BASKETBALL

Take a look at these pictures:

Try and explain what the players are doing.

Ask your partner:

Are you a basketball fan?
Do you watch basketball matches?
Who is your favourite basketball player?
What is your favourite basketball team?

Reading

Basketball is one of the most popular team games there is. It's played by over 300 million people around
the world and enjoyed by many more spectators. There are professional teams, amateur teams, it is
played by both men and women, the young and not so young and it is a popular sport at schools,
colleges and universities around the globe.
Even though it's so widespread, basketball is quite a young sport. It was 'born' at the end of the 19th
Century in the town of Springfield Massachussetts in the United States. For a game that is so closely
associated with the United States, it was actually invented by a Canadian, James Naismith. He was
studying physical education at the International YMCA training school in Springfield. As part of his course
he was asked to develop an indoor game for the students to play in the winter.
He came up with the game in only two weeks. Originally there were 13 basic rules for two teams of 9
players. The teams had to score by getting a soccer ball into a peach basket which was held 10 feet (3
metres) off the ground. Because the game used baskets and a ball it was naturally called - basketball.
The same 13 rules are used today although they have been modified and there are now only 5 players in
each team.
Naismith died in 1939 and although he didn't make any money from inventing the game he did see it
become an Olympic sport in 1936. Today basketball is a multi-million dollar industry.

Vocabulary from the text

amateur
an amateur is a player who plays without being paid. Amateurs usually have other jobs.
associated with
connected with
came up with
if you come up with something, you think of it and make it work
the globe
the world
an indoor game
a game which is played inside a building so it is not affected by the weather
Originally
at first, in the beginning
professional
a professional player is someone whose job is to play. They are paid for playing.
spectators
people who watch
widespread
if something is widespread, it is present in many different places

Questions:
When was basketball first played?
How many rules did basketball have when it started?
How many rules did basketball have when it started?
How many players were in a team when basketball was first played?
When was basketball introduced as an official Olympic sport?

Grammar - Adverbs
Form
1. In most cases, an adverb is formed by adding '-ly' to an adjective:
Adjective Adverb
cheap cheaply
quick quickly
slow slowly
Examples:
 Time goes quickly.
 He walked slowly to the door.

If the adjective ends in '-y', replace the 'y' with 'i' and add '-ly':
Adjective Adverb
easy easily
angry angrily

If the adjective ends in -'able', '-ible', or '-le', replace the '-e' with '-y':
Adjective Adverb
probable probably
terrible terribly
gentle gently

If the adjective ends in '-ic', add '-ally':

Adjective Adverb
basic basically
economic economically
tragic tragically
Note: Exception: public – publicly

2. Some adverbs have the same form as the adjective:

Adjective / Adverb
early late
fast near
hard straight
high wrong

Compare:
 It is a fast car.
 He drives very fast.
 This is a hard exercise.
 He works hard.
 We saw many high buildings.
 The bird flew high in the sky.

3. 'Well' and 'good'

'Well' is the adverb that corresponds to the adjective 'good'.
Examples:
 He is a good student.
 He studies well.
 She is a good pianist.
 She plays the piano well.
 They are good swimmers.
 They swim well.

Function

Adverbs modify, or tell us more about other words, usually verbs:

 The bus moved slowly.
 The bears ate greedily.

Sometimes they tell us more about adjectives:

 You look absolutely fabulous!

They can also modify other adverbs:

 She played the violin extremely well.
 You're speaking too quietly.

Comparative Forms of Adverbs

In general, comparative and superlative forms of adverbs are the same as for adjectives:
 add -er or -est to short adverbs:
Adverb Comparative Superlative
hard harder the hardest
late later the latest
fast faster the fastest
Example:
 Jim works harder than his brother.
 Everyone in the race ran fast, but John ran the fastest of all.

With adverbs ending in -ly, use more for the comparative and most for the superlative:
Adverb Comparative Superlative
quietly more quietly most quietly
slowly more slowly most slowly
seriously more seriously most seriously
 Example:
 The teacher spoke more slowly to help us to understand.
 Could you sing more quietly please?

Some adverbs have irregular comparative forms:

Adverb Comparative Superlative
badly worse worst
far farther/further farthest/furthest
little less least
well better best
Example:
 The little boy ran further than his friends.
 You're driving worse today than yesterday !

BE CAREFUL! Sometimes 'most' can mean 'very':

 We were most grateful for your help
 I am most impressed by this application.

afterwards always earlier eventually first frequently happily

hurriedly just late loudly nervously never noiselessly
now nowadays occasionallypresently quickly quietly seldom
this
silently softly still suddenly usually yesterday evening
evening

Insert one of these words (see the table above) in the gaps:
e.g. Mr. Ionescu is always late.
1. Mr. Ionescu is ______ late. He ______ gets up on time. Look! it' ten o'clock ______ and he's ______
in bed. He ______ stays in bed all morning. He isn't ______ ill - he's just lazy. He ______ gets up before
midday to to go the shops - but that ______ happens.
2. The radio was playing ______ so I heard the footsteps coming ______ up the path. Then they
stopped ______ and everthing went quiet for a second. ______ I went into the bedroom and waited
______. After a while I heard the door creak ______ and I ______ dialled the police. I wasn't expecting
a visitor, you see, and was al1 alone in the house. I waited ______ for what seemed like hours. Then
another creak - the bedroom door. "Surprise surprise!" my wife said ______. "I came home a day early."
We listened to the police car coming ______ along the road.
3. You usually have to queue everywhere ______. ____________ we had to queue too at the cinema. I
suppose it wouldn't have been necessary if we'd got there ______. We ______ got inside and the film
had only ______ started. ______ there was a cartoon and ______ we saw the main film. ______ we
went for a meal. We're going to the theatre ______. This time we' ll make sure we're not ______.

Choose the correct position(s)

1. I * have ** seen him ***. never

2. He * phones ** at night ***. usually
3. He * hasn’t ** arrived ***. still
4. He * hasn’t ** arrived ***. yet
5. I'm * going to ** ring him ***. just
8. He * oppened** the box ***. carefully
7. We * will ** be there ***. soon
8. I * listen ** to you ***. always
 9. * He is ** ill ***. definitely
10. I am * coming ** to see you ***. today
11. * The bus ** goes to London ***. daily
12. * Hasn't he ** come ***? yet
13. * I admire ** Napoleon ***. a lot
14. I * read ** novels ***. now and then
15. You * must clean ** your teeth regularly
***.
16. * He ** read *** the letter. slowly
17. She * speaks ** French ***. well
18. * Mr. Smith ** called a meeting on Monday
***.
19. I * bought ** a new car ***. two days ago
20. * I will ** read *** all that. never
21. * He lifted ** the latch ***. slowly
22. I * go ** to the theatre ***. often
23. He * does ** not *** know. probably
24. * We must ** go to bed ***. early
25. * She went ** home ***. quickly

Read and discuss the article:

Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player in history, played his first NBA comeback game in New York
on Tuesday. Jordan's team, Washington Wizards lost 93-91 to the New York Knicks in an exciting game that
was dominated by the interest generated by the 38-year-old's return to NBA action.
Jordan scored 19 points and had six assists, five rebounds and four steals in 37 minutes of action,
but crucially missed two three-point efforts in the dying seconds of game. " I guess the difference is
I'm just a little bit older than the last time I shot the ball, " Jordan said after scoring only seven field
goals from 21 attempts. "The game's a little bit different. My team-mates are a little bit different and
the outcome is a little bit different. But I feel good about myself ." But Knicks coach Jeff van Gundy said:
"I think he was the dominant player on the floor. He just didn't shoot that well tonight." Earlier in his
career, Jordan rarely missed in the dying seconds when his team had a chance to win, but this time he
was off the mark.
The 10-time scoring champion, however, was the glue for his inexperienced side, who put on a much
better display than many had expected.

Vocabulary from the text

NBA
National Basketball Association - the professional basketball league in the U.S.
comeback
when a sportsman returns to the game after a period of not playing
assists
an assist is when a player passes to a team mate who then scores
rebounds
catching the ball after a shot has missed and bounced back into play
steals
when a player takes the ball from someone in the other team
crucially missed
didn't score at an important time in the game
field goals
shots which score
dominant player
strongest and most influential player
off the mark
not accurate
inexperienced side
a team that have have not played very much together at a high level

Basketball Glossary:
Alley-oop: When a player lobs a pass above the basket and a teammate catches it in midair and puts it in the basket on the
way down.
Assist: The last pass to a teammate that leads directly to a field goal; the scorer must move immediately toward the basket
for the passer to be credited with an assist; only 1 assist can be credited per field goal.
Blind or "no look" pass: A pass from a ball handler who does not see the receiver, but is estimating where he should be.
Catch-and-shoot: A play in which a player receives a pass and shoots it immediately without squaring up so that the
defender cannot react in time. Used by teams with great perimeter shooters, such as the Indiana Pacers, who design a lot of
these kinds of plays around Reggie Miller.
Charging: An offensive foul which occurs when an offensive player runs into a defender who has established position.
"Court vision": A player's ability to see everything on the court during play (such as where his teammates and defenders are set up)
which enables him to make better choices in passing; a highly desirable quality in a point guard.
Crossover dribble: When a ball handler dribbles the ball across his body from one hand to the other.
Drive to the basket: To move rapidly with purpose and authority toward the basket with the ball with the intention of
scoring.
Fast break: Also called the run-and-shoot or run-and-gun offense, it begins with a defensive rebound by a player who
immediately sends an outlet pass toward midcourt to his waiting teammates; these teammates can sprint to their basket and
quickly shoot before enough opponents catch up to stop them.
Flagrant foul: Unnecessary or excessive contact against an opponent.
Foul lane: Usually just called "the lane" or "the paint." The painted area bordered by the end line and the foul line, outside
which players must stand during a free-throw; also the area an offensive player cannot spend more than 3 seconds at a time
in.
Full-court press: When defenders start guarding the offense in the backcourt.
Give-and-go: A play in which the player that passes the ball cuts immediately to the basket.
Half-court or set offense: When a team takes the time to develop a play in its frontcourt, such as the give-and-go or
screening play.
High post: Imaginary area outside either side of the foul lane at the free-throw line.
Illegal defense: A rather nebulous rule that is called irregularly. It's designed to prevent the use of the zone defense; it¹s
more like a 3-second violation for the defense, in which no defender can stay in the lane for more than, well, 3 seconds.
Key: The area at each end of the court consisting of the foul circle, foul lane and free-throw line; named for the keyhole
shape it had years ago.
Low post: Imaginary area outside either side of the foul lane close to the basket.
Man-to-man defense: The defense mandatory in the NBA, where each defensive player is responsible for guarding one
opponent.
Outside shooting: Shots taken from the perimeter.
Over the limit: When a team commits more than 5 team fouls per NBA period (4 in each overtime) or more than 7 per half
in college.
Perimeter: The area beyond the foul circle away from the basket, including 3-point line, from which players take long-range
shots.
Pick: When a player establishes position between the ball carrier and a defender. Moving picks are a violation. Also used as
screens. See below.
Pivot: The center; also the foot that must remain touching the floor until a ball handler who has stopped dribbling is ready to
pass or shoot.
Post position: The position of a player standing in the low post or high post.
Posting up: The process of getting into post position.
Screen: An offensive player who stands between a teammate and a defender to give his teammate the chance to take an
open shot.
Shoot off the dribble: A shot taken while driving to the basket.
"Sixth man": The best sub on the team, the first guy off the bench to replace a starter.
Technical fouls: Also known as "T's." Basically unsportsmanlike conduct; this can include vociferous trash talking between
players, but most often involves abusive and insulting language directed at the refs. In the pros the penalty is one free throw
for the opposing team; in college it's two.
Timeout: Full timeouts are 100 seconds in the NBA, 75 seconds in college.
Transition: The shift from offense to defense. Teams slow in shifting are often victims of the fast break, above.
Trey: A 3-point basket.
Triple double: When a player scores double-digits in 3 categories during one game (points, assists and rebounds are most
common, but it can also be blocks or steals).
Weakside: The side of the court away from the ball.
Zone defense: A defense used extensively in college but not permitted in the NBA, where each defender is responsible for
an area of the court and must guard any player who enters that area.