Sport
in the USA.
In the USA many sports and sports
activities attract millions of active participants. One reason of the
popularity of sport in America may be the variety and size of America,
providing Americans with a large choice of summer and winter sports. In addition,
public sports facilities have always been available in great number for
participants. Another reason might be that Americans like competition, by teams
or as individuals, of any type. Others point out that American schools and
colleges follow the tradition of all English-speaking societies in using sports
activities as a way of teaching "social values".
In the USA much attention is given to
organized sports. Hockey, football, baseball, basketball and volleyball are the
five major sports.
Football is the most popular spectator
sport. What makes football in the USA so different from its European cousins,
rugby and soccer, is not just the size, speed and strength of its players.
Rather, it is the most "scientific" of all outdoor team sports. Specific
rules state what each player in each position may and may not do, and when.
There are hundreds of possible "plays" (or moves) for teams on
offence and defence. Baseball is now in second place among the sports people
most like to watch. Baseball is still very popular as an informal,
neighbourhood sport.
Baseball and football have the reputation
of being "typically American" team sports. This is ironic because the
two most popular participant sports in the world today are indeed American in
origin-basketball and volleyball. Both games were invented and first played at
a YMCA in Massachusetts. Basketball was invented as a game that would fill
empty period between the football season and the baseball season. Today, of
course, both basketball and volleyball are played everywhere by men and women
of all ages. They are especially popular as school sports. Professional and
collegiate basketball games in the USA attract large numbers of fans. Most of
the important games are televised live.
Sporting activities are a part of daily
American life. There are many other sports and sports activities in America
which attract millions of active participants. Among them are golf, swimming,
tennis, marathon, track-and-field, bowling, archery, skiing, skating, squash
and badminton, rowing and sailing, weight-lifting, boxing and wrestling. 45% of
all Americans take part in some athletic activity once a day. Swimming,
bicycling, fishing, jogging, callisthenics or gymnastics, and bowling are
American's favourite participatory sports. Skating and tobogganing are
wide-spread activities, too. Fishing and hunting are extremely popular in all
parts of the country and have been since the days when they were necessary
activities among the early settlers. As could be expected, all water sports
and- activities are very popular, including diving, sailing, white-water
canoeing, water-skiing.
There are also several sports in the US
which were once thought of as being "strange", but have now gained
international popularity. Skate-boarding, wind-surfing and triathlon are among them.
Tasks
I.
Find in the text the translation of the following word combinations:
1) активные участники 2) соревнование 3)
команда 4) зритель 5) защита 6) нападение 7) привлекать много
болельщиков 8) заполнять промежуток 9) принимать участие 10) физическая
подготовка 11) широко-распространенный 12) приобретать популярность
II.
Answer the questions:
1)
What are the reasons of sport popularity in the USA?
2)
What are the major sports?
3)
Is American football different from soccer and rugby?
4)
What games are considered “typically American”?
5)
Why was basketball invented?
6)
Is sport a part of daily life in the USA? Prove it.
7)
Since what time have fishing and hunting been popular?
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