What do you think is the most exciting sport to watch

Students of English: have your say!

«English, Actually.» (scroll down to see the Home Page)

Living

This section is for you to write something on a topic that isn’t covered elsewhere. For example: how I spend my weekends, what hobbies I have, what colours I like… and what about the things we don’t like.

Here’s Alessandra on a wide range of topics:

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32 Comments Add yours

Actually I can say that I do not know boredom but I know only boring people, I love rest, being in peace,
but not boredom.
So for not to get bored I avoid these people, if possible. in fact, if I am alone, even without doing anything, I know that I am not bored.
anyway being with my family, my grandchildren, parents and relatives is a moment that I have come to appreciate a lot, so I can say that makes me happy.

What I most love to do at the weekend is just to relax, reading a good book or seeing my favorite series. The thing I love most about this is that I can let aside all waries for a while and just to be with myself. What I find difficult is that all the time there is someone who needs you. That’s why I’d like to reach a distant place, far away from civilization, but in the same time not too far from the loved ones.

Hello Marius, many thanks for your comment. This looks good. But let me make a few corrections:
> What I love doing most at the weekend – Word order: ‘most’ should go after the verb. ‘Love to do‘ or ‘love doing‘? Both are possible and the difference is not always clear. Here is one example: ‘I don’t like going to the dentist. But I like to go to the dentist once a year because it is a good precaution.’ So we use ‘like + going‘ for something enjoyable, but ‘like + to go‘ for something which is a good idea. However, this is not a rigid rule.
> I can put aside all my worries
> and just [to] be with myself
> I’d like to be somewhere far away
> but at the same time
> not too far from [the] loved ones.

I hoe these corrections hekp!
The Editor

1)i love the race car, formula 1 or DTM, this is a germany race car, very exiting
2) Most amazing place? A night a Venice of course, during the carnival, i rember the fog, the light anc the mask, belive it or not i’m sure to see a horsman or an gentelman of the 18th century.

HI Emiliano, just a few more corrections:
> i love formula 1 or DTM racing cars
> A night in Venice of course, during Carnival,
> I remember the fog, the light and the masks
> believe it or not I’m sure I saw a horseman
> or a gentleman
I hope these help!
The Editor

Because of my job I don’t have much free time, even having to finish a phd.
Hanymay, when I don’t do all of this, when I free, I like to keep myself in some kind of shape, I like swimming or use the kayak, especially at lake. I am a fan of comics, especially Corto Maltese, and watches and I love to keep up to date, it is not possible to buy something, at least, not all the time. I also love the story about the watches in the movie, for esemple in Apocalypse Now Martin Sheen play the Captain Willard and use a Seiko diver, and now this watch is better known like The captain Willard.

Nice piece! But check the mistakes, especially plural noun-verb agreement.
The Editor

1)what I prefer to do during the weekend is to be with my family. Usually we walk the streets of Naples or stay at home to watch a movie.

2)The thing I didn’t like about this last period was the spread of covid-19. I hate people dying and would love to go back to normal life without having to be afraid of getting infected.

3)The thing I’d like to do is travel. I would like to see new places, learn about new cultures and discover the world.

Many thanks for this, Rita. It is all very clear and you have understood the principle of Cleft Sentences. Is there anything to correct? Let me see…
> what I prefer doing during the weekend is being – OR: ‘What I like doing best at the weekend is being with …’
> What I’d like to do once again is travel – I prefer ‘What’ rather than ‘The thing…’
Otherwise, these sentences are good! Carry On Writing!
The Editor

Currently I am studying at the university and I also have some homework to do, which is why talking about free time now is a bit difficult to have due to these occupations. But the few moments that I have I take advantage of to rest to walk and to watch videos on television. I think that after finishing my studies I will be able to have a long free time to indulge myself.

Thanks very much Ramiro! A few small corrections:
> which is why talking about free time now is a bit difficult [to have[ due to these occupations.
> I take advantage of by resting, walking or watching videos
I look forward to more writing by you!
The Editor

I love free time! I always do everything to get it, but unfortunately with the university i am never satisfied with my free time:(
When I can, i love to take some time for myself, relaxing to the maximum.
I love spendig time on the internet or finding confortable spaces to have an aperitif and enjoy it as much as possible.
But the moment that i love most of my free time is in the evening with my family watching TV.

Thanks a lot for your article Alessandro! Let me see about corrections…
> I always do what I can to enjoy it
> When I can, I love to take some time off for myself
> relaxing as much as I can
> the moment that i love most during my free time
> is when I watch TV in the evening with my family
Very nice! Carry On Writing.
The Editor

If I had to think about my free time, well, I would’nt find a lot of it.
However, in these days, I am making a crib. Crib and Christmas tree are very important traditions, particularly in western latin Europe.
So, in these days, I decide myself to search for a few hours to make the Crib. Christmas tree have been made by my young wife and her little sister.
I built the grotto or the hub, (really it’s a medley), and I made a construction that could hosted a few shepherds. I accomodated other shepherds in a little grotto or below a big tree, under the sky. Really, I still have to make the sky of the Crib. Quietly.
My little child loves the Crib and his personages. So, I am satisfied too.
Let’s me say a word about the Crib.
The Crib si not a theatre, is not just a work, but it is an image. An image, made diferently by each family, that can still tell something to everybody.
It’s an image that tell a real story of a family and many stories about many historical personages. It’s an image that tell, in truth, the deepest motions of the human suol. It’s an image that remember a family history. An image that can talk to the heart of the current families. Just search for and let be questioned by this story of salvation.

Thanks very much for this, Davide! Let me make a few corrections:
> If I had to think about my free time, well, I would find I did not have a lot of it. – OR ‘I did not have much of it.’
> Cribs and Christmas trees
> particularly in Latinate western Europe
> So, during these days, I have decided to put aside a few hours to make the Crib – ‘put aside’ or ‘dedicate’
> The Christmas tree has been made by my young wife and her little sister.
> The Crib is not a theatre
> the Crib and its personages OR – the Crib and its figures
> it is not just a piece of work, but [it is] an image ‘a work’ means ‘a work of art’, such as a painting or a sculpture
> It’s an image that tells the real story of a family
> It’s an image that recalls a family history. – OR: reminds us of a
> An image that can talk to the heart of present-day families
> Just search for and let yourself be questioned by this story of salvation.

A very nice account, Davide! Many thanks once again.
The Editor

After a hard day, I think each of us can’t wait to get home and do what he likes best. For some free time means fun, for others it means rest or other things, but for me the way how I spend my free time depends on my mood in that moment. I think it is good to consider our own preferences when we have to choose how we spend our free time because we are the only ones who really know what we need. So we can’t all do the same things because we have different passions and preferences, but we certainly know how to find the right people for our moments. Now, being a student, I prefer to read, to watch series or to go for a walk. Regarding the latter, Rome undoubtedly has a lot to offer!
Can we consider free time as a vacation? I think not. Every day we can have a little free time, which we can spend as we want. Holidays are longer periods of free time. During the holidays we have enough time for travel, for example. In other words, the holidays give us the chance to do all things we set out to do in our free time, but we have not been able to complete them.

Thanks once again for an enlightening article, Marius! Let me check for corrections:
> I think we all can’t wait to get home
> For some of us free time means having fun
> So not all of us do the same things
> but [we] have not been able to complete [them] – we can omit ‘we’ and ‘them’ becuase they are expressed in the previous clause

Keep Calm – and Carry On Writing!
The Editor

Hello, I am a Brazilian who has been living in Rome for eight months. So I would like to tell you a little bit about my experience here in Europe. I’ll start by saying that Rome is a very beautiful city, especially in relation to its historical attractions. There are so many museums, so many old churches to be visited, I confess that visiting these places is my favourite programme here. Also the Italian cuisine is something I appreciate a lot, la pasta and the wines are, in my humble opinion, wonderful here in Italy. I didn’t find much difficulty with Italian, it’s a language very close to Portuguese and in some aspects much simpler than that. Anyway, I must say that I am enjoying my experience here in Italy very much. I hope that I can learn and know many more things.

Hello Jacson and thank you very much for your article. It’s all very clear and enthusiastic. I am so glad you like Rome. I have become very fond of this city, though Naples will always be special to me.
Let me now see what corrections I have to make:
> visiting these places is my favourite pastime here
> I haven’t had much difficulty with Italian
> with Italian, because it’s [a language] very close to Portuguese
> I can learn and understand many more things
Not too many mistakes! Many thanks once again – and Carry On Writing!
The Editor

Hello Matteo and thank you very much for your article. It’s very clear but I have to make a few corrections:
> I enjoy listening to music – you have used ‘enjoy’ correctly further on in your text.
> chatting on the various social networks.
> when I have more free time
> enjoy myself
> watching all the Tv programmes I love best. – ‘particullary’ should be ‘particularly’
> I often read famous people’s biographies
> I spend my free time

Don’t let these corrections discourage you! I look forward to more of your writing.
The Editor
>

When I was a young girl, my eldest brother invited me to move in Canada. There I could have to live with him family, to emprove my art skills, got a job. I was too scared to leave my mum and my father, my boyfriend… In those time all my thougths were oriented toward happiness with a boyfriend. My personal fulfillmen was not so important. Now I discover that I can move abroad without much trubble, because I can do everything, I have inside me all that I need. My project could be move in 2 years when I will be retired. I will move in Vancouver Island in British Columbia, to stay a while. Then I can determinate if I like to live there or if I prefer another place. About that, I have only a reticence about the whether that there is almost cold with a very long winter. After that will I be able to speak a fluent English? yes, of course!

Thank you very much for your post, Lucia! It is very clear but let me see if I need to correct anything…
> invited me to move to Canada
> There I would have the opportunity to live with his family
> to improve my art skills
> at that time all my thoughts turned towards happiness with a boyfriend
> without much trouble
> I will move to Vancouver Island
> Then I can decide whether I like living there
> prefer somewhere else
> I have only one reservation
> about the weather which is always cold
> After that will I be able to speak [a] fluent English?

Thank you very much for this once again. Keep Calm – and Carry On Writing!
The Editor

Part two.
A job I’d love to do is the manager of a Museum. I love reading, as I said before, but I love the Art too. When I stay in a Museum I feel enrapture and moved watching the pieces.
I must buy a new vacuum cleaner urgently because that old no works well now, and I work harder to clean my house

Many thanks for this, Cinzia! Any corrections?
> A job I’d love to have would be manager of a Museum
> but I love [the] Art too – No article when you are referring to something generally, especially an abstract concept like Art.
> When I am at a Museum
> because the old one does not work well now

I hope these help!
Editor

A job I hate doing in the house, surely, cooking. I try, I try but I can’t so, I guarantee only the survival: pasta, meat and salad, for example.
I love doing the gymnastics but I love, also, reading. Watching a video gym or reading a good book, calms me and my fantasy flys

If you had to economise, what would be the first thing you would give up and the last?

But i don’t live without my books or my radio; I love listenig to music. When I’m reading a book, I least to classical music e so I can relax on my chair.

Many thanks for this Wanda. just one correction for now:
“But i *couldn’t* live without my books or my radio”
Mike

Hi, I’m Tommaso.
The great thing that makes me fell good is snowboarding!
I’d like to go snowboarding every day because it’s very relaxing and the same time it transmits a lot of adrenalin!

The great experience is going snowboarding on free ride when there is a lot of fresh snow and nobody near to you!

Hi Tommaso! A quick correction: “The great thing that makes me fell good is snowboarding!” should be:
“The thing that really makes me feel good is snowboarding!”

I hope this helps. – Mike

When I was a little girl I used to learn French; my babysitter was from Paris, but now I learn English because I host American students in home stay. Rachel is the name my guest’s. She will stay for a semester, she studies at the Temple University in Rome.

Hello readers. I have moved people’s replies to the question “What makes you feel good?” to the sub-page of the same name. Just hover your mouse over the ‘Lifestyles’ tab and you will see the link to it. Please do add your own ideas on what makes you feel good.
Mike (Editor)

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What Is The Most Exciting Sport To Watch?

What is the most exciting sport to watch? Find out what other people from the message boards think.

TOPIC: What Is The Most Exciting Sport To Watch?

What Is The Most Exciting Sport To Watch?

You can almost always see a live sporting event on television. While we all find excitement in different things, we have reasons behind it.

What’s the most exciting sport to watch? What are the reasons behind this fascination/enjoyment?

Are professional or amateur sports more fun to watch? As you list them explain why one is more fun to watch than the other.

Bonus Question: What is the least exciting sport to watch?

Show off your knowledge to the world!

To use your credit, e-mail Will @ will@bodybuilding.com for more info.

NOTE: I believed adding pictures would be useful. Not a lot of people have seen the game before, and it may help you understand some of what I’m trying to say.

You can almost always see a live sporting event on television. While we all find excitement in different things, we have reasons behind it.

This is because as humans, we are all individuals. We have differences in what foods we enjoy, our preference in exercise, our hobbies and even our choices in what sports we prefer. Some find the faster pace of NBA more exciting, while others find the physicality of MMA fighting more exhilarating.

There are reasons why some sports are more popular than others.

Things from the level of skill involved, to the pace of the sport, to the aggression to the speed all can come into it. But I think I’ve found a sport that has the perfect combination of all the above, and a sport that most of you have probably never even heard of.

Read on and find out what the sport is.

What’s The Most Exciting Sport To Watch?
What Are The Reasons Behind This Fascination/Enjoyment?

The most exciting sport in my opinion is Australian Rules Football. This is a fast-paced, Australian brand of football that is intense, very physical and requires a lot of skill and courage. Both the players and fans share a passion for this sport that is unparalleled.

What Is Aussie Rules?

Most people may have seen bits and pieces of the game on satellite television, but are still pretty unclear as to exactly going on. It’s really not as difficult as it might look. Here are some of the basics to the game.

The game is played with 22 players on each team, with 18 on the ground at any one time. The size of the oval is generally 150-185 meters in diameter and the ball used during the game is leather and oval-shaped.

The goal of each team is to kick as many goals as they can through the 2 larger goal posts (6 points). One point is scored if the ball misses the target, and goes through the two smaller, surrounding posts. Like any other game, the team with the higher amount of points at the end of the game wins.

Once each goal has been scored the game then resumes with a bounce-up in the center square. To move the ball forward at any time, it can be either kicked, or handballed. Throwing isn’t allowed. Players can mark the ball from any kick, and the play stops as the ‘marker’ kicks the ball.

Usually, the ball isn’t marked, but is in dispute. This is where some of the most fearsome courage and determination are shown. Shattering bumps, tackles, fast-paced chasing and physical one-on-one contests are the norm. The game has all of these exciting elements to it, and at the same time has the pace of a hockey game.

Although the game is physical, free kicks are given away if the player is pushed in the back, or tackled head-high. Each match lasts approximately 2 hours with time-on, with 20-30 minute quarters, so both the level of fitness and the degree of perseverance need to high if you want to play this game.

For more detailed rules on how to play the game, there are some good links towards the end of the page in the reference section.

What Makes Aussie Rules So Good?

Australian Rules Football is the most exciting sport in the world. >From the level of physical and emotional aggression, to the incredible skill involved to the spectacular one-on-one contests and leaping marks, there are plenty of reasons fans are so fascinated by this amazing game. Here are several aspects I think people find particularly satisfying.

The Degree Of Physicality:

Australian Football is a game that has plenty of aggression. The game is filled with hard-hitting bumps, bone crunching tackles and a lot of mini scuffles. Males by nature are very physical, and that’s one reason why sports such as football have such a strong following.

Unlike NFL, Australian Football is played without the protection used in the states. There are no knee or shoulder pads, and only those with neck injuries ever wear helmets, so the players have to be fearless to survive.

The most common form of physicality in the game is one-on-one, or group contests. There is good body-on-body contact here as players use their strength to try and out-power their opponent, and get the ball. Contests make the crowd go wild. This is where spectacular marks are usually taken.

Heavy bumps aren’t uncommon either. These are used to knock a player out of the way of an on-coming ball, or contest. Like rugby, Australian Rules Football is a game filled with big tackles. Tackles usually hit a player from the side or behind at a time he is unaware, so the impact of tackles can be really heavy.

The game requires Herculean strength in order to break through tackles, battle against your opponent and power your way through a contest. It’s the game’s mix of power and speed that make it so exhilarating. A player can be in the middle of a fast paced chase and be knocked to the ground at high-speed. This sort of thing adds an energy that I think is unmatched.

The level of injuries is pretty high. Although no one enjoys watching someone get injured, it adds an element of risk that makes the game more suspenseful.

Fans really respect and admire these players. I do, too.

The High Level Of Skill Involved:

Australian Rules Football is a highly skillful game. Players have to posses many skills such as kicking, handballing and tackling. Kicks mostly hit teammates with pin-point accuracy and handballs are spot-on. Fans love any game that is played with this level of skill while under the sort of pressures these players are.

The game as a whole is an amazing spectacle. Both the goals and marks that players take can leave the crowd in disbelief. Some player’s posses a magic about them that would make soccer players jealous. Goals can be scored from near impossible angles using banana kicks and kicks can travel distances of 60-70 meters.

I love watching goals being kicked out of nowhere; to me it matches the same level of excitement of when a rare goal is kicked in a soccer game. But in Australian Football, there can be up to 40 goals kicked each match.

The spectacular marking in this game makes it unlike any other sport. Players go airborne on top of a pack of surrounding players for a mark and can hit the ground with more impact than a top NBA player slam-dunking the ring. There is no better feeling of own-age on your opponent than climbing onto his shoulders for a ‘speccie’ after a rough day.

There are several types of pack marks; the one handed mark, chest marks and overhead marks. Australian Football is filled with this high-flying action, something I think that only the NBA can match in terms of constant, adrenalin-filled excitement.

Like soccer, AFL has side-stepping and trick plays. A lot of the smaller players use their speed to their advantage and find a way around opponents by dodging and weaving. This can be great to watch, particularly as the game is played at such a high speed.

There are so many players who posses great ball control. Either tapping it along the ground, or grabbing it from mid-air, they know to how to make sure they keep it in their hands, not their opponents. I can’t think of many other sports where fans get this excited so often.

Top Level Athletes:

When people pay to watch a sporting event, they want to get their money’s worth. This means watching a high-quality game with high quality athletes. Those in the AFL (our main football league) are probably the most physically fit athletes in the world. Combined with their strength and power, fans are getting the best from both the power and fitness worlds.

The endurance of these players is second to none. Game’s generally last around 2 hours, so the athletes can only be at the highest level of fitness in order to get through each game. This isn’t forgetting about the high-speed chases for the ball and the demands of tackling.

Although players aren’t massive like Rugby players, they do still carry a good degree of muscle size. I have heard that the average bench press of an AFL player is around 250lbs, and up to 340lbs. for some of the bigger guys.

There’s nothing more exciting than watching a sport that is so fast while not lacking in the physical department. This is a game that matches the pace of NBA, but also has hard-hitting body on body contact. Plays move much faster than Rugby or Gridiron, meaning more action and excitement.

Players are always under pressure, so the ball is always moving. Whether it is kicking, handballing or fiercely evading through a pack of players, the ball and the players are always on the go. You need good composure to be a professional AFL player. If there is one tip I could give someone who has the ball, it would be ‘think quick!’

The Passion Both The Fans & Players Share:

Fans of Australian Football come close to being some of the most passionate fans of any sport in the world. Football is like a religion to so many; people live it and breathe it. If you lived in Melbourne, you’d know what I was talking about. Names of regular AFL players are as recognizable to the average Melbournian as a Michael Jordan would be to a US citizen.

It’s not unusual for games to regularly draw crowds of 30-45 thousand people. There have been matches with over 110,000 in attendance. The atmosphere of sitting in the crowd at any game is electrifying; you just want to get involved in it all. It’s as if there is a contagious spirit in the air.

People get so emotionally involved. I remember watching my favorite team just miss out on making the Grand Final by a few points. Everyone around me was crying; you had no option but to. As a ‘do or die’ AFL game comes close to an end, there is no level of intensity that compares. In other sports like the NBA, play will stop for a time-out, but with football, the bone crushing tackling and aggression continue until there is a winner.

In these situations, the players give it all they got, and more. I remember how inspiring it was watching the Grand Final when a player played with mega doses of pain killers, and enough strapping on his knees to cover a mummy.

You could see his expression, you knew he was in pain, but he kept playing because he wanted to win. I have read many reports of players doing this weekly. Not for money, but for the passion. This stuff is truly inspiring.

I had a stress fracture in my heel, but played through a whole final series. I wanted to win the final so bad. Even though we didn’t make it, I knew I did all I could, and more.

«. they don’t stop when someone gets hurt, they don’t stop for anything. They’re moving faster than hockey players.

«It’ll take me a while to get the rules straight in my head, but it looks like what our football was supposed to be. It’s not full of prima donnas who have to sit down and rest after every play. Shoulder pads?

«. Yeah, it’s raining. Yeah, everyone in the stands is wearing winter clothes. Too bad. Play. Keep moving and you’ll stay warm. You got tackled and lost the ball? Get off your face and get it back. No, we’re not going to stop the game until you feel better. Play, or let someone else do it, but if you lay there and pout, we’ll just run over you until you have sense enough to get out of the way.»

I find this very inspiring. If the game can touch a fan in this sort of a way, I think the game has a bright international future.

Professional Or Amateur:
Are Professional Or Amateur Sports More Fun To Watch?

It really depends on the person, and which sport. Some people prefer the atmosphere of the big leagues, where as others like the more homely crowds that can be found at more amateur level sporting events.

Each sport is different. Some sports like college basketball can be filled with ‘on the edge-of-your-seat’ action, where as other amateur divisions in sports like tennis are far less exciting than watching the likes of Roger Federer or previous champs like Pete Sampras.

I will go over some of the main reasons why people find enjoyment in professional level sporting events, and on the other hand, why some of us prefer the smaller divisions.

Professional sports have many benefits over amateur-grade events. Some include:

Amateur sports on the other hand have many things that won’t be found in profession level competition: They include:

Personally, I enjoy both professional and amateur sports. It really depends on the sport. With a sport like tennis, I find the skill in the Pro-Division more exciting. But with a sport like basketball, I find the cut-throat matches in college basketball just as exhilarating, if not, better than NBA matches. These differences in each sport make it important to compare sports individually when determining which is better.

Australian Rules Football:

Australian Rules Football’s main professional league is the AFL. Players who don’t make the cut into the seniors play in a second division known as the VFL. Below this division, many different leagues of amateurs exist, all the way from teenage leagues to 35+ leagues. The main amateur league is TAC under 18’s where many of the future stars are found.

The AFL is as big as it gets. The fan-base is incredible, and the atmosphere at live events doesn’t compare to anything else I’ve ever witnessed. AFL is an international league with 16 teams, and matches are played weekly for 22 rounds each season.

Both Professional and Amateur Football can be brutal and intense. The speed of AFL is much higher than it is in the Amateur divisions. The game moves with a better flow too, which makes it a better visual sight.

Skill level is the also higher; with pin-point accuracy and more freakish skills. But when it comes to some of the best high-flying marks, look no further than the amateurs. Some of the marks I’ve seen at games are truly incredible. This definitely makes me want to watch amateur.

It seems as if people in the amateur are willing to give it all they got and more, so you are more likely to see a more physical brand of football. This means more bumping, harder tackling and more scuffles, which people enjoy. The crowd at both amateur and professional games are very loud and animated. The main difference is that at amateur games, you get to stand on the sidelines and get a better view.

My Verdict:

Both are very exciting and played with equal passion. I think AFL is more enjoyable to watch as it’s faster with more skill. If you want to see an even more hardcore version of Australian Football, watch some amateur football like the W.D.F.L. This should satisfy your thirst for hard hitting action.

The NBA has a lot of action and is fast-paced. Not much can compare to watching a Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan doing their thing on the court. Entertainment is also top-level at games. Amateur basketball can be just exciting, especially the level of passion.

I’ve only seen a few college basketball games before. They were all close nail-biting endings. I think I enjoyed watching these games more than I do when I watch NBA or NBL; they were very exciting and had me on the end of my seat.

I used to play tennis for a couple of years, so I’ve seen a bit of the amateurs. I just never had that same feel watching these lower-level games than I do when I watch a Venus Williams or Leighton Hewitt play the game.

The speed and level of intensity in professional tennis is a lot higher. Most amateur sports, the players give it everything they’ve got and more, but I found with amateur-level tennis, it didn’t reach up to my expectation.

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Tennis Anyone? Do your groundstrokes need polish? Or do your volleys lack finesse? How about adding spin and power to your serve? Now is the time for tennis training. [ Click here to learn more. ]

Soccer is amazing, both amateur and professional. The level of skill in this game is phenomenal. I have a few friends who play soccer and their games were pretty entertaining. But I don’t think anything compares to watching international soccer; the magical skills of a Renaldo in action or just watching how emotional fans can get.

There is so much excitement surrounding the World Cup too, especially here in Australia after Australia made the World Cup for the first time in over 30 years.

Determining whether professional or amateur sports are better can be very individual and depends on which sport we are talking about. But with most sports, the level of skill and excitement in amateur and professional is so high, that I would be happy watching either.

Bonus Question:
What Is The Least Exciting Sport To Watch?

A few sports come to mind. Golf is one. Although I can understand it can be a fun and relaxing activity, in terms of watching it, it can put you to sleep. I need something that either gets the heart-rate up, or has some sort of intensity to it.

Then again, I haven’t really given it the time to really assess it deeply enough, so like a lot of things in life, it might just be something you have to get used to.

Cricket is another sport that really doesn’t do anything for me. Again, playing it isn’t so bad, but I find the constant breaks slow it down too much if you’re watching it. And I’m just like any other guy; I like some level of aggression in my sport. I love football, wrestling and boxing, but I find sports like cricket don’t really fuel the ego so much.

I hope this article has educated you on the game of Australian Football, and somewhat motivated you to delve deeper into this sport. Australian Rules Football is truly a great sport; it is adrenalin-filled, fast-paced and full of energy.

Good luck with all your sporting goals.

The Melbourne Demons. The oldest and greatest football club in the AFL. They are also the team I barrack for.

References: Highly Recommended Reading.

A Brief History & Chronology Of Australian Rules Football. Guide To Australian Rules Football, 1. Introduction, Brian Clarke International Australian Football Council (IAFC), February 2001.

Information On The Ball, Field Dimensions & Other Things Involved In The Game. Guide To Australian Rules Football, 11. Playing Field And Equipment, Brian Clarke, International Australian Football Council (IAFC), February 2001.

Learn Kicking, Handballing & Marking, Among Other Tactics. Guide To Australian Rules Football, 12. Skills, Brian Clarke. Skills of the Game.

Rules To AFL: This covers almost everything you need to know on the rules of AFL. It’s quite long, but very helpful if you’ve finding it hard to understand the game. Guide To Australian Rules Football, 17. Laws To The Game, Brian Clarke, International Australian Football Council (IAFC), February 2001.

All sports have their fans and critics, from the fast, furious, action packed sports to the slower, more sedate and tactical type sports. Some are more mainstream than others, so much so that they have the ability to bring a nation together, some have very few followers in some places, yet have incredible fan bases in other places and some are only appreciated by small numbers of viewers.

As the old saying goes «one mans junk is another mans treasure,» and this definitely rings true with watching sport, as people have different tastes and different reasons as to why they appreciate one sport more than another.

What’s The Most Exciting Sport To Watch?
What Are The Reasons Behind This Fascination/Enjoyment?

For me, the most exciting sport to watch would have to be Australian Football (AKA Australian Rules Football, Aussie Rules and by Australian viewers, ‘footy’). Now many of you, who do not live in Australia will not be familiar with this sport or may not have even heard of it before, so before I tell you why I and many people around Australia enjoy this game so much, I must give you an introduction to the game.

History

Tom Wills and his cousin H.C.A. Harrison began to develop the game of Australian Rules Football in 1858. By 1859 the oldest surviving set of laws for Australian football were drawn up by Wills, W. J. Hammersley, J. B. Thompson and Thomas Smith. The game was developed with the idea of keeping cricketers (athletes of a popular «bat and ball» game played in summer) fit during winter.

Inspiration is said to come primarily from an Aboriginal game called ‘Marn Grook’ as well as medieval football (Rugby). The game developed quickly, in 1859 the Geelong Football Club was formed, by 1866 an updated set of rules was put in place and competition started and finally 1896 the Victorian Football League was formed with 9 clubs included.

	Marn Grook: Meaning «Game ball», Marn Grook was a traditional game played at gatherings and celebrations of up to 50 players by the Djabwurrung and Jardwadjali people of western Victoria.

From 1896 to 1925, clubs were added leaving a line up of 12 clubs, which remained unchanged until 1987 when the competition expanded to the rest of Australia, with a team in Queensland and Western Australia being formed, and continued to expand with more teams being added in 1991, 1995 and 1997, forming a league that now consists of 16 teams.

Rules

Australian Football is played between two teams of 18 players per side (plus 4 interchange players) on an oval shaped field, which varies in length (around 150-180m long) and width (around 115m-140m wide at the center), and with an oval shaped ball. There is no offside rule like in soccer, which keeps the game fast flowing and free moving.

Players may run with the ball but it must be bounced or touched on the ground every 15m or the will be penalized with a free kick against them. The ball holder may be tackled or bumped by opposing players attempting to get the ball, and if the ball holder is tackled with the ball he must dispose of it correctly or he will be penalized for ‘holding the ball’ and a free kick will be awarded to the opposition.

If the ball is kicked and caught cleanly without bouncing, then it may be claimed as a ‘mark’ and the player may have a free kick from the point at which the ball is ‘marked.’

At each end of the field of play, there are 4 vertical posts, 2 tall ones in the middle, which are ‘goal posts’ and 2 smaller ones on either side, which are ‘behind posts.’ A goal, worth 6 points, is achieved by kicking the ball between the 2 goals posts, bouncing or on the full, as long as it is not touched by player from either team (‘own goals’ do not exist).

A ‘behind,’ worth one point, is scored when the ball travels across the line between a goal post and a behind post, if the ball hits a goal post or if it is touched before passing between the goalposts (known as a ‘rushed behind’). The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

A game consists of 4 quarters, each consisting of 20 minutes of play (not including overtime i.e. a continuous clock is not used). Each quarter begins with a bounce in the center circle performed by the umpire and 2 players, known as ruckman contest for the ball (similar to basketball ‘centers’).

When a goal is kicked the ball is returned to the center for a bounce by the umpire, if a behind is scored the ball is ‘kicked’ back into play by the defending team.

Scores Are Presented Like This:

i.e. Team A scored 18 goals and 12 behinds, giving them a total score of 120, while Team B scored 12 goals and 16 behinds giving them a total score of 88.

If you wish to know more about Australian Rules Football, visit these sites:

Attendances

As of 2005, the AFL entered a select group of 5 professional sports leagues with an average attendance over 30,000. The «2005 AFL Grand Final» was the most watched sporting event in Australia in 2005, with a television audience in excess of 3.3 million in Australia’s 5 capital cities.

Why It Is So Exciting?

There are many things that make Aussie Rules so exciting; some can be explained easily, some not so easily. Here are some of the main reasons why I find Aussie Rules Football to be such an exciting game (in no order):

Others include taking marks in packs of opposition players or ‘speccies’ over opposition players shoulders, handpassing quickly and precisely in tight situations and to be able to control and pick up an oval shaped ball while it’s bouncing awkwardly or while sprinting to it, especially difficult considering the games fast flowing nature.

The game can be hard for people with no experience trying to learn and high-class players often make the skills showcased look a lot easier then it really is.

With action always occurring in the game, with the small amount of stoppages, your interest levels are always kept high, whether you’re engaged in a frenetic passage of play, where goals and quick replies to those goals, are being kicked frequently, or a tense passage of play, where both teams are tussling hard and goals are hard to come by. It can be incredibly hard to drag yourself away from the action.

For example, not all forwards are required to be big, tall and burly, able to dominate in ‘pack marking’ situations, and kick goals from set shots. Some are smaller players who can ‘pick up the crumbs’ from these contests and kick goals on the run, some are medium sized players who have qualities of both, or some may be players with exceptional acceleration and are able to find free space with ease in the forward line to kick their goals.

Same thing goes from players from other positions, such as in the midfield, where you can have players with tremendous speed on the burst. Guys who can run all day and still not fatigue, players with qualities of both and players who ‘run with’ or ‘tag’ key midfielders from the opposition team.

By ‘manning up’ with them to reduce their effectiveness and in the ‘backline,’ you can have tall or short players who ‘man up’ players in the forward line and contest with them to try and keep the forwards ‘quite,’ players who are loose in the ‘backline’ and have the role of clearing the ball from the defense and ‘mopping up.’

Many different types of players can play at the top levels of football and this keeps the game interesting because you are seeing different styles of players, not just the same type of player with a different face.

Whether it be rivalries built up over years from tough contests or interstate battles to see who rules the roost, these matches almost always give an extra bit of spice to the great game footy is and make both teams fight harder and harder for that win.

It’s always interesting to see what happens when two high-class players line up on each other in battle to see who can be the most damaging to the opposition, when two players of contrasting styles and builds line up on each other, one small and attacking in nature, the other tall and defensive, when a highly regarded un-experienced player trying to prove himself lines up on a class player, setting up an underdog fight. This all makes for great viewing.

Scoring can come very quickly when the game is played attackingly in good conditions, it can also occur slowly when the game is played defensively or in bad conditions, where more play is required. The amount of goals kicked in a game (from both sides) generally, in elite levels of the game, ranges from 20 to 40.

Not only this but you also hear plenty of great stories of players who have undergone tough times, such as injuries in games, or overcome adversities to go on and play and give 100% for their team.

Are Professional Or Amateur Sports More Fun To Watch?
As You List Them Explain Why One Is More Fun To Watch Than The Other.

With most sports, watching them at the higher levels is invariably more entertaining and exciting to watch, as they are there for a reason, because they are high quality athletes and are able to showcase a higher level of skills. However this is not to say that watching sport at the amateur level cannot be exciting, because in fact some of the most fiercely contested matches I have watched have been at the amateur level.

Both professional and amateur sports have their ups and downs. Some believe that the high income salaries of professional athletes detracts from their performance as they are playing to get paid and not just playing for the pure enjoyment of the sport.

Although I believe this is a valid point that people make, I still prefer watching professional sports in most cases, especially in the sports that I am able to appreciate myself.

I only really enjoy watching amateur sports if I am affiliated with the team myself or if I know some of the athletes personally, this gets me more involved in the game even if the skill levels aren’t high.

Bonus Question:
What Is The Least Exciting Sport To Watch?

Although I am a fan of many sports, however I do have many sports I dislike and do not enjoy watching. From what I have seen so far, the most boring sport I have ever watched would be lawn bowling (AKA bowls, lawn bowls). It is a sport very popular with the elderly and renowned for it’s relaxed pace and very, very light physical demand, which makes it an immediate turn off to almost anyone who is not a senior, due to it’s ‘un-athletic’ nature and little variation.

Funny enough however is how lawn bowling is the most dangerous sport in the world. in terms of the percentage of deaths while playing the sport per capita, I guess if you take a group of 70-100 year olds, put them in the hot sun for a while, add the excitement and drama of some competition and anything can happen!

What’s The Most Exciting Sport To Watch?
What Are The Reasons Behind This Fascination/Enjoyment?

The answer is simple and definite: American Football!

Many international people do not know the sport, so there will always be those who stick to their versions of football, whether it is soccer, rugby, or other sub par variations. Yet for those who have been lucky enough to taste the different versions of football, only one stands above the others in terms of excitement for the spectator.

I won’t try to explain all the rules in this write-up, for I feel that it is meant for another time and futile in this setting, so let’s see what all the excitement’s about!

The reasons behind the enjoyment of watching football are numerous and controversial as many may find pleasure in different facets of the game. For some, the sheer visual impact of observing the sport is enough, while others marvel at the spectacle that takes so much preparation, both directly and indirectly. Though I believe that what sets football apart from other sports is the sheer athletic excellence of those who participate.

Football: A Bone Chilling Event For The Senses!

Many try to demean football by claiming that it is padded and soft, this could not be further from the truth. The equipment allows for football to bring contact to another level, one unmatched by any other activity on the face of the earth.

To one who has never been up-close, or listened closely to a broadcast game, the sound may be foreign. But for those familiar with the gridiron, the crunch of the pads is an addicting drug, leading all who have heard it back, like entranced disciples, longing for more.

This sadistic impact is unmatched in terms of excitement. The adrenaline rush of the hit spreads from the hitter to the fans, who roar and even let out the empathetic «ooooh» to show their approval.

Bill Romanowski, who had various brain injuries from his vicious hits, states that the measurement of the impact of a hit in the NFL, can be most closely likened to a car crash at 35 mph, a far cry from the love-taps that other football disciplines dare to call «hits.»

	Bill Romanowski: Bill Romanowski (nicknamed «Romo», full name William Thomas Romanowski, born April 2, 1966 in Vernon, Connecticut) is a former American football player. A linebacker, he graduated from Rockville High School in 1984, Boston College in 1988, and then went on to a 16-year career in the NFL, playing for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, and Oakland Raiders. He played 243 consecutive games, an NFL record among Linebackers, won 4 Super Bowl Championships, and is the only linebacker to start 5 Super Bowl Games. He recently admitted to taking steroids.

The beauty, if one can call it that, of football doesn’t stop there. The visual thrills and excitements caused by the game play are unrivaled in the arena of any other sports. Miraculous acrobatic catches, breathtaking jukes, aerial hits, precision passes, and last second heroics entertain the spectator’s eyes.

Acrobatic touchdowns dazzle excited fans:

No matter how exciting something is, two things always hold true:

Soccer may be great, but 45 minutes halves are quite a burden to sit through, knowing that the single goal of the game could possibly, but not likely come. Running out to the bathroom could potentially rid the spectator of witnessing the only exciting thing in the whole event.

Football’s time management system allows for the action to be increased and for the fan to be more involved in the game. The short stoppages after plays are a chance for the fan to get set, and more importantly for the players to regain their composure. With the players recharged, they retain the majority of their explosiveness and are able to create the performances that make football the world’s most exciting sports.

With football, the fan sees short explosive bursts of action, which is always high paced and exciting. In other sports, the long continuous lengths of time that the ball is in play lead to a bunch of tired athletes panting around on the field. Which in turn results in slacking performances for the fans, who are getting inpatient with the long periods of inaction.

This is NOT a problem in football! Actually, this leads up to the exciting last 2 minutes where precision passing and strategy often decide the fate of many teams in the last minutes of a game.

Football: Behemoth Of A Spectacle.

The game of football requires a mammoth amount of preparation. Whether this be to simply put together a team or to develop a player capable of competing at a professional level.

To start off, a football team has upwards of sixty players, each playing a vital and incredibly specific role in the team’s success. For a team to simply function, they have to learn thousands of plays and invest hundreds of hours of practices and meetings, and that is just for the technical aspect.

There is a very long period of preparation before the first pre-season game is even played. Each week the opponent’s plays, players, film and strategy are reviewed and mastered by each team.

This leads to the fact that every football game is a BIG DEAL! It has taken so many people, sometimes over 100 with the whole staff, to prepare for a couple of hours of performance. Spectators realize that they are witnessing something huge and important, something that took so much effort to put together, so when a football game is played; it’s a great reason to enjoy it.

All this finally culminates into the fact that there is so much riding on every game. In soccer there are countless cups and international leagues, as well as 30+ games in the primary league, in basketball and hockey there are 80+, and in baseball 160+. A loss is a loss, and one knows that one game often doesn’t matter.

In football with under twenty games in the NFL, and a little over ten in lower levels, one loss is devastating, and can often mean everything.

The most fascinating thing about football, according to most fans, is the players that play it. Football, no doubt, contains the greatest assortment of athletes of any sport. The great diversity of roles needed in the game of football allow for some of the most amazing physical specimen to showcase their talents.

By watching an NFL game, one can witness speed comparable to Olympic sprinters, strength comparable to powerlifters, kicking strength greater than soccer players, intelligence of PhD’s, and pure giants. There is no other gathering of people so diverse and so uncommonly gifted.

While other sports show us with certain body types, whether it be well built and fast rugby player, or tall basketball players, no sport combines so many different types of people, and in turn is so foreign and exciting.

This all culminates that American football has branched out from the seemingly quarantined USA. Canada, Mexico, Japan, and all of Europe are becoming very interested in American football, which highly validates football’s high level of viewer excitement. This phenomenon isn’t being seen with any sport, the popular world sports like basketball and soccer are staying put, and regional sports like cricket, rugby, Aussie Rules Football, and hurling are NOT expanding at a rate anywhere close to that of football.

	Hurling: An Irish game resembling lacrosse played with a broad-bladed, netless stick.

A close second would be soccer.

A recent research study decided that the upset factor makes soccer very unpredictable and in turn exciting. I have to agree that upsets in soccer are very prevalent and exciting, yet football still has the edge.

Are Professional Or Amateur Sports More Fun To Watch?
As You List Them Explain Why One Is More Fun To Watch Than The Other.

This question is hard to answer in that both professional and amateur sports have their assets and downfalls. Professional sports have a higher degree of game play and are more constant with a greater amount of game, more at stake and more connections to discuss with other people.

Yet, amateur sports have a higher spirit and more upsets in them. In my opinion, amateur sports are superior in that they are the purest form of competition available. The human spirit is ever present in amateur events such as the Olympics, which still captivate more audiences than almost any other single sporting event.

Bonus Question:
What Is The Least Exciting Sport To Watch?

The least exciting batch of sports to watch is anything involving endurance. Not only are the events extremely long, but there is so little possibility of something exciting to happen. Whether it be cycling, marathons, triathlons, or cross country running, endurance events simply are not spectator sports. Highly impressive? YES! Exciting? NO!

Учебник Spotlight 8. Student’s Book. Spotlight on Russia. Страница 10

Summer may be coming but in Russia winter sports are very popular. All over the Russian Federation, there are lots of competitions and events to watch or take part in. — Лето может приближаться, но в России зимние виды спорта очень популярны. По всей Российской Федерации проводится много соревнований и мероприятий, за которыми можно наблюдать или принимать в них участие.

Spotlight on Russia wraps up warm and travels to the Festival of the North — Spotlight on Russia тепло укутывается и отправляется на Фестиваль Севера.

The Festival of the North is an annual sports and cultural event in March and April. It includes about 20 winter sports, and takes place in northern Russia in the town of Murmansk and its surrounding regions.

The festival is held to celebrate the coming of spring. During winter in this part of the world, there is a time when the sun doesn’t shine at all. This is called Polar Night and for two months there is almost total darkness. With this in mind it’s no wonder that spring is celebrated with a big festival of sports and feasting, singing and dancing over a period of ten days.

The festival was first held in 1934. More events have been added over the years including a 50 km skiing marathon. About 1200 people compete in this each year. Other events include an ice-hockey tournament, reindeer racing, cross country skiing and downhill skiing. There is even an underwater swimming competition in the freezing cold waters of Lake Semyonovskoye. Athletes from all over the world come to the festival to compete. The Russian cross-country skiing team always takes part. Sports fans can watch all the outdoor events for free. Participants have to pay a small fee to take part in the skiing marathon. It’s very cold and very long way but well worth it if you ever get a chance to go.

Фестиваль Севера — это ежегодное спортивное и культурное событие, которое проводится в марте и апреле. Он включает в себя около 20 различных зимних видов спорта и проводится на севере России в городе Мурманске и его окрестностях.

Праздник проводится в честь грядущей весны. В этом регионе зимой есть время, когда солнце вообще не светит. Это называется Полярная Ночь, и на протяжении двух месяцев здесь царит почти полная тьма. С учетом этого не удивительно, что приход весны отмечается большим спортивным фестивалем, пиршеством, пением и танцами в течение десяти дней.

Впервые фестиваль был проведён в 1934 году. В последующие годы было добавлено ещё несколько соревнований, включая 50-километровый лыжный марафон. Около 1200 человек участвуют в нем каждый год. Другие мероприятия включают турнир по хоккею на льду, гонки на оленях, бег на лыжах и лыжный слалом. В ледяных водах озера Семеновское даже проводится подводное плавание. Спортсмены со всего мира приезжают на фестиваль, чтобы принять участие в соревновании. Российская команда по лыжным гонкам всегда принимает участие. Спортивные болельщики могут бесплатно смотреть все мероприятия на открытом воздухе. Участники должны заплатить небольшую плату, чтобы принять участие в лыжном марафоне. Очень холодно и трасса очень длинная, но оно того стоит, если у вас когда-нибудь появится шанс пробежать этот марафон.

What’s your favourite sport? Why? — Какой ваш любимый вид спорта? Почему?

My favourite sport is figure skating. I have gone skating for 8 years now. I love skating and know all the famous Russian figure skaters. This kind of sport is very beautiful but physical. You need to train hard to skate well. But I don’t care about competitions, I just do it for my own enjoyment.

Мой любимый вид спорта — фигурное катание. Я катаюсь уже 8 лет. Я люблю кататься и знаю всех известных российских фигуристов. Этот вид спорта очень красивый, но требующий больших физических нагрузок. Нужно усердно тренироваться, чтобы хорошо кататься. Но меня не волнуют соревнования, я делаю это ради собственного удовольствия.

Is it a winter or summer sport? — Это зимний или летний вид спорта?

Figure skating is considered to be a winter sport. But you can skate even in summer if you have an all-seasons skating rink nearby. — Фигурное катание считается зимним видом спорта. Но можно кататься на коньках даже летом, если поблизости есть круглогодичный каток.

What sport would you like to try that you have never done before? Why? — Какой вид спорта, которым никогда не занимались, вы хотели бы попробовать?

I’d like to try snowboarding. I think it’s a really exciting sport. — Я бы хотела попробовать сноуборд. Я думаю, это действительно захватывающий вид спорта.

Find information about another sports festival or event in your part of Russia. Write and tell us about it. — Найдите информацию о другом спортивном фестивале или событии в вашей части России. Напишите и расскажите нам о нем.

«Russian ski run» is the largest ski festival in Russia. For several decades, the festival has brought together fans of one of the most popular sports. «Russian ski run» is held annually and is always a big winter holiday. The festival is intended for a wide range of skiing funs. In «Russian ski run» both professional skiers and amateurs take part. There are no age restrictions.

The race has been held since 1982 and. The number of participants is constantly increasing. This year, 73 regions of Russia declared their readiness to participate in the festival. As a result, 1.5 million people participated in the race.

The purpose of the competition is to attract adults and young people to regular skiing. Appropriate distances are selected for each category of participants. Along with amateurs, there are traditionally professional athletes, Olympic champions, and veterans of sports.

«Лыжня России» — это крупнейший лыжный фестиваль в России. Вот уже нескольких десятков лет фестиваль объединяет поклонников одного из самых популярных видов спорта. «Лыжня России» проводится ежегодно и всегда является большим зимним праздником. Фестиваль рассчитан на широкий круг любителей лыжного спорта. В «Лыжне России» принимают участие как профессиональные лыжники, так и любители. Никаких ограничений по возрасту участников нет.

Гонка проводится с 1982 года. Количество участников постоянно растет. В этом году 73 региона России заявили о своей готовности принять участие в фестивале. В итоге в гонке приняли участие 1,5 миллиона человек.

Цель соревнований — привлечение взрослых и молодежи к регулярным занятиям лыжным спортом. Для каждой категории участников подбираются соответствующие дистанции. Наряду с любителями на старт традиционно выходят спортсмены-профессионалы, олимпийские чемпионы, ветераны спорта.

IELTS

In this article, IELTSGame.com will add the second cue card on the series of IELTS speaking exams part 2 with band 9.0 model answers that will help you in your IELTS preparation.

This cue card is asking you to describe an exciting sport you know, and asking some questions related to that topic.

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Of all the different types of sports, I am interested in figure skating the most. I first learned about figure skating when I watched an Olympic competition in 2012. I found this sport very interesting.

I don‟t think that figure skating is a sport for everybody since it requires great balancing skills. In addition, the person has to be very flexible and courageous when doing this sport.

Coming from a tropical country, I don‟t get to experience ice and snow, thus, figure skating was new to me. Watching the athlete‟s elegant performance on ice amazed me.

I couldn’t imagine how people could do such things since just walking with ice skates is so difficult. These athletes danced on ice without even tripping.

They must have spent a great deal of time practicing and preparing for their performances. Also, I found it very beautiful, as their costumes were so elegant.

I even enjoyed the background music they used during the performances. In comparison to other sports, figure skating is an amazing feast for both the eyes and the ears.

to be interested in – to like or to enjoy.

I found this sport to be very interesting – I thought this sport was very interesting.

It requires – something that needs to be done. In this sentence it means that figure skating can only be done by people who have good balance, and not everyone does.

It’s something necessary to have to do well at figure skating.

Flexible – in this context it means that the person can do many things with his/her body, like putting your foot above your head while you are skating.

Courageous – brave. In this case you have to be brave to be a figure skater because it can be dangerous.

Elegant performance – describing the performance as elegant means that you thought it was very beautiful or gorgeous; it was pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.

Amazed me – surprised or shocked me. In this case it was incredible to see the skaters do such things.

To trip – to fall down while you are walking or running or doing something else like dancing or skating.

A feast for the eyes and ears – something pleasant to watch and listen to.

Sports in Russia

Millions of people all over the world are fond of sports and games. Sport helps people to stay in good shape, keeps them fit, healthy and makes them more organized and better disciplined in their daily activities.

We have always paid great attention to sport in our schools, colleges and universities. You can hardly find a school without a gym or a sports ground. Every city and town has a few stadiums or swimming pools where local competitions are usually held.

It’s been a tradition in this country to divide sport into professional and amateur. There are different sporting societies and clubs in Russia. Many of them take part in different international tournaments and are known all over the world. A great number of world records have been set by Russian sportsmen: gymnasts, weightlifters, tennis players, swimmers, figure skaters, runners, high jumpers. Our sportsmen also participate in the Olympic Games and always win a lot of gold, silver and bronze medals.

There are also a lot of amateur clubs and keep-fit centers in Russia where people go in for aerobics, yoga, body-building, swimming, skating, jogging. Thousands of people go to the stadiums to support their favourite team and many-many thousands more prefer to watch the games on TV. But watching sports events and going in for sports are two different things.

My favourite kind of sport is tennis. I’ve been playing it since I was eleven years old, and the more I play it the more I like it. There is a good tennis court not far from my house and whenever I have a chance I go there with a friend of mine.

Answer the questions:

1. Why is sport so important in our life? Why do people go in for sports?

2. Was there a gym or a sports ground in your school?

3. What professional sporting societies or clubs do you know?

4. Are there any keep-fit centers in your neighborhood? Do you do there?

5. Do you go in for sports or do you prefect to watch other people playing?

6. What team are you a fan of?

7. What is your favorite kind of sport?

8. How long have you been playing it?

9. Do you take part in competitions?

10. What games are popular in Russia?

Vocabulary:

contest соревнования, состязания

a visit team команда гостей

a home team команда хозяев поля

a national team сборная команда

a team victory командная победа

an individual victory личная победа

perform выступать (на соревнованиях)

full of surprises полон неожиданностей

defeat нанести поражение

to suffer a defeat потерпеть поражение

(far) below one’s best (намного) ниже своих возможностей

to do one’s best лучше своих возможностей

find sport a great help in smth. считать, что спорт помогает в.

table-tennis настольный теннис

calisthenics художественная гимнастика

to be well-ordered быть хорошо-организованным

to be technically skilled быть технически сильным

quarter-final(s) четверть финала

to place high hopes on возлагать высокие надежды на.

his success/result speaks for itself его успех, результат говорит сам за себя

to be/keep fit хорошо себя чувствовать

injure получить травму

to drop out of выбыть из (соревнований)

quality for выйти в финал

to set a record установить рекорд

to beat a record/break a record побить рекорд

ground футбольная команда, стадион

attack нападение, атака

center-forward центральный нападающий

goal гол, ворота

to change the score изменить счет

to equalize the score сравнять счет

shoot с силой послать мяч

penalty kick штрафной удар

miss промахнуться, не попасть

in one’s favour в чью-то пользу

to play for a victory играть ради победы

to play for a draw играть в ничью

put up a good show выступить хорошо

take the lead выйти вперед

lose the lead отставать

play on a par with играть на равных с.

to play a man short играть в меньшинстве

Find out about the experiences of other students in your class using the questions in the dialogue:

— What’s your favourite sport, Andrew?

— Well, I like most sports, but I suppose I like football most of all. Like most people.

— Yes, I suppose football is the most popular sport. Personally, I don’t like football. I don’t enjoy competitive sports. I like cycling and horse riding.

— Isn’t horse riding very expensive?

— Yes, it’s more expensive than cycling.

— I think, horse riding is the most expensive sport. What do you think is the most tiring sport?

— Well, horse riding is very tiring.

— Do you think it’s more tiring than, say, tennis?

— Oh, yes. I’m exhausted after I’ve been horse riding. What about you?

— Well, for me tennis is the most tiring. What do you think is the most dangerous sport?

— I think hang gliding is very dangerous.

— Well, that’s what many people think. But you know, there are more accidents to do with windsurfing than there are with hang gliding.

— I didn’t know that. Which is the most difficult sport, in your opinion?

— How about climbing? I think climbing is very hard.

— Well, I think skiing is more difficult than climbing.

— No, I don’t agree. Climbing looks incredibly difficult.

— And what do you think is the most exciting sport?

— Well, tennis, I think. What about you?

— It has to be motor racing. Motor racing is the most exciting sport for me.

Translate into English:

1. Я не принимаю участия в соревнованиях по волейболу. Беда в том, что я не готов к соревнованиям, я еще не совсем поправился после травмы колена.

2. Аня не принимала участия в соревнованиях по гимнастике из-за серьезной травмы ноги. Очень жаль, мы возлагали на нее большие надежды.

3. У меня нет времени для занятия спортом. Я понимаю, что спорт очень помогает в учебе и в жизни, но я не могу распределить время между занятиями и спортом.

4. Мне бы очень хотелось остаться на соревнованиях по художественной гимнастике, но я должен идти в библиотеку готовиться к семинару по педагогике.

6. Нина выступила ниже своих возможностей и выбыла из соревнований.

7. Кто установил новый рекорд по прыжкам в высоту?

8. Наши пловцы установили много национальных рекордов на Олимпийских Играх в Москве. Сальников завоевал 3 золотые медали.

9. Наша сборная по гандболу добилась права выступать в полуфинале. Ты уверена?

Read and translate the text:

Health

In Britain, when you’re ill, you go to a doctor near your home. Doctors are men and women, and you can say who you prefer. You usually only spend about ten minutes with the doctor. They can usually say what the matter is very quickly, and often give you a prescription for some medicine. You get this at the chemist’s shop. If not, they may suggest you go to a specialist. Most people only go to their doctor when they’re ill. People with colds and coughs don’t go to their doctor but to the chemist, to buy medicine. Doctors only come to your home when you’re very ill. In an emergency you can call an ambulance on 999. The ambulance takes you to hospital for treatment. Friends and relatives visit you in hospital at certain hours of the day, but they don’t stay there.

You don’t pay for a visit to the doctor or to the hospital in Britain, but when you work you pay a government tax for your medical care. You also pay for prescriptions if you’re over 18.

Vocabulary:

treat for лечить от

give direction, recommendation дать предписание, назначение

relieve the pain облегчить боль

write out a prescription, a sickleave выписать рецепт, бюллетень

make out a medicine certificate выписать справку

take a medicine for принимать лекарство от

on an empty stomach натощак

pain relieve (killer) болеутоляющее

chemist’s shop аптека

ambulance скорая помощь

be in good health быть здоровым

feel well/be fine/all right хорошо себя чувствовать

be in good shape/fit быть в хорошей форме

in-patient стационарный больной

out-patient амбулаторный больной

be sick быть больным

be ill/feel ill (with) болеть

be out of order быть не в себе

be in poor/ill health иметь плохое здоровье

be in a bad (poor) shape быть в плохой форме

take a turn for the worse наступило ухудшение

get better выздоравливать

be out of danger быть вне опасности

ache боль(продолжительная, тупая)

toothache зубная боль

headache головная боль

stomachache (upset) боль в желудке

I’m all ache. У меня все болит

feel pain (suffer from pain) испытывать боль

have a sharp pain острая боль

the pain was gone боль прошла

have a sore throat болит горло

runny nose/cold in the head насморк

catch a cold простудиться

cough/bad cough кашель, сильный кашель

be run down переутомление

a bout of depression приступ депрессии

Act out the following bits of conversation:

1.

— Good morning. How are you?

— So, if you’re fine, why are you here to see me?

— No, what I meant was, oh, it doesn’t matter. I’ve got a headache. I seem to have it all the time.

— I see. Any other symptoms?

— Well. I’ve got a cough as well.

— Yes, I do. And I feel tired all the time.

— Okay, let’s have a look.

2.

— And what seems to be the matter with you?

— I feel sick and I’ve got a stomachache.

— Let me see. Have you got a headache?

— You look rather hot. Yes, you’ve got a bit of a temperature. I think it must be something you ate yesterday.

— I only had a sandwich yesterday.

— What kind of sandwich?

— It was a cheese sandwich.

— Well, it’s probably nothing serious, but I’ll give you some medicine.

3.

— And what seems to be the trouble?

— I’ve hurt my leg.

— How did you do that?

— In a game of football.

— Football? Don’t you think you’re too old to play football?

— Well, I’m only seventy-three.

— Really! Well, let me see now.

Translate into English:

1. У нее болела голова и был грипп.

2. Сколько таблеток я должна принимать? 3 таблетки в день натощак.

3. Если вы хотите лекарство, то доктор выпишет рецепт.

4. В аптеке, кроме лекарств, вы можете купить всякие виды других вещей, таких как мыло, щетки, расчески, зубные пасты и многое другое.

5. Врач прописал мне микстуру.

6. Ты больна? Ты выглядишь совсем плохо.

7. Вы должны лежать в постели. У вас все болит.

8. Я хорошо себя чувствую.

9. Как здоровье вашего брата? Спасибо, прекрасно.

10. Пожалуйста, дайте мне что-нибудь от зубной боли.