. When were the first Paralympic Games held?
5. What award do the winners receive?
6. What ceremony takes place after the conclusion of each sporting event?
7. What does the opening ceremony include?
8. What happens at the closing ceremony?
9. Why have some countries boycotted the Olympic Games?
10. What is the primary aim of the Olympic Games?
THE OLYMPIC GAMES
(05:54)
Listen to the article “The Olympic Games: then and now” written by Craig Duncan. Answer the questions about the text according to the listening.
1. What do you think the Zappian Olympics were?
2. What might an Olympic winner receive in ancient Greece?
3. What is an “Olympiad”?