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The Super Bowl

Super Bowl is the highlight of the year for American football fans. It is the final round in a competition between the top teams in the National Football League as well as national celebration. The 30 professional teams in the NFL play matches against each other all season, to determine who will go through to the playoffs. Then, the two winning teams face each other to compete for the Super Bowl Trophy., which is a model of a football in kicking position made of silver. The trophy is presented by the NFL commissioner. All players from both teams receive a special commemorative silver ring.

The first Super Bowl was played in 1967. Since then the event has gradually become more elaborate and more popular. These days, the competition is watched by millions of people worldwide, and is more than just a football game. In fact, it is an entertainment extravaganza, with a pre-game show and a half-time show which both feature famous games and singers. A big-name star is always asked to sing the national anthem, which is considered to be a great honour. The shows also have plenty of cheerleaders and marching bands. Everyone who takes part in the event, from spectators to players, has a fantastic time.

Read the texts again and find three differences between each event.

Think of your country’s most important sporting event. Write an article for a sports magazine.

Include:

When/where it is held
The event’s history
Description of the event
The prize.

READING 3

Read the information about the British royal family and discuss the questions.

The British royal family has no real political power. Much of their time is devoted to sport and charity. They hold positions in various sports organizations and they are often asked to present the medals at important events. They also take part in various sports. Horse-riding and polo are traditionally very popular with the royals. Members of the family are also very involved in work for charity. They work as unpaid patrons of many charitable organizations and help raise money.

What else do you know about the royal family?

Is the head of state in your country involved with any sports or charities?

READING 4

HOBBIES

Read about Mike and answer these questions:

Why did he start skydiving?
How did he feel on his first jump?
What caused his accident and why has he continued skydiving?

WWW.DEADMIKE.COM

I’ve just done my first jump since the accident that nearly killed me just over a year ago. As I was lying in hospital, thinking that I would never skydive again, I wasn’t feeling glad to be alive. Instead, I was wondering how I could possibly live without it.

It all started one evening after another typical nine to five day. I was sitting at home thinking, “There has to be more to life than this,” when an ad came on the television: “Try skydiving,” it said.

The next day, I called my local skydiving centre and I booked my first jump.

I spent a day training and then I was ready for my first jump. Or almost. First, I had to sign a document to say that I understood that I was taking part in an activity that could end in serious injury. At that moment I realized that I was about to do something voluntarily that would put my life at risk and as I signed, I wondered if I was completely mad.

I will never forget my first jump. Five of us walked to the runway and got into the plane barely big enough to hold three people. I was beginning to feel nervous, but the others were chatting and joking and I started to feel more relaxed. It was a beautiful, cloudless day and the sun was just going down. It took us about 20 minutes to get to 11,000 feet and then the trainer opened the plane door – the view took my breath away. Suddenly, it was time to jump and as I pushed myself away from the plane, I don’t know what I was thinking, my mind was blank.

Words cannot describe the rush of adrenalin I experienced while I was free-falling.

At 5,500 feet I pulled the cord and the parachute opened immediately. Suddenly, everything was silent and peaceful. Twice I shouted, “This is absolutely incredible,” though I knew there was nobody to hear me. It was the most amazing four minutes of my life.

From the first jump, I was hooked. I started spending every free moment I had skydiving. At work, I sat in front of my computer and imagined ways of making more money so that I could jump more often. It became my reason for living and nothing else mattered. I was addicted to skydiving. Things were going really well. I was spending every free moment I had skydiving.

Then disaster struck me on my 1,040^th jump. Another skydiver collided with my parachute at 80 feet. I fell and hit the ground at about 30 mph, face down. I broke both legs, my right foot, left elbow, right arm, my nose and my jaw. I lost 10 pints of blood, 19 teeth and 25 pounds of fat. I was lucky to survive.

People who have never experienced skydiving will find it hard to understand that my only motivation to get better was so that I could do it again. All I can say is that for me, skydiving is life and life is skydiving.

The sentences below summarize Mike’s story. Correct the details that are wrong.

Mike was reading a newspaper one evening when he saw an ad for skydiving.
He phoned the skydiving centre immediately and booked a jump.
After a day’s training, he was sure he was doing the right thing.
His first jump was unforgettable. It was a beautiful morning and he was feeling relaxed.
After an hour’s flight, he jumped out of the plain and his parachute opened immediately.
After his first jump, he didn’t think he would do it again.
During his free time, he thought about skydiving a lot.
On his 1,040^th jump he had an accident when his parachute didn’t open.
He nearly died and thought that his skydiving days were over.
The only reason he wanted to get better was so that he could skydive again.

HOW WE USE THE TELEPHONE

DOES THE TELEPHONE RULE YOUR LIFE?

Most people will answer the ringing phone. Usually you don’t know who is phoning or how urgent their business is, so a ringing phone is difficult to ignore. In one experiment, a researcher wrote down the numbers of several public phones in stations and airports. Then he called the numbers. Someone nearly always answered. When he asked why, people usually said, “Because it rang.”

A few years ago in New Jersey, a man with a gun killed 13 people. Armed police surrounded his house but he refused to come out. A reporter found out the phone number of the house and called. The man put down his rifle and answered the phone. “What do you want?” he said, “I’m really busy right now.”

Imagine you’re at work and the phone is ringing in someone else’s office. Do you answer it or not? In one survey on telephone use, 51% of participants told researchers that they did. We can’t ignore the phone and for that reason, it intrudes into our lives. It interrupts what we are doing and n top of that, the caller is often someone we don’t really want to talk to. However, in the survey, 58% said they never took the phone off the hook, and 67% didn’t mind if someone called during a television programme. For 44% it wasn’t a problem if someone rang during a meal, while only 28% were annoyed or upset. If someone phoned in the middle of the night, 40% told researchers that they got nervous or frightened, while around 30% got angry.

Of course, when someone is really annoying , you can choose to hang up on them. This is in fact one of the rudest things you can do on the phone, but 79 % said that they were prepared to do it in some cases. Only 6 % told researchers they never hung up on people.

Answer:

Do you think the phone causes stress in your life/work?

Translate the sentences:

Гостям Мексики круглый год гарантируется полное расслабление и солнечная погода.
Номера отеля спроектированы таким образом, чтобы отвечать всем нуждам бизнесменов, находящихся в деловой поездке. Бизнес и развлечения идеально скомбинированы.
Год назад я начал заниматься баскетболом и теперь играю каждую субботу.
Компания выделяет $200 в год на каждого сотрудника для занятий спортом и другими увлечениями.
Компания Форд понимает, что может создать для своих сотрудников более здоровую и приятную обстановку на работе.
Систему кондиционирования в бизнес центре сейчас ремонтируют.
Я считаю, что правильное питание и позитивное отношение к жизни способствуют хорошему здоровью.
Меня не беспокоит старение. Это естественный процесс. В Китае пожилых людей уважают больше чем на западе.
Человека, которому вы позвонили, сейчас нет. Оставьте сообщение после сигнала. Вы можете записать свое сообщение, нажав 1.

CREATIVE WRITING

Write about your leisure and fitness activities.
Write some arguments to prove that sports can help you make a successful career.
Write about the best hotel you’ve ever stayed at.

UNIT 6

WORD LIST

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