Unit 15 Sportsmanship and Championship
Part Ⅰ Getting ready
Sports mean competitions of physical strength, skill, or endurance against opponents or against an objective standard such as time, height, or distance. Sports can be divided into professional sports and amateur sports, or team sports and individual sports.
A The following words and phrases will appear in this unit. Listen carefully and study the definitions.
1. sports fan: a very keen follower or supporter of a sport
2. championship: a competition held to find the champion
3. dynamic: of force or power that causes movement
4. referee: a judge in charge of some games
5. foul: an act that is against the rules
6. penalty area: (in football) a space in the shape of a rectangle which is in front of the goal
7. commentary: spoken description (with opinions and explanations) that is broadcast with, and at the same time as, an event, occasion, football match, etc.
8. final: the last and most important in a set of matches
9. stamina: the strength of body or mind to fight tiredness, discouragement, or illness
10. deuce: (in tennis) 40 : 40; 40 points to each player. After deuce has been reached, one of the players must then get two points in a row to win the game.
B You are going to hear a news item about a basketball tournament. Write the scores in the circles. Which team wins each game? Which is the champion team? Write
Part Ⅱ Yoga exercises
Classical yoga is a doctrine that is theistic and emphasizes purification through meditation. A yogi, or practitioner of yoga, meditates in order to achieve true bliss, which involves a complete withdrawal from the world. Yogis assume the bodily posture that affords them the most stability and the least effort. The yogi strives to transcend body and matter through consistent meditation.
A You are going to hear a conversation between two students Paul and Lisa about some yoga exercises. Listen carefully. Match the names of the yoga postures with proper pictures.
( ) candle / shoulder-stand ( ) plough ( ) fish
( ) forward bend ( ) cobra ( ) locust
( ) bow ( ) headstand
B Listen to the conversation again. While you listen, add more key words in the left-hand column. After listening, complete the descriptions for each yoga posture.
Descriptions
1. Candle
Start by ________ on your ________ and then ________ your ________ up till all the weight's ________ on your ________ and your ________ are straight up in the air.
2. Plough
Start by _____ on your ________ and then ________ your ________ over till your ________ the floor behind you.
3. Fish
Start by ________ on your ________ and then ________ your ________ and ________ the weight on the ________ of your ________.
4. Forward Bend
Start by _______ straight and then ________ forward.
5. Cobra
Start by _____ on your _______ and then _____ your ________ into the air.
6. Locust
Start by ________ flat on your ________ with your ________ by your sides and then ________ your.
7. Bow
Start by _____ on your ________and then ________ your ________ and your ________ till you can ________ your ________ with your ________.
8. Headstand
________ on your ________.
C Listen to the conversation once more. Complete the following chart with the help of the above notes.
Yoga Posture Time Benefits
Candle ________ -
Plough ________ ________________
Fish ________ -
Forward Bend ________ ________________
Cobra ________ ________________
Locust ________ ________________
Bow ________ ________________
Headstand ________ ________________
Part Ⅲ Signals used by referees and linesman in football
Football (or soccer in America) is a team sport played with the object of driving the ball into the opponent's goal. The ball is controlled and advanced primarily by using the feet. A player can also use the thigh, the chest or the head. Only gcalkeepers are allowed to handle the ball. Football is the world's most popular sport, with millions of fans throughout the world.
A You are going to hear a conversation between a football course tutor and several students about signals used by referees and linesmen. Listen carefully. Which signals in the following pictures are mentioned? Match them with the explanations by writing the correct numbers in the brackets.
( ) Direct free-kick ( ) Hand-ball
( ) Offside ( ) Start the game
( ) Foul in penalty area ( ) Stop the clock
( ) Foul near linesmen ( ) Indirect free-kick
( ) Match nearing end ( ) Throw-in
( ) Goal kick ( ) New ball
( ) Player must leave field ( ) Time up
( ) Play on ( ) Player is to be substituted
B Listen to the conversation again. While you listen, add more key words in the left-hand column. After listening, complete the descriptions for each signal.
Descriptions
1. Play on
Hold the ________, at ________ height, with the ________.
2. Direct free kick
Blow the whistle and point with ________ towards the ground.
3. Indirect free kick
Hold __________ firmly ________ at the side, and ________ straight ________ in the air, with the ________.
4. Foul near linesmen
Hold the flag ________ and wave it ________ and ________.
5. Foul in penalty area
Hold the flag ________ the ________, ________ towards the ________.
6. Offside
Hold the flag _______________ the line of play in the direction in which the offside took place.
7. New ball
Hold the _________, _____________, in front of his ________.
Part Ⅳ More about the topic: Women in Sports
Basketball is another team sport played generally indoors by two teams of five players each. One of the most popular sports in the world, basketball is played by men and women of all ages and ability levels in more than 200 countries. The WNBA is said to be evidence of the increasing popularity of women sports. More women are succeeding as athletes.
The following short passage is about professional women basketball players in America. Supply the missing words while listening.
The Woman's National Basketball Association played its first ______ this past summer. The WNBA was _________ by the man's National Basketball Association. The WNBA is called the little ______ of the NBA. There're _______ teams in the women's league. They play in _______ major American cities.
The women's basketball games have been more _______ than expected. An average of almost _______ people attended the _______ games during the __________ season. ________ American television networks also _________ some of the games. ________ of people watch them. Major companies pay to _________ their products during the broadcasts of the games. The WNBA ________ a lot of women. Female __________ describe the _________ during the games. Female __________ make sure the players _________ the rules.
The WNBA is the _______ professional women's basketball league now playing in the United States. An ___________ group started the American Basketball League last _______. The ________ ABL teams play in the ________ and _______ in smaller cities. An average of ________ people attended the ABL games last year. The League is not as _______ as the WNBA. However, several members of both _________ are well known. They played for the United States on the women's basketball team that won a __________ during the _______________ in Atlanta, Georgia.
How is women's basketball different from men's basketball? One former college men's basketball _________ says, " Women's basketball is _________ to watch than men's basketball. It is more _________. It has more ____________. And the players work together more as a ________. It costs much ________ to attend a WNBA game than a men's _______ basketball game. So many _____________ attend the women's games. More _________ and young ________ also attend the games. Many young girls ________ the women's basketball players to be their _________. The players are _________ of another thing that women can do well."
Another__________ between men's and women's basketball is that female players have a ________ relationship to the people who come to watch them ______. For example, female players spend _________ after the games _________ their fans and _______ their names for them. However female players ________ much less money than male professional basketball players. Last year ABL players earned an average of ________. The average pay for a male NBA player's is more than __________ a year.
A star of the New York Liberty Team of the WNBA _________ the difference between men's and women's basketball this way: "Women play a _______ game- ______ basketball. Right now women are still playing for the ________ of the game." People who attended the WNBA games could buy many kinds of basketball _________ and other products. One shirt described professional basketball this way: "________ by man, ________ by woman."
Part Ⅴ Memory test: Which Sport?
Historically, a rigid distinction has been made, between amateur athletics and professional sports. This distinction has become less rigid with time. Major league baseball, basketball, and football are the chief professional games. Skiing, swimming, and the various forms of tennis and running rank as the most popular individual amateur sports.
A Below is a list of popular sports and a set of sports pictures. Listen carefully. Match the sports with their pictures.
sumo; bowling; cricket; golf; rugby; squash;
tennis; baseball; hockey; skiing; snooker; swimming;
hurdling; basketball; football; boxing; running; table-tennis;
B Listen to some extracts of sports commentaries. Decide which sport is being played in each extract you hear. You may find the above list helpful.
1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ 4. __________
5. __________ 6. __________ 7. __________
Part Ⅵ Reminder of key points in this unit
Verb & Verb Phrase Noun & Noun Phrase Other
Part Ⅰ beat sports fan Vs(versus)
play championship
win over hawk
panther
comet
bowling
Part Ⅱ take it easy yoga posture dynamic
run through candle / shoulder-stand absent-minded
lie on back/stomach plough
hold on the crown of head
stretch circulation
arch cobra
bend digestive system
hypnotize miracle
straighten locust
have high opinion of bow
trunk
Part Ⅲ involve referee complicated
start off linesman / linesperson vital
catch one's eye free kick firmly
indicate foul lethal
penalty area
offside
thigh
Part Ⅳ attend association major
broadcast WNBA / ABL / NBA former
advertise league traditional
consider announcer professional
sign structure
invent evidence
perfect average
Olympic Games
Part Ⅴ glance back rugby smoothly
over one's shoulder snooker confidently
lob hurdling steadily
smash commentary deuce
serve commentator unmarked
umpire fit
final
full stretch
jab
center pocket
cue ball
loose ball
full back
lineout
goal line
stamina
