SPORT
SPORT
TASK 1
Look at the pictures below. Name the sports people are practising. Give a short
description of the sports. Which of them is more interesting for you and why?
(You are supposed to talk about the pictures for approximately 5 minutes.)
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Picture 1
The men in the picture are playing volleyball. It is played by 2 teams of 6 players each. They use their
hands to hit a ball backwards and forwards over a high net. It is across the middle of the court (hracia
plocha). The aim (cieľ) is not to let the ball touch the ground. It is an indoor sport, but it can be played
outside (beachball).
Picture 2
Badminton is played by 2 or 4 people. The players hit a shuttlecock over a high net with a racket. The
aim is not to let the shuttlecock touch the ground. It is a typical indoor sport, but it can be played
outside. It is usually played by young people (on the beach).
Picture 3
Ice hockey - It is a game played on a (ice) rink by 2 teams of 6 players each. They use long sticks to
hit a puck into the other team´s goal (score a goal). There are 2 goals. There is a net around each goal.
Players wear guards/pads (chrániče), a helmet with a mask/cage, gloves and skates. The game is
divided into 3 periods; each lasts 20 minutes. It is a typical indoor sport. It´s very popular all around
the world as well as in Slovakia.
Picture 4
Skiing - In the picture, there are some people (skiers) skiing down a hill/ slope (svah). To practise the
sport, you need special equipment: skis, ski suit, binding (viazanie), poles (palice), ski boots, a helmet,
and goggles (okuliare) (to protect your eyes from the sun, snow and wind). It´s a typical winter sport.
It´s worldwide popular. In Slovakia, we have many ski resorts, and it is one of the most popular winter
sports in Slovakia.
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TASK 2
What is your favourite sport and how do you practise it?
I like playing/doing........... because............ I practise it................ with............
To practise this sport, I need.............
What sports can people do throughout the year?
Winter sports: Sportsmen practise winter sports, such as skiing, skating,
snowboarding or tobogganing (sánkovnie). Skiers can practise giant slalom (obrovský
slalom), downhill racing (zjazdové lyžovanie), cross-country skiing (bežky) or ski
jumps in ski resorts. Skating includes figure skating (krasokorčuľovanie) and speed
skating (rýchlokorčuľovanie), which are practised on skating rinks (ice rinks)
(klzisko).
Summer sports: Athletics, cycling, hiking and most aquatic (water) sports, like
sailing, swimming, regatta, water-skiing, diving (potápanie), windsurfing and others
are practised mainly during the summer.
There are indoor and outdoor sports. Typical indoor sports are gymnastics, darts
(šípky), bodybuilding (kulturistika), aerobics, yoga etc. Typical outdoor sports are
winter sports, athletics, cycling, golf and most water sports. Indoor sports can be
practised all the year round, but many outdoor sports depend on the weather and are
mostly enjoyed during the summer or winter.
Games are played by at least two [Link] most popular games are football, rugby,
hockey, tennis, golf, volleyball, badminton, handball (hádzaná), squash, among others.
The British are sport-loving people. Some of the games, such as football, rugby, golf
and tennis, originated in Britain and spread all over the world. The most popular game
is football/soccer and horse racing. Polo and cricket are other popular sports. The most
popular games in America are baseball, American football, basketball, ice hockey or
wrestling (zápasenie).
Activities that involve danger or speed or both are often called extreme sports. They´re
very popular nowadays. The most popular are bungee jumping, skydiving (voľný pád),
skateboarding, waterskiing, paragliding, white-water rafting (splav na divokej vode)
and many more.
Which sports and games are popular in Slovakia?
In summer, a lot of people spend the warmest days near water. There are a lot of natural and
artificial lakes that allow people to swim or sail a boat. Water sports are popular summer
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activities. Slovaks enjoy swimming, water-skiing, sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, rafting and
fishing in rivers and lakes.
Slovakia is a mountainous country. In winter, the ski resorts are usually full of skiing people.
There are dozens – if not hundreds – of ski resorts in Slovakia. Young people like
snowboarding. Although skiing is dominant, figure skating has a great tradition in our
country.
Hiking trails/paths are very well-marked, and hiking maps are available for each region. You
can meet hikers in the woods of the High Tatras as well as around Bratislava in the Small
Carpathians. Many of these trails are suitable for bikes, too. Some roads are used by inline
skaters, but there is no real track network.
Football and ice hockey are the most popular sports in Slovakia. Football is the cheapest team
game – you need only a flat piece of ground and a ball. Almost every town and village has its
own playfield and a team playing in the regional league.
Our national ice-hockey team has had some international success, and many Slovak players
played or still play abroad, some of them in the NHL. Slovakia won the 2001 Ice-Hockey
World Championship. People love ice-hockey seasons, and a lot of them watch the hockey
matches and keep fingers crosssed for our team.
Other popular games are volleyball, basketball, tennis, handball, or golf. Sporting activities
such as aerobics or yoga are practised in almost every gym because especially women and
girls are interested in them. Teenagers like skateboarding a lot.
What are the pros and cons of being a professional sportsman/sportswoman?
Pros
As a professional sportsman, you can earn a lot of money.
Doing sport makes you happy, brings you pleasure, keeps you fit and healthy.
You are famous, admired by your fans.
It helps you to be disciplined and rely on yourself.
As a professional sportsman, you can travel a lot.
You can have an attractive body.
Your country can be/is proud of you.
You can be a role model for young people/others, you can motivate people.
You are sponsored and have almost everything (travel costs, clothes, sport equipment,
technology, accommodation) for free.
Cons
Professional sportsmen have to win and to be the best (no one sponsors losers).
You have to start young - it can cause a lot of injuries.
You have no free time - you have to practise long hours.
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A professional sportsman’s career generally lasts between the ages of 15 and 35. It
usually lasts about 10 to 15 years, but this depends on the sport. It is not easy to find a
good job at the age of forty.
Professional sports are often connected with overtraining and doping. During
important competitions such as the Olympic Games, sportsmen are tested and may be
disqualified.
You can have health problems connected to your sport.
You can be hurt easily.
You don´t have time for yourself, your family, or education.
What qualities should a successful sportsman have?
If you want to become successful, you have to start young and be prepared to work
hard.
You have to train several hours a day and have a healthy life style.
You have to be disciplined, persistent (vytrvalý), self-confident, smart and rely on
yourself.
You have to give up nights out with your friends.
A successful sportsman must be physically strong, healthy, competitive (súťaživý),
fair, responsible, hard-working, brave, ambitious, clever, modest (skromný), and goal-
oriented.
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TASK 3 Simulation / Roleplay
A friend of yours does not practise any sport. Try to persuade him/her to take up one. Suggest
one sport you think is the most suitable for him/her. Explain to him/her the importance of
practising a sport.
Friend: Hi.....
You: ______________________________________________________________________
Friend: Fine, thanks. And you? Oh! You look great! You´re so slim and you look so satisfied!
I envy you. I´m trying to lose some weight.
You: _______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Friend: No. I´m on a diet. I don´t like sports at all!
You: _______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Friend: Oh no! I can´t play it. I think I´m clumsy!
You: _______________________________________________________________________
Friend: I´m not sure about that! I´m too shy. I´m afraid that they´ll laugh at me!
You: _______________________________________________________________________
Friend: Hm. I think that´s not the right sport for me.
You: _______________________________________________________________________
Friend: I can´t stand weightlifting, and the smell of sweating people all around is horrible!
You: _______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Friend: Hm. That sounds interesting!
You: _______________________________________________________________________
Friend: OK. I´ll try it.
You: _______________________________________________________________________
Friend: OK. See you.
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Friend: Hi.....
You: Hi...... I haven´t seen you for ages! How is it going?
Friend: Fine, thanks. And you? Oh! You look great! You´re so slim and you look so satisfied!
I envy you. I´m trying to lose some weight.
You: Thanks. I´m happy to hear that! I´m trying to keep fit! I do exercise a lot! And how
about you? Do you do any sport? Or do you exercise?
Friend: No. I´m on a diet. I don´t like sports at all!
You: Oh! Come on! To be on a diet is a waste of time! Why don´t you try some sports
instead? What about volleyball? I play volleyball at school two times a week, and I´m
feeling great! Why don´t you join us?
Friend: Oh no! I can´t play it. I think I´m clumsy!
You: Don´t be silly! It´s easy. All you need is a strong will and a bit of practise! It´ll be fun!
Why don´t you try it?
Friend: I´m not sure about that! I´m too shy. I´m afraid that they´ll laugh at me!
You: That´s not true! My friends are cool! I think that you can make it. It´s easy to hit the
ball over the net, isn´t it?
Friend: Hm. I think that´s not the right sport for me.
You: OK. So come to the gym with me! It will help you to get back in shape and make you
stronger.
Friend: I can´t stand weightlifting, and the smell of sweating people all around is horrible!
You: Don´t be silly! Going to the gym is not just about bodybuilding. You can do aerobics
as well. It´s healthy, and it´s the best way to lose weigh!
Friend: Hm. That sounds interesting!
You: I know you like music and dancing. So I think it´s a perfect solution for you. Shall we
go tomorrow?
Friend: OK. I´ll try it.
You: Well. I´ll see you tomorrow then.
Friend: OK. See you.
