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READING PASSAGE

Britain is a nation where sport is taken seriously. Most people have a sport that they play or that they watch.
There are over forty different sports : many of them were invented in Britain. This is why many languages
use English for sports like football.

Most sports are played at two levels- amateur and professional. Because one major purpose of sport is to
provide an enjoyable way of keeping fit, amateur sport is very important. But the professional sporting
events create a lot of popular interest in the different games. Such events often give the amateur sportsmen
the enthusiasm to try harder, too.

In all English schools, organized games and physical education are included in the normal timetable.
Training is given in a number of team games, and matches between schools are regular school activities. In
the winter, boys play soccer or rugby, and in the summer, cricket. The
favourite games for girls are hockey in winter and tennis in summer. Many
pupils also take part in athletics and swimming. Competitions between
schools are frequent and create a lot of interest. Many pupils play sports out
of school hours, and some continue to play at the universities, or in sporting
clubs. Most sporting activities in Britain are organized by clubs owned and run
by their members.

Although many people play sports when they are young, they spend most of
their lives as spectators. One of the most popular spectator sport in Britain is horse racing.Thousands watch
the big race meetings on television. The British love to bet on horses in the hope of winning a fortune.

To bet= to risk (money) on a race or on some other event of which the result is doubtful

I. READING COMPREHENSION

1. Choose a suitable title to the text.

A. Benefits of sport

B.Sport in Britain

C.School competitions

2. Correct the following false statements with details from the passage.

A. Matches between schools rarely take place

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B. Girls arent interested in sports

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 C. British pupils stop playing sport as soon as they leave school

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3. Answer the following questions with reference to the text.

A. Who organises the sporting activities in Britain ?

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B. Why do the British love to bet on horses ?

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4. Complete the gaps with words from the passage.

Professionals and amateurs consider sport as a good and ____________________ means to stay fit.

Sporting events create a lot of popular interest which encourages amateurs to work ________________

5. What does the underlined word in the text refer to.

Them : refers to _____________________

II. LANGUAGE

1. Put in the right tense or form.

My wife recently saw in your newspaper an advertisment for a book about (to increase)
____________________your height. The writers claimed that with the book, anyone could be taller than
before. The advertisment said that this was (good) ___________________ method of all- better than doing
exercises and was not dangerous in anyway. It also claimed that the (soon)________________you buy it
the quicker result you get.

My wife (to send) _______________________ a lot of money- more than we could afford. A week later,
when my wife (to lie) ______________________on the sofa she received the book. It was called Instant
Height Without Danger : when she opened it she read these instructions :

" This book is 5 cm thick. Close the book, put it on the floor and stand on it. You (be
instantly)____________________five centimeters taller.

In all my life, I have never known anything more dishonest.

2. Fill in the blanks with 6 words from the list below.

improving ; entirely ; voluntary ; exercise ; to improve ; recreational ; available ; spare

The British spend their free time in different ways. People generally use it to relax, but many people also do
____________________work, especially for charities.

A lot of free time is spent at home where the most popular ____________________ activity is watching TV.

In the summer gardening is popular, and in winter it is often replaced by DIY, when people spent time
____________________ their homes.

Some leisure activities are mostly or ____________________social. Inviting friends for a drink or a meal at
home is the most usual one. Joining pubs and eating out are also frequent.

The extra time____________________ at weekends has to do with sport such as football, cricket, horse
racing and popular forms of ____________________ such as swimming, ice-skating, cycling..

3. Circle the right alternative.

Easter is an important (religion ; religious ; religiously) festivity in the UK and traditions are not very
different from those in other European countries.

Easter eggs and bunnies, symbolizing the coming of spring and new life, are given as (presents ; meals ;
packages) at this time of the year.

On Easter Sunday many British go to (garden ; tower ; church) which are usually decorated with lots of
flowers. Special Easter songs are sung (when ; while ; during) the religious service. Afterwards families
get together for a special Easter lunch , usually roast lamb with mint sauce and vegetables.

III. WRITING

Its a pity that many youngsters spent most of their free time watching TV,surfing the Net, playing
video games. They should know that we can make a better use of our spare time by playing sports,
doing enough exercise, joining clubs or doing voluntary work

Write a ten-line paragraph to tell your schoolmates about the benefits of theise leisure activities.

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