Практичне заняття з англійської мови на тему "Sport in Our Life"

 Тема: Sport in Our Life

 Мета: вивчити лексику теми з видів спорту; розвинути навички читання, перекладу та самостійної роботи.

Зміст заняття

 1. Read and write the new words into your copybooks.

 2. Read and translate the text.

TAI CHI

Have you noticed that quite a few Chinese words have recently entered the English language as well? In spite of the famous saying “East is East and West is West,” western people are becoming more and more interested in eastern philosophies, religions, culture.

One of the new words that appeared in Europe is Tai Chi.

Tai Chi is a system of slow, graceful and rhythmic exercise. The word is translated as ‘supreme fist,’ but specialists prefer to describe the system as “strength within softness,” “poetry in motion” and “moving harmony”.

Some people say that Tai Chi is 6,000 years old, some say it began only a few centuries ago. Everybody agrees however that it originated in China and it is still extremely popular there. A lot of Chinese people practice it together in parks in the morning. It is said that the founder of Tai Chi was a Taoist monk. Once he saw a fight between a crane and a snake and was inspired by the soft and gentle movements of the snake which eventually out-maneuvered the crane and its hard beak.

Tai Chi can be described as a system of health, medicine, relaxation and self-defense. It teaches patience and helps to understand the co-ordination of body and mind. In Chinese medicine the interdependence of body, mind and spirit is considered integral to well-being. The movements of Tai chi tone and strengthen the organs and muscles, improve circulation and pos­ture and relax both mind and body. They help to increase alertness, to de­velop concentration and to improve balance and posture.

Tai Chi can be used in self-defense but it is usually practiced for its health-giving benefits. Martial arts rely mostly on force and speed, Tai Chi is “soft,” but its gentleness does not prevent it from being a very effective from of self-defense.

One of the advantages of Tai Chi is that it can be practiced by people of all ages and abilities and abilities and it does not need any special equipment or clothing — just a small well-ventilated area, some loose and comfortable clothes and flat-soled shoes. Or you can practice it bare feet. But you cannot learn Tai Chi from a book or a video alone, you should find a class, because only a teacher can correct your postures. Once learned it is with you for the rest of your life. It does not require much time — just a few minutes, but it should be practiced regularly, prefer-ably every day. It is considered to be a perfect antidote to stresses and strains of modern life.

3. Exercise 1.  Look through the reasons below. Add to this list your own ideas about the importance of sport in our life (in writing form).

 • to keep fit

• to improve one’ s health

• to have fun

• to get the best of it

• to follow new trends

• to find new friends

Exercise 2.  Read and complete the following table.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE THINGS IN VARIOUS SPORTS?

Time, the score and distance are measured in various ways depending on which type of sport you are speaking about. Decide which time, score and / or distance measurement is used in each of the sports below. Some of the words are used more than once: game, point, set, mile, inning, strokes, yard, round, move, match, meter, round, quarter, out, half, lap, down, length.

 4. Questions for self-control (in writing form):

1.       Do you like tai chi?
2.       Would you like to go in for it? Why?
3.       What makes people go in for sport?
4.       What sports do you like to play?
5.       What sports do you like to watch live?
6.       What sports do you like to watch on TV?
7.       What sports do you think are the best?
8.       What’s a sport that you don’t like? Why don’t you like it?