"Sport in my life"

Развитие речевых навыков

At our previous lessons we talked much about sport. We came to the conclusion that exercise is good for us, but most people really know very little about how to exercise properly. What do you know about exercise? Take this true-false test prepared by American doctors and we will clear up this question.

Before you read the text I would like you to answer my questions. Answering the questions, give your reasons.

1. They say if you want to keep fit it is enough to exercise twice a week. Is it right or wrong in your understanding?
2. There is an opinion that one should work up a good sweat when exercising to lose weight. Do you agree with this statement?
3. Do you burn more calories jogging one mile or walking the same distance?
4. Do you agree that vigorous stretching exercises keep muscles flexible?
5. What minimum amount of time should you exercise a day?

Развитие навыков чтения

Now I want you to look through the text and find out if you were right or wrong answering the questions.

What you do not know about exercise.

Exercise, everyone advises! But immediately, when you try, you run into trouble. There is so much contradictory, sometimes incorrect advice about exercising that you become confused. Test yourself on the following true-false quiz. It will tell you what you need to know.

1. To maintain an adequate level of physical fitness, you need to exercise only twice a week.
   False. Studies conducted by NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, show that unexercised muscles lose their strength very quickly. After 48 to 72 hours, you must use the muscles again to re-establish the good physical effects. And what does that mean to you? NASA scientists concluded that while daily exercise is most beneficial, three alternating days each week will maintain an adequate level of physical fitness.
2. To lose weight you should always “work up a good sweat” when exercising.
   False. Sweating only lowers body temperature to prevent overheating; it does not help you reduce. You may weight less immediately after a workout, but this is due to water loss. Once you replace the liquid, you replace the weight.
3. You burn more calories jogging one mile than walking the same distance.
   False. You use the same amount of energy whether you walk or jog the mile, since in both cases you are moving the same distance. The speed does not matter. Of course, if you jog rather than walk for 30 minutes, you will cover more distance, and therefore burn more calories.
4. Vigorous stretching exercises keep muscles flexible.
   False. Stretching exercises (for example, twisting or bending at the waist, touching your toes) should be done slowly, allowing the muscles to relax and “let go”. Vigorous stretching makes the muscles become tighter.
5. The minimum amount of time you should spend exercising in a day is 20 minutes.
   True. There are more than 400 muscles that attach to your skeleton. A good exercise routine should contract and stretch all these muscles, and this simply cannot be done wish four or five exercises in five or ten minutes. Many doctors believe that about 20 minutes is the minimum amount of time needed for an adequate workout.

B. How long it takes you to become physically fit depends on how unfit you are when you start. If you are out of condition, you certainly cannot shape up in a short while. However, shaping up does not do any good unless you plan to stay in shape, and that means exercising from now on. It takes as much exercise to stay in shape as it does to get there. But the work will not seem as hard after a while because your body will be in good condition – and all the moves will seem easier.

1. Your time is over. Let is analyze the ideas given in the text. Choose the best answer.

Circle the letter next to the best answer.

1. This article explains:

• the difficulties of exercising
• why exercise is good for your health
• important information to know about exercise.

2. It is A to exercise on three B days each week (choose one word from each group)

• not enough – adequate – too much
• alternating – daily – beneficial.

3. According to paragraph 3, you will use the most energy if you:

• jog for 30 minutes
• walk for 30 minutes
• run quickly for 30 minutes.

4. In paragraph 4, why is “twisting or bending at the waist, touching your toes” in parentheses?

• because these are examples of stretching exercises
• because these exercises should be done slowly
• because these are not important exercises

5. According to the last paragraph, once you become physically fit:

• you will stay that way naturally
• you must keep on exercising to stay fit
• exercise will be hard work

6. The author of this article probably:

• exercises regularly
• does not like to exercise
• exercises 10 minutes a day

Why do you think so?

2. Choose

• the most useful information
• the useless information

Give reasons for your position

Развитие лексических навыков

3. Interpretation of words and phrases: Circle the letter next to the best answer.

1. When you try to exercise, you run into trouble

1. encounter
2. leave
3. maintain

2. If you work up a good sweat, will you lose weight?

1. believe
2. lose
3. develop

3. This is due to water loss

1. more than
2. because of
3. in addition to

4. In paragraph 3, “You use the same amount of energy whether you walk or jog a mile” means:

1. you use more energy if you jog a mile
2. it is harder to jog than to walk for one mile
3. if you go the same distance, you use the same amount of energy

5. Beneficial exercise should not be overly difficult

1. finished
2. high
3. too

6. After a while, you will be in good condition

1. now
2. later
3. for a short time

4. Synonyms

From this list, choose a synonym for the words in bold type in each sentence

1. When you try to exercise, you have trouble
2. Exercising three days a week is adequate
3. Moderate exercise is beneficial
4. Once you replace the liquid, you replace the weight
5. The minimum amount of time you should exercise is 20 minutes
6. Allow your muscles to relax after you stretch
7. A good exercise routine should take about 20 minutes
8. You must keep exercising in older to stay in shape

5. Fill in the blanks using a suitable derivative of the words given in the box.

If you are interested in getting fit, then what you need is a training programme.

Although aimed at improving physical (1), this programme can also be (2) in such a way that it helps in the (3) of particular athletic skills. There is a range of different (4) to choose from and a growing amount of scientific (5) to explain the effects of each one.

When you begin training, it is important to start (6), raising the (7) of the programme in a gradual way although it is important to work sufficiently hard to make an (8) on your physical condition the activities should not be (9). It is (10), therefore, to ignore warning symptoms such as sharp or persistent pain in particular muscles.

6. Now it is time to relax.

Finish up these ideas about health habits in a funny way.

1. The advantage of exercising every day is that…
2. Her idea of a balanced diet is to have a bacon sandwich…
3. If you want to look young and thin…
4. I kept reading in the papers that smoking was bad for you, so finally I decided…

Listen and compare your endings with the original ones.

1. The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.
2. Her idea of a balanced diet is to have a bacon sandwich in each hand.
3. If you want to look young and then, hang around old fat people.
4. I kept reading in the papers that smoking was bad for you, so finally I decided to dive up reading the papers.

Развитие навыков монологической речи

7. Topic for discussion.

Why do people exercise?

Развитие навыков диалогической речи

Your friend says he (she) does not have time to exercise. How would you convince him (her) to make time for exercise? Try to develop at least 3 arguments for exercising. Be sure to include examples from your own experience or the experience of others.

Arguments for

• I am absolutely for…
• People exercise because…
• Besides…
• More than that…
• What is more…
• Life without exercise is…
• I exercise because…