ITS ALL ABOUT WINNING

Whether they score an additional goal in football or win another set in tennis, sports people
everywhere like to win. So it is not surprising that athletes have always been willing to use
technology to enhance their performance. But the use of some new technologies raises troubling
questions.
Today, there are new advances in almost every field of sport. The poles used by pole-
vaulters are no longer made of flexible wood; instead, they consist of lightweight aluminium and
fibreglass. The surface of the track used by runners has changed from coal, used in the 1930s, to
plastic, latex and rubber. And swimmers today wear swimsuits made of a new fabric called Fastskin.
Partly as a result of these changes, new records have been set. But does this mean that
athletes are no longer competing against each other, that the technologies are competing instead?
Already, it is hard to measure the performances of sports people today against those of times gone
by. Is there any point in comparing the achievements of past baseball players, who used bats of
white ash wood, with those of todays players, who use bats made of stronger, lighter maple wood?
Many people believe that the use of some advanced technologies takes the sporting element
out of certain activities. They wonder if it is fair to use heat-seeking missiles to shoot birds, or darts
that are electronically guided. And what about the cost of new equipment? Competitions that allow
expensive technology automatically favour competitors who can afford it. In order to keep
competitions fair, sports committees have sometimes banned expensive innovations.
How important is it to win? Is winning at all costs worth it? What should the goal of sporting
competitions be? There are no easy answers, only questions.

I. COMPREHENSION (4 points)
CHOSE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D). (0.5 points each)

1. The use of technologies in sports...

a. doesnt improve sport performances.
c. makes the play unfair.
2. It is not easy to compare...
a. past and present sport performances.
c. the materials used to make poles.
b. makes sure players wins their match.
d. is accepted as a legal practice.
b. the achievements of past baseball players.
d. competition committees.

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH

WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT. (0.5 points per answer)

3. The use of technology to enhance performance is new.

4. The surface of tracks used by runners is now made of coal from the 1930s.
5. Technological advances have helped set new records in many sports.
6. Sporting committees sometimes forbid the use of expensive equipment.

7. Find in the text (0,5 points)

7.1. a synonym for IMPROVE (verb)
7.2. an opposite for ILLEGAL (adjective)
8. Find in the text the word which has the following definition (05 points)
8.1. to be able to pay for (verb)
8.2. grey substance which keep after burning something (noun)

II. USE OF ENGLISH (3 points; 0,5 point each)

9. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO REPORTED SPEECH: Dont play cheats if you practice
Olympic games
10. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE: Youd have win the race, ...
11. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE : The use of some new
technologies raises troubling questions.
12. JOIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE PRONOUN. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY.
A new fabric called Fastskin is worn by many swimmers today. It is believed to enhance
performance.
13. REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED.
But does this mean that athletes are no longer competing against each other? But does this
mean that there is no longer
14. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS: Expensive innovations are sometimes
banned in order to keep competitions fair.

III. PRODUCTION (3 points)

WRITE A COMPOSITION (100-120 WORDS). CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
OPTIONS. SPECIFY YOUR OPTION.
a) The advantages and disadvantages of technological devices to enhance performance.
b) Describe your favourite sport and how you try to enhance your performance.