Тема / Топик по английскому языку:
Sports in Britain

The British are a sports-loving nation. Cricket, soccer, rugby, tennis, squash, table tennis, badminton, canoeing and snooker were all invented in Britain. The first rules for such sports as boxing, golf, hockey, yachting and horse-racing also originated from Britain. The most popular sports that people take part in, rather than watching, are angling, snooker and darts.

Cricket is very much the English game. A match can take five days - and still end in a draw. A form of cricket was being played 250 years ago.

Football began as a contest between neighbouring villages - with no limit to the number on each side, no fixed pitch and almost no rules. The Football Association drew up the rules of the modern game in 1863 and in 1888 12 clubs joined together to form the first Football League. England won the World Cup in 1966. Rugby and football became twro separate sports when the rules laid down by the Football Association said that only the goalkeeper could handle the ball. Two kinds of rugby are played in Britain. Rugby Union is played by amateurs in teams of 15 in the south of England and in Wales (where it is the national sport). Rugby League is played by professionals in teams of 13 in the north of England.

Golf was probably invented in Holland, but has been played in Scotland for at least 400 years. At first, it was played with balls made of wood, then of leather stuffed with feathers.

The first rules for tennis were drawn up by the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club when it held its first tournament in the London suburb of Wimbledon in 1877. Wimbledon is still the world’s most famous tennis event.

There are a lot of sports and games which are popular both among youngsters and grown-ups. 25 million of grownup people take part in sports. Sports is on the programme of all state and private schools and universities. Nearly all schools have sports grounds and swimming pools. Indeed, sports is a part of everyday life in Britain.

Topical Vocabulary

- a sports-loving nation
нация любителей спорта
cricket
крокет
soccer
футбол
rugby
регби
squash
сквош
snooker
бильярд
to be invented
быть изобретенным
rules for smth.
правила для чего-либо
yachting
гонки на яхтах
horse-racing
скачки
to originate from
происходить из (какой-либо страны)
to take part in smth.
принимать участие в чем-либо
angling
ловля рыбы
darts
«дротики»
- to end in a draw
закончиться вничью
- a contest between
соревнование между
to draw up the rules
разработать правила
Football League
Лига футбола
to win the World Cup
выиграть Кубок мира
to lay down the rules
сформулировать правила
a goalkeeper
вратарь
to handle the ball
касаться мяча рукой
to be played by amateurs
играться любителями
in teams of...
командами в количестве...
a professional
профессионал
- the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
Всеанглийский клуб тенниса и крокета
to hold a tournament
проводить турнир
- to be on the programme of
входить в программу чего-либо
to be a part of everyday life
быть частью повседневной жизни

Answer the questions:

  1. How can you prove that sports play an important part in Britain?
  2. What is the history of football?
  3. Is cricket popular in Britain?
  4. What two kinds of rugby are played in Britain?
  5. Where was golf invented?
  6. What was the first rules of tennis drawn by?

Translate into English:

  1. Многие виды спорта были изобретены в Великобритании.
  2. Футбольные правила были созданы Ассоциацией футбола.
  3. Матч крокета, чисто английской игры, может продолжаться несколько дней.
  4. Регби и футбол - две различные игры.
  5. В регби играют любители и профессионалы.
  6. Гольф был изобретен в Голландии. Первые правила были созданы в 18 веке.
  7. Всеанглийский клуб тенниса и крокета провел первый чемпионат мира по теннису в 1877 году.