Vice or Virtue
3/29/2023 9:58:47 AM
Do you know?
- Extreme sports, sometimes called action sports or adventure sports, are generally considered to be activities that are seen as having a high level of potential danger.
- Extreme sports tend to be popular among the ages of 15 - 35 years and usually involve less team aspects than traditional sports.
Let's explore more in the following passage!
PREPARING TO READ
The words and phrases in bold below are used in the text "Vice or Virtue". Read the sentences and match the word or phrase to its definition.
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We will make every endeavor to obtain sufficient supplies. Steinem has always been a strong proponent of women’s rights. The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. His book which extolled the benefits of vegetarianism sold thousands of copies. One virtue of the plan is that it is cheaper to implement. Once my belly was full, I felt invincible, as if nothing could harm me again. Unemployment and greater inequality are often the downside of a market economy. Firefighting is an inherently dangerous occupation. |
(n.): an advantage or good thing
(v.): to praise somebody/something very much
(n.): a disadvantage or negative aspect of something
(n.): a person who supports an idea or course of action
(v.): to publicly support or suggest an idea, plan, or way of doing something
(adv.): in a way that exists as a natural or basic part of something
(adj.): too strong to be destroyed or defeated
(n.): an attempt to do something, especially something new or difficult
Read and complete the tasks.
Vice or Virtue
The virtues of extreme sports have been much extolled, but the downside has also been discussed at length. Extreme sports have been credited for encouraging participants to set goals and work hard to achieve them. While this may be true, critics of extreme sports claim it is irresponsible to advocate that young people - the majority of extreme sport participants - participate in something that is inherently dangerous.
Young people tend to believe that they are invincible. Injury and death seem like things that could never touch them, when in fact, they might be staring them right in the face. But it can be argued that sports in and of themselves are dangerous endeavors. Injuries suffered from playing sports such as ice hockey, rugby, and American football are common and well-documented. The benefit that sports of any kind bring to individuals outweighs the risk, which is why sports have always been a part of our lives and always will be.
Critics also argue that because extreme sports are usually individual, rather than team sports, young people no longer acquire the valuable lessons that conventional team sports can teach. For example, bungee jumping is a solitary activity. One does not learn how to work as part of a team, which is a skill that is invaluable to all areas of civic and professional life.
In addition, many believe that since the boundaries and rules in extreme sports are always shifting, young people do not learn to play by the rules in life. Extreme sports proponents, however, argue that in the real world, nothing advances or changes for the better unless someone “pushes the envelope.”
For better or for worse, extreme sports are here to stay. They will continue to evolve and change, and they will continue to be the focus of lively debate.
Source: Reading for the Real World 2
Mark each statement as either true (T) or false (F) according to the reading.
Extreme sports have both positive and negative aspects.
Injuries are infrequent occurrences in sports like ice hockey, rugby, and American football.
In bungee jumping, participants do not engage in cooperative activities.
What do critics of extreme sports imply about extreme sports?
- Such sports cost a huge amount of money and effort to pursue in the long run.
- The characteristic of these sports makes them less valuable for developing soft skills of participants.
- The ever-changing rules in these sports make it difficult for participants to master them.
- Young people who used to participate in such sports will become irresponsible and reckless in the future.
What does the author say about the future of extreme sports?
- They won't be subjected to mixed reactions from the public.
- They will represent the brave spirit in sports.
- They won't be accepted by lovers of team sports worldwide.
- They will become a permanent part of our lives.
What is the main idea of this text?
- A controversy over the future of extreme sports
- Potential impacts of extreme sports on participants
- Extreme sports and the controversy around them
- A comparison of extreme sports and conventional sports
Drag and drop to complete the summary.
According to some, extreme sports encourage young people to set goals and work hard to achieve them, but others the promotion of activities that are inherently dangerous. While injuries and deaths from extreme sports are a , critics also argue that these sports to teach crucial skills such as teamwork and adherence to rules. Proponents, however, argue that extreme sports push boundaries and promote . Regardless, extreme sports are likely to remain a topic of debate as they continue to evolve and participants.
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
Build your vocabulary by learning these intensive idioms in the topic area of Sports
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in brackets. You must use between THREE and SIX words, including the word given. Do NOT change the word given.
Due to the manager's failure to conduct thorough market research, the product launch was unsuccessful. (BALL)
=> The manager launch by not conducting thorough market research.
Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s).
The union leaders went to bat for their members and negotiated better wages and benefits on their behalf.
- caught their members on the hop
- wiped the floor with their members
- put one over on their members
- gave their members a hard time
Think of ONE word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences.
1. The BBC had to _____ more than 300 phone calls after last night's programme.
2. For the journal activity, children were asked to write about a recent _____ trip.
3. His behavior at the party was out in left _____ and made everyone feel uncomfortable.
Answer:
Anne: What makes you think we can find a solution to this complex problem?
John: _____, but I believe that with the right resources and expertise, we can make it happen.
- It isn't over until the fat lady sings
- It's a shot in the dark
- It takes one to know one
- It's raining cats and dogs