Note the pronunciation: Springfield [ ]
Massachusetts [ ]
American sports are in many ways different from European sports. Hockey, baseball, football and basketball are the four most popular sports in the USA. There are many other sports and sports activities which Americans like. Among them are golf, swimming, tennis, marathon, track-and-field, skiing, skating, squash, badminton, rowing, sailing, boxing and wrestling. The size of America and the different climates in it have provided Americans with a large choice1 of summer and winter sports. The American statistics shows that swimming, bicycling, fishing, jogging, gymnastics and bowling are Americans’ favourite participatory sports.
Baseball has a reputation of being a “typically American sport”. It’s played with a wooden bat and hard ball by two teams of nine players. The game is played on a field with four bases at the corners of a square called diamond2 . Each player from one team hits a ball with a bat and then tries to run round all four bases before the other team can get the ball back.
This typical American game dates back long before the Civil War3. Baseball is mainly a professional sport, the players receive a salary4. There are sixteen major teams and each one represents an American city. There are two leagues of eight teams each and in the autumn of the year the winner of the league plays the winner of the other. This contest is called the World Series5, though it is a national competition.
American football is a very popular outdoor team sport in the USA. It’s rather like rugby, played between two teams of 11 players using an oval ball that can be handled or kicked. But it still differs from European rugby and soccer. The difference is not only in the size, speed and strength of the players, but in the specific rules which the game has. The countless rules of American football which state what each player in each position may or may not do and when6 make people call American football the most “scientific” of all outdoor team sports.
Basketball which is one of the most popular participant sports in the world is American in origin. The first basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891. A large number of fans attend Basketball games in the USA. Live TV broadcasts7 of basketball matches at state, national and international levels have a wide TV audience.
Basketball is among the favourite sports of American young people. There are basketball teams almost in all American schools and universities and “shooting baskets” with friends is a pastime many young people like most.
Notes:
1 …have provided Americans with a large choice …– предлагаютамериканцам
широкийвыбор…
2 The game is played on a field with four bases at the corners of a square called
diamond. – В игру играют на поле в форме ромба с четырьмя базами по углам.
3 …before the Civil War – … передГражданскойвойной
4 …the players receive a salary – … игроки получают зарплату
5TheWorldSeries– Мировая Серия (вид соревнований)
6ThecountlessrulesofAmericanfootballwhichstatewhateachplayerineachpositionmayormaynotdoandwhen. – Бесчисленные правила американского футбола, которые определяют, что и когда имеет право выполнять каждый игрок в каждой позиции.
7liveTVbroadcasts– прямые телевизионные трансляции
Post-reading exercises
Ex.1. Complete in written form the statements with information corresponding to the contents of the text.
1. American sports are in many ways different…
2. The territory of America and different climates found in it provided Americans
with …
3. The four most popular sports in the USA are …
4. Baseball has a reputation of being a “typically American sport” it is played with
…
5. The game is played on a field with …
6. American football is rather like rugby, played between …
7. American football differs from European rugby and soccer not only in the size,
speed and strength of the players but …
8. Basketball which is one of the most popular participant sports in the world is …
9. “Shooting baskets” with friends is …
10. According to American statistics swimming, bicycling, fishing, jogging, gymnastics and bowling are…
Ex.2. Look through the text once more and compare American football with
soccer and rugby. Write down how American football differs from
European soccer and rugby.
Task 6. Observe the following abbreviations you will need to understand Text 4 D.
1. BUCS – спортивнаяассоциация университетов и колледжей Великобритании
2. UAU – студенческий спортивный союз Англии и Уэльса
3. BUSA – спортивная ассоциация университетов Великобритании
4. UCS – профессиональный студенческий спортивный союз Великобритании
5. BUSF – спортивная федерация университетов Великобритании, в состав которой входили спортивные федерации и союзы университетов Шотландии, Уэльса и Северной Ирландии
Task 7. Read Text 4 D to find answers to the questions given before each paragraph.