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ContentsActiveReading11.What’syourfirstimpressionofAmericanfootballgame?2.WhatarethedifferencesbetweenAmericanfootballandsoccer?3.Watchthevideoclipanddiscussthecrueltyandwildnessofsports.WarmingUpAmericanfootballisaballgamewithcomplexrulesandintricatestrategies,playedinanumberofcountriesbutmainlyintheUS.Eachteamhas11playersonthefieldatatime(outof46inawholeteamwhoaredividedintooffence,defenceandspecializedteams)andeachplayerhasaspecializedroleortaskforeachspecificplay.Playerscarrytheegg-shapedballandpassorhanditbackwardstoothers(a“runningplay”)orthrowitforwardstoteam-mates(a“passingplay”).Opposingplayersmay“tackle”aplayerrunningwithball(bypushing,graspingorpulling)orblockotherplayers.WarmingUpPlaysusuallybeginwitha“scrimmage”inwhichplayersonthefieldtakeupparticularformationsforoffenceanddefenceandconsistofaseriesof“downs”(rapidburstsofplayinwhichtheoffenceattemptstoadvancetheballtowardstheiropponents’endzone),outsideofwhichtheballis“dead”(outofplay).Themainpointsarescoredbya6-point“touchdown”(whentheballistakentotheopponents’endzone),a3-point“fieldgoal”(whentheballiskickedthroughtheopponents’goalposts),ora2-point“safety”(bytacklinganopposingballcarrierintheirownendzone).WarmingUpPlayersneedstrength,speed,techniqueandhighcollaborationandunderstandingofteamworkindifferentplays.Becausethegamestopsafterevery“down”,teamshavemanyopportunitiestochangethe“plays”,choosingdifferentonesfromawiderepertoirewithdifferentstrategies(saferormorerisky,disguisedordeceptive,easyormorecomplexones),whichmakesAmericanfootballlikeawargame.Soccerisawordforthegameoffootball.ThewordsoccerisusedsothatitisnotconfusedwithAmericanfootball.WarmingUpTextBlowingthewhistleonsoccerDiscussthequestionsGotothetextText1Workinpairsanddiscussthequestions.2Lookatthetitleandthefirsttwoparagraphsofthepassageandanswerthequestions.Text1Workinpairsanddiscussthequestions.1WhatarethemostpopularsportsinChina?2DoyouthinkforeignerscanunderstandChinesesportssuchast’aichiandkungfu?3Doyouunderstandforeignsports,suchasfootballandtennis?4Howmuchdoyouthinknationalcultureisreflectedinsports?Text1WhatarethemostpopularsportsinChina?Well,Ibelieveithasbeenatraditionthatsportslikebasketball,tabletennis,badminton,volleyball,swimming,gymnastics,martialartsandt’aichiarethemostpopularsportsinChina.However,inrecentyears,footballhascertainlybecomeverypopular,alongwithsomeothersportslikegolf,tennis,skiing,carracingandsnooker.Text2DoyouthinkforeignerscanunderstandChinesesportssuchast’aichiandkungfu?Thisisastrangequestion.Whynot?ChinesepeoplecansurelyunderstandsportswhichhavecometoChinafromothercountries,inventedordevelopedbyforeigners,can’tthey?Sothereversemustalsobetrue.ManyforeignersareinterestedintraditionalChinesesportslikemartialartsandt’aichi,andiftheylearnthemwelltheycanunderstandthem.Text3Doyouunderstandforeignsports,suchasfootballandtennis?•Well,Iknowthesports,butIdon’tknowtherulesandhardlywatchthem.•Yes.Iunderstandabit.Footballisaballgameinwhichtwoteamsof11players,usinganypartoftheirbodiesexcepttheirhandsandarms,trytomanoeuvertheballintotheopposingteam’sgoal.Tennisisplayedonacourtbytwoplayers(orfourfordoubles).Playersonoppositesidesofanethitaballoverthenetwitharacketsothatitlandsontheothersideofthecourt.Text4Howmuchdoyouthinknationalcultureisreflectedinsports?Ibelieveparticipatinginsportsisaveryimportantwaytopublicize,popularizeanddevelopanationalculture.Throughsports,thenationshowsitssportingspirit,andalsotheconditionofitssportsfacilities,whichindicatethegeneralqualityoflife.Forexample,the2008BeijingOlympicGamesandPara-OlympicsweresuccessfulsportingeventswhichshowedhowtheChinesenationiskeentoimplementitsmottoof“OneWorld,OneDream”.TextChinesepeopledemonstratedtheirdevotiontotheidealsofpeace,respect,careandworkingforabetterlife,andtheysharedtheirvisionwithallothernations.Fromtheeventsandceremonies,peopleallovertheworldcouldseethatChinahasdevelopedintoamodernsociety,withgoodsporting,transportandlivingfacilities.Chinesepeopleheartilysupportedtheevents,andwereenthusiasticabouthelpingforeignvisitorsenjoytheirtimeduringtheeventsinChina.Text2Lookatthetitleandthefirsttwoparagraphsofthepassageandanswerthequestions.1Blowthewhistleonsomeoneorsomethingmeanstotellpeopleaboutsomethingyouknowiswrong.Whydoyouthinkthewriterchosethistitle?2IsbaseballapopularsportinFrance?3IsthewriterFrenchorAmerican?4IsbaseballapopularsportforAmericans?5IssoccerapopularsportforAmericans?6Willtherestofthepassagedescribebaseballorsoccer?7Willitbeafactualdescriptionorahumorousone?8Doesthewriterenjoywatchingsoccerandfinditexciting?9IsthewriterlookingforwardtotheWorldCup?Text1Blowthewhistleonsomeoneorsomethingmeanstotellpeopleaboutsomethingyouknowiswrong.Whydoyouthinkthewriterchosethistitle?Theuseofthephraseblowthewhistlehereisapun,whichindicatesa)somethingneedstobesaidaboutsoccerand,b)therefereeblowsawhistletostartandstopasoccermatch.2IsbaseballapopularsportinFrance?No.Idon’tthinkso.Butfootballisverypopularthere.Text3IsthewriterFrenchorAmerican?IbelievethewriterisanAmerican,becausethewriterindicatesthatbaseb