Anglais : sport

Sport is a physical and mental activity which requires strenghts, skills, determination and which implies certain rules.

It can be done individually or as part of a team. It allows us to keep fit, lose weight, exert ourselves, let of steam, relax (unwind) and socialize.

Missy Franklin tries to stay a normal teenager who ges to school although/though/even if she swims two to four hours a day.

The gymnast says that one of the biggest sacrificies in his life was to leave his family to practise gymnastics and to reach his goal/fulfill his dream/mahe his dream come true.

The BMX rider has been dreaming of becoming an Olympic champion since she was 10.

The athletes are determined to win/they are strong-willed and they are ready/willing to do their best to win a medal.

Some of the negative aspects of sport are mentioned in the text are frst the appeal of fame and money like greed. The author also insists on the fact that some athletes use illegal substances ( doping ) to improve their performances. Others sometimes cheat and use their influence to obtain advantages. Some celebrities can be involved in different types of scandals.

The journalist highlights ?the more the positive ? Aspects of sport even if he describes the reasons why people should get away from it. Everytime he mentions a negative element he counterbalances it with many more positive aspects. For example « Why do we still love sport when there are hundrer of reasons not to ? Because there are thousands of reasons left »

The document is a teaser for the Rio Paralympics broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK.

The Paralympic games are held almost immediately following the OG. It is a major multi-sport event, involving athletes with a wide range of physical and mental abilities. It aims at showing that people with disabilities can do anything. Indeed they can be champions as everyone else. Having a handicap shouldn’t be an obstacle to do sport and acheive to be a champion.

The parallel which is drawn between music and sport is clever and relevant. This document also denounces the fact that disabled people are often discriminated against but it ends up on an optimistic vision of their situation.

Melissa Stockwell is a former American female soldier who fought in Irak and lost a leg (limb) in a blast. Despite this awful/dreadful experience, she never lost faith in her future. Indeed she sayw she is very optimistic person. She had been dreaming of taking in the OG as a gymnast since she was young so when she heard of the Paralympics she realized it was an opportunity she couldn’t miss.

So she ended up in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics as a swimmer. A year later she turned to triathlon (swimming,cycling and running). Although she has to wear different types of prostheses, she says she fell in love with this sport.

In 2012, with her 2 friends of hers, she co-founded a club (Dare2Tri) where they can coach,train disabled athletes and provide them with the necessary equipment to get into the sport. Their motto is « One inspires many ! ». Melissa is proud of her achievement/feat and is encouraging people to overcome their disabilities.

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