Sports and Games
Many of you play such games as volleyball or football, basketball or tennis.
People who play a game are players. Players from other teams are their
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opponents. Two players playing with each other are partners. Each team can lose or
win.
Most matches take place in a large stadium.
Athletics is the most popular sport. People call it “the queen of all sport”. It
comprises such kinds of sports as: running (for different distance), jumping (long and
high jumps) and others.
From time to time international championship and races (horse-races, motor-
races and cycle-races) take places. Representatives of various countries can win a
gold, silver or bronze medal. Such great championships in sport are organized every
four years and we call them Olympic Games. Only the best may take part in them.
The First Marathon
In 490 B.C. there was a big war between the Persians and the Greeks.
Persia was a huge empire and bigger than Greece.
There were 48000 Persian soldiers and only 10000 Greek soldiers.
The Greek sent a messenger to Sparta for help. The messenger ran two days
over the mountains.
But the Spartans could not fight until there was full moon. The messenger
returned the Marathon alone.
The Greek attacked the Persian army and won. The messenger ran 40
kilometers to Athens to tell that they won.
He arrived at the city very tired. “We won!” he shouted. Then he died.
From this time the marathon race was in the modern Olympic Games. It was
1896. It was won by a Greek runner, Spiridon Louis. He also was a postman.
The History of Baseball
Baseball was first played in England in 1700. In 1830 baseball became a
popular sport across the country. Baseball clubs in New York united the first official
league. Stadiums were built and fans could watch their favorite teams play. In 1947,
Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player.
Today baseball is one of the nation’s most popular sports. It often called
“America’s pastime”.
The rabbit and the tortoise
Once upon a time there was a rabbit and a tortoise. They were good friends.
They meet and play every day. The rabbit always said that he could run faster than
the tortoise. So they decided to have a race. They chose a start and finish point. The
rabbit ran really fast. The tortoise was behind. So the rabbit stopped under a tree. But
the tortoise didn’t stop. So the tortoise won the race.
Sport and Games
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Sport is important for. There are a lot of interesting spots and games. I know
basketball, volleyball, football, tennis, swimming, skating and skiing. I like
swimming and skiing very much. In summer I swim in the river. In winter I ski in the
forest. I like to play football most of all. I usually play football with my friend.
Pirate’s Treasure
“Ten steps from the porch and twenty steps from the rose bushes,” growled
Bluebeard in Jimmy’s dream one night. “Treasure is there!”
The next day Jimmy began to dig. He dug until the hole was deep. He kept
digging. The hole got deeper and the dirt pile got higher. He dug until the hole was
deepest and dirt pile was at its highest. He sighed. “I’m too tired. I can’t dig
anymore.” Then he spied something… but it was only one of Woofy’s bones. Instead
of treasure, all Jimmy found a dog bone. He thought “That pirate lied to me!”
But when Jimmy’s mother saw the hole, she clasped her hands and smiled.
“Oh, thank you, Jimmy. I always wanted a rhododendron bush planted just
there. Here’s $5.00 for digging that hole.”
Surprise from Australia
The school ends and Erica quickly puts her books in the bag and runs out of the
class. Today is a special day. She runs home and thinks about her uncle. He returns
from Australia. He brings a special surprise for her! She is thinking about the
surprise. “May be it is a surfboard? Or maybe it is Australian nuts? Oh, maybe he
brings a kangaroo?”
Erica arrives home. “Uncle, uncle! What a special surprise?” “Well, I have for
you an Australian aunt!” he smiled.
On the farm
Last summer Lucy and Bob were on his grandad’s farm. Grandad has got a lot
of hens. One day he gave one egg to Diana, a little cousin of Bob and Lucy. She said
to Bob, “I have a great plan. I’ll keep it in my pocket and soon it’ll be a chicken.”
“And what are you going to do with a chicken?” asked Bob.
“The chicken will become a hen. The hen will give more eggs. The chickens
will become hens. The hens will give more eggs and I’ll sell them. I’ll be rich. I’ll
buy a beautiful doll and a house for doll!” said Diana.
“How clever of you! You are a good businessman,” said Bob.
Suddenly Diana dropped the egg. How sad poor Diana was. But that was a
lesson. Never count your chickens before they are hatched.
Health is Wealth
Part I
Once upon a time, there lived a generous and kind-hearted king. But the people
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weren’t happy with their king. The king was lazy.
He spent days and weeks and months in his bed eating something or sleeping.
He almost became inactive. The king became a potato couch. The people started to
worry about the king. One day he realized that he couldn’t move his body. He
became very fat.
He invited doctors from various parts of his country. Unfortunately no one
could help the king.
Part II
One fine morning, a holy man (Rishi) visited the region of the King. He heard
about the ill-health of the king and told the minister to meet him at his place. When
the minister met him, he informed the minister that he could easily cure the king. The
minister became very happy.
Part III
The holy man resided at a distant place. The fatty king asked the minister to
come near, but the holy man refused. Then he ordered to come to meet him.
After strenuous efforts, the king met the holy man. The holy man encouraged
him and said he was good and very soon the king would gain his health. He asked the
king to come for treatment every day from the next day. Also the holy man told the
king that he would treat the king only if he came on foot to his place.
Part IV
The King was unable to walk even a few steps on the road, but he reached the
holy man’s place. Unfortunately, the holy man was not at home and the king came
the next day for treatment.
This was repeated for two weeks and the king never met the holy man. He
never had any treatment. Suddenly, the king realized that he felt lighter, lost weight
and felt more active than before. He realized the reason why the holy man asked him
to reach his place by walking.
Very soon, the king regained his health, and the people were very happy in his
kingdom.
The King had a lot of wealth, but no amount of wealth could make him
healthy.
Health is Wealth!
Some Strong Animals Need Your Help
The tiger
The tiger is a beautiful animal. It has orange, black and white. Many people see
tigers only in a zoo, but they live mostly in Asia.
Sadly, many people like to kill the tigers, and now they may all die. In some
places, people think that tiger’s parts can be used for medicine. People pay lots of money
for tiger claws. Tigers are very strong, but they are endangered.
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Gorillas
Gorillas are also beautiful animals that are very strong. They have black hair on
their body, and they love their babies.
However, many of them are killed for their meat and for medicine. Many gorillas
die every year. They are endangered.
The Rhinoceros
The Rhinoceros is also a beautiful and strong animal. It has horns made of ivory.
These great animals can be found in Africa.
Sadly, many people kill them for their ivory horns. Many people see them as
medicine. People also like to make things with the ivory. These animals are endangered
because of this.
Here is a statue made of ivory. It is very beautiful, strong and smooth. However, a
rhinoceros had to die for this.
The Villager the Spectacles
There was a villager. He was illiterate. He couldn’t read and write. He often
saw that people wear spectacles for reading. He thought, “If I have spectacles, I can
read. I must go to town and buy spectacles.”
So one day he went to a town. He entered a spectacles shop and asked the
spectacles. The shopkeeper gave him several spectacles and a book. But he could not
read anything. The shopkeeper said, “Perhaps you can’t read.” The villager said, “No,
I don’t. I want to buy spectacles so that I can read like others.” The shopkeeper
explained “Spectacles don’t help to read or write. They only help you to see well.
First of all you must learn to read and write.”
Laughter is the best medicine
Once there lived a grumpy king. He never laughed and didn’t allow anyone to
laugh.
One day, a small boy couldn't control his laughter. He was scared of the
punishment and he thought of a plan. He wrote a funny story and converted it into a
drama. Then he went to the palace and asked the king, "May I present my drama to
you?" the king let him do it. Then the boy started the play. In the end, he came to the
funniest part of the story. The king laughed. The king then allowed everybody to
laugh. Everyone then lived happily.
Doctor Croaky
One day a frog left his pond hopped to a next lake. He went to the forest to
make his new home there. He wanted to make new friends. So the frog climbed a
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high rock and said, “Friends, please come here. I am new here. I want to meet all of
you. I have come from the village.”
Many animals heard his voice and came to the lake. The deer, the tortoise, the
duck, the rabbit, the birds, the squirrel, the butterfly and the fox came there.
The frog said, “Let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Croaky. I am a doctor who
can help you. I have medicines for all animals’ diseases.”
The fox said, “If you are a doctor why haven’t you cured your lame legs? You
are hopping all the time.”
All the animals and birds laughed at the frog. The frog went red with shame for
his lie.
The magic window
Part I
Once upon a time there was a little boy who became very ill. He spent all day
in bed. He suffered greatly because other children couldn’t come near him. He spent
his days feeling sad. He looked out of the window. Time passed and his feeling of
despair just grew.
Part II
One day he saw a strange shape in the window. It was a penguin eating a
sausage sandwich. The penguin said "good afternoon" to the boy turned around and
went. Of course, the boy was very surprised. He was trying to understand it. Then
outside his window he saw a monkey in a nappy, busy blowing up a balloon. At first
the boy asked himself that could possibly be, but after a while, he began to laugh and
found it hard to stop. Then he saw a pig playing a tambourine, an elephant jumping
on a trampoline or a dog wearing a pair of glasses and talking about politics. The
little boy didn't tell anyone about this because who would have believed him? His
health had improved so much that he was able to go back to school again.
Part III
In school he talked to his friends and told them all the strange things on the
window. While he was talking to his best friend he saw something sticking out of his
friend's school bag. The boy asked his friend what it was. He was surprised. There
were all the fancy-dress suits and disguises that his best friend had been using to try
to cheer the little boy up! And from that day the little boy always did his best to make
sure that no one felt sad and alone.
Care of Healthy
You must care your health. Good health helps you to study well. At home your
parents control your health. At school the school-doctor controls your health. She
always helps you. The doctor has her consulting-room in the school. Every pupil has
a medical inspection twice a year, at the beginning and at the end. Doctors and
parents give you advice.
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At the Doctor
It is winter now. It is often cold. Suddenly I fall ill. I have a high temperature. I
have a running nose and a sore throat. Also I have a headache and a cough.
My mother tells me to stay in bed and then she calls for a doctor. The doctor
comes. He examines my lungs and takes my temperature. He says that is flu. He
writes a prescription. I follow all the doctor's instructions. Soon I feel much better. In
10 days I recover and come to school.
The thermometer
We can use a thermometer to find out how cold or hot it is outside. Some kinds
of thermometers have a glass tube with liquid inside.
When the air around the tube gets warmer, the liquid moves up inside the tube.
When the air around the tube gets colder, the liquid moves down inside the
tube.
The numbers on the thermometer show how cold or hot it is outside.
Is it Hot or Cold?
Some places get cold in winter. When the number on the thermometer is -20
people wear warm clothes. Some places get warm in the spring. When the number on
the thermometer is +20 some people may plant flowers in their garden. Some places
get hot in summer. When the number on the thermometer is +30 some people may go
swimming. Some places get cool in the fall. When the number on the thermometer is
-10 some people may rake leaves.
The Wind and the Sun
The Wind and the Sun argued.
“I am stronger than you,” said the Wind.
“No, you are not,” said the Sun.
Just at that moment they saw a traveler. He had a shawl. The Sun and the Wind
agreed that whoever could separate the traveler from his shawl was stronger.The
Wind took the first turn. He blew to tear the traveler’s shawl from his shoulders. But
the harder he blew, the tighter the traveler gripped the shawl. The Wind’s turn was
over.
Now it was the Sun’s turn. The Sun smiled warmly. The traveler felt the
warmth. The Sun’s smile grew hotter and hotter. Now he took it off. The Sun was
declared stronger than the Wind.
Never be ungrateful
It was summer. The sun was extremely hot. Two travelers were going along a
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dusty road. There were no trees along its sides.
Suddenly they saw a tree with big leaves and branches. It was like an umbrella.
They sat in the cool shade of the tree. After taking some rest, one traveler said to the
other, "What a useless tree it is! It has no fruits at all." Hearing this, the tree burst out,
“You ungrateful soul! On one hand, you are in my cool shade and you are calling me
useless. Get up and leave the place immediately!”
The First Snow Storm
Little Harry was born in a warm place. Flowers bloomed all the year round.
The sun shone all the time.
When Harry was six years old his parents took a journey to New York.
In this city the weather grew cold. The sky was gray.
Harry was watching the cars through the window. Suddenly something white
fell slowly down. Then it disappeared.
Harry was surprised when he touched it. It was so cold. He took some up in his
hand, but in a moment it was only a drop of water.
Harry ran to his mamma and asked. She told him it was snow.
Seasons
There are four seasons in a year. They are: winter, spring, summer and autumn.
Winter is a very cold season. There is usually much snow in winter. In spring the
trees become green and birds sing. In summer it is hot. Summer is my favourite
season. In autumn the weather is usually rainy. Schoolchildren go to school in
September.
The legend about Tolagai
There is a mountain called Tolagai in Kokpekty. It is like a large upside down
bowl.
The hunter Sartan and his wife Aisulu had a boy. They named him Tolagai. He
grew very fast, so in a short period of time he became a real batyr. He was very
handsome and strong.
Once there was great drought in the Kazak steppe. People couldn't find a drop
of water. So Tolagai wanted to save people. He heard about the land Tarbagatai.
There was much water and rain. Soon he found this land. He liked it very much. He
saw a high mountain and took it with him.
He was going day and night. At last he reached his Motherland. Suddenly there
was a lightening in the sky and it began raining. All the rivers were filled with fresh
water. All people were glad and happy. They thanked the batyr. But Tolagai couldn't
answer them because he was tired very much.
And since that the mountain has been called Tolagai.
Legend about dombra
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In ancient times two brothers-giants lived in the Altai highlands. The younger
brother had dombra and he loved to play it. He forgot about everything in the world
when he began to play dombra. The elder brother was proud and vain. Once he
wanted to become famous. He decided to build a bridge. He began to gather stones.
And the younger brother continued to play dombra.
So the days went by. The younger brother did not help. The elder brother was
angry. He broke it against the rock. The music stopped, but on the stone the stamp
remained. Many years passed. People found this stamp and began to make new
dombras and the music sounded again.
Walt Disney and his heroes
Walt Disney was born in Chicago. He liked to draw. In 1923 he went to
Hollywood with his brother Roy. In Hollywood they were producing a series of
cartoon films.
In 1927 he had some success with the series called “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit”.
In 1928 he achieved lasting success with “Mickey Mouse”. Mickey Mouse, Donald
Duck, Minnie, Pluto became a household word.
In 1955 he opened “Disney-land”, a huge amusement park in southern
California. Disneyland is situated 27 miles south of Los Angeles.
The park is divided into six themes and there is so much to see and do.
Walt Disney died in California at the age of 65. His works have given so much
pleasure people, young and old, in many countries.
The Ants and the Grasshoppers
Part I
One summer a grasshopper met some ants. They were working very hard. He
couldn't believe how hard they were working. “They must have fun in summer?!” he
thought. So he asked them, "Why are you working so hard all summer long, you must
have fun, making music and dancing!"
The ants replied, "We are working hard to gather food and shelter for winter.
Then we will rest and play all warm in our ant hill. You must prepare for the long
winter."
"That's no fun! I want to play and dance and make music all summer long!"
said the Grasshopper and went.
Part II
So the summer passed and autumn came. The family of Ants was drying the
grain.
The Grasshopper came along. He began making fun of the ants. "You're still
working but I’m playing all summer long - you ants are so boring!" And he went
again, playing his fiddle and dancing merrily along.
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Part III
Soon winter came and the wind whistled and the snow fell. The ants were snug
in their ant hill. The ants were surprised to see the Grasshopper! He was hungry and
freezing. "Please, can you give me some food?" he said.
"What!" cried the Ants, "didn’t you store anything away for winter?"
"I was so busy making music didn’t know the summer went." whined the
Grasshopper.
The Ants were angry for his laziness but had pity on him.
"We will share our home and food with you but you must play your fiddle and
dance for us through the long winter."
The Grasshopper thankfully agreed and learned that next summer he must
work before he plays.
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