Sport


Winning at all cost

The spirit of the Olympic games has always been clear: „The important thing is not winning but taking part.“ In recent times, however, the desire to win has been taken to extremes.
People still remember the incident in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when South African born runner  Zola Budd appeared to trip her rival and medal favourite, Mary Decker in the 5000 metres, causing her to fall and lose the race. Nor can the international sporting public forget the shame brought to the Olympic ideal by Canadian Ben Johnson`s use of steroids in the 100 metre final in the 1988 Tokyo Olympics.
Athletics is not the only sporting event in which competitors cheat. Weightlifting, football, boxing and even women`s shot-putting have all attracted their fair share of scandal. During the winter Olympics in Lillehammer in 1994, the world of competitive ice skating was shocked by an incident involving two American figure skaters, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, the favourite to win the medal. While training in Detroit, Nancy was mysteriously attacked on the knees by a man with an iron bar. Tonya was accused of conspiring with her ex-husband and her former bodyguard to injure Nancy.
Tonya eventually confessed to her involvement in the crime and has since seen her skating career desroyed. Although she escaped the prison sentence, she has paid a high price for her part in the scandal. She was fined $100000 and given 500 hours of  community service. She was also made to resign from the US Figure Skating Association. However, she has already earned $600000 by giving an exclusive television interview and has been offered two million dollars to move to Tokyo to become a wrestler.
For Tonya Harding, fame and fortune have finally been achieved but at what cost?



Task 1.Read the article. Then copy and complete the chart about the three people involved in sports scandals. Then add a couple of examples from today`s sport life. Tell the class about the incidents you have found.

Name



Nationality



Sporting event



City



Year



Scandal




Task 2. Words to learn:
at all cost, spirit, cheat, take to extremes, shame, trip, rival, competitor, iron bar, conspire, confess to, prison sentence, fine, resign from, desire to win, incident, happen/take place, medal favourite, use of steroids/doping, accuse of

Task 3. Word building

Put the words in brackets in the correct form.

1.      Athletics is not the only sporting event in which ............. cheat. (compete)
2.      Weightlifting, football, boxing and even women`s shot putting have all …………. their fair share of scandal. (attraction)
3.      While training in Detroit she was ………..attacked on the knees by a man with an iron bar. (mystery)
4.      She eventually confessed to her …………in the crime and since then her skating career was destroyed. (involve)
5.      His best ………….was a silver medal in 2012 Olympics in London. (achieve)
6.      Taking doping and steroids can have …………..effect on health. (desire)
7.      The shame brought to the Olympic ideals was …………(forget)
8.      People still remember the incident in the 1984 Olympics when South African born runner  Zola Budd ...........to trip her rival causing her to fall and lose the race. (appearance)

Listen to the commentaries and note which sports are taking place.

Task 4. Talking point
1.      How important to you is winning in sports and games?
2.      Which sport do you like to watch and which do you like to take part in?
3.      Do you think top sports personalities should make such large sums os money?
4.      What are the advantages and disadvantages of holding the Olympic Games in your country?

Generation Extreme
Remember when bungee jumping was the most daring extreme sport? “X-games” have come a long way since then. Tobias Jones reports on the peculiar new world of the mad-for-it free drivers, BASE jumpers and sky-surfers.
At this year`s X-Games, the Olympics of dangerous and daring sport, the sky-surfer Mike Frost will jump out of a plane above Mariner`s Point, san Diego with a surf-board attached to his feet. At first he will start “free-flying”, a head-first dive through the sky, watching the Pacific Ocean below him as he reaches a speed of 288 kph. Then he will begin to spin at an amazing five revolutions per second, travelling sideways at a speed of 80 to 96 kph.
Nearer sea level, or rather a long way below it, Mehgan Heaney-Grier goes “free-diving” with no oxygen tanks. A 19-year-old, part-time model, Mehgan can hold her breath for up to two minutes and swim to depth of 50 metres. “it`s a very relaxing thing to do” she says. “When you are that deep under water, you feel compressed all over. But it`s absolutely beautiful and very peaceful”. Mehgan and Mike are just two of the many people who choose to spend their free time risking their lives.
The extreme sports craze started twenty years ago. Since then most risk addicts have completed either a bungee jump or a parachute jump, and are now turning to new, more dangerous and at times truly silly sports. The list of life-endangering activities gets longer every week. Nowadays you can take up “BASE jumping (a jump from a top of a building), free-climbing (climbing up a rock face without the rope), or go “off-piste in-lining” (rollerblading down the mountain). And everybody is doing it, or at least everybody is watching it. Millions of people around the world spectate as alternative sportspeople perform. For every brave participant, there are tens of thousands of viewers, oohing and aahing in their living rooms.
But just how extreme is extreme? According to Mike Frost, sky-surfing isn`t as alarming as it seems. “it`s nice to have people think it`s dangerous” he admits, “ but really it`s a very safe sport”. So what does the extreme mean? “there is a lot of misuse of the word” says Steve Edmonds, director of the extreme sports series High Five. “people use it to describe something which looks risky but is often fairly safe. Snowboarding isn`t extreme and neither is bungee jumping, but I`ve seen someone jump off buildings in San Diego and had to pray he was going to survive. Now that`s extreme.”

Matching people to statements.
Statements 1-6 are from the article. Match them with the people a-d who make them.
Which of the people say:
1.      They were worried during an extreme event?
2.      Their sport makes them feel very calm?
3.      Their sport is not risky?
4.      Not every extreme sport is life-endangering? (two people)
5.      Most fans don`t do extreme sports?
6.      Some extreme sports are quite stupid?
a.       Mike Frost      b. Mehgan Heaney-Grier
c.       The writer                  d. Steve Edmonds
Vocabulary
Words that go together
Choose the correct alternative for each gap.

In order to have/keep ourselves fit and healthy, we all need to make/do some exercise, or play/make a sport like football or tennis. But why do people take part/take up extreme sports? It can`t be for their health. “People BASE jump and sky surf because it keeps/makes them feel alive,” says psychologist Ed Reeves. “They need to take/to make risks to make their life more exciting”.
Yet most people who play/do extreme sports are very calm. Whether they are running/jumping out of a plane, walking/climbing up a rock face or taking/holding their breath under 30 metres of water, they don`t seem worried about doing/making a fatal mistake. David Jones is a good example. Before a 216 –metre bungee jump, David felt “calm and peaceful”.
“I`m glad I had/made the decision to make/to do the jump” he said later. At one point I reached/got a speed of 190 kph, and I could see the trees rushing towards me. It was an incredible experience.

Listening.
Listen to this interview with canoeist, Alison Taylor. Write T or F next to these statements.

1.      Alison is going to compete in the Olympics.
2.      She agrees that canoeing isn`t a real career.
3.      On a training day she does three training sessions.
4.      She doesn`t have to pay for her car.
5.      It`s not difficult to damage the canoe.
6.      The accident put Alison off canoeing.

Listen again and complete this table.

Alison Taylor SPORTS FILE

1.First job: …………….
2. Reasons for leaving: stressful and too much ………….
3. Why started canoeing: ………………
Training routine.
4.      Starts training: ……………
5.      Trains twice a day, ……………… a week
Sponsorship from:
Lottery grant
6.      ………………….
What money goes on:
7.      Cost of new canoes: …………..each
Worst river accident:
8.      In ……………….
9.      Time in hospital: ……………..
Best thing about canoeing:
    Great sport
10.  Can take part in competitions ………….
     Makes her feel alive

Choose the best word for each gap, a, b, or c.

Flying high

For some people danger and risk is a 1…………..of life.there are stuntmen who 2…………….their lives making movies, there are people who work with dangerous animals, there are bungee jumpers and there are sky divers – and then there are wing walkers. That`s right, wing walkers. You may wonder 3…………..what a wing walker does. We interviewed Tanya Saunders from The Red Devils Flying Circus to find out.
“To be 4…………., wing walking is just like any acrobatics” says Tanya. “ The only difference you do your 5…………..on the wing of a small plane, 1500ft off the ground”
Sounds like fun? Well, according to Tanya, it is. She became a wing walker when she was 21 and 6………….the last two years up in the skies of Europe performing aerobatics for The Red Devils Flying Circus.
“It`s great” she says, “but it`s not easy. I 7…………..my very first air show. I was quite 8…………of the fact that I`d memorized my moves, but then once I was in the air I forgot everything!”
So to 9. ……………success as a wing walker, you need to remain calm. You also need to be on 10………….form.
“You have to be quite fir and strong” explains Tanya. “You are waving to the crowd all the time, and the wind can 11……….a top speed of 140 mph. At first, I could 12…………..move any arms.
But as well as strength, you need a lot of courage. “The first time out on the wing I was very frightened,” she admits. “When I tried to do a handstand, my legs turned to jelly and I 13………… I had to 14…… along the wing to safety.
At the moment, The Red Devils Flying Circus is searching for new wing walker for the summer season. The lucky girls will have to be exhibitionists and 15………..a good level of fitness. So if you are fit and don`t suffer 16………….a fear of heights, why not apply? One thing is for sure, it will certainly 17…………on your CV.
1.      A. approach               b. way                         c. routine
2.      A. risk                        b. dare                         c. chance
3.      A. simply                    b. entirely                     c. exactly
4.      A. true                        b. honest                      c. actual
5.      A. practice                  b. ritual                        c. routine
6.      A. has done                 b. has spent                 c. has made
7.      A. remember               b. remind                     c. revise
8.      A. happy                     b. proud                      c. pleased
9.      A. win                         b. gain                         c. achieve
10.  A. best                        b. top                          c. high
11.  A. reach                      b. make                       c. do
12.  A. virtually                   b. approximately         c. hardly
13.  A. fell of                      b. fell over                   c. fell out
14.  A. crawl                       b. climb                      c. squeeze
15.  A. do                           b. make                      c. have
16.  A. from                        b. at                            c. by
17.  A. stand up                  b. stand out                 c. stand on

Put the verbs in brackets in the correct tense.

1.      The spirit of the Olympic Games ……….clear: “The important thing is nor winning but taking part.” (always/be)
2.      In the recent times, however, the desire to win ………..to  extremes. (take)
3.      Athletics is not the only sporting event in which competitors ………. (cheat)
4.      Football, cycling, boxing ………..their fair share of scandals. (attract)
5.      In 1994 the world of competitive ice skating …….by an incident involving two American figure skaters. (shock)
6.      While training in Detroit Nancy ………… on the knees by a man with an iron bar. (attack)
7.      Tonya …………of conspiring with her ex-husband and her former bodyguard to injure Nancy.  (accuse)
8.      Tonya`s skating career ………… since her involvement in the crime. (destroy)
9.      Although she escaped a prison sentence, she ……….a high price for her part in the scandal. (pay)
10.  She ………to resign from the US Figure Skating Association. (make)

Fill in the correct prepositions.

Winning at all cost

The spirit 1....the Olympic games has always been clear: „The important thing is not winning but taking part.“ 2.... recent times, however, the desire 3... win has been taken 4... extremes.
People still remember the incident 5... the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when South African born runner  Zola Budd appeared to trip her rival and medal favourite, Mary Decker 6... the 5000 metres, causing her 7... fall and lose the race. Nor can the international sporting public forget the shame brought 8... the Olympic ideal 9... Canadian Ben Johnson`s use 10... steroids 11... the 100 metre final 12... the 1988 Tokyo Olympics.
Athletics is not the only sporting event 13... which competitors cheat. Weightlifting, football, boxing and even women`s shotputting have all attracted their fair share 14... scandal. During the winter Olympics in Lillehammer 15... 1994, the world 16... competitive ice skating was shocked 17... an incident involving two American figure skaters, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, the favourite 18... win the medal. While training in Detroit, Nancy was mysteriously attacked 19... the knees 20... a man with an iron bar. Tonya was accused 21... conspiring with her ex-husband and her former bodyguard to injure Nancy.
Tonya eventually confessed 22... her involvement in the crime and has since seen her skating career destroyed. Although she escaped the prison sentence, she has paid a high price 23... her part in the scandal. She was fined $100000 and given 500 hours 24... community service. She was also made 25... resign from the US Figure Skating Association. However, she has already earned $600000 by giving an exclusive television interview and has been offered two million dollars to move to Tokyo to become a wrestler.
For Tonya Harding, fame and fortune have finally been achieved but at what cost?

Fill in the words in brackets in the correct form

Winning at all cost

The spirit of the Olympic games has always been clear: „The important thing is not winning but taking part.“ In recent times, however, the desire to win has been taken to extremes.
People still 1.....(memory) the incident in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when South African born 2. ... (run)  Zola Budd appeared to trip her rival and medal favourite, Mary Decker in the 5000 metres, causing her to fall and lose the race. Nor can the 3. .....(national) sporting public forget the 4... (shameful) brought to the Olympic ideal by Canadian Ben Johnson`s use of steroids in the 100 metre final in the 1988 Tokyo Olympics.
Athletics is not the only sporting event in which 5....(competition) cheat. Weightlifting, football, boxing and even women`s shot-putting have all 6....(attraction) their fair share of scandal. During the winter Olympics in Lillehammer in 1984, the world of competitive ice skating was shocked by an incident 7....(involve) two American figure skaters, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, the favourite to win the medal. While training in Detroit, Nancy was 8....(mystery) attacked on the knees by a man with an iron bar. Tonya was accused of conspiring with her ex-husband and her former bodyguard to 9...(injury) Nancy.
Tonya eventually confessed to her 10...(involve) in the crime and has since seen her skating career desroyed. Although she escaped the prison sentence, she has paid a high price for her part in the scandal. She was fined $100000 and given 500 hours of  community service. She was also made to resign from the US Figure Skating Association. However, she has already earned $600000 by giving an exclusive television interview and has been offered two million dollars to move to Tokyo to become a wrestler.
For Tonya Harding, fame and fortune have finally been achieved but at what cost?


For questions 1-12, read the text below and look carefully at each line.some of the lines are correct and some have a word which should not be there. If a line is correct, put a tick by the line. If a line has an extra word which should not be there, wrute the word. There are two examples at the beginning.
SPORTS DAY

0……V……. Every year, our school holds a Sports Day.Everybody
00……a…….looks forward to it because it is a lot of fun. We do not
1…………     have lessons and we spend the whole the day competing   
2………….    In athletics events. My favourite event is the high jump,
3…………..   which I nearly always win. This year, I hope that to be
4………….    Able to take part in the short put as well. I think it is about
5…………     time I had learned a new sport. I like the short put
6…………     because you have to have both speed and strength to
7…………..   throw it a far long way. Of course, I will have to practice
8…………..   quite hard to beat everyone else so I go for training at my
9………….    School athletics club three times a week. My teacher says
10………….  He would rather I have trained more often but I don`t
11…………   have any time. Sports Day is on Friday and my parents
12………….. will be being there to watch me. I hope I manage to win.






Listen and match the people to the sports/games/hobbies they are good at.
name
sports/games/hobbies
1.    Mark
a.     Wrestling
2.    Amy
b.    Badminton
3.    Tony
c.     Canoeing
4.    Jake
d.    Sailing
5.    Fiona
e.     Skiing

f.      Figure skating

g.     Ice hockey



http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/britain/080812_cycling.shtml

1.      Listen and complete the gaps. Write no more than 5 words.
                  

                                                                       Cycling

What's the furthest you have ever cycled? Perhaps you cycle 1...............or to work, or maybe at most a short cycling trip with friends? How would you feel about spending months on the road travelling solo 2......................, by bike?
For British cyclist Pete Jones, camping rough and 3........................ through inhospitable terrain are second nature. Mr Jones is currently undertaking a mammoth trip across the Eurasian continent from Britain to China.
Pete Jones is no stranger to China. But he says 4................... there are puzzled by his passion for cycling, asking why he would choose to cycle when 5...................... a car. Indeed, while there are an estimated 400 million bicycles in China, where it has long been the preferred form of transport, rapid economic growth has fueled an explosive expansion in 6...........................
Edward Genochio, another British cyclist who completed a 41,000km trip to China and back, said one of his aims was to "promote cycling as a safe, sustainable and environmentally benign means of getting about".
In the UK, the last few years have seen 7............................of people choosing   two wheels over four, with some estimates saying the number of people cycling to work 8 ...............................in the last five years.
9. ................. also see cycling as a way to boost their eco-credentials, with people such as London mayor Boris Johnson often riding to work under his own steam. But we may have to 10............................. before we see him emulating Pete Jones in attempting to cycle all the way to China.

2. Read the text below. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Look at the phrases A–E, and choose the correct one for each gap (1-4). Write the letters (A to E) in the gaps. There is one  sentence that you do not need.


What's the furthest you have ever cycled? 1.....................................How would you feel about spending months on the road travelling solo from the UK to China, by bike?
For British cyclist Pete Jones, camping rough and cycling long distances through inhospitable terrain are second nature. 2.........................................
Pete Jones is no stranger to China. 3 .................................... Indeed, while there are an estimated 400 million bicycles in China, where it has long been the preferred form of transport, rapid economic growth has fueled an explosive expansion in car ownership.
Edward Genochio, another British cyclist who completed a 41,000 km trip to China and back, said one of his aims was to "promote cycling as a safe, sustainable and environmentally benign means of getting about".
In the UK, the last few years have seen a rise in the number of people choosing two wheels over four, with some estimates saying the number of people cycling to work has almost doubled in the last five years.
4 ..............................................But we may have to wait some time before we see him emulating Pete Jones in attempting to cycle all the way to China

A.    Mr Jones is currently undertaking a mammoth trip across the Eurasian continent from Britain to China
B.     But he says many people there are puzzled by his passion for cycling, asking why he would choose to cycle when he can afford a car.
C.     Perhaps you cycle to school or to work, or maybe at most a short cycling trip with friends?
D.    Politicians also see cycling as a way to boost their eco-credentials, with people such as London mayor Boris Johnson often riding to work under his own steam.
E.     Along the way he raised money for local charities in the places he passed through.

3.      Try the quiz!

4.      Read the text and learn new vocabulary

5.      Match the words with their definitions and make up sentences with these words.

Trip, solo, inhospitable terrain, sustainable, mammoth, camping rough, environmentally benign, fueled, rapid economic growth, second nature, boost their eco-credentials, explosive expansion, emulating, under his own steam, puzzled, car ownership

a short journey (usually going to a place and then coming back)
on his own, without anyone else
spending nights in a tent in difficult conditions
ground/a piece of land that is difficult to cross
integral part of his character
very long and very difficult
slightly surprised/baffled
when the production and consumption of goods and services becomes larger very quickly
become the reason for
extremely quick growth
here, the number of people who have cars
that causes little or no damage to the environment (and so can continue for a long time)
causing little or no damage to nature/the environment
show people that they care about the environment
if you do something under your own steam, you do it without help
copying (someone else's achievements)





State Education in Britain.

All state schools in Britain are free, and schools provide their pupils with books and equipment for their studies.
Nine million children attend 35.000 schools in Britain. Education is compulsory from 5 till 16 years. Parents can choose to send their children to a nursery school or a pre-school playgroup to prepare them for the start of compulsory education.
Children start primary school at 5 and continue until they are 11. Most children are taught together, boys and girls in the same class. At 11 most pupils go to secondary schools called comprehensives which accept a wide range of children from all backgrounds and religious and ethnic groups. Ninety per cent of secondary schools in England, Scotland and Wales are co-educational.
At 16 pupils take a national exam called «G.C.S.E.» (General Certificate of Secondary Education) and then they can leave school if they wish. This is the end of compulsory education.
Some 16-year-olds continue their studies in the sixth form at school or at a sixth form college. The sixth form prepares pupils for a national exam called «A» level (advanced level) at 18. You need «A» level to enter a university.
Other 16-year-olds choose to go to a college of further education to study for more practical (vocational) diplomas relating to the world of work, such as hairdressing, typing or mechanics.
Universities and colleges of higher education accept students with «A» levels from 18. Students study for a degree which takes on average three years of full-time study.
Most students graduate at 21 or 22 and are given their degree at a special graduation ceremony

Private Education
Seven per cent of British school children go to private schools called independent schools. There are 2400 independent schools and they have been growing in number and popularity since the mid-1980s.
Parents pay for these schools and fees vary from about &250 a term for a private nursery to &3000 a term or more for a secondary boarding school (pupis board, i.e. live at school).
The most famous schools are called public schools and they have a long history and traditions. It is often necessary to put your child`s name on a waiting list at birth to be sure he or she gets a place. Children of wealth or aristocratic families often go to the same public school as their parents and their grandparents. Eton is the best known of these schools.
The majority of independent secondary schools, including public schools, are single sex, although in recent years girls have been allowed to join the sixth forms of boys` schools. Independent schools also include religious schools (Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, etc) and schools for ethnic minorities.


Curriculum
All schools in England are required to follow the National Curriculum, which is made up of twelve subjects. The core subjects—Enlish, Maths and Science —are compulsory for all students aged 5 to 16. A range of other subjects, known as foundation subjects, are compulsory at one or more Key Stages.
·         Art & Design
·         Citizenship
·         Design & Technology
·         Geography
·         History
·         Modern Foreign Languages
·         Music
·         Physical Education

In addition, other subjects are also taught, including Religious educatioin at all Key Stages, Sex education  from Key Stage 2, and Career education and Work-related learning in Key Stages 3 and 4.  Religious education within community schools may be withdrawn for individual pupils with parental consent. Similarly, parents of children in community schools may choose to opt their child out of some or all sex education lessons.
Tasks 1.Finish these sentences

1.       The school leaving age in Britain is ...............
2.      Pupis go to ................... school before secondary school.
3.      There are ............. schools for the under-5s.
4.      The national exam at 16 is ................
5.      The national exam at 18 is ...................
6.      Universities are part of ......................
7.      English, Maths and Science are .................
8.      All schools in Britain are required to follow the ....................
9.      Art and Design is one of the  ....................... subjects.
10.  Some parents can opt their children out of ............... and ............... education lessons.

Task 2. Find two differences between state and independent schools in Britain.

Education and training choices.

There are some decisions the British students have to make.

At 16 – stay at school? Look for a job? Apply for a place on a Youth training Scheme?
At 18 – go to university? Get a job? Start a training course? Do voluntary work?
Travel and work abroad? Move away from home?

School or College...

At 16 ....
Seventeen year old Teresa Moore lives in a small village in Wales...

When I passed my GCSE exams at 16 I decided to continue my studies for two more years. My old school has a small sixth form with about 20 pupils. However, I wasn`t sure if I wanted to see the same old faces and teachers for another two years. I needed a change!
The sixth form college in the nearest city had an open day, and that helped me to decide. I was amazed by the choice of subjects on offer and the canteen and common rooms were very impressive. The pupils seemed so much more grown up, especially as they don`t have to wear boring unifroms like in the old place!
On my first day I was sure I had made the wrong decision. The long journey (I have to change the bus twice) and the sheer numbers of pupils felt overwhelmimg. But since then I`ve settled in, made great new friends and am really enjoying my History, German and English A-levels. I coudn`t do German at my old school, French was the only language offered. We also do extra courses in non-examination subjects – I`ve chosen photography, journalism and theatre arts – which are really interesting and mean that you get to know lots of people outside your A-level study groups. You can even do rock-climbing and motocycling!

1.      How many subjects does Teresa study?

2.      Teresa talks abou advantages and disadvantages of going to the college. Tick the advantages and put a cross against the disadvantages.

The type of people
The distance from home
The social life
The transport
The facilities
The choice of subjects
The buildings
The rules (e.g clothes_)

At 18 ....
18 year old Chandra Das  passed her A-levels in June and has a place at London  university to study pharmacy. This year she has chosen not to go straight to London. „ I need a year out“ she explains.
„ The subject I am going to study will lead, hopefully, to a career in industry. But I realised that I didn`t know anything about the world of work. I have spent the past six years having a great time in my girls`boarding school but now I need a year of responsibility. I wrote to a few well known pharmaceutical companies and one of them offered me a job in their laboratory as a work placement. I am testing anti-inflammatory drugs at the moment and getting to know more about the technology used in my chosen field. Apart from gaining practical experience, I am also earning money for the first time in my life! The company are pleased with my work and have offered to sponsor me through university. They will pay me an extra &1800 a year while I am studying and I can work in the labs during the holidays. And at the end of my studies there will be the option of working for them. It has all worked out so well“ says Chandra enthusiastically.

http://www.careerpilot.org.uk/  - find out what choices young people in Britain have at 14, 16 and 18. Give a talk or make a short presentation on the chosen topic to inform your classmates about different job opportunities in Britain.

Some young people choice:
http://www.euronews.com/2012/09/10/studies-abroad-booming-trend-in-europe/


Education UK Style

Going to further (college) or higher (university) education is quite common in the UK. Most universities and colleges do not have entrance examinations. Students are accepted if they get the necessary grades in their GCSEs or A – levels  (school leaving exams).
Many students take a year out (a gap year) to travel round the world, or take a part time or temporary job before they go to university or college.
Most students in the UK do not live at home. They often choose to go and study in another town or city. In the first year, many live in a hall of residence (students accommodation which can be self catering or with food provided). After that, many prefer to rent a room or a flat with other students.
A large number of oversees student study in Britain. Most universities and colleges run language courses to help students study academic subjects in English.
Nowadays there is an exciting choice of subjects to choose from. You can even choose to study commercial (pop) music or the environment!
University students are called undergraduates and they spend three or four years studying for their degree (unless they want to be a doctor, which is 7 years!).
Students in colleges of further education often take vocational qualifications to prepare them for a practical job they would like to do, such as computing or tourism.
At the end of their course, university students take their final examinations. Students who succeed in passing them graduate with a BA (Bachelor of Art) or a BSc (Bachelor of Science) degree. The word bachelor means a man who is not married. It was first used many years ago when all university students were man and unmarried. Nowadays, there are as many women  as men at universities in the UK, but we still use the word.
Lots of students join clubs and societies when they go to university, such as drama societies or sport clubs. Many students look forward to taking part in Rag Week, a time when students raise money for charity.
Night life is very important for students in Britain. Universities and colleges often invite pop bands to come and play, and students enjoy throwing parties!

Task 1. Write 10 questions about the information in the text. Ask your deskmate these questions and let him/her answer them.

Task 2. Talking about your country.

1.      What kind of further or higher education is available in your country?
2.      Is there a university in your town? If so, how many students study there?
3.      How popular is carrying on with your education in your country?
4.      How common is it for students to take a gap year?
5.      Do university students usually live at home or in a hall of residence?
6.      How long do most university courses last?
7.      At the end of their further or higher education, what qualifications do students get?
8.      How useful are these qualifications?




State Education in Britain.

State school
Provide smb with sth
Books and equipment
Attend
Compulsory education
At the age of 5
Nursery school
Pre-school playgroup
Prepare smb for sth
Primary school
Secondary school
Comprehensive school
Accept
A wide range of children
Background
Religious and ethnic groups
Co-educational
GCSE –General Certificate of Secondary Education
Leave school
Sixth form/sixth form college
A level –Advanced Level
Enter a university
College of further education
Study for practical diploma
Relating to the world of work
Higher education
Study for a degree
Full time study
Graduate
Graduation ceremony

Private Education
Private school
Independent school
Fee
Vary from … to
Boarding school
Public school
      put a child on a waiting list
at birth
majority
include
single sex
     Curriculum
Require
National Curriculum
core subjects
compulsory
foundation subjects
Key stage
·         Art & Design
·         Citizenship
·         Design & Technology
·         Geography
·         History
·         Modern Foreign Languages
·         Music
·         Physical Education
Religious education
Sex education
Career education
Relating
Withdraw- withdrew-withdrawn
Consent
Community school
Opt smb out

Education and training choices.

Stay at school
Look for a job
Apply for
Be amazed
Impressive
Make a decision
Journey
Change the bus twice
Sheer number of pupils
Overwhelming
Settle in
Facilities
Realise
Responsibility
Work placement
Apart from
Gain practical experience
Be pleased with smth
Option

Education UK Style
Common
Entrance examinations
accept
Get the necessary grades
Take a year out /gap year
Part time job
Temporary job
Hall of residence
Accommodation
Self catering
Oversees students
Undergraduates
Study for degree
Vocational qualifications
Succeed in
Pass the exams
Bachelor of Art
Bachelor of Science
Join clubs and societies
Look forward to
Take part
Rag Week
Raise money for charity
Throw a party



Grammar structures

Task 1.  Nouns
Put these words in plural.

Society, family, college, exam, level, university, town, city, man, woman, course, choice, money

Task 2. Verbs

Put the words in brackets in the correct form and explain your choice.

1.      Many students ………….. a year out. (take)
2.      On my first day I ………… sure I …………..the wrong decision. (be, make)
3.      But since then I ………….. and …………… great friends. (settle in, made)
4.      Chandra …………….. her A levels in June. (pass)
5.      The subject I ……………. to study will lead to a career in industry. (go)
6.      I …………the past six years having a great time in my girls` boarding school. (spend)
7.      I ……….. to a few pharmaceutical companies and one of them offered me a job. (write)
8.      The most famous schools …………..public schools. (call)
9.      In recent years the girls ……………….to join the sixth form of boys` schools. (allow)
10.  Many students look forward to ………….. part in Rag Week. (take)

Task 3. -ing forms

Some verbs are always followed by –ing forms.
Compete the sentences with a suitable verb from the below.
Feel, wait, go, cook, talk, study
1.      I don`t feel like …………this afternoon. I am too tired.
2.      I don`t mind ……….dinner tonight. I`ll do seafood pasta.
3.      I can`t help …………..that I`ve  made the wrong decision.
4.      I enjoy ………….to English people.
5.      I can`t stand……………for people who are late.
6.      Do you fancy ……….to the cinema tonight?

Write six sentences about yourself using the verbs above.

-ing forms with prepositions

Match the prepositions with the words in a-f, then complete the sentences with the correct preposition and the words on brackets.
At, with, of, in, to, on
a.       interested                   b.         tired                c.         keen
d.        good               e.         look forward   f.         fed up

1.      I am tired ……………..this TV programme. (watch)
2.      We are looking forward …………..on holiday. (go)
3.      Are you any good ………………compositions? (write)
4.      Sally is really keen ………….to university. (go)
5.      Paul isn`t interested ………………a gap year. (take)
6.      I am fed up ……………! I am going for a walk. (study)
7.       
Task 4. Put in the correct prepositions and explain your choice.

State Education in Britain.

All state schools in Britain are free, and schools provide their pupils 1……..books and equipment for their studies.
Nine million children attend 35.000 schools in Britain. Education is compulsory 2…….5 …..16 years. Parents can choose to send their children to a nursery school or a pre-school playgroup to prepare them 3……..the start of compulsory education.
Children start primary school 4….. 5 and continue until they are 11. Most children are taught together, boys and girls in the same class. 5…..11 most pupils go 6….. secondary schools called comprehensives which accept a wide range 7……children from all backgrounds and religious and ethnic groups. Ninety per cent of secondary schools 8…. England, Scotland and Wales are co-educational.
At 16 pupils take a national exam called «G.C.S.E.» (General Certificate of Secondary Education) and then they can leave school if they wish. This is the end 9….. compulsory education.
Some 16-year-olds continue their studies 10….. the sixth form 11….. school or 12…. a sixth form college. The sixth form prepares pupils 13…..a national exam called «A» level (advanced level) at 18. You need «A» level to enter a university.
Other 16-year-olds choose to go to a college of further education to study 14……more practical (vocational) diplomas relating 15….. the world 16…..work, such as hairdressing, typing or mechanics.
Universities and colleges of higher education accept students with «A» levels from 18. Students study 17…..a degree which takes 18……average three years 19…..full-time study.
Most students graduate at 21 or 22 and are given their degree 20….. a special graduation ceremony
  
Olympic Games 1904 – Marathon
Nr.
Statement
Yes/no
1
In 1904 marathon took place in the USA.

2
Race officials and doctors looked after the runners riding a horse.

3
Runners suffered from heat, thirst and dust.

4
There were 32 participants but only 14 managed to finish the race.

5
Not a singlr black African took part in the marathon.

6
All participants were professional sportsmen.

7
The runners were chased by  agressive dogs.

8
On their way the runners received  strychnine sulfate and brandy.

9
The American President came to watch the marathon.

10
One runner was banned from the competition for life due to doping taking.



Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon

The men's marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis took place on August 30 of that year, over a distance of 24.85 miles. Thirty-two athletes representing four nations competed, but only 14 managed to finish the race, which proved to be a bizarre affair due to poor organization and officiating.
Instead of having the marathon begin early in the morning, St. Louis organizers started it in the afternoon, and temperatures during the marathon reached 32 °C (90 °F). The race began and ended in the stadium, but the rest of the course was on dusty country roads with race officials riding in vehicles ahead of and behind the runners, creating dust clouds. The only source of water for the competitors was a well at about the 11-mile mark.
Race
The first to arrive at the finish line was American runner Fred Lorz, who had actually dropped out of the race after nine miles and hitched a ride back to the stadium in a car, waving at spectators and runners alike during the ride. When the car broke down at the 19th mile, Lorz re-entered the race and jogged across the finish line. Hailed as the winner, he had his photograph taken with Alice Roosevelt, daughter of then-U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, and was about to be awarded the gold medal when his subterfuge was revealed. Lorz immediately admitted what he'd done and said he had only been joking; the AAU responded by banning him from competition for life (although they reconsidered and lifted the ban a year later).
British-born Thomas Hicks of the United States ended up the winner of the event, although he was aided by measures that would not have been permitted in later years. Ten miles from the finish Hicks led the race by a mile and a half, but he had to be restrained from stopping and lying down by his trainers. From then until the end of the race, Hicks received several doses of strychnine sulfate (a common rat poison, which stimulates the nervous system in small doses) mixed with brandy. He continued to battle onwards, hallucinating, barely able to walk for most of the course. When he reached the stadium his support team carried him over the line, holding him in the air while he shuffled his feet as if still running. The judges decided this was acceptable, and gave him the gold medal. He never ran professionally again. Hicks had to be carried off the track, and might have died in the stadium had he not been treated by several doctors.
Another near-fatality during the event was William Garcia of San Francisco. He was found lying in the road along the marathon course with severe internal injuries caused by breathing the clouds of dust kicked up by the race officials' cars.
Cuban postman named Andarín Carvajal joined the marathon, arriving at the last minute. After losing all of his money in New Orleans, Louisiana, he hitchhiked to St. Louis and had to run in street clothes for the event that he cut around the legs to make them look like shorts. Not having eaten in 40 hours, he stopped off in an orchard en route to have a snack on some apples, which turned out to be rotten. The rotten apples caused him to have strong stomach cramps. Despite falling ill from the apples he finished in fourth place.]
The marathon included the first two black Africans to compete in the Olympics: two Tswana tribesmen named Len Tau (real name: Len Taunyane) and Yamasani (real name: Jan Mashiani). They were not in St. Louis to compete in the Olympics, however; they were actually part of the sideshow. They had been brought over by the exposition as part of the Boer War exhibit (both were really students from Orange Free State in South Africa, but this fact was not made known to the public). Len Tau finished ninth and Yamasani came in twelfth. This was a disappointment, as many observers were sure Len Tau could have done better if he had not been chased nearly a mile off course by aggressive dogs.
Arriving without correct documents, Frenchman Albert Corey was not included as part of the French team. He is inconsistently listed as performing in a mixed team in the four mile team race and performing for the US in the marathon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1904_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_marathon 

bizarre affair – странное , причудливое дело/мероприятие
officiating – судейство
Hail – привет!
Subterfuge –увертка, отговорка
Restrain – сдерживать, удерживать
 en route - по пути (фр)
cramp – судороги, спазмы
inconsistently - непоследовательно

No comments: