Engleski jezik 1 - Beginner Learning - Sport and travelling

1 How much do you know about sports?

Which are the most popular sports in the USA, the UK, Japan and Sweden? Can you think of at least two sports that don't require expensive equipment but only your body? Read the text and check your answers.

There are many kinds of sports in different countries around the world. Some people do sports professionally while others do it for enjoyment and recreation. A lot of sports require special equipment, which is hard to move or rather expensive and therefore only for rent. On the other hand, there are sports like free running, swimming, football or bodyweight training that don’t require anything but your own body.

If you like sports, you can use public playing fields for free or you can pay for a local centre. Some people prefer to watch sports. This can either be done by going to a stadium, a local centre, or simply by turning your TV on. Different sports are popular in different countries. Football and cricket dominate in the UK while American football, basketball and baseball are the USA’s favourites. People in Japan prefer baseball, golf and sumo wrestling while handball, athletics and gymnastics are popular in Sweden.

Nowadays, people who suffer from any kind of disability are also encouraged to participate in sport and most sport equipment is adapted to suit the needs of a disabled person. This means sport is something that can be enjoyed no matter the physical ability of the person. The Paralympics take place a week after the Olympic Games (every four years) and are equally popular.

So, no matter where you live, what your age or physical condition is, you can always live a healthier life. All you need is a decision to do so.

2 Reading comprehension

Read the text again and select the correct answer.

1) Which sport doesn’t require the use of a lot of equipment? 2) Which sports are dominant in the United Kingdom? 3) Which sports are popular in the United States of America?

4) Which sports are popular in Japan? 5) Which sports are popular in Sweden? 6) How often do the Paralympic Games take place?

3 Guessing the sport

How much do you know about sports? Read the clues and solve the crossword puzzle by typing in the names of different sports.

4 Hall of Fame

Listen to the dialogues and answer the questions.

Dialogue 1

Transkript

MUM: Hurry up! We'll be late for your swimming practice!

BOY: Nooooo! I wanted to watch SpongeBob. New episodes are out.

MUM: You must learn how to swim dear.

BOY: That's what Michael Phelps's mother said to him as well. And he ended up as the best Olympian of all times. 28 gold medals plus the best swimmer of all times, you know.

MUM: Oh, Phelps is really something. Struggling with his parents’ divorce and ADHD and still holding a national record for his age group in the 100-meter butterfly. He was only 10 back then, you know.

BOY: 10? Too late for me, then. I'm already 12. Let's run, mum.

Dialogue 2

Transkript

BOY: What are you reading about?

DAD: Basketball players Hall of Fame. Fascinating. Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan... Look! Dino Rađa. I remember him as well. A great European player.

BOY: Magic? Our PE teacher told us that Johnson got the nickname “Magic” by a sportswriter who saw him play at Everett High School in Michigan.

DAD: A 12-time NBA All-Star. The man was huge! And he is a great person, too. Did you know that off the court Johnson led the fight against AIDS?

BOY: And Rađa? What about him?

DAD: Uuuu, a great player. One of the greatest European basketball players of his time. He loved playing with Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč. An inspiring generation.

Dialogue 3

Transkript

BOY: Wow, what a man!

MUM: Who?

BOY: Muhammad Ali. I am doing a research. Unbelievable! The greatest boxer of all times, by far!

MUM: The Greatest? That was his nickname. Do you know that Ali was dyslexic and had difficulties reading and writing in school?

BOY: Yes. And look at this. Once he was denied a drink of water at a store because of his colour. I can't believe it. And, in 1966 he refused to go to Vietnam War. They took away all his titles and he fought in court for five years.

MUM: Well, that's why he is called "The Greatest". Keep searching. There are still more things to find about Ali, trust me.

5 Listening comprehension

Listen to the audio again and select the correct answer.

Transkript

MUM: Hurry up! We'll be late for your swimming practice!

BOY: Nooooo! I wanted to watch Sponge Bob. New episodes are out.

MUM: You must learn how to swim dear.

BOY: That's what Michael Phelps's mother said to him as well. And he ended up as the best Olympian of all times. 28 gold medals plus the best swimmer of all times, you know.

MUM: Oh, Phelps is really something. Struggling with his parents’ divorce and ADHD and still holding a national record for his age group in the 100-meter butterfly. He was only 10 back then, you know.

BOY: 10? Too late for me, then. I'm already 12. Let's run, mum.

BOY: What are you reading about?

DAD: Basketball players Hall of Fame. Fascinating. Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan... Look! Dino Rađa. I remember him as well. A great European player.

BOY: Magic? Our PE teacher told us that Johnson got the nickname “Magic” by a sportswriter who saw him play at Everett High School in Michigan.

DAD: A 12-time NBA All-Star. The man was huge! And he is a great person, too. Did you know that off the court Johnson led the fight against AIDS?

BOY: And Rađa? What about him?

DAD: Uuuu, a great player. One of the greatest European basketball players of his time. He loved playing with Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč. An inspiring generation.

BOY: Wow, what a man!

MUM: Who?

BOY: Muhammad Ali. I am doing a research. Unbelievable! The greatest boxer of all times, by far!

MUM: The Greatest? That was his nickname. Do you know that Ali was dyslexic and had difficulties reading and writing in school?

BOY: Yes. And look at this. Once he was denied a drink of water at a store because of his colour. I can't believe it. And, in 1966 he refused to go to Vietnam War. They took away all his titles and he fought in court for five years.

MUM: Well, that's why he is called the Greatest. Keep searching. There are still more things to find about Ali, trust me.

6 Question words

Choose the correct word.

is that man? He’s my father.
is she talking to? She is talking to her sister.
is your phone number? It’s 0955131229.
did you get to school? I got to school on foot.

did the train arrive? It arrived at 8 o’clock.
did you get home? I got home around 1.
is your house. It is in the centre.
is your bag? It’s the red one.

are you from? I am from Russia.
are you late? I got stuck in traffic.
sister is Mary? She is Peter’s sister.

car is this? It’s mine.
did you find me? I called your sister.
do you need sugar? I’ll make a cake.

REMEMBER BOX

Question type	Purpose	Example
Who Questions	Asking about a person	Who is that boy?
Where Questions	Asking in or at what place or position	Where do you come from?
When	Asking about time, occasion, moment	When can I phone you?
Why	Asking for a reason, an explanation	Why are you so sad?
What	Asking for a specific thing, object	What do you mean? What kind of people do you like?
How	Asking for a way, manner, form	How do you get to work?
Which	Asking about choice	Which sport is better for you, swimming or boxing?
Whose	Asking about ownership	Whose are these keys?