Sport is life: sports in English. Sports in England National sports of England

Sport is such an important part of British life that many English idioms come from the world of sport. For example, "that's not cricket" means "it's not fair" and "play a game" means "to be fair." The most popular sport in England is football. Many people support their local clubs on Saturdays or watch matches on TV.

The Football League in England and Wales has 4 divisions. Each division contains 20 teams. Each season there are two main prizes. The Football League Championship, won by a team, is the pinnacle of the first division. The final of this competition takes place in May at the famous Wembley Stadium in London. Some of the most famous teams in England are Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. But many clubs are now having money problems. Some say it's because the league is too big and the players are paid too much. Others say, that because of television a lot of people are staying at home.

Sport has long been a very important part of children's upbringing in Britain, not only - as you might think - developing physical abilities, but also providing a certain moral education. Team games develop qualities such as loyalty and non-selfishness, enthusiasm, and collectivism.

Americans play tennis, hockey and most other international sports but they do not play football in the same way as the rest of the world. The players can run with the ball, touch and push each other. Players wear special clothes for American football with helmets on their heads, because the game can be dangerous. Like international football teams, American teams have eleven players. The field looks different and even the ball is a different shape. American football is a very different game.

Americans love winter sports and ice hockey is the most popular game. This game is very fast and can be dangerous. Basketball is another popular game in America. Only five people in each team.

Basketball is the most popular summer sport in America. The first American baseball match was in 1839 in New York, To play baseball you need two teams of nine players. Americans start playing baseball young. There are "leagues" which children of eight can join. The top players become big stars and earn a lot of money every year.

Sports in the USA.

Americans play tennis, hockey, and many other international sports, but they don't play soccer like the rest of the world. Players can run with the ball, touch and push each other. American football players wear special clothing with helmets on their heads because the game can be dangerous. Like international soccer teams, American teams have eleven players. The field looks different and even the ball has a different shape. American football is a very unique game.

Americans love winter sports, and ice hockey is the most popular game. This game is very fast and can be dangerous. Basketball is another common game in America. Each team has only five people.

Baseball is the most popular summer sport in America. The first American baseball game took place in 1839 in New York. To play baseball, you need two teams of nine players. Americans start playing baseball at a young age. There are leagues that children as young as eight can join. The best players become big stars and earn a lot of money every year.

England is considered the birthplace of many things. Most of which were invented during the times of colonization companies. After all, the British were great conquerors of foreign kingdoms and states. This article will talk about what sports belong to the English nation, where they came from, and also what a particular type of sports activity is.

Football

The most popular English sport. It is played regardless of gender, skin color or age. Since time immemorial, during the time of our distant ancestors, there were analogues of modern football. In Egypt, the Roman Empire, in Rus' - in all these countries, according to ancient historians, there were many similarities with today's world-famous game.

But it was in 1863, in England, that the world's first football association was formed. Accordingly, as with any game, rules were immediately invented and teams were created. Initially, the rules provided for playing with hands. But the football commandments that are more familiar to all of us began to be written only in 1871.

Concepts such as out were gradually introduced: out - throwing the ball with your hands from behind the side line; corner - kicking the ball from the corner of the playing court; penalty - an 11-meter kick awarded for gross violations inside the goalkeeper's area; A free kick, which can be taken from absolutely anywhere on the field, is punishable by warnings in the form of cards (yellow and red), depending on the violation. Referees appeared to monitor compliance with the rules of the game. Football is an English sport that ranks first in popularity in the world.

In 1872, the first official matches were played between the teams of the continents. And since 1884, the well-known “Four Nations Cup” tournament began to run across the vastness of the British Isle.

In Russia, as in most cities in the world, people learned about football through port cities and diplomats who often visited our homeland. The first football teams were formed in St. Petersburg, Riga, Odessa and Nikolaev.

Rugby

Another sport, second in popularity after football, is rugby. English sports themselves are famous for their toughness, and this sport is no exception. Rugby takes its origins just after the application of rules in football, where it was forbidden to touch the ball with your hands during a match. The founding date dates back to 1823, and the creator of this game was Webb Alley. The rules of this game are not very complicated.

1. A rugby field should be between 100 meters long and about 70 meters wide.
2. The main task of the player is to score the ball into the opponent's high goal. You can also jog with the ball and complete the attack by launching the projectile.
3. It is strictly forbidden to pass forward with your hands; you have to be content with little and distribute passes left and right.
4. In order not to break the rules in passing the ball forward, you need to pass it with your foot.
5. It is allowed to grab a player running with the ball.
6. But pushing an opponent is prohibited.
7. The game lasts two halves of 40 minutes. Victory is awarded to the team that collectively scores more points.
8. A player will not enter the court without special equipment. It includes: shorts, T-shirt, boots with metal spikes, protection in the form of pads, etc.

Polo

The history of the origin of this English sport is known to modern society as a game invented in their spare time by English military personnel in India.

To play polo, you will first need a horse and a special stick. The peculiarity of the stick is that its end is a small hammer.

Teams are divided into 4 people and play on a field whose dimensions are 274 meters long and 140 meters wide. The size of the game projectile is: 8.3 centimeters in diameter and 113 grams in weight.

The game is divided into 4 halves, called "chakka", each of which lasts 7 minutes.

Snooker

Snooker is one of the top English sports in popularity in the world. The game is believed to have been created by Sir Neville Chamberlain during his military posting to India. He took a regular pool as a basis, added several colored balls and came up with new rules. The game quickly spread throughout the British Kingdom and no less quickly gained its supporters. Today it is in great demand among many fans of this sport. World and European Championships and various international competitions are held. Snooker is also one of those English sports in Russia that is in no way inferior in popularity to football.

The game involves 15 red balls (worth one point), yellow (2 points), green (3 points), brown (4 points), blue (5 points), pink (worth 6 points) and the most expensive of them all, black ( 8 points). The white ball is the cue ball.

First, the player needs to pocket one of the red balls, then he is given the right to hit one of the colored balls. If this ball is also pocketed, then the next one should be red and so on. The series continues until the first miss of one of the snooker players. After each potted colored ball, the last one is returned to its original position on the table. After all the red balls have been pocketed, players are given the right to play colored ones in ascending order of value. A continuous series of played balls is called a break. If a player fails to hit any of the balls and has to fight back with shots from the boards or other balls, then this technique is consistent with the name of the game and will be called snooker.

Cricket

The history of this game does not make clear its exact place of origin. But according to the latest data and sources, this game, like many other English sports, such as snooker, was invented in the Indian open spaces by English colonialists.

Cricket is most often played on a grass field. The platform can be either round or square; there are no special rules in this case. In the center there is a supply line twenty meters long and three meters wide. At the ends there are special gates, which contain three pegs covered with a crossbar.

Teams are divided into 11 players. Whoever serves first and who receives is determined by lot. The main task of the serving player is to hit the wicket. If the kicker hits the ball, teammates must return the ball to its place as quickly as possible. While they are carrying out this procedure, the players of the batting team, in turn, must have time to run to the opponent’s wicket and return back. Each such run earns a point for the kicking team.

The team with the most points wins - it's simple!

Finally

English sports are no less popular in Russia than others. Football alone is worth it! More than half of our compatriots play it. So friends, play sports and learn new things for yourself.

Most people in Great Britain are real sport-lovers. Even if they don"t go in for sport, they like to talk about it. Perhaps, you didn"t know, but many kinds of sport have taken the origin in Great Britain. Cricket, football, rugby, tennis, table tennis, badminton, squash, canoeing and snooker were invented in Britain.

Britain's national sport is football or soccer. It was played there as far back as medieval times. Nowadays it has become the most popular game all over the world. There is no national football team in Great Britain. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their separate football clubs, which compete in European and World Cup matches.

English football fans are fond of the most exciting games which are held between teams from the same city. For example, between Manchester United and Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea from London.

There are plenty of amateur association football clubs. Many schools form their own football teams, offering students an opportunity of entering prestigious universities according to their sport achievements.

There is a certain type of football called rugby. The game is called so because it was originated at Rugby — a well-known English public school. As well as common football it is a game played by two teams of fifteen players each. The game takes place on a field 100 meters long and 80 meters wide. There are goal posts at both ends of the field. Rugby is played with an oval or egg-shaped ball which can be carried by hands and kicked. The ball is passed from hand to hand in order to be thrown across the goal line. It is a rather violent game, that is why the players must be big and strong. Another requirement for the players is to wear helmets, masks and chest and shoulder padding.

Cricket is a popular summer sport in Britain. There are many cricket clubs in the country. Cricket players wear a certain uniform - white boots, a white T-shirt and white trousers. One cricket game takes a terribly long time. There are two teams of 11 players each and test matches between national teams can last up to 5 days. The spectators have to be very patient. The game is played on a pitch with a wicket at each end. The rules of the game have changed over the years. It is a game which is associated with long sunny summer afternoons, the smell of new-mown grass and the sound of leather ball beating the willow cricket bat. Cricket is more popular among men, but it is also played by women and girls.

Tennis is another favorite sport of the Englishmen. People all over the world know Wimbledon which is the center of lawn tennis. It is the oldest tennis tournament in the world considered by many people to be the most prestigious. It takes place over two weeks in late June and early July. Wimbledon is known for its traditions - strict white dress code for competitors, the absence of sponsor advertising around the courts and some others. Every tennis player dreams of taking part at this tournament.

Golf is a game of business community. In Great Britain it is very common to establish good business relations playing golf. The equipment for this game is quite expensive as well as the entrance to a prestigious golf club, so not everyone can afford it. Golf is a ball and golf stick game played on a natural field. In this game one has to knock a ball into a hole.

There are a lot of other popular sports in Great Britain, for example, horseracing, croquet, swimming, running, cycling and rowing.

Text translation: Sport in Great Britain - Sport in Great Britain (5)

Most Britons are true sports fans. Even if they don't play any sports, they love to talk about them. Many sports - cricket, football, rugby, lawn tennis, table tennis, badminton, squash, canoeing and snooker - were invented in Britain.

The national sport of Great Britain is football. It was played back in the Middle Ages. Today this game has become the most popular all over the world. Great Britain does not have its own team. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own national teams that compete for European and world cups.

English football fans are very fond of games that are played between teams from the same city. For example, between the teams Manchester United and Manchester City, the London teams Arsenal and Chelsea. There are many amateur association football clubs in the UK. Many schools organize their own football teams and offer participants the opportunity to enter a prestigious university based on their athletic achievements.

Rugby is a special type of football. The modern rugby match first took place in the English town of Rugby in 1823. It is a team game with an oval-shaped ball on a court measuring 100 x 80 meters with H-shaped goals on both sides of the field. Each team has 15 players. The object of the game is to pass the ball to each other with your hands (backwards) or feet (in any direction), land it in the opponent's in-goal area behind the goal line, or kick it into the goal so that it goes over the crossbar. It's a pretty tough game, so rugby players need to be big and strong. Another requirement for players is to wear helmets, masks and protective pads on the chest and shoulders.

Cricket is a popular summer team game in the UK. There are many cricket clubs in the country. Players wear a specific uniform - white boots, white T-shirt and white trousers. The game involves 2 teams of 1 person each. A single cricket match can be very long - it can last up to five days. So viewers must be patient. The goal of the game is to destroy the opponent’s “wicket” (gate) with the ball. Cricket originated in England during the Middle Ages and its rules have changed over the years. The game is associated with long sunny summer days, the smell of freshly cut grass and the sound of a leather ball hitting a willow cricket bat. Cricket is more popular among the male population, but women and girls also play it.

Tennis is another favorite sport of the British. Wimbledon is known throughout the world as the center of lawn tennis. This tennis tournament is the oldest and considered the most prestigious in the world. It lasts 2 weeks - from the end of June to the beginning of August. Wimbledon is famous for its traditions: players must wear a strict white uniform, and any advertising is not allowed on the courts. Every tennis player dreams of taking part in this tournament.

Golf is a game for businessmen. In the UK, it is common to establish business relationships while playing golf. Equipment for this game is quite expensive, as is an entrance ticket to a prestigious golf club, so not everyone can afford this luxury. Golf is a game played with a ball and clubs on a natural course. The goal of the game is to get the ball into the hole.

Other sports that are very popular in the UK include horse racing, croquet, swimming, running, cycling and rowing.

Sport in Great Britain (5)

Sport plays an important part in the life of the British. The British are proud of the fact that many sports originated in their country and then spread throughout the world. The national British sports are football, golf, cricket, table tennis, lawn tennis, snooker, steeplechase, racing, darts.
Football, the most popular game in the world, is of two kinds in Britain: association football (soccer) and rugby. Soccer, played in almost all countries, remains one of the most popular games in Great Britain. Rugby football originated at Rugby public school. In this game players may carry the ball. Rugby is played by teams of 15 players with an oval ball.
Golf, one of the most popular sports in Britain, originated in Scotland.
One of the most British games is cricket. It is often played in schools, colleges, universities and by club teams all over the country. To many Englishmen cricket is a game and a standard of behavior. When they consider something unfair, they sometimes say: “It"s not cricket.”
Don't mix cricket with another British game - croquet. This sport is played in a grass playing court and involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through wicket. Garden croquet is widely played in the UK.
Next to football horse racing is the chief spectator sport in British life. A lot of people are interested in the races. The Derby is perhaps the most famous single sporting event in the whole world. Britain is also famous for motor car racing, dog racing, boat racing and even races for donkeys. The famous boat race between the teams of Oxford and Cambridge attracts large crowds of people.
A great number of people play and watch tennis. Tennis tournaments at Wimbledon are known all over the world. The innumerable tennis courts of Britain are occupied by people of all ages who show every degree of skill, also England is also the home of table tennis.

Sports in the UK (5)

Sport plays an important role in the life of the British. The British are proud that many sports originated in their country and then spread throughout the world. National British sports - football, golf, cricket, table tennis, lawn tennis, billiards, steeplechase, racing, darts.
Football, the most popular game in the world, has two varieties in Britain: (European) football and rugby. Football, played in almost every country, remains one of the most popular games in the UK. Rugby originated at Rugby School. In this game, players can carry the ball in their hands. In rugby, teams of 15 players play with an oval ball.
Golf, one of the UK's most popular sports, originated in Scotland.
One of the most British games is cricket. It is often played in schools, colleges, universities and club teams throughout the country. For many Englishmen, cricket is both a game and a standard of behavior. When they think something is unfair, they sometimes say, "That's not cricket."
Don't confuse cricket with another British game - croquet. This sport is played on a grass court and involves hitting a goal by hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet. Garden croquet is widespread in the United Kingdom.
After football, the most entertaining sport for the British is horse racing. A lot of people are interested in horse racing. The Derby is perhaps the most famous single sporting event in the world. The UK is also famous for racing cars, dogs, boats and even donkeys. The famous boat race between Oxford and Cambridge attracts crowds.
Many people play tennis and watch tennis matches. The tennis tournament at Wimbledon is famous all over the world. The UK's countless tennis courts are used by people of all ages and at all levels of skill. Table tennis also originated in England.

Vocabulary:

able - skillful
archery - archery
association football, soccer - football
lawn tennis - big tennis (European)
long-distance running - long-distance running
boat-race - rowing race
bowling - bowling
croquet - croquet
cricket - cricket
darts - darts (throwing darts)
mallet - mallet (for croquet)
to originate - to occur
racing - racing, running
rugby football
spectator - viewer
spectator sport - spectacular sport
snooker - snooker, billiards
steeplechase - steeplechase
wicket - goal, wicket (in croquet)

Answer the questions
1. What sports are typically British?
2. How many kinds of football do you know?
3. What is the difference between rugby and association football?
4. Where does golf come from?
5. What does cricket mean for an Englishman?
6. What is Derby famous for?
7. What races are organized in Britain?
8. What is Wimbledon?
9. Who are the “football hooligans”? What is your attitude to hooliganism?
10. Do you know any famous British athletes or teams? Tell your class¬ mates about them.

Professional sports

Football

Each of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom has its own national football association, which governs football matters within its territory. These are the Football Association of England, founded in 1863, the Scottish Football Association, founded in 1873, the Football Association of Wales, founded in 1876, and the Irish Football Association, founded in 1880. They are the four oldest football associations in the world and hold four of the eight seats on the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which determines the rules of the game (the remaining four seats on the board are held by FIFA). England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different football league systems. Wales did not have a national league until 1992 (previously there were only regional leagues), which is why some leading Welsh clubs compete in the English league system. The English football league system includes hundreds of different leagues and is made up of thousands of different divisions. The elite division is the Premier League, followed by the FA Football League and the Football Conference. Northern Ireland's football league system includes the Premier League. One Northern Irish club, Derry City, plays outside the UK in the Irish Championship. Scotland's football league system consists of two national leagues, the Premier League and the Football League, as well as several regional leagues. The Welsh football league system includes the Welsh Premier League and several regional leagues.

Cricket

Badminton

In the 19th century, English officers serving in India became interested in the ancient Indian game puna, which can be considered the prototype of modern badminton. The British brought their passion for the game with them to their homeland. The modern tradition of the game originates in England, in the ancient estate of Badminton House, whose owner, the famous sports enthusiast and publisher of a series of books about sports, the Duke of Beaufort, built the first badminton court in 1873. In 1893, the Badminton Association of England published the first regulations on the official rules of the game. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) was created in 1934. Since 1947, the largest men's team competition has been held, the Thomas Cup. Among women, the main team competition - the Uber Cup - has been held since 1955. Since 1992, badminton has been included in the program of the Summer Olympic Games.

Golf

It is believed that the game of golf originated in Scotland and was invented by shepherds who used staves (future clubs) to drive stones into rabbit holes. Presumably the game existed already in the 14th century, and in the 15th century several laws were passed in Scotland prohibiting the game of goof. In the 17th century, balls were played with sticks in the Netherlands. The game in its modern form took shape in the 19th century in Scotland.

Snooker

It is believed that snooker was invented by Colonel Neville Chamberlain of the British colonial forces in Jabalpur (India) in 1875. There were initially only four colored balls, but by 1890 there were 6. In 1919, the rules of snooker were officially laid down by the BA&CC and the first World Championship took place in Birmingham in late 1926/early 1927. Before the war, the game was dominated by the British and Australians. Snooker is very popular in the UK, and the annual World Championship is held in Sheffield. Team sports such as Gaelic football and Hurling are also popular in Northern Ireland and attract large crowds to their matches. The game Shinty is popular in the Scottish Highlands.

Curling

It is known that Curling originated in Scotland at the beginning of the 16th century; factual confirmation of the existence of this sports game is a curling sports equipment (stone), on the surface of which the date of manufacture (“1511”) is stamped, found at the bottom of the dry Lake Dunban. The first chronicle mentions of curling are found in medieval monastic books dating back to 1541, preserved in the Scottish Abbey of Paisley. Approximately from the same time (1565) are two paintings by Pieter Bruegel, which depict Dutch peasants playing icestock, a game close to curling, on the ice of a frozen lake. It is curious that Scotland and the Netherlands in the 16th century had very strong trade and cultural ties, as evidenced by the wide spread of not only curling, but also golf in continental Europe. The oldest curling club in the world is the players' association of Kilsyth, located in the north of Scotland, founded in the year. The first curling club opened this year in the province of Fife. In the same city there is the oldest man-made sports field intended for the game of curling - an artificial dam enclosing a pond and defining a platform measuring 100 by 250 meters. The word curling itself first began to be used as a name for a game in the 17th century, after being mentioned in a poem by the Scottish poet Henry Adamson. Researchers believe that the game got its name not from the complex curlicues that the stone left behind on the ice, but from the Scottish verb curr, which describes a low growl or roar (the closest equivalent in English is purr). The thing is that a granite stone sliding on the ice touched the notches of the ice, which caused a characteristic sound. To this day, in some areas of Scotland the game is better known as the Roaring Stones Game.

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