Summarize the following text

SPORTS IN THE USA

Baseball is the most popular sport in the United States. It is played throughout the spring and summer, and professional baseball teams play well into the fall. Although no other game is exactly like baseball, perhaps the one most nearly like it is the English game of cricket.

Football is the most popular sport in the fall. It is played by almost every college and university in the country. The game is not the same as European football. In American football there are 11 players in each team and they are dressed in padded uniforms and helmets because the game is rough and injuries are likely to occur. The object of the game is to carry or forward pass (that is, throw from one person to another) the football across the opponent’s goal or scoring line.

There are professional football teams in nearly all the major cities of the United States.

Basketball is the winter sport in American schools and colleges. Many Americans prefer it to football because it is a faster game.

Other spectator sports include wrestling, boxing and horse-racing. The spectators do not assemble primarily to see the forces race, but to bet upon the outcome of each race. Gambling is the attraction of horse-racing.

There are many participant sports in America. Golf is probably the most popular. It is possibly more popular in the United States than anywhere else.

Swimming, water skiing, and skin-diving are very popular summer sports. In winter, ice skating, skiing and hockey are the fashion.

But as much as Americans like to engage in sports or to watch games being played, they seem to have as much fun reading and talking about sports.

10. Answer the questions:

1. What is the most popular sport in the United States?

2. When do the Americans play football?

3. What is the difference between European football and American one?

4. Why do many Americans prefer basketball to football?

5. Is gambling the attraction of horse-racing?

6. Are there any participant sports in America?

Summarize the following text

SPORTS IN RUSSIA

Millions of people all over the world are fond of sports and games. Sport helps people to stay in good shape, keeps them fit, healthy and makes them more organized and better disciplined in their daily activities.

We have always paid great attention to sport in our schools, colleges and universities. You can hardly find a school without a gym or a sports ground. Every city and town has a few stadiums or swimming pools where local competitions are usually held.

It's been a tradition in this country to divide sport into professional and amateur. There are different sporting societies and clubs in Russia. Many of them take part in different international tournaments and are known all over the world. A great number of world records have been set by Russian sportsmen: gymnasts, weightlifters, tennis players, swimmers, figure skaters, runners, high jumpers. Our sportsmen also participate in the Olympic Games and always win a lot of gold, silver and bronze medals.

There are also a lot of amateur clubs and keep-fit centres in Russia where people go in for aerobics, yoga, body-building, swimming, skating, jogging. Thousands of people go to the stadiums to support their favourite team and many thousands more prefer to watch the games on TV. But watching sports events and going in for sports are two different things.

My favourite kind of sport is tennis. I've been playing it since I was eleven years old, and the more I play it the more I like it. There is a good tennis court not far from my house and whenever I have a chance I go there with a friend of mine.

12. Answer the questions:

1. Why is sport so important in our life? Why do people go in for sports?

2. Was there a gym or a sports ground in your school?

3. What professional sporting societies or clubs do you know?

4. Are there any keep-fit centres in your neighbourhood? Do you go there?

5. Do you go in for sports or do you prefer to watch other people playing?

6. What team are you a fan of?

7. What is your favourite kind of sport?

8. How long have you been playing it?

9. Do you take part in competitions?

10. What games are popular in Russia?

13. Translate into English: