Lesson 9

Sports

Sports are physical activities that are governed by a set of rules or customs and often involve competition between individuals or teams. Sports can be played for recreation, enjoyment, or competition.

There are many different types of sports, including:

• Team sports: These sports are played by two or more teams of players who compete against each other. Some examples of team sports include basketball, football, soccer, and volleyball.
• Individual sports: These sports are played by one person against another person or against the clock. Some examples of individual sports include tennis, track and field, swimming, and golf.
• Mixed sports: These sports are played by teams of two or more players, but each player competes individually. Some examples of mixed sports include doubles tennis and mixed doubles badminton.
• Outdoor sports: These sports are played outdoors, typically in natural surroundings. Some examples of outdoor sports include hiking, camping, and fishing.
• Indoor sports: These sports are played indoors, typically in a gym or stadium. Some examples of indoor sports include basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics.

Sports can be played for a variety of reasons, including:

• Recreation: Sports are a great way to get exercise and stay healthy. They can also be a fun way to spend time with friends and family.
• Enjoyment: Sports can be a lot of fun to play and watch. They can also be a great way to relieve stress and have some excitement in your life.
• Competition: Sports can be a great way to compete against others and test your skills. They can also be a great way to learn teamwork and sportsmanship.
• Professionalism: Some people play sports professionally, as a way to make a living. Professional athletes train for many hours a day and compete in tournaments and championships.

Here are some of the most popular sports in the world:

• Team sports:
  • Basketball: a team sport in which two teams of five players each try to maneuver a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground
  • American football: a team sport played between two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The object of the game is to score points by carrying the ball across the opposing team’s goal line or by kicking it through the opposing team’s goal posts.
  • Soccer: a team sport played between two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by kicking or heading the ball into the other team’s goal.
  • Baseball: a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players on a field with a rectangular infield and a circular outfield. The object of the game is to score runs by hitting the ball with a bat and then running around the bases.
  • Cricket: a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the center of which is a 22-yard (20-meter) pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps.
• Individual sports:
  • Tennis: a racket sport played between two players (singles) or between two teams of two players (doubles) on a rectangular court with a net stretched across the middle.
  • Golf: a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
  • Swimming: a sport in which athletes compete in various water-based events, such as freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual medley.
  • Running: a sport in which athletes compete in various distances, such as sprints, marathons, and cross country.
  • Cycling: a sport in which athletes compete in various events, such as road cycling, mountain biking, and BMX.

These are just a few of the many different sports that are played around the world.

Here are some phrases that include different sport associations:

Here are some phrases that include different sport names:

• He’s a real gym rat. This phrase is used to describe someone who is very dedicated to their fitness and loves to work out.
• She’s a natural athlete. This phrase is used to describe someone who is very good at sports and seems to have a natural talent for them.
• He’s a bit of a sore loser. This phrase is used to describe someone who takes losing very hard and can be difficult to be around after a loss.
• She’s a team player. This phrase is used to describe someone who is willing to put the needs of the team ahead of their own.
• He’s a bit of a hothead. This phrase is used to describe someone who gets easily angry or excited, especially during sports.

Here are some more specific phrases that include different sport names:

• He’s a real basketball junkie. This phrase is used to describe someone who is very passionate about basketball and watches or plays it all the time.
• She’s a soccer mom. This phrase is used to describe a mother who is very involved in her children’s soccer activities.
• He’s a golf pro. This phrase is used to describe someone who is a professional golfer.
• She’s a track star. This phrase is used to describe someone who is very good at track and field events.
• He’s a marathon runner. This phrase is used to describe someone who runs marathons.

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Verb “Like”

The word “like” has multiple meanings in English. It can be a verb, a preposition, a conjunction, and an adjective.

As a verb, “like” means “to have a feeling of liking or enjoyment for something.” For example, “I like chocolate ice cream.”

As a preposition, “like” can mean “similar to” or “in the same way as.” For example, “The new car looks like the old one.”

As a conjunction, “like” can mean “similar to the way that” or “in the same way that.” For example, “She sings like an angel.”

As an adjective, “like” means “similar to.” For example, “She has a like mind.”

In addition to these basic meanings, the word “like” can also be used in a variety of idiomatic expressions. For example:

• “I like the cut of your jib.” This means that you approve of someone’s attitude or personality.
• “I’d like to be like that.” This means that you admire someone or something.
• “He’s like a brother to me.” This means that you have a close relationship with someone.
• “I’m not like that.” This means that you do not share the same qualities or characteristics as someone or something.
• “It’s like something out of a dream.” This means that something is very impressive or unrealistic.

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Agent Noun

An agent noun is a noun that refers to the person or thing that performs the action of a verb. It is typically formed by adding the suffix “er” to the verb stem. For example, the verb “to write” becomes the agent noun “writer”.

Here are some other examples of agent nouns:

• driver (from the verb “to drive”)
• teacher (from the verb “to teach”)
• singer (from the verb “to sing”)
• dancer (from the verb “to dance”)
• painter (from the verb “to paint”)
• cook (from the verb “to cook”)
• photographer (from the verb “to photograph”)
• engineer (from the verb “to engineer”)
• doctor (from the verb “to doctor”)
• lawyer (from the verb “to lawyer”)

Agent nouns can be used in a variety of ways. They can be used as the subject of a sentence, as the object of a verb, or as the object of a preposition. For example:

• The driver of the car was speeding.
• The teacher taught the class about the solar system.
• The singer sang a beautiful song.
• The dancer danced the night away.
• The painter painted a picture of the ocean.
• The cook cooked a delicious meal.
• The photographer photographed the wedding.
• The engineer engineered the bridge.
• The doctor doctored the patient.
• The lawyer lawyered for the client.

Example Phrases

Here are some phrases that contain agent nouns:

• The driver of the car was speeding.
• The teacher taught the class about the solar system.
• The singer sang a beautiful song.
• The dancer danced the night away.
• The painter painted a picture of the ocean.
• The cook cooked a delicious meal.
• The photographer photographed the wedding.
• The engineer engineered the bridge.
• The doctor doctored the patient.
• The lawyer lawyered for the client.

Here are some other examples of phrases that contain agent nouns:

• The writer wrote a novel.
• The reader read the book.
• The speaker spoke at the conference.
• The listener listened to the music.
• The actor acted in the play.
• The actress acted in the movie.
• The dancer danced in the ballet.
• The painter painted the portrait.
• The photographer photographed the scene.
• The engineer engineered the building.

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Pronunciation of Ch and Sh

Pronunciation of Ch

The “ch” sound in English can be pronounced in three different ways:

• [tʃ] (voiceless palato-alveolar affricate) is the most common pronunciation of “ch”. It is made by bringing the tip of the tongue to the alveolar ridge (the ridge behind the teeth) and then releasing it with a puff of air. This sound is found in words like cheese, church, and much.
• [k] (voiceless velar plosive) is pronounced by bringing the back of the tongue to the velum (the soft palate) and then releasing it with a puff of air. This sound is found in words like chemistry, school, and mechanic.
• [ʃ] (voiceless postalveolar fricative) is pronounced by bringing the tip of the tongue to the alveolar ridge and then dragging it back, creating a hissing sound. This sound is found in words like champagne, machine, and mustache.

The pronunciation of “ch” can vary depending on the word and its origin. For example, the “ch” in “cheese” is pronounced as [tʃ], while the “ch” in “chemistry” is pronounced as [k].

Here is a table showing the different pronunciations of “ch” in English:

Word	Pronunciation	Origin
cheese	[tʃ]	Germanic
chemistry	[k]	Greek
school	[k]	Latin
much	[tʃ]	Germanic
champagne	[ʃ]	French
machine	[ʃ]	French
mustache	[ʃ]	French

Pronunciation of Sh

The “sh” sound is a voiceless fricative, which means that it is made without vibrating the vocal cords. The tongue is positioned in the front of the mouth, with the tip curled up and touching the roof of the mouth. The air is then forced out through a small gap between the tongue and the roof of the mouth, creating a hissing sound.

Here are some tips for pronouncing the “sh” sound correctly:

• Make sure that your tongue is positioned correctly in the front of your mouth.
• Curl the tip of your tongue up and touch the roof of your mouth.
• Force the air out through a small gap between your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
• Don’t vibrate your vocal cords.

Here are some words that contain the “sh” sound:

• sheep
• shop
• shell
• shoot
• shore
• shake
• shine
• show
• shut
• she