Learn about sports that were invented in Britain, practise sports vocabulary, and write about your own favourite sport.
Read the text carefully, then answer the comprehension questions below.
Did you know that many of the world’s most popular sports were invented in Britain? People in Britain have always loved games, and over the centuries they turned simple games into organised sports with proper rules.
Football is the most popular sport in the world today, and it started in England. For a long time, people played different versions of the game with different rules. Then, in 1863, a group of men met in London and wrote the first official rules. They called their organisation the Football Association – that is where the word “soccer” comes from (“association”). The oldest football club in the world is Sheffield F.C., which was founded in 1857.
Rugby is another sport that comes from England. The story says that in 1823, a schoolboy called William Webb Ellis was playing football at Rugby School. He picked up the ball and ran with it – and a new sport was born! Today, the Rugby World Cup trophy is named after him.
Cricket has been played in England for more than 400 years. It is the most popular summer sport in England. Two teams of eleven players take turns batting and bowling. A cricket match can last for several hours – or even five days! The sport spread to many countries in the British Empire, including India, Australia, and South Africa.
Tennis also has British roots. The first Wimbledon Championship took place in 1877, and it is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. Wimbledon is famous for its grass courts and for the tradition of eating strawberries and cream. Only 22 players entered the first tournament – today, millions of people watch it on television.
Choose the correct answer for each question.
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the dropdown.
1. A football game is played on a 1 .
2. Tennis is played on a 2 .
3. A group of players who play together is called a 3 .
4. The person who makes sure the players follow the rules is the 4 .
5. When a player gets a goal, we say they 5 .
6. A single game between two teams is called a 6 .
7. The winning team receives a 7 .
8. Wimbledon is a famous tennis 8 .
Answer both questions below. Write at least 3–4 sentences for each.
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