1
Fair Play
It’s a sporting life!
1
Match the words to the photos.
B
A 1
2
motor racing 2
basketball 3
skiing 4
water polo
1.02 Now listen and read the interviews (1-4). Complete the blanks with the names of the sports.
Interviewer How long have you been ? Sportsman I’ve been ever since I was 12.
D
C
(1) ______________
Interviewer Do you also enjoy watching
competitions? Sportsman Yeah, I’ve just been watching the final on TV,
but I prefer to do it, you know, to get on the slopes and feel the wind in my face. Interviewer (2) ______________ Sportsman Well, people in Norway have been for centuries, because of the snow.
Interviewer Why is so popular in France? Sportsman Well, we’ve been organising
competitions since 1894. It has been getting more popular but competition has also been getting tougher. Interviewer Has the sport been getting faster? Sportsman Yes, speeds now reach over 300 km an hour at some circuits. (5) ______________
Interviewer How long have you been managing
teams? Well, I retired as a player ten years ago and I’ve been training teams since then… Interviewer What do you look for in a good player? Trainer Well, (6) ______________ ; players have been getting taller and taller. Interviewer And faster? Trainer Yes, of course, speed on the court is important: players have been getting faster and they are better at getting the ball in the basket – scores have been getting higher and higher… Trainer
Interviewer Have you been playing long? Sportsman We’ve been playing for ten years. Interviewer You’ve won the Cup many times:
(3) ______________ Sportsman We get the most balls into the net! And we’ve been practising for years, you know, we train in a pool every day. We’re good swimmers! It’s been an Olympic sport for over 100 years. (4) ______________
3
1.02 Put the sentences (a-f) in gaps 1-6 in the
text. Then listen again and check your answers.
8
a how did you do that? b height is important; c It started in England in 1900. d My mum and dad taught me. e This makes it more dangerous. f When did people in Norway begin the sport?
FLASH FORWARD Write a brief description of the most popular sports in your country. Have your country’s athletes done well internationally in these sports? In which events?