I. Before you read the text discuss these questions.

1. What is athletics?

2. Can you name any famous athletes?

3. Do you know any track events?

Track and field athletics (track events)

Track and field athletics is one of the most popular kinds of sports. It is a sport in which athletes compete in running, walking, jumping and throwing events. It is called track and field because the events are contested either on the track or on the field of the stadium.

Track and field athletics has a long history. The first foot race probably took place thousands of years ago, at the ancient Olympic Games, held in Greece. Modern athletics began in the schools of England. In 1864, Cambridge University competed against Oxford University in the first intervarsity athletics event. In 1896, Athens, Greece, hosted the first modern Olympic Games that stimulated great interest in this sport.

In 1912, 16 countries agreed to form the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) to govern amateur athletics. Nowadays about 180 nations belong to the IAAF.

Athletics meetings can be held indoors or outdoors. Outdoor running tracks are oval in shape and measure 400 metres. Track events consist of running and walking races of various distances. Short-distance races, called sprints, are 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres. Middle-distance events are the 800 metres and 1500 metres. Long-distance events are 5000 and 10000 metres. Marathon is a footrace of 42.2 kilometres.

Hurdle races are events in which the competitors run over obstacles called hurdles. Hurdle races are 110 metres for men and 100 metres for women and 400 metres for both. Runners can knock over hurdles without penalty, but contact with a hurdle normally slows down the runner.

Steeplechase is a test of middle-distance running, endurance and hurdling skill. The steeplechase is a race usually of 3,000 metres, over two kinds of obstacles, hurdles and water jumps. It is contested both by men and women.

II. Answer the questions to the text.

1. What kind of sport is track and field athletics?

2. What is the history of track and field athletics

3. What organization is the governing body of track and field athletics?

4. What do track events consist of?

5. What is a walking race?

III. Find the English equivalents for the following words and expressions.

преодолеть барьер, защитная сетка, соревноваться в беге, вызвать сильный интерес, бег на длинные дистанции, барьерный бег, замедлять, следовать определенным правилам, дисквалифицировать участника, судья

IV. Match the following phrases to make sentences.

1.Track events consist of 2. Relays are run 3. The steeplechase is a race 4. Athletics meetings are held 5. While the foot is touching the ground 6. Hurdle races are 110 metres 7.The first modern Olympic Games stimulated great interest in 8.Marathon is a footrace of 9.Runners can knock over hurdles without

A. by teams of four runners B. running and walking races of various distances C. of 3,000 metres D. for men E. the leg must be unbent F. indoors or outdoors G. penalty H. 42.2 kilometres I. this sport