Before You Read

Work in pairs. Look at the picture and answer the questions.

(Làm việc từng đôi. Nhìn hình và trả lời câu hỏi.)

1. Can you name the sport in the picture?

(Bạn có thể nêu tên môn thể thao trong bức tranh?)

2. Where is it played?

(Nó được chơi ở đâu?)

3. How do people play it?

(Mọi người chơi nó như thế nào?)

While You Read

Read the passage and do the tasks that follow.

(Đọc đoạn văn và làm bài tập kèm theo.)

Water polo is played in a pool 1.8 metres deep, 30 metres long and 20 metres wide, with a goal 3 metres high and at least 0.9 metre above the water. The goal is marked by vertical posts, a crossbar and a net.

There are seven players per team, six swimmers and a goalie. The home team wears white caps, the visiting team blue ones and the goalies wear red caps with the number 1 in white.

Like football, the game begins with the ball in the centre of the pool and both teams sprint for it from their own goal lines. The ball can be advanced by passing with one hand or swimming with the head above the water and the ball between the arms so it rides on the wave created by the swimmer’s head. No player except the goalie can hold the ball with both hands.

Defensive players are not allowed to interfere with the opponent’s movements unless the player is holding the ball. Major fouls are penalized by one minute in the penalty box and a player is ejected after committing five personal fouls.

For minor fouls, such as holding or punching the ball, a free throw is awarded from the spot of the foul. At least two players must touch the ball after a free throw before a goal can be scored.

A game is divided into quarters ranging from five to eight minutes in length. After a tie, there are two overtime periods of three minutes each. If the game is still tied after the overtime periods, two teams continue to play 3-minute overtime until the referee’s decision is made.

Task 1: Work in pairs. Match the words in column A with their meanings in column B.

(Làm việc từng đôi. Ghép những từ ở cột A với nghĩa của chứng ở cột B.)

 Task 2: Complete the following sentences, using the information from the passage.

(Điền những câu sau, dùng thông tin từ đoạn văn.)

1. Water polo is played in a pool……….metres deep,……....long and……….wide.

2. The home team wears………, the visiting team wears ……………and the goalies wear……………..

3. Both teams sprint for the ball from…………….

4. A free throw is awarded for minor fouls, such as…………….

5. A game is divided into quarters ranging from………….in length.

Task 3: Work in pairs. Ask and answer the following questions.

(Làm việc từng đôi. Hỏi và trả lời những câu hỏi sau.)

1. Where can people play water polo?

(Người ta có thể chơi bóng nước ở đâu?)

2. Where is the ball when the game starts?

(Bóng ở đâu khi trận đấu bắt đầu?)

3. How can the ball be advanced? 

(Làm thế nào để quả bóng được nâng cao?)

4. Which players are allowed to hold the ball with both hands?

(Người chơi nào được phép giữ cả hai tay?)

5. What happens to a player who commits five personal fouls?

(Điều gì xảy ra với một cầu thủ phạm lỗi cá nhân?)

After You Read

Work in groups. Make a comparison between football and water polo, using the following suggestions.

(Làm việc từng nhóm. So sánh giữa  bóng đá và bóng nước, dùng những gợi ý sau.)

- place to play (nơi để chơi)

- number of players (số lượng người chơi)

- main rules (luật chính)

- length of game (thời lượng chơi)