UNUSUAL

SPORTS

Warm up

Look at these pictures and describe what you see.

Picture 1​ Picture 2

9
Picture 3​ Picture 4

1.​ Which have you done? Which would you like to do?
2.​ What are your favourite and least favourite sports?
 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Match each word or phrase to its correct definition.

Group 1

1.​ have a go at (phrase)​ a.​ not allowed

2.​ lifeguard (n)​ b.​ try to do something

3.​ artificial (adj.)​ c.​ in a shape that looks like part of a circle

4.​ prohibited (adj.)​ d.​ not natural, made by people

5. curved (adj.)​ e.​ a person at a beach or a swimming pool who

​ rescues people from the water

Group 2

1.​ slide (v)​ a.​ use a brush on the floor

2.​ sweep (v)​ b.​ a competition with different levels

3.​ vary (v)​ c.​ change depending on the situation or place

4.​ regard (v)​ d.​ move smoothly over a surface

5.​ tournament (n)​ e.​ think about something in one way

 Part B: Write the correct word or phrase from Part A in each sentence.

1.​ I had a weekend away from the beach and my job as a ​ and wanted to relax.

2.​ We decided to ​ at golf.

3.​ We had a practice at an indoor golf course, and we were very happy to see the ball ​
straight across the floor and into the hole almost every time.

4.​ We signed up to take part in a local beginners’ ​ . I really wanted the

prize-winner’s cup.

5.​ But golf outside on real ground is very different from playing on ​ grass. We
didn’t have the same control of the ball.

6.​ You have to ​ the way you hit the ball, depending on where you are on the golf
course.

7.​ My partner hit the ball too hard. It ​ through the air and disappeared behind a
small hill.

8.​ I also didn’t know that it was ​ to pick up someone else’s ball, so when I found
it, I picked it up and gave it back to her.

9.​ I think the judges ​ us as the pair who were going to lose for sure.

10.​ But my partner got lucky and, pretending she was using a brush, she was able to ​
the ball straight into the hole. She saved us from losing!
Part C: Discuss these questions about sports with a classmate and use the word in bold in
your answers.

1.​ Have you ever taken part in a tournament?

2.​ What sport or activity would you like to have a go at? Why?
3.​ Do you think any sport is too dangerous and should be prohibited?

Reading

Part 1: You are going to read an article called Four sports you may never have heard of (but
will want to try). Which 4 of these phrases do you think you will read in the article?

1.​ somewhere wild

2.​ played indoors

3.​ big, smooth stones

4.​ jumps in the air

5.​ World Championship since 1980

6.​ in Ancient Rome

7.​ the national sport

8.​ beat your opponent

Read the article and check your prediction.

sources: The Independent, The Conversation

Glossary:

wetsuit (n): a tight rubber suit worn to keep warm in water sports or
diving jogging (n): the activity of exercising by running at a steady,
slower pace
juggle (v): to throw three or more objects in the air, catch them, and quickly throw them in the air
again
Part 2: Look at the questions below. Read the article again and complete the table. Put an x
in the correct boxes.

Sport You do You Take You You need Try to be

this in a need to somethin score to use the first
team move g warm points your arms to reach
objects and dry the finish
line

Wild x
Swimming

Curling

Joggling

Sepak
Takraw
Listening

Part 1: Listen to two teenagers talking about trying a new sport.

1.​ What sports are available?

2.​ What sport do they decide to do?

Part 2: Listen again and decide if the statements below are true or false.

1.​ It’s sports week next week. ​

2.​ They can practice the new sport before playing it. ​

3.​ At least one of the sports takes place away from the school. ​

4.​ It’s too warm to do a winter sport outside. ​

5.​ Both of them are tall. ​

6.​ They decide to have a swimming lesson on the weekend. ​

7.​ Neither of them likes team games. ​

8.​ They decide to go wild swimming for sports week. ​

Part 3: Here are some words from the text. Practice saying them with your partner.
 Part 4: Use the words from above to complete the sentences.

1.​ Thanks for ​ .

2.​ Every year, the sports department organizes some new sports to try. Everyone ​
for one.

3.​ Here, look at this poster; it seems there are four ​ . That one looks fun.

4.​ Well, the school has buses. They’d take us to an ​ , I guess.

5.​ Yes, and a bit like cleaning. That one looks more ​ , and fun.

6.​ I played on ​ for the volleyball team at my last school too, and I’m not so tall, so
I don’t think so.

7.​ I can’t swim. I went ​ once and fell in. Someone had to pull me out of the water.

Part 5: Match the words to the definitions.

1.​ ________________ : take someone to visit all or the main parts of a place so they can see
what it is like and learn about it
2.​ ________________ : puts their name on a list because they want to do something

3.​ ________________ : be available for people to choose

4.________________ : an area kept frozen for people to skate on, often inside a building

5. . ​______________ : demanding or being able to do a lot of activity without getting tired

6. ______________ : the part of a sports team that tries to prevent the other team from scoring points
7. _______________ : traveling in a small light boat using a stick called a paddle to move the boat through the
water.
Speaking: Invent a sport

Work in small groups and invent a fantastic new sport. Use the questions below to help you.
Make sure you answer questions from each square in the table. Present your new sport to
the class.