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ENGLISH FOR THE GAMES

Sitting VolleyballWhen athletes come together from around the world to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, they are fulfilling their dreams and competing at the highest level. Billions of people across the globe join in; watching, listening to and reading about the greatest global celebration of sport. To celebrate the London 2012 Games, the British Council is making a wide range of classroom resources available for learners of English worldwide.

Have you ever played Volleyball? Sitting Volleyball first developed in the 1950s. It is a combination of Volleyball and a German game called Sitzbal. It is played indoors by two teams of either men or women. There are six players on each team. It is one of the fastest and most exciting Paralympic sports.

Spike

Set

Block

Dig

Serve

Volleyball court

1. Vocabulary

a. Write the correct words in the spaces provided.

a. serve b. block c. spike

d. dig e. volleyball court f. set

4 3

2

1

5 6

2. The rules of Sitting volleyball

What is it?

Sitting volleyball began in Holland in the 1950s, and is a combination of volleyball and a

German game called ‘sitzball’. It is similar to Olympic volleyball, with the same rules and

scoring system.

Who can participate in sitting volleyball at the Paralympics?

Sitting volleyball is open to athletes with a physical disability.

Classifications

In sitting volleyball there is no specific classification system. Players must have at least a

minimal level of disability to participate. All athletes who meet the International

Paralympic classification guidelines can compete.

How is it played?

Sitting volleyball is played by two teams of six players.

The court measures 10 metres by 6 metres and is divided by a net.

The object of the game is to make the ball hit the floor on the other side of the

court. This wins one point.

Usually 25 points are needed to win a set.

To start a point, one player hits or ‘serves’ the ball and the other team tries to hit

the ball back. Players have to rotate before their team serves.

When players hit the ball to each other, this is a ‘rally’. The rally continues until

the ball hits the floor, goes out of the court or a team fails to return the ball or

commits a fault.

Players can hit the ball (but not catch or throw it) 3 times before it must cross

over the net. They are also allowed to ‘block’ the ball in addition to the maximum

number of touches.

A part of the player’s body between the buttocks and the shoulders must be

touching the court when playing or attempting to play the ball.

The first team to win 3 sets is the winner.

a. Match the words in the table with their definitions below.

a. block b. buttocks c. court

d. fault e. lead f. net

g. rally h. rotate i. serve

j. set k. shoulders

1. To move to the next position on the floor in a clockwise direction

2. To prevent the attacking ball from coming over the net by forming a ‘wall’ of hands at

the net

3. To hit the ball to the other team at the start of each rally

4. The area where the game is played

5. The rectangular piece of material made from string which separates the two sides of

the court

6. A part of a match, which a team usually wins if they score 25 points.

7. A violation of the rules

8. A continuous exchange of hits between teams

9. The part of your body that you sit on

10. Where your arms join the rest of your body

11. To have more points than the other team

3. Reading

Iran is to Sitting Volleyball what Brazil is to football

What would you say if asked to name a country that has dominated a sport at the

Paralympic games? China in Table Tennis? Japan in Judo? How about Iran in men’s

Sitting Volleyball?

This would be a good answer because Iran is considered the superpower of the sport.

They are the current Paralympic and World champions. They have won the event at five

of the last six Paralympic games (and came second the other time) and, along with

Bosnia-Herzegovina, who they have met in the past three finals, are the great favourites

for London 2012. All this has prompted The Daily Telegraph to write “Iran hold a similar

status in sitting volleyball to that which Brazil enjoys at football”.

So what are the reasons for this success? According to Amauri Ribeiro, coach of the

Brazilian team “Iran … is one step ahead because (the sport) is very popular, and is

played all around the country. The Bosnian team (even spends) time in Iran training and

sharing knowledge.”

The Iranian volleyball federation lists a number of ‘notable international activities’:

sending coaches and referees on international courses, inviting teams from other

countries to train and play in Iran, and the national team participating in formal

international tournaments and championships.”

And according to Dr. Saiedlou, an important Iranian sports official, “Iran became the

champion through the endeavors of athletes, sophisticated coaches and wise planning.”

Whatever the reason, don’t be surprised to see the Iranian team going for the gold

medal at London 2012.

a. Decide if the statements are true or false, according to the information in the text.

1. Iran is good at Sitting Volleyball, Table Tennis and Judo. a. True

b. False

2. Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Sitting Volleyball team has won a gold medal at the Paralympics.

a. True b. False

3. The Daily Telegraph thinks that Iranians enjoy Sitting Volleyball. a. True b. False

4. The Brazilian coach says that many people in Iran like Sitting Volleyball.

a. True b. False

5. Dr. Saiedlou gives 3 reasons for Iran’s success. a. True

b. False

b. Use the words in the table to complete the gaps in the questions.

a. how many b. what c. which

d. who e. where

1. (…..…..) country has won the event at five of the last six Paralympic Games? Iran

2. (…..…..) times has Iran met Bosnia-Herzegovina in the final? 3

3. (…..…..) thinks that Iran is one step ahead? The coach of the Brazilian team.

4. (…..…..) does Dr. Saiedlou think? That Iran became the champion through the

endeavors of athletes, sophisticated coaches and wise planning.

5. (…..…..) does the Bosnian team spend time training and sharing knowledge? In

Iran

4. Solution

Exercise 1a

1. c; 2. a; 3. f; 4. b; 5. d; 6. e

Exercise 2a

1. h; 2. a; 3. i; 4. c; 5. f; 6. j; 7. d; 8. g; 9. b; 10. k; 11. e

Exercise 3a

1. False (F); 2. True (T); 3. F; 4. T; 5. T

Exercise 3b

1. Which; 2. How many; 3. Who; 4. What; 5. Where