PRACTICE 4
Read the text below. Match the headings A – H to the paragraphs 19 – 25. Write your answers (A – H) on the answer sheet. There is one more heading than you need. The answer to paragraph 0 is given on the answer sheet as an example (J).
Loving sports
0.We have all heard about the many benefits of sports, but sometimes it’s difficult to get ourselves moving. Apart from the compulsory classes we have to take at school, and an occasional soccer match with our friends on Saturdays, we as teenagers seldom have enough discipline to play sports. Perhaps if we were really aware that the benefits are not just physical, we would work out more. What are some of those benefits? (Example)
19.Let’s start with the obvious one: sports help our bodies function better. Many adults suffer from serious health problems, such as coronary diseases and hypertension, which could have been avoided if they had practised some sport regularly from childhood. Young people who regularly take exercise develop healthier bones and good motor skills. Working out helps them maintain optimum levels of sugar and cholesterol. Sitting in front of the TV eating ‘carbohydrate rich’ foods, such as pizzas or spaghetti, and drinking sugary beverages will do exactly the opposite. And the worst part is that when we become adults, we’ll pay for the choices we make today.
20.However, playing sports from childhood can benefit you in other ways. Did you know that some sports can help you develop team work, individual skills and positive attitudes? Take, for example, basketball players. Of course, they need to develop individual technical skills, but they also need to put their team first and know when to pass the ball or run to the other side of the court. They need to maintain a positive attitude when they lose and realise even the best basketball players can’t score every time they shoot.
21.Another valuable aspect of playing sports is the opportunity it provides to become a team captain. As well as setting a good example to the other players, you’ll need to bridge the gap between the team manager (or coach) and players. You can benefit hugely, in terms of character building, from this kind of early responsibility in life. Inevitably, with responsibility comes a certain amount of pressure. You need to be prepared to deal with that so you can develop enough resolve to deal with any difficult personalities or situations.
22.Sports also teach teenagers how to play by the rules in a way almost nothing else will. Let’s admit it: we don’t like following rules. We have rules at home and rules at school, and sometimes we wish we could do whatever we want to, however society is based on rules too and the sooner we learn to play by them, the safer we’ll be. Playing sports demonstrates this to us very clearly: misdemeanours are punished and model behaviour is applauded. Like it or not, this will turn us into better students and better citizens.
23.Research has shown that sports also help us improve at school too. Why is that? First, sports teach discipline, and in the end, discipline is what you need to perform well in your studies. Sports also teach us skills like memory and repetition, which have an important role in academic success. In addition, sports show us how to set goals and achieve them little by little, an approach that can be transferred to our classrooms. Furthermore, sports players may feel less fatigue, have more mental energy, and be less pessimistic when facing difficult challenges.
24.Another great advantage of sports is that they can help boost self-esteem. When you work hard to get something and you see it is paying off, you feel confident and happy. In addition, you know that if you were able to achieve a sporting goal, accomplishing something in another area of your life will become easier. You get better at overcoming drawbacks and problems. When you have good self-esteem, you are better equipped to take care of others and understand them, becoming more even-tempered and co-operative.
25.You might be thinking: ‘Everything sounds great, but I still hate sports’. That’s normal because practising sports requires a lot of effort and it’s more difficult than doing more sedentary activities. What you need to do is to find a sport that suits your temperament. If you like teams, try something like basketball, volleyball, cricket or rugby. If you prefer something more individual, try aerobics or swimming. You can also go for a different activity – go to the gymnasium or try dancing and choreography. Above all, have fun and enjoy the benefits.
Headings
ANSWERS
0. J (Example)
(19) ______
(20) ______
(21) ______
(22) ______
(23) ______
(24) ______
(25) ______
Chọn đáp án cho chỗ trống (19).