ANNA LUCIA CRICHIGNO - ELISABETH ANN WRIGHT

BE A SPORT!

Teacher’s Book
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Le Prove di Verifica BES e il materiale relativo ai Video sono a cura della redazione.

Trinity Whitebridge
Copyright (2015) by Trinity Whitebridge
info@trinitywhitebridge.co.uk
www.trinitywhitebridge.co.uk

Redazione: Monica Monari

Impaginazione: Sara Celia
Stampa: Sograte, Città di Castello (PG)

Prima edizione: 2015

Ristampe:
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
I II III IV V
CONTENTS

Key to Exercises p. 4
Prove di Verifica 24
Prove di Verifica BES 46
Keys - Prove di Verifica 73
Keys - Prove di Verifica BES 77
Videos - Tapescripts 79
Videos - Exercises 83
Videos - Keys to Exercises88
Disturbi Specifici dell’Apprendimento 90
 KEY TO EXERCISES
UNIT 0 YOUR FIRST 'MATCHES'
Exercise 1A
Play: Tennis, Golf, Volleyball, Basketball, Hockey,
Squash, Water polo, Football, Rugby, Baseball,
Badminton, Billiards, Cricket, Table tennis, Polo.
Go: Swimming, Jogging, Horse riding,
Cycling, Ice-skating, Rowing, Windsurfing,
Skiing, Bowling, Rock climbing, Scuba diving,
Snowboarding, Rafting, Sailing, Diving.
Do: Athletics, Gymnastics, Judo, Karate, Aerobics,
Taekwondo, The high jump, Kick boxing.
Exercise 1B
1. We use ‘play’ for sports played with a ball.
2. We use ‘go’ for sports that finish in -ing.
3. We use ‘do’ for all other sports.
Exercise 1C
1. Indoor sports: Tennis, Swimming,
Gymnastics, Judo, Volleyball, Basketball,
Karate, Ice-Skating, Squash, Water Polo,
Aerobics, Bowling, Badminton, Billiards, Kick
Boxing, Table Tennis.
2. Dangerous or extreme sports: Rock
climbing, Rafting.
3. Martial sports: Karate, Taekwondo, Kick
boxing.
4. Sports played with a racquet: Tennis,
Squash, Badminton.
5. Outdoor sports: Tennis, Swimming,
Athletics, Jogging, Golf, Volleyball, Horse
riding, Cycling, Hockey, Water polo, Rowing,
Football, Rugby, Windsurfing, Skiing,
Baseball, The high jump, Rock climbing,
Scuba diving, Snowboarding, Rafting,
Sailing, Cricket, Polo, Diving.
6. Sports played with a bat: Baseball, Cricket,
Table tennis.
7. Team sports: Volleyball, Basketball, Hockey,
Water polo, Football, Rugby, Baseball,
Cricket, Polo. (Rowing, rafting and sailing
can be either individual or team sports.)
8. Sports played with a stick: Hockey, Polo.
9. Sports played with clubs: Golf.
Exercise 2
1. H; 2. M; 3. L; 4. J; 5. N; 6. B; 7. O; 8. A; 9. E;
10. G; 11. D; 12. F; 13. C; 14. K; 15. I.
Exercise 3A
1. H; 2. I; 3. A; 4. E; 5. C; 6. D; 7. F; 8. G; 9. L;
10. B.
Exercise 3B
1. field/pitch; 2. courts; 3. course; 4. piste;
5. circuit; 6. rink; 7. field; 8. ring.
Exercise 4
Win: A competition, A match, A game, A
championship, A medal, A cup, A prize, A race,
A point.
Beat: A record, An opponent, A team, A score.
Score: A goal, A try, A run, A point.
Lose: A competition, A match, A game, A
championship, A race, A point.
Defeat: An opponent, A team.
Exercise 5
1. Badminton (It is not played with a bat.)
2. Athletics (It is not a ball game.)
3. Fencing (It is not a water sport.)
4. Judo (You move without the aid of an
animal, skis or a bike.)
5. Hockey (It is played with a ball and a stick.)
6. Swimming (It is not a winter sport.)
7. Gymnastics (It does not require the use of a
racquet.)
Exercise 6
1. Ankle; 2. Leg; 3. Thigh; 4. Back; 5. Shoulder;
6. Neck; 7. Head; 8. Arm; 9. Hand; 10. Wrist;
11. Elbow; 12. Chest; 13. Hip; 14. Knee;
15. Shin; 16. Foot.
Exercise 7
1. C; 2. E; 3. D; 4. B; 5. A.
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
Exercise 1
1. hate/can’t stand, love/are keen on
2. can’t stand/hates (playing)
3. don’t mind (doing), like/enjoy (playing)
4. doesn’t mind
5. Open answer.
Exercise 2
Open questions and answers.
Key to Exercises 5

UNIT 1 THE BALL’S IN YOUR COURT Exercise 3B

Student A Turn to Appendix

Exercise 1A Student B
1. Because he’s studying English at a College 1. Q. How do top tennis stars earn most of their
in the centre of London. money?
2. He’s a rugby coach for the mini club. A. sponsors.
3. Because he can’t study because his 2. Q. Who do Roger Federer’s sponsors
roommate is always playing the guitar. include?
4. Her backhand. A. Gillette and Rolex.
5. It starts at 9 a.m. 3. Q. Why do sponsors invest in Federer?
A. misses a match.
Exercise 1B 4. Q. How much does Federer earn from
A. an action in progress: I’m studying English. sponsors every year?
B. an action happening now: You’re wearing A. $40 million.
tennis clothes. 5. Q. What kind of racquet is Federer using at
C. a habitual action: We usually have a the moment?
snack. A. a bigger racquet.
D. a planned future arrangement: I’m meeting 6. Q. Which tournament is Federer preparing
my coach later this morning. now?
E. a future with timetable: My rugby lesson A. Wimbledon.
starts at 9 o’clock. 7. Q. What is Federer doing next autumn?
F. an annoying action: My roommate is always A. an exhibition match.
playing his guitar.
Exercise 4A
Exercise 2 1. C; 2. F; 3. E; 4. L; 5. A; 6. I; 7. H; 8. J; 9. G;
1. does your brother go; 2. play; 3. is doing; 10. B; 11. K; 12. D.
4. Do you always go; 5. plays, is playing;
6. Is Peter playing; 7. are always playing; Exercise 4B
8. scores; 9. is winning; 10. Is Tim going;
11. beats; 12. wins.

Exercise 3A
Student B Turn to Appendix

Student A
1. Q. What time does Nadal wake up?
A. 7.30 a.m.
2. Q. How long does Nadal train?
A. 4 hours.
3. Q. What make of tennis racquet does Nadal
use?
A. Babolat.
4. Q. Where does Nadal workout?
A. in the gym.
5. Q. What does Nadal’s physiotherapist do
every day? Lawn, clay, scoreboard, match, net, deuce,
A. stretches. stroke, set, champion, court, racquet,
6. Q. What is Nadal doing at the moment? tournament, coach, ballboy, umpire.
A. is preparing.
7. Q. What is Nadal doing next summer?
A. is taking part
 6 Key to Exercises
Exercise 4C
1. D; 2. C; 3. B; 4. E; 5. A.
Exercise 5
1. long, 75; 2. high, 3; 3. wide, 4.5; 4. wide, 27;
5. much, 9.
Exercise 6
1. T; 2. F (She rarely goes.); 3. F (It has
five indoor courts.); 4. F (Only from May to
September.); 5. T; 6. F (450,000).
Exercise 7
1. F (It probably came from France.); 2. F
(They hit the ball with the palm of their hand.);
3. T; 4. T; 5. T; 6. F (It was less popular.); 7. T.
Exercise 8A
1. playing; 2. have; 3. is teaching; 4. is improving;
5. need; 6. ’m playing; 7. challenge; 8. beats;
9. prefer.
Exercise 8B
1. (I’m preferring) I prefer; 2. (every months) every
month; 3. (are winning) win; 4. (What you do)
what are you doing; 5. (You want) do you want.
Exercise 8C
Open answer.
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
Exercise 1
1. B; 2. A; 3. B; 4. B; 5. B; 6. B; 7. A.
Exercise 2
1. What time are you going to the sports
centre this evening?
2. What is Sarah doing on Saturday?
3. Our team is winning at the moment.
4. They are hiring some bicycles for the race.
5. We usually watch a football match on TV at
the weekend.
6. Who is umpiring the match tomorrow?
7. Players do not like losing matches.
8. Don’t you ever go skiing?
9. Does your best friend enjoy doing sport?
10. They do fitness exercises every day.
Exercise 3
1. When; 2. Who; 3. Why; 4. Where; 5. How
high. 6. Which; 7. What; 8. How.
Exercise 4
1. are you playing; 2. trains; 3. does the match
usually start; 4. we always go; 5. Does Martin
do; 6. is Jenny wearing; 7. Are you meeting;
8. wants; 9. you’re always arriving; 10. Do you
ever play.
UNIT 2 I’M THE GREATEST!
Exercise 1A
1. Because she was out very late last night.
2. Because her friend Sue wanted to
celebrate her 18th birthday.
3. Because it was raining.
4. He received an urgent phone call from his
wife.
5. Because she was feeling very ill.
6. He asked her not to stay out late.
Exercise 1B
1. did you go, I didn’t get, it was, she wanted,
we left, we called, he received, who said, the
poor man was, he took, he could, we waited, I
didn’t arrive.
A. Regular verbs: want, call, receive, wait,
arrive.
B. Irregular verbs: go, get, be, leave, say, take,
can.
2.
A. were you doing, I was clubbing.
B. it was raining, she was feeling.
C. the taxi driver was driving.
Exercise 1C
1. wasn’t feeling; 2. was wearing; 3. was
playing; 4. wasn’t driving; 5. was raining.
Exercise 1D
1. arrived, were coming; 2. were you going,
broke down; 3. was eating, came; 4. were you
crying; 5. got, was shining.
Exercise 2A
1. right; 2. centre; 3. left; 4. around; 5. front; 6.
On; 7. Near; 8. Next; 9. around.
Exercise 2B
Head: eyebrow, chin, jaw, temple.
Hand: fist, knuckles, fingers.
Key to Exercises 7

Above waist: shoulder, elbow, wrist, forearm, Exercise 10C

torso. The most famous, the strongest, the greatest,
Below waist: feet, knee, ankle, groin, leg, hip, the toughest.
calf.
(Students indicate these parts of the body on Exercise 10D
the picture.) Changed, started, reported, wanted,
suggested, learned, competed, proved,
Exercise 3 referred, boasted, refused.
1. I; 2. H; 3. G; 4. F; 5. A; 6. B; 7. E; 8. J; 9. C;
10. D. Exercise 10E
Was born, told, was, won, was, was, was,
Exercise 4 could, became, did not go, made, was, was,
1. d (B); 2. a (D); 3. b. (C); 4. c (A). was.

Exercise 5 Exercise 11
1. sparring partner; 2. headgear; 3. groin Open answers.
guard; 4. build up; 5. reflexes.
Exercise 12
Exercise 6 1. famous; 2. interpreted; 3. won; 4. heavyweight;
1. Pictures; 2. island; 3. Greeks; 4. gladiator; 5. 5. scenes; 6. life; 7. inspires; 8. boxers; 9. dream;
fists; 6. Boxers; 7. ring; 8. rules; 9. referee; 10. 10. finishes.
rounds.

Exercise 7 GRAMMAR WORKOUT

1. At the Hydro arena in Glasgow.
2. Seven.
3. Welterweight, middleweight, super-
heavyweight, bantamweight, flyweight,
lightweight; light-welterweight.
4. Two, Nicola Adams and Savannah
Marshall.
5. Northern Ireland and Scotland.
6. Three.
7. It was a unanimous decision.
8. They weigh more than 91kg.
9. Because he received a powerful blow to the
body.
Exercise 8
1. B; 2. C; 3. A.
Exercise 9
Open answer.
Exercise 10A
1. T; 2. T; 3. F (He was more handsome.);
4. T; 5. F (It was one of the toughest fight in his
career.); 6. T; 7. T.
Exercise 10B
Taller, more handsome, quicker, more
powerful, quicker, less popular, quicker, more
amusing, so active as.
Exercise 1
Beat/beat; Bet/bet; Break/broke; Catch/caught;
Come/came; Cut/cut; Do/did; Fall/fell; Fight/
fought; Get/got; Give/gave; Go/went; Hit/hit;
Lose/lost; Ride/rode; Run/ran; Swim/swam;
Take/took; Throw/threw; Win/won.
Exercise 2
A. 2. died; 3. won; 4. broke; 5. fought.
B. 6. lost; 7. went; 8. saw; 9. felt.
Exercise 3
1. had; 2. began; 3. beat; 4.won; 5. fought;
6. lost; 7. regained; 8. met; 9. held; 10. became.
Exercise 4
1. When she called me, I was going to the gym.
2. They lost the ball while they were playing
football.
3. What were you doing when I saw you in the
garden?
4. I fell over while I was skiing.
5. When I met your brother, he was walking to
the stadium.
Exercise 5
1. went; 2. was playing; 3. were practising; 4.
learnt; 5. fought.
 8 Key to Exercises
Exercise 6
More comfortable/The most comfortable;
Better/The best; Noisier/The noisiest; Hotter/
The hottest; More tiring/The most tiring; Worse/
The worst.
Exercise 7
Open answers.
Exercise 8
1. the most dangerous; 2. cleaner; 3. nearer;
4. more tiring; 5. the best; 6. stronger;
7. farther; 8. more exciting.
UNIT 3 MAKING A SPLASH!
Exercise 1A
1. She practises it because it’s her weakest
stroke.
2. He has just started training the mini club
rugby team.
3. She introduces Marco to her friends to see
if they know anyone who wants to share a
flat.
4. They want a flat that is closer to an
underground station and more convenient
for shops and the sports club.
5. Yes, they’ve already seen one.
6. They’ve put an advert on the noticeboard to
find another flatmate.
7. Because the new flat is rather expensive.
8. They invite Marco to have a look at the flat.
Exercise 1B
I’ve never trained (E); I’ve ever had (G); he’s
just started (D); we’ve already seen (A); we’ve
put (F); we haven’t had any replies yet (B);
have you had lunch yet? (C).
Exercise 1C
1. D; 2. B; 3. E; 4. C; 5. A.
Exercise 1D
1. David has just scored his second goal of
the match.
2. Have you ever seen a boxing match live?
3. Vicky has never beaten her sister at tennis.
4. The athletes have already run round the
track three times.
5. The referee hasn’t called timeout yet.
6. Nathan has just done some stretching
exercises to warm up.
7. Has the match started yet?
8. Have you ever used a lighter racquet?
9. Denise has never been so fit as she is at
the moment.
10. George has already won four races this
season.
Exercise 2A
1. A - Freestyle; 2. D - Backstroke;
3. B - Breaststroke; 4. C - Butterfly.
Exercise 2B
1. swimming pool; 2. lane markers; 3. starting
blocks; 4. lane guides; 5. 50m; 6. 2.5m.
Exercise 2C
1. Swimming instructor; 2. Swimming costume;
3. Swimming lessons; 4. Swimming cap; 5.
Swimming lanes; 6. Swimming goggles.
Exercise 3A
Mark Spitz’s career.
Exercise 3B
Present Perfect: she has set, she has held,
(she) has broken, she has modelled, (she) has
made.
Past Simple: Mark Spitz retired, he had, he
won, his teammates gave, Michael Phelps
broke.
Exercise 3C
1. Past Simple; 2. Present Perfect.
Exercise 4A
• for five years, since 2012, since 2007, for 2
years.
• Present Perfect (Usain Bolt has held, has
held, Lewis Hamilton has driven, he has
been)
• Mennea and Senna are deceased. Their
actions are finished.
Exercise 4B
1. periods of time; 2. the beginning of a period
of time.
Exercise 4C
1. Mennea set his 200m record in 1979.
2. Three.
Key to Exercises 9

3. For five years. Exercise 10

4. For two years. 1. B; 2. A; 3. B; 4. A; 5. B.

Exercise 5 Exercise 11
1. six; 2. uncle; 3. medals; 4. weekend; 1. T; 2. T; 3. F (It seems that Japanese held
5. Germany; 6. month; 7. chatting. the first races in 36 B.C.); 4. F (He claimed that
humans can swim better than fish.); 5. T.
Exercise 6
1. T; 2. F (No, you don’t have to be good at
music.); 3. F (No, they last from 2,30 to 5 GRAMMAR WORKOUT
minutes.); 4. F (No, there are from 2 to 10
members.); 5. T; 6. F (No, they must never Exercise 1
touch the bottom of the pool.). 1. have already run; 2. Has he beaten the
record yet; 3. have already won; 4. has never
Exercise 7 lost; 5. has just married; 6. haven’t played;
Student B 7. Have you been; 8. has had; 9. has ever run;
1. How old is Hannah? She’s... 10. Have you ever swum.
2. Where was Hannah born? In Reading.
3. What is Hannah’s aspiration? To compete Exercise 2
at the Olympics 2016. 1. The match has already started.
4. Who has influenced her most? Her older 2. My brothers haven’t seen the new
sister Stephanie. swimming pool yet.
5. When did Hannah begin synchro 3. Have you ever played in a big
swimming? When she was 7 years old. competition?
6. What is her most important possession? 4. My schoolmate has never lost a volleyball
Her phone. match.
7. What does she want to do in the future? 5. Have the synchronised swimmers finished
She wants to coach sport. their routine yet?
8. What are Hannah’s hobbies? Listening to
music and walking her dogs. Exercise 3
1. have been; 2. played; 3. haven’t had;
Student A 4. have you started; 5. have already uploaded;
1. How old is Emma? She’s... 6. have prepared.
2. Where was Emma born? In Manchester.
3. What is Emma’s aspiration? To compete at Exercise 4
the highest level. For: half an hour; 2 months; a long time.
4. Who has influenced her most? Her Since: Sunday; 1st July; 9 o’clock; I was 3 years
teammates, family and coach. old; May.
5. When did Emma begin synchro swimming?
When she was 10 years old. Exercise 5
6. What is her most important possession? Open answers.
Her phone.
7. What does she want to do in the future?
She wants to go to university.
8. What are Emma’s hobbies? Watching films ANATOMY CORNER
and playing sport. THE HUMAN SKELETON

Exercise 8
Open answers. Exercise 1
1. C; 2. A; 3. B.
Exercise 9
1. B; 2. C; 3 A. Exercise 2
1. The human skeleton is defined as the
 10
framework which supports the entire body
and gives it a shape.
2. The human skeleton is composed of bones
connected by joints and ligaments.
3. Its functions are: support, movement,
protection.
4. There are more than 200 bones.
5. There are: long bones, short bones and flat
bones.
6. The upper limbs are: arm, forearm and hand.
7. The lower limbs are: thigh, leg and foot.
Exercise 3
Open answers.
CLIL CHEMISTRY
HEALTHY FOOD
Exercise 1
Open answers.
Exercise 2
2. tissues; 3. healthy; 4. growth; 5. cereals;
6. store; 7. minerals; 8. molecules.
Exercise 3
1. The human body is compared to an engine
because both need fuel to function correctly.
Food is the fuel used by the human body.
2. We need macronutrients, micronutrients, fibre
and water.
3. The parts of our body made up of proteins are:
body cells and tissues.
4. Amino acids are small molecules containing
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms.
5. Pasta, bread, potatoes, beans and cereals
contain carbohydrates.
6. We need fats to maintain our body
temperature and provide us with a store of
energy.
7. Fibre is found in fruits, vegetables and nuts.
8. Our body uses water to break large food
molecules into smaller ones, thus facilitating
digestion.
Exercise 4
Open answers.
Exercise 5
Open answer.
Key to Exercises
Exercise 6
Open answer.
UNIT 4 SCRUM DOWN
Exercise 1A
1. It’s convenient for getting to work at the club
and for going into the centre of London.
2. Because the flat won’t be free for another
two weeks.
3. She offers to help to redecorate the flat.
4. He wants to borrow it so that he and Matt
can move their clothes, books and sports
equipment.
5. Marco is going to move into the flat when he
finishes his course at the College.
6. Marco is going to take his junior rugby team
to meet the Blackwell rugby team.
7. He thinks the children will ask the team a lot
of questions.
Exercise 1B
you’re going to move in, the flat won’t be free,
we’re going to repaint it, I’ll help, Steve’s going
to ask, I’m going to move, I’m going to take,
they’ll really enjoy that, they’ll ask, I’ll do that.
Exercise 1C
A. going to; B. will.
Exercise 1D
- Intention for the future: you’re going to move
in, we’re going to repaint it, Steve’s going to
ask, I’m going to move into the flat, I’m going
to take them to meet the Blackwell rugby
team.
- Unpremeditated future: I’ll help you, I’ll do that.
- Future fact: the flat won’t be free for another
two weeks.
- After verbs such as ‘think’, etc.: I think they’ll
ask them a lot of questions.
- After ‘to be sure/certain’: I’m sure they’ll really
enjoy that.
- To make an offer: I’ll help you to redecorate it.
Exercise 1E
1. is going to buy; 2. I’ll give; 3. will start; 4. I’ll
have; 5. is going to move; 6. I’ll take; 7. will be;
8. I won’t tell; 9. I’ll help; 10. I won’t wait.
Key to Exercises 11

Exercise 2 Exercise 10
Student B Open answer.
1. It’s not more than 100 metres.
2. The in-goal area. Exercise 11
3. They’re broken. 1. The All Blacks.
2. The shirt is green and gold and the shorts
Student A are white.
1. It’s not more than 70 metres. 3. They perform a Maori dance called ‘haka’.
2. It’s 3 metres high. 4. It took place in Johannesburg.
3. They’re broken. 5. The All Blacks from New Zealand and the
South African Springbox.
Exercise 3A 6. Nelson Mandela.
1. D; 2. A; 3. C; 4. E; 5. B. 7. The team was very unpopular with the
black population because it was a symbol
Exercise 3B of white Afrikaners superiority.
1. E; 2. C; 3. A; 4. D; 5. B. 8. It helped to unite blacks and whites after
the end of apartheid.
Exercise 4
1. try ; 2. 100; 3. 3; 4. 15; 5. 8; 6. 70; 7. 5; 8. 3; Exercise 12
9. 40; 10. touch; 11. 22; 12. kick-off. 1. F (No, it's played by sportsmen in general.);
2. F (No, we only have a legend about the
Exercise 5 origins of rugby.); 3. T; 4. F (No, they score a
1. B; 2. D; 3. C; 4. A; 5. C; 6. D; 7. D; 8. B; try.); 5. T.
9. C; 10. C.

Exercise 6 GRAMMAR WORKOUT

1. It’s difficult because the ball is sometimes
under a pile of players.
2. It will emit signals to antennas at the side of
the pitch.
3. They will monitor the exact movements of
the ball.
4. No, it’s in use for American football.
5. American scientists, including Dr Ricketts.
Exercise 7
1. E; 2. D; 3. G; 4. A; 5. H; 6. B; 7. C; 8. F.
Exercise 8
8 Forwards: 2 props, 1 hooker, 2 locks, 2
flankers, the number 8.
7 backs: 2 half-backs (1 scrum-half, 1 fly-half),
4 threequarters, 1 fullback.
Exercise 9A
1. prop; 2. hooker; 3. prop; 4. lock; 5. lock;
6. flanker; 7. flanker; 8. the number 8.
Exercise 1
Suggestions:
1. Don’t worry madam. I’ll help you.
2. I’ve just finished my training so I’m free
now. I’ll come with you.
3. I’m sorry you are in hospital. I’ll visit you as
soon as possible.
4. Don’t worry about that. I’ll post it this
evening.
Exercise 2
1. are going to visit; 2. are you going to decide;
3. is going to start; 4. ’m going to have; 5. are
they going to change; 6. are going to do; 7. ’s
going to score; 8. he’s going to crash.
Exercise 3
1. ’m going to play; 2. ’ll drive; 3. are going to
win; 4. are the players going to travel; 5. are
you going to meet; 6. will become; 7. ’ll put.

Exercise 9B Exercise 4
1. props; 2. win the ball; line-out; 3. locks; 1. ’m meeting; 2. ’m going to read; 3. are you
4. flankers; 5. scrum. going to do; 4. ’m going; 5. is Toby going to
practise.
 12 Key to Exercises

Exercise 5
1. A; 2. B; 3. B; 4. A; 5. A; 6. B; 7. B; 8. A.
Exercise 6
1. won’t improve; 2. ’re playing; 3. will select;
4. will probably referee; 5. is our trainer going
to teach.
Exercise 1E
1. Will you have to; 2. didn’t have to; 3. Did
Mike have to; 4. Will you have to; 5. had to;
6. had to; 7. will have to; 8. will have to.
Exercise 1F
1. mustn’t; 2. mustn’t; 3. must; 4. mustn’t;
5. can/must; 6. don’t have to; 7. must; 8. can’t;
9. mustn’t; 10. don’t have to.

UNIT 5 FAIR PLAY Exercise 2

1. D; 2. F; 3. A; 4. G; 5. B; 6. C; 7. E.

Exercise 1A Exercise 3
1. No, he hasn’t. 1. D; 2. A; 3. B; 4. J; 5. I; 6. E; 7. F; 8. L; 9. N;
2. Because he can’t enter the US without a 10. K; 11. M; 12. G; 13. C; 14. H.
valid visa.
3. Because they’re going to stay with Steve’s Exercise 4
cousin Mick. 1. A; 2. D; 3. B; 4. C.
4. They must check the rules and regulations
about flying. Exercise 5
5. No, they won’t. The flight is direct. Free kick, penalty kick, corner kick, kick off,
6. No, they won’t because Mick is coming to goal kick.
meet them at the airport.
7. Because Mick thinks they must see an Exercise 6
American football match. 1. goalkeeper; 2. midfielders; 3. defenders;
8. Because he has to play in a football match 4. strikers; 5. linesman; 6. substitute;
at the beginning of January. 7. referee; 8. coach.
9. They will have to pay a lot for excess
baggage. Exercise 7
10. They will phone her as soon as they return 1. B; 2. E; 3. D; 4. A; 5. C.
to London.
Exercise 8
Exercise 1B 1. F (It’s possible to score a goal from a corner
1. must kick.); 2. T; 3. T; 4. F (Players must take a
2. mustn’t penalty kick from the penalty spot.); 5. F (Only
3. don’t have to one referee has to be present.); 6. F (The
goalkeeper can enter the opposition’s half.);
Exercise 1C 7. F (A player has to leave the pitch when he
1. I must have a visa, we must check, do you receives a red card.); 8. T; 9. T; 10. T.
have to change, we must see, I have to
play, you’ll have to pay. Exercise 9
2. we mustn’t take. Supporters must not...
3. we don’t have to do that, we won’t have to 1. b ring animals into the football ground.
take. 3. s moke inside the stadium.
5. take bottles, cans, knives, sticks or poles
Exercise 1D into the football ground.
Negative: I mustn’t, He won’t have to, He has 7. introduce fireworks, flares or any explosive
not had to. substance into the football ground.
Question: must I?, Did he have to?, Will he 9. invade the football pitch.
have to?, Has he had to? 10. use abusive language.
11. chant racist slogans.
Key to Exercises 13

Exercise 10 3. Who has had to train hard?

Age - 14
Position on the field - Midfielder
Free time - Wednesday afternoon
School subjects to improve – Science, French
Home town - Sheffield
Father’s occupation - He has a restaurant
Exercise 11
Open answers.
Exercise 12
Open.
Exercise 13
1. They all had the same surname, Bungay.
2. No, it’s rare.
3. They had the same surname in common.
4. No, they also came from America and
Australia.
5. No, they were mixed-sex teams.
6. They wore shirts of different colours.
7. Because it attracted a lot of publicity.
8. It finished in a draw.
Exercise 14
1. gets a kick out of; 2. to know the score; 3. is
on the ball.
Exercise 15
1. F (They were banned because they were
chaotic and violent.); 2. F (It was still a game of
‘beastly fury and extreme violence’.); 3. T;
4. F (They all had different rules.); 5. F (Women
have only played since the 19th century.)
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
Exercise 1
1. must, have to; 2. mustn’t; 3. can, can’t, have to;
4. don’t have to; 5. mustn’t; 6. can’t.
Exercise 2
2. must play; 3. mustn’t take; 4. mustn’t shout;
5. must reject; 6. mustn’t tackle; 7. must
respect.
Exercise 3
2. C; 3. B; 4. B; 5. A; 6. B; 7. B; 8. C; 9. A.
Exercise 4
2. What time will you have to be at the stadium?
4. What does Jenny have to do?
5. Why did your team have to pay a fine?
6. What will John have to improve?
Exercise 5
1. (mustn’t to go) mustn’t go; 2. (Has a referee
to) Does a referee have to; 3. (had not to)
didn’t have to; 4. (don’t have to) doesn’t have
to; 5. (How long you have to). How long will
you have to.
Exercise 6
1. can; 2. must; 3. mustn’t; 4, can; 5. can’t.
UNIT 6 SET IT UP!
Exercise 1A
1. He wants to speak to them as soon as they
come back from Dallas.
2. Because he wants to wait until Marco
finishes his training session.
3. Because a friend of his urgently needs a
beach volleyball referee.
4. He can’t use it because the brakes aren’t
working properly.
5. They’ll spend the rest of the weekend in
Brighton.
Exercise 1B
1. as soon as (they come back) / until (he
finishes)
2. I’ll wait until he finishes his training session,
Will you help to umpire the matches if
you’re free?, I won’t be able to come unless
you take me in your car, If it doesn’t rain,
we’ll spend the rest of the weekend in
Brighton.
Exercise 1C
1. Until; 2. when; 3. after; 4. as soon as;
5. before.
Exercise 1D
1. ’ll wait; 2. blows; 3. go; 4. starts; 5. will be.
Exercise 1E
1. won’t lose; 2. go; 3. won’t be; 4. goes; 5. will
get.
 14 Key to Exercises

Exercise 2
1. F; 2. C; 3. B; 4. A; 5. D; 6. E.
Exercise 3
1. six; 2. blockers; 3. net; 4. serving;
5. points; 6. play; 7. before; 8. side; 9. twice;
10. homework.
Exercise 4A
1. You won’t give your team a chance to score
a point unless you receive and pass the ball
correctly; You won’t learn the fundamentals
unless you train regularly; If we don’t have
too much homework tomorrow, we’ll come
and watch a training session.
2. We’ll come and watch a training session
tomorrow unless we have too much
homework.
3. affirmative.
Exercise 4B
1. You won’t absorb the shock unless you
bend your knees when you land after a
jump.
2. You won’t receive and pass the ball
correctly unless you learn the bump.
3. You will hurt your knees unless you wear
kneepads.
4. The referee won’t blow his whistle unless
your feet go over the centre line.
5. You won’t win the set unless you have a
2-point advantage.
6. You won’t serve an ace unless the ball hits
the ground before your opponents retrieve
it.
7. The players won’t have a break unless their
coach calls a time-out.
8. You will hurt your fingers unless you block
the ball correctly.
Exercise 5
Suggested answers.
Forearm – Players use their forearms to
receive and pass the ball with a bump.
Legs – Players use their legs all the time, but
especially to jump to spike or block a ball or for
a jump serve.
Shoulder – Players use their shoulder to get
power behind a spike.
Fingers – Players use the tips of their fingers to
set a ball and to block in defence.
Knees – Players absorb the shock of landing
by bending their knees.
Exercise 6A
1. Where is a volleyball match played?
A. On a court.
2. How many points are there in a set?
B. There are 25 points.
3. Which players can jump, spike and block
near the net?
C. The three players who are at the net.
4. What is a bump in volleyball?
D. A bump is a forearm pass.
5. Which player can’t rotate into the front-line?
E. The libero can’t.
Exercise 6B
1. How many sets are there in a volleyball
match?
A. There are five sets.
2. What is a dig?
B. When a player retrieves the ball near the
floor.
3. What must players do when their team wins
back service?
C. They must rotate one position clockwise.
4. Who wears different colours from the rest of
the team?
D. The libero does.
5. Is the person in control of the game a
referee or an umpire?
E. He/She is called a referee.
Exercise 7
Open answers.
Exercise 8
1. B; 2. B; 3. A; 4. B; 5. B; 6. B; 7. A; 8. A; 9. B;
10. A; 11. A; 12. B.
Exercise 9
1. Copacobana Beach, Rio de Janeiro.
2. Plage du Prado, France.
3. Manhattan Beach, California.
4. Karon Beach, Thailand.
5. Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro.
6. Manhattan Beach, California.
7. Plage du Prado, France.
8. Karon Beach, Thailand.
9. Karon Beach, Thailand.
10. Manhattan Beach, California.
11. Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro.
12. Plage du Prado, France.
Train your brain
Open answers.
Key to Exercises 15

Exercise 10 Exercise 2
1. F (He came from Massachusetts.); 2. T; 1. make up; 2. signals; 3. skeleton;
3. F (They were different.); 4. T; 5. F (The net 4. conscious; 5. walls; 6. pulsing; 7. involuntary;
is lower for women.); 6. T. 8. blood.

GRAMMAR WORKOUT
Exercise 1
2. will make; 3. is; 4. will sell; 5. improve;
6. don’t finish; 7. will have to; 8. doesn’t get
better; 9. goes; 10. will hurt.
Exercise 2
2. have; 3. are; 4. will give; 5. starts;
6. telephone; 7. will have to; 8. tells; 9. won’t
start; 10. returns; 11. sees; 12. are.
Exercise 3
1. F; 2. I; 3. H; 4. A; 5. D; 6. J; 7. B; 8. C; 9. E;
10. G.
Exercise 4
1. will you go, go; 2. don’t go, will you do;
3. doesn’t give, will you do; 4. will you talk,
phone; 5. go, will you buy; 6. will you do, lose.
Exercise 5
Open answers.
Exercise 6
1. unless; 2. if; 3. unless; 4. if; 5. unless;
6. unless; 7. if; 8. if; 9. unless.
ANATOMY CORNER
THE HUMAN MUSCULAR SYSTEM
Exercise 3
1. A muscle cramp is a sudden and involuntary
contraction of one or more muscles.
2. A strain is a stretching or tearing of muscle
or tendon.
3. A muscle pain is caused by tension, stress,
overuse and minor injuries.
4. A bruise is a collection of blood under the
skin.
5. A sprain is a stretching or tearing of
ligaments.
1. B; 2. A; 3. D; 4. C; 5. E.
Exercise 4A
1. Upper back; 2. Triceps; 3. Trapezius;
4. Gluteus; 5. Hamstrings; 6. Biceps; 7. Abs;
8. Forearms; 9. Quadriceps; 10. Lower back.
Exercise 4B
1. Upper back – A. Muscolo dorsale
2. Triceps – B. Tricipite
3. Trapezius – C. Trapezio
4. Gluteus – D. Glutei
5. Hamstrings – E. Tendini posteriori del
ginocchio
6. Biceps – F. Bicipite
7. Abs – G. Addominali
8. Forearms – H. Avambracci
9. Quadriceps – I. Quadricipite
10. Lower back – J. Muscolo lombare

CLIL HISTORY
Exercise 1 HISTORY OF THE PARALYMPICS
1. The muscular system can move the
skeleton and maintain its posture through
contractions. Exercise 1
2. Muscles generate heat through cell Open answers.
metabolism.
3. They transform the chemical energy Exercise 2
derived from food into mechanical energy. 1. Where did Sir Guttmann work as a
4. Because, besides moving the bones of the neurologist?
skeleton, they also make the heart beat 2. Why was he forced to flee to England?
and constitute the walls of other important 3. What did he believe in?
hollow organs. 4. What did he think sport helped disabled
people to do?
 16
Exercise 3
1. The word ‘Paralympic’ derives from the
Greek preposition ‘para’ and the word
‘Olympic’.
2. Sport for disabled people was widely
introduced after World War II.
3. Sir Guttmann opened it to rehabilitate
people with spinal injuries through sport.
4. On 29th July 1948, Sir Guttmann organised
the first competition for wheelchair athletes
which he named the Stoke Mandeville
Games.
5. They became the Paralympic Games.
6. They first took place in Rome, Italy, in
1960.
7. Since 1960 they have taken place every
four years.
8. At the London 2012 Games more than
4,200 athletes competed in 20 sports.
Exercise 4
Archery – Tiro all’arco
Basketball – Pallacanestro
Swimming – Nuoto
Fencing – Scherma
Javelin – Giavellotto
Shot put – Lancio del peso
Club throwing – Lancio della clava
Snooker – Biliardo
Table tennis – Tennis da tavolo, ping pong
Pentathlon – Pentathlon
Exercise 5
1. Shooting; 2. Fencing; 3. Basketball;
4. Tennis; 5. Cycling; 6. Archery.
Exercise 6
1. T; 2. F (He lost his legs in a motor racing
crash.); 3. T; 4. F (He was 45.); 5. T.
UNIT 7 ON YOUR MARKS
Exercise 1A
1. knee; 2. football; 3. treatment; 4. exercises;
5. wearing, three; 6. teammates; 7. worry; 8. eight.
Exercise 1B
1. I’ve been having (treatment), I’ve been
doing (all the right exercises), I’ve been
Key to Exercises
wearing (an elastic bandage), I’ve been
going (to a physiotherapist), You’ve been
playing (football).
2. it hasn’t got much better, some of them
have had (the same kind of experience),
you haven’t torn (a ligament), I’ve sprained
(my wrist twice).
3. I should be (more patient), You should
talk (to your teammates), I should see (a
specialist), You shouldn’t worry.
Exercise 1C
1. Present Perfect Continuous
2. Present Perfect Simple
3. should; shouldn’t
Exercise 1D
1. has been using; 2. has been eating; 3. have
been trying; 4. has been working; 5. have you
been living; 6. has been playing; 7. have been
writing; 8. has been queuing; 9. have you been
waiting; 10. hasn’t been sleeping.
Exercise 1E
1. should go; 2. should walk; 3. shouldn’t eat;
4. should stop; 5. shouldn’t drive, should cycle.
Exercise 2A
Track events: 110m, 400m hurdles, 800m,
4x100m relay, 10,000m, 110m hurdles, 200m,
1,500m, 4x400m relay, 5,000m, 3,000m
steeplechase, 400m.
Field events: javelin, discus, high jump, pole
vault, triple jump, shot put, long jump, hammer.
Combined events: pentathlon, decathlon,
heptathlon.
Exercise 2B
1. E; 2. H; 3. F; 4. A; 5. C; 6. B; 7. G; 8. D.
Exercise 2C
1. High jump: 1. crossbar; 2. techniques;
3. shoulders; 4. effective; 5. number; 6. angle.
2. Long jump: 1. track; 2. board; 3. sand;
4. jump; 5. three; 6. speed.
3. Pole vault: 1. pole; 2. agility; 3. skill;
4. winner; 5. vaulters; 6. mats.
Exercise 2D
Sprints: 100m, 200m, 400m.
Middle distance: 800m, 1,500m.
Long distance: 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m,
marathon.
Key to Exercises 17

Exercise 2E Exercise 7B
1. straight; 2. distance; 3. lanes; 4. track; 1. has won; 2. has been playing; 3. has broken;
5. runners; 6. first; 7. inside; 8. 5,000m; 4. has been sponsoring; 5. has been driving;
9. bend; 10. lap. 6. has taken.

Exercise 3 Exercise 8
1. How long have you been throwing the Open answers.
discus?
2. How long have you been doing the Exercise 9
marathon? 1. T; 2. F (He also runs the team 4x100m
3. How long have you been competing in the relay race.); 3. T; 4. F (He usually seems
pole vault? relaxed.); 5. F (Bolt starts more slowly and then
4. How long have you been wearing glasses accelerates.); 6. T.
to run the 5,000 metres?
5. How long have you been using the Fosbury Train your brain
flop in the high jump? 1. C; 2. A; 3. B.

Exercise 4
1. No, they complete them over a period of
one or two days.
2. There are 5 events. They are fencing,
swimming, show jumping, cross country
running and pistol shooting.
3. Because in the ancient Olympic Games,
they tested the skills of soldiers.
4. Officials give athletes points for each event.
The athlete with most points after all the
events is the winner.
5. There is controversy because some people
think women should have the opportunity to
do an Olympic decathlon.
Exercise 5
Open answer must include each bullet point.
Exercise 10
1. F (There aren’t events such as chariot
racing.); 2. T; 3. F (Only free men who spoke
Greek and had done specific training could
take part.); 4. T;
5. F (The flame is carried by torch to the place
where the Games are held.).
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
Exercise 1
1. has been doing; 2. has been watching;
3. have/’ve been jogging; 4. have you been
waiting; 5. haven’t been exercising; 6. has
been practising; 7. has he been learning;
8. have/’ve been running.

Exercise 6
1. Because he has been training 2 hours a
day for 3 months now.
2. His brother has been accompanying him on
his bike when he runs.
3. George says they shouldn’t wear new
shoes for a race.
4. He’s been counting the calories in his
food.
5. He’s been doing weight training.
Exercise 7A
1. have been dominating; 2. have been using; 3.
has been winning; 4. has George been training?;
5. have been throwing; 6. have been running;
7. has been sponsoring; 8. have been competing.
Exercise 2
1. Mary has been living in the Olympic Village
since 1992.
2. We have been training for more than an
hour.
3. David has been working at the sports
centre since last month.
4. How long have you been doing the long
jump?
5. We have been waiting for the coach.
6. Ben has been wearing his tracksuit for
hours.
7. Have you been doing athletics for a long
time?
8. Lucy has not been concentrating on her
training.
 18 Key to Exercises

Exercise 3 UNIT 8 KIP AND FLIP

Present Present
Perfect Perfect
Simple Continuous Exercise 1A
1. It was very interesting.
I/train I have trained I have been
2. She’s going to a concert.
training
3. It will be held at the O2 in Greenwich.
You/run You have run You have 4. The 2012 Olympic gymnastic events were
been running held there.
5. Because all the tickets have been sold.
She/swim She has She has been
6. Because she’s got the flu.
swum swimming
He/cycle He has He has been Exercise 1B
cycled cycling 1. are held; 2. was built; 3. were held; 4. were
It/roll It has rolled It has been
booked; 5. have been sold; 6. will be held.
rolling
Exercise 1C
We/practise We have We have 1. is played; 2. are held; 3. was given; 4. was
practised been revolutionised; 5. is worn; 6. is called; 7. was
practising born; 8. can be scored; 9. were held; 10. is
You/exercise You have You have used.
exercised been
exercising 1. B; 2. C; 3. B; 4. C; 5. A; 6. C; 7. B; 8. C; 9.
B; 10. A.
They/do They have They have
done been doing Exercise 1D
1. Hockey is played with a stick.
Exercise 4 2. Ice-skating competitions are held on a
1. have been walking; 2. have run; 3. have you rink.
played; 4. have been making; 5. has sold; 3. Nadia Comaneci was given a perfect
6. has been trying; 7. have been practising; score of 10 for the first time in the
8. have they done; 9. has she known; 10. have Olympic Games.
already inspected. 4. The high jump was revolutionised by Dick
Fosbury.
Exercise 5 5. The shirt number 8 is worn by the fullback
1. shouldn’t worry; 2. should give up; 3. should in rugby union.
be; 4. shouldn’t play; 5. should practise; 6. A score of 40-40 is called ‘deuce’ in
6. should exercise. tennis.
7. Andy Murray was born in Scotland.
Exercise 6 8. A waza-ari, ippon and yuko can be scored
1. What should I do to be a champion? in judo.
2. You shouldn’t leave your lane. 9. The 2012 Olympic Games were held in
3. We should buy a new pair of shoes. London.
4. I think she should apologise to her trainer. 10. An épée is used in fencing.
5. Should we go to the party given by the
sports club? Exercise 1E
6. The coach shouldn’t give us so much work 1. will be built; 2. was beaten; 3. are
to do. televised; 4. are watched; 5. are played; 6.
was invented; 7. have been played; 8. can be
Exercise 7 bought; 9. are being encouraged.
Open answers.
Key to Exercises
Exercise 2A
1. D; 2. C; 3. B; 4. A.
Exercise 2B
1. B; 2. D; 3. F; 4. C; 5. A; 6. E.
Exercise 3A
Vault
1. They are the approach, flight and landing.
2. A springboard is placed in front of the
vaulting table.
3. They perform twists and somersaults.
4. The new vaulting table is safer and helps
gymnasts to perform more difficult vaults.
Uneven bars
1. The kip is often used on this apparatus.
2. Chalk, tape or grips can be used to
prevent slipping.
3. No, if she remounts within 30 seconds.
4. Difficulty, technique and composition are
evaluated by the judges.
Balance beam
1. It is 125 centimetres from the ground.
2. Leaps, dance elements, handsprings and
poses are performed on the beam.
3. It can last up to 90 seconds.
4. Gymnasts are given points for balance,
flexibility, poise and strength.
Floor
1. The floor has a spring.
2. The gymnast is expected to perform a
routine of acrobatic and dance elements
that cover the entire floor area.
3. Synchronisation is important because
the floor exercises are accompanied by
music.
4. Points are deducted if the gymnast goes
outside the floor perimeters.
Exercise 3B
Pommel horse
1. They are made of a metal body covered
with foam rubber and leather.
2. It was invented to teach soldiers to mount
and dismount a horse.
3. They are not allowed to pause during a
routine.
19
4. They should always be straight and their
feet should be pointed.
Rings
1. The muscles of the upper body.
2. It is difficult because they hang freely
from a metal frame.
3. It’s the iron cross.
4. They are allowed to lift the gymnasts into
position.
Parallel bars
1. Balance, strength, timing and
coordination are required.
2. The gymnast can dismount from the side
or the end of the bars.
3. Points will be deducted.
High bar
1. High bars are made of steel or fibreglass.
2. Leather grips are used to hold onto the
bar.
3. A giant swing means a circle around the
bar in a handstand position.
4. Because they give the gymnasts enough
momentum to perform spectacular
releases and dismounts.
Exercise 4
1. B; 2. C; 3. A; 4. D.
Exercise 5
1. is practised; 2. manipulate; 3. start; 4.
are worn; 5. are made; 6. are attached; 7. is
needed.
Exercise 6
1. Artistic skills are more important than
acrobatic skills.
2. Ribbons, balls, hoops and clubs are used
in rhythmic gymnastics, while apparatus
such as vaulting tables, parallel bars,
uneven bars, rings, a balance beam, a
high bar and a pommel horse are used in
artistic gymnastics.
3. Only women usually compete in rhythmic
gymnastics.
 20 Key to Exercises

Exercise 7 Exercise 12
1. F (They show a form of vaulting.); 2. T; 3. F (It
was invented by the ancient Romans.); 4. T; 5. T.

GRAMMAR WORKOUT

Exercise 1
1. is played; 2. is done; 3. are written; 4. are
cut; 5. are watched; 6. are broadcast.

Artistic gymnastics: Floor, high bar, uneven
bars, rings, vault, beam.
Rhythmic gymnastics: Hoop, ribbon, clubs, ball.
Artistic and rhythmic gymnastics: Routine,
twist, skill, pivot.
Exercise 8
1. B; 2. A; 3. C; 4. B; 5. A.
Exercise 2
1. During the opening ceremony of the
Olympic Games, the Olympic flame is lit by
the torch-bearer.
2. Before the beginning of international
football matches the national anthems are
played by a band.
3. In the Six Nations Championship the
“wooden spoon” is won by the team which
has come last in the competition.
4. A silver cup called the “Salad bowl” is won
by the winner of the Davis Cup.
5. The Olympics are opened by the President
of the International Olympic Committee with
an official speech.
Exercise 3
1. won; 2. was destroyed; 3. was won;
4. destroyed; 5. broke; 6. published; 7. was
broken; 8. was published.

Exercise 9 Exercise 4
1. 12 (twelve); 2. free time; 3. China; 4. London 1. When was the 200m won by Mennea at the
Olympics; 5. competition; 6. twice; 7. hero; Moscow Olympics? In 1980.
8. fashion; 9. job. 2. When was the first boxing match televised?
In 1939.
Exercise 10 3. Who was the first penalty scored by in
1. is on a roll; 2. is jumping through hoops; 1930? Manuel Rosas.
3. threw him off balance. 4. Where was the first Football World Cup
held? In Uruguay.
Exercise 11 5. Which world record was broken by Bolt in
Opens answer should include the following 2009? 200m.
information:
- Who? Four rhythmic gymnasts Exercise 5
- Where? At the London Olympic Games 1. will be opened; 2. haven’t been sold;
- What? Jumping/leaping 3. was invited; 4. are being interviewed; 5. was
- Apparatus? Ribbons performed.
- Clothes? Leotards
- Important aspects? Technique, grace, Exercise 6
agility, synchronisation 1. can’t be taught; 2. should be organised;
3. must be checked; 4. cannot be taken;
5. must be worn; 6. should be treated.
Key to Exercises 21

Exercise 7 8. wouldn’t feel, wore; 9. didn’t ski, wouldn’t be;

1. was held; 2. was also used; 3. were 10. Would you feel, were.
televised; 4. were amazed; 5. was performed;
6. were dressed; 7. were accompanied; 8. was Exercise 2A
composed; 9. were presented; 10. will be held; 1. F; 2. C; 3. D; 4. A; 5. B; 6. G; 7. E.
11. be booked.
Exercise 2B
1. D; 2. F; 3. J; 4. L; 5. A; 6. G; 7. I; 8. B; 9. M;
10. K; 11. C; 12. H; 13. E.
UNIT 9 DOWNHILL ALL THE WAY
Exercise 2C
On ice: figure skating, ice hockey, skeleton,
Exercise 1A luge, bobsleigh, curling, speed skating
1. The sports club has offered Marco a full On snow: snowboard, alpine/downhill skiing,
time job as a rugby coach. ski jumping, cross country skiing, biathlon,
2. They would feel very disappointed. freestyle skiing.
3. He would study sports science at university.
4. He could become a fitness centre manager Exercise 2D
or an event organiser. 1. C; 2. F; 3. A; 4. B; 5. E; 6. D.
5. She thinks he should consider his decision
carefully. Exercise 2E
1. Speed skating
Exercise 1B 2. Curling
1. Past Simple. 3. Ski jumping
2. Present Conditional. 4. Figure skating
3. If I got a degree in that subject, it would be 5. Skeleton
easier to find a well-paid job; Wouldn’t you 6. Cross country skiing
miss all the friends you’ve made in London 7. Bobsleigh
if you went back to Milan?; If I got a good 8. Biathlon
job and earned a good salary, I would 9. Snowboard
have enough money to come and visit you 10. Ice hockey
quite often; If I were you, I’d think about the 11. Freestyle skiing
club’s offer very carefully. 12. Luge

Exercise 1C Exercise 2F
1. If I were you, I wouldn’t ski without a 1. D; 2. A; 3. E; 4. B; 5. C.
helmet.
2. If I lost a competition, I’d be very Exercise 3
disappointed. A. Early life: 4.
3. If I felt tired after skiing all day, I’d have a B. Success on the ski slopes: 3.
hot bath and relax. C. Powerful new technique: 1.
4. If I didn’t enjoy skiing, I wouldn’t have a D. Flamboyant personality: 5.
winter holiday. E. Not only sport: 2.
5. If I met Carolina Kostner, I’d ask her for an
autograph. Exercise 4
6. If I did more exercise, I’d feel fitter. Open answer must include main information
provided in the notes.
Exercise 1D
1. lived, would be; 2. went, would wear; Exercise 5
3. would have, didn’t have to; 4. accompanied, Similarities between luge and skeleton
would feel; 5. was/were, would try; 6. snowed, 1. In both luge and skeleton competitors travel
would play; 7. wouldn’t fall down, used; on a small sled.
2. There are no brakes on luge or skeleton sleds.
 22
3. Luge and skeleton riders race down an ice
track.
Differences between luge and skeleton
4. Lugers lie on their back and descend
feet first while skeleton riders lie on their
stomach and descend head first.
5. Lugers wear spiked gloves while skeleton
riders wear spiked shoes.
Differences between luge and bobsleigh
6. Lugers travel on a small open sled while a
bobsleigh team travels inside the sleigh.
7. Luge sleds have no brakes while
bobsleighs are stopped with a brake.
Exercise 6
1. C; 2. C; 3. A; 4. C; 5. B; 6. C.
Exercise 7
1. A; 2. B; 3. B; 4. B; 5. A; 6. B; 7. A.
Exercise 8
Open answers.
Exercise 9
1. he is completely snowed under; 2. to break
the ice; 3. you are skating on thin ice.
Exercise 10
1. T; 2. F (This type of exercise was invented
by the Norwegian army.); 3. T; 4. T; 5. F (They
were made of animal bones.); 6. F (The monk
wrote a description of people ice skating.)
GRAMMAR WORKOUT
Exercise 1
1. were, would teach; 2. would buy, gave;
3. had, wouldn’t feel; 4. went, would be able
to; 5. would move, wanted; 6. were, would
practise; 7. would you choose, went;
8. travelled, would we get; 9. would you lend,
needed.
Exercise 2
1. B; 2. C; 3. C; 4. D; 5. D; 6. B.
Exercise 3
1. E; 2. C; 3. A; 4. F; 5. B; 6. D.
Exercise 4
Key to Exercises
1. were; 2. would the coach decide; 3. had;
4. would you do; 5. lost; 6. had to; 7. met;
8. would you buy; 9. didn’t play; 10. would you
join.
Exercise 5
1. could; 2. should; 3. should/could; 4. should;
5. shouldn’t; 6. could; 7. could; 8. should;
9. shouldn’t.
ANATOMY CORNER
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Exercise 1
1. The function of the circulatory system is to
move blood around the body.
2. It is composed of the heart, arteries, veins,
and capillaries.
3. The heart is located under the rib cage,
between the lungs.
4. They carry oxygen-rich blood to the rest of
the body.
5. There are three main types of blood
vessels: arteries, veins and capillaries.
6. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the
heart to all the body’s tissues and organs.
7. Because their thin walls allow oxygen,
nutrients and carbon dioxide to enter and
leave the cells of internal organs.
8. It contains waste products that must be
removed from the body.
9. The main veins are: the superior vena cava
that brings blood from the head and arms
to the heart and the inferior vena cava that
carries blood from the abdomen and legs to
the heart.
Exercise 2
Open answers.
Exercise 4
1. B; 2. E; 3. C; 4. F; 5. A; 6. D.
Exercise 5
1. B; 2. A; 3. B; 4. C; 5. B; 6. C; 7. A.
Exercise 6
Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the
body’s cells and waste products away from
them.
Key to Exercises 23

The circulatory system consists of: study of all geographical phenomena

1. The heart, which is the muscular pump that
keeps the blood moving.
2. The arteries, which carry blood away from
the heart.
3. The veins, which return blood to the heart.
4. The capillaries, which are tiny blood
vessels that are close to the body’s cells.
related to sport.
2. They are: the migration of athletes,
the economic and social impact
on employment, the regional and
environmental effects.
3. They are: Olympic Games, FA Football
World Cups and so on.

Exercise 7 Exercise 3A
1. light clothing; 2. breaks; 3. fluids; 4. correct 1. D; 2. I; 3. L; 4. A; 5. G; 6. J; 7. E; 8. C; 9. K;
gear; 5. conditioning exercise; 6. safe; 10. H; 11. B; 12. F.
7. stretching.
Exercise 3B
Exercise 8 1. G; 2. I; 3. J; 4. B; 5. D; 6. F; 7. E; 8. C; 9. H;
Open answers. 10. L; 11. K; 12. A.

Exercise 4
Open answer.
CLIL GEOGRAPHY
THE ‘GEOGRAPHY’ OF SPORT Exercise 5
1. B; 2. A; 3. B; 4. A; 5. A; 6. C; 7. A.

Exercise 1 Exercise 6
Open answers. - Were constructed, was replaced, was built,
were handed over, was constructed, were
Exercise 2 re-used, were cleansed.
1. The ‘geography of sport’ deals with the - Open answers.
 PROVE DI VERIFICA

Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

TEST UNIT 0-1

Exercise 1A
Complete the questions with the present simple form of the verbs in brackets.

1. Where do you live ………........……… (you live)?

2. When ………………………….........… (you go) to the gym?
3. What ………………………….........… (you have) for breakfast?
4. What time ………………………......… (your lessons finish)?
5. How many sports …………….........… (you do)?
6. How often ……………………..…….… (you train)?
7. What kind of sport ……………........… (you prefer)?
8. Which sport …………………………… (your best friend do)?
9. How much ………………………..…… (a pair of trainers cost)?
10. How long …………………………....… (a football match last)?

Exercise 1B
Answer the questions from exercise 1A.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 2
Use the words in the box to make logical questions.

Who - What - When - Where - Why - Whose - Which - How far - How long - How high - How wide

E.g. The French team is winning the race. / Which team is winning the race?
1. We’re meeting Andy at the tennis club on Friday.
…………………… are you meeting Andy?
2. Richard is always late for training sessions.
…………………… is always late for training sessions?
3. Gary isn’t playing today because he has an ankle injury.
…………………… isn’t Gary playing today?
4. Jackie and Ann like playing on grass courts.
…………………… do Jackie and Ann like playing?
5. The net is 3 feet high.
…………………… …………………… is the net?
6. Sue’s racquet is broken so she’s using mine.
…………………… racquet is broken?
7. Junior matches usually last about two hours.
…………………… …………………… do junior matches usually last?
8. My sports club swimming pool is 60 feet wide.
…………………… …………………… is your sports club pool?
9. I live four kilometres from the sports club.
…………………… …………………… do you live from the sports club?
10. Sam drinks a lot of water before a match to avoid dehydration.
…………………… does Sam drink before a match?

Exercise 3
Complete the sports spidergram with 5 sports for each verb.

Exercise 4
Complete the sentences about your sports preferences.

1. I like ……………………… but I’m not keen on ………………… .

2. I don’t mind ……………………………………………… in summer.
3. I can’t stand ……………………………………………… especially in winter.
4. I enjoy ……………………………………………… when I have some free time.
5. I hate ……………………………………………… after school.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 5
Read the definitions. What are the sports?

DEFINITION SPORT
Eleven players play this game on a pitch with a round leather ball. Football
This sport is played on a grass court with a ball and racquets. ......................
For this game you need a small rubber ball and a racquet. ......................
You do this sport in a ring. ......................
You need bats, a ball, a table and a net to play this game. ......................
People who do this sport wear a mask to protect their face. ......................
To do this sport you use apparatus such as parallel bars, a trampoline, ......................
beams and a springboard.
If you are very good at this sport you can obtain a black belt. ......................
This game is played on a pitch with an oval ball. ......................
In this sport participants race round a circuit. ......................

Exercise 6
Read the interview between a reporter and Matt Cook, a tennis umpire, and answer the
comprehension questions.
Matt Cook is a Wimbledon tennis umpire who works at the national tennis centre in
Roehampton, south-west London when he is not umpiring national or international
tournaments.

Reporter: Hello Matt. Can I ask you a few questions about your job?
Matt: Yes, of course, go ahead.
Reporter: What time do you usually start work in the morning?
Matt: Well, I don’t really have fixed working hours. If there are only qualifying matches I begin
about 9 o’clock and finish before lunch, but during a tournament I’m here all day.
Reporter: What do you enjoy most about your job?
Matt: Oh, the excitement of a big match and also the chance to meet top players and travel
around the world.
Reporter: Are you umpiring any important matches this week?
Matt: Yes, Djokovich and Nadal are playing on centre court tomorrow and it’s my turn to be the
chair umpire.
Reporter: Do umpires earn a lot of money?
Matt: Well, it depends because it varies from £250 to £950 a week.
Reporter: Is there anything you don’t enjoy about your job?
Matt: I sometimes miss home life when I’m travelling. You know I’m not always at home for
important family events, close friends’ birthdays, that sort of things.
Reporter: One last question Matt, what do you do in your free time?
Matt: I like to keep fit so I go to the gym twice a week in the evening and then I play five-a-side
football on Saturday afternoons. If I have time, I sometimes go swimming in our local pool.
Reporter: Many thanks Matt.
Matt: You’re welcome.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
GLOSSARY
Qualifying match: Incontro di qualificazione
Chair umpire: Giudice di sedia
To keep fit: Tenersi in forma
Five-a-side football: Calcio a cinque (calcetto)

Comprehension Questions
1. Matt works
❑ A. in only one place.
❑ B. in different places.
❑ C. only at weekends.

2. Matt’s working hours are

❑ A. flexible.
❑ B. regular.
❑ C. short.

3. The umpire finds his job

❑ A. boring.
❑ B. exciting.
❑ C. difficult.

4. Matt doesn’t like

❑ A. travelling.
❑ B. umpiring important matches.
❑ C. missing private social occasions.

5. Matt keeps fit by

❑ A. playing tennis.
❑ B. swimming every day.
❑ C. doing a variety of sports.

Exercise 7
Complete the following words.

1. Teams play rugby, hockey and football on a p­­…………………… .

2. During a tennis match, the u…………………… keeps the score.
3. Athletes run races on an athletics t…………………… .
4. The aim of a football team is to b………………… their opponents by s…………………… goals.
5. Players who win a match usually receive a p…………………… .
6. Basketball, volleyball and tennis are played on a c…………………… .
7. Ice skaters do their dance routines on an ice r…………………… .
8. In Mediterranean countries tennis courts are usually made of c…………………… .
9. When the score in a tennis match is 15-0, you must say ‘fifteen l…………………… ’!
10. Football and tennis c…………………… earn a lot of money.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 2

Exercise 1
Choose the correct word in the following passage.

A boxing (1) game/match usually takes place in a 24’ x 24’ area called a (2) ring/square where
there are three people: two boxers and a (3) coach/referee. Before beginning to fight, the
boxers take off their robes. The boxers must be approximately the same (4) height/weight.
The fight is divided into a number of (5) sections/rounds, each lasting 2-3 minutes. After each
one there is a 1-minute interval during which the boxer sits down and rests in his (6) corner/
dressing room. The boxer’s (7) sparring partners/trainers give him a drink, treat his cuts and
give him tactical advice and encouragement. When the bell rings at the end of each interval,
the boxers start fighting again. The boxers wear (8) boxing shorts/trousers, special (9) socks/
shoes to help them to move their feet quickly and a (10) mouth guard/mask to protect their
(11) teeth/chin. Each boxer tries to (12) punch/touch his opponent. They must not hit each
other below the (13) neck/waist. A boxer can win by knocking out his opponent or if his
opponent is knocked down and cannot recover before the referee finishes counting 10.

Exercise 2
Complete these words for boxing equipment.

E.g.   O  E  = GLOVES

EA
1. ­ ­ G ­ R = ……………………………

2. 
­ X ­ 
­ G  ­ H­ 
­ T S = ……………………………

3. 
­ U
­ CH  ­ 
­ G = ……………………………

4. 
­ O  ­ TH ­ U
­ 
­ D = ……………………………

5. J 
­ P  ­ O 
­ E = ……………………………

6. G ­ ­ I­ 
­ U ­ R D = ……………………………

Exercise 3
Use the prompts in brackets to make comparisons.
E.g. Golf/wrestling (relaxing).
Golf is more relaxing than wrestling.
Wrestling is less relaxing than golf.
Wrestling is not as/so relaxing as golf.

1. Motor racing/horse riding (dangerous).

2. Squash/tennis (fast).
3. Beach volley/volleyball (tiring).
4. Football/rugby (popular).
5. Water polo/diving (spectacular).
6. Weight-lifting/table tennis (strenuous).
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 4
Match these people with their role.

1. The referee A. is another boxer used for training.

2. The trainer B. give points to the boxers during the match.

3. The judges C. assists the boxer during the rest period.

4. The cutman D. makes sure the boxers fight fairly.

5. A sparring partner E. treats face injuries.

Exercise 5
Complete the following sentences about boxing by putting in the correct form of the
adjectives in brackets.

1. Wilfred Benitez was ……………………… man ever to win a world title when at the age of
17 years 3 months he won the junior welterweight boxing title. (young)
2. The world’s ……………………… boxing publication is Britain’s ‘Boxing News’. (old)
3. Boxing is one of ……………………… sports in the world. (strenuous)
4. Boxing is ……………………… than tennis. (dangerous)
5. That was ……………………… boxing match I’ve ever seen. (bad)

Exercise 6
In the following sentences choose the correct verb form (Past Simple or Past
Continuous).

1. The referee was stopping/stopped the match because the boxer was suffering/suffered
too much.
2. I was watching/watched a boxing match when you were phoning/you phoned.
3. Ben was losing/lost his umbrella while he was travelling/travelled on the bus.
4. She was meeting/met her boyfriend when she was studying/studied in Milan.
5. What were you doing/did you do at 8.00 last night?
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 3

Exercise 1
Fill in for or since in front of these expressions of time.

1. ……………………… last Monday.

2. ……………………… two hours.
3. ……………………… six months.
4. ……………………… 7th November.
5. ……………………… she was 6 years old.

Exercise 2
Put these sentences into the Present Perfect using the verbs and adverbs in brackets.
E.g. Harry (already/win) two swimming competitions.
Harry has already won two swimming competitions.

1. Donald (never/dive) from a 10m board.

2. You (ever/swim) in a river?
3. The children (just/finish) their swimming lesson.
4. He (yet/learn) to swim backstroke?
5. You (already/swim) in the new swimming pool?

Exercise 3
Complete the following paragraph with the correct verb forms (Present Perfect or Past
Simple).

My friend Jason loves swimming and diving. He (1) ……………………… (be) a member of
the local swimming club for 12 years. That’s where I (2) ……………………… (meet) him.
Jason (3) ……………………… (learn) to swim when he (4) ……………………… (be) a baby
because his mother (5) ……………………… (take) him to a swimming pool before he could
walk! He (6) ……………………… (start) to dive when he was only 6 years old. Now he takes
part in a lot of diving competitions in Italy and abroad. In fact he (7) …………………………
just ……………………… (come back) from Spain where he (8) …………………………. (win)
a gold medal in the Junior 3m diving championship. He trains very hard of course but he
(9) ……………………… never ……………………… (miss) any of my football matches. He
always finds the time to come and support my team.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 4
Answer the following questions.

1. Why was synchronised swimming also called ‘water ballet’ in the past?
....................................................................................................................................................
2. How many minutes do synchronised swimming routines usually last?
....................................................................................................................................................
3. How many parts are there in a ‘lift’ in synchronised swimming?
....................................................................................................................................................
4. What stroke are you using when you swim on your stomach with a ‘frog’ kick?
....................................................................................................................................................
5. What do swimmers sometimes wear to see better under the water?
....................................................................................................................................................

Exercise 5
Choose the correct sentence from the following pairs.

❑ 1A. How long have you had a new swimming instructor?

❑ 1B. How long do you have a new swimming instructor?

❑ 2A. Tony has just done a somersault from the 10m board.
❑ 2B. Tony just has done a somersault from the 10m board.

❑ 3A.They haven’t never seen a synchronised swimming competition.

❑ 3B. They have never seen a synchronised swimming competition.

❑ 4A. Did you swim 10 lengths of the pool yet?

❑ 4B. Have you swum 10 lengths of the pool yet?

❑ 5A. I have been in the water for an hour.

❑ 5B. I have been in the water since an hour.

Exercise 6
Write two answers for each question using for and since.
E.g. How long has Serena Williams been a professional tennis player? (1995)
Serena Williams has been a professional tennis player for ... (20) years.
Serena Williams has been a professional tennis Player since 1995.

1. How long has Francesco Totti played football for the Roma FC? (1993)
2. How long has Federica Pellegrini held the world 200m freestyle swimming record? (2009)
3. How long has Nike sponsored Nadal? (2008)
4. How long has Nibali been the Tour de France champion cyclist? (July 2014)
5. How long has synchronised swimming been an Olympic sport? (1984)
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 4

Exercise 1
Underline the correct verb form in the following sentences.

1. I don’t think our full back will be/is going to be fit enough to play on Saturday.
2. Nick hopes his physiotherapist will give/is going to give him an appointment next week.
3. Are you happy with us or will you change/are you going to change team next season?
4. My trainer says these exercises will build up/are going to build up my stamina.
5. The club has already sold all the tickets for the match, so there will definitely be/there are
definitely going to be a lot of our supporters at the stadium.
6. Which football match will you watch/are you going to watch this evening?
7. Can you see those dark clouds over the stadium? It looks as if it will rain/it’s going to rain.
8. – Andrew will be/is going to be 18 in March.
– Oh really? Will he learn/Is he going to learn to drive a car?
9. What time will the match start/is the match going to start on Wednesday?

Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences.

1. In rugby, when a player touches the ball on the ground in the in-goal area, he scores a
……………………… .
2. There are ……………………… players in a rugby team.
3. The eight ……………………… are usually the bigger and stronger members of the team.
4. The ……………………… usually throws in the ball during a line-out.
5. The tallest members of the team are often the ……………………… who jump to get
possession of the ball in a line-out.
6. In the front row of a scrum formation there are two ……………………… and a hooker.
7. When the rugby ball goes out of play over a side line, it is in ……………………… .
8. The area where two teams play rugby is called a field or ……………………… .
9. There is a ……………………… when a player tries to stop an opposing player who is
carrying the ball.
10. A rugby ball is not round, it is ……………………… .

Exercise 3
Imagine that you were at the rugby stadium in Johannesburg for the World Rugby Cup
final in 1995. Write a report for your college sports magazine, describing the event.
Talk about:

- the two teams - the half-time score (………)

- the team outfits - the Springbox victory
- the All Blacks’ haka before the match - the presentation of the trophy
- the crowd in the stadium - why the match was so important for the
- the atmosphere South African nation.
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................

Exercise 4
Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false
statements.

T F
1. If a player commits a serious infringement, the referee can
send him to the sin-bin for 10 minutes. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
2. Rugby players can run with the ball in their hands. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
3. There are 8 backs in a rugby team. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
4. During a drop kick, the ball must not touch the ground. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
5. All the lines on a rugby field are solid lines. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
6. The forwards form the ‘pack’ when they are in a scrum formation. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
7. A rugby pitch is 100 metres wide. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
8. Each half of a rugby match lasts 45 minutes. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................

Exercise 5
Put the words in the correct order to make sentences.

1. rugby/brother/year/going/is/play/next/my/to
....................................................................................................................................................
2. Mike/18/when/be/will?
....................................................................................................................................................
3. on/where/are/train/Saturday/going/to/you?
....................................................................................................................................................
4. your/I/support/promise/will/I/that/team
....................................................................................................................................................
5. sure/Tim/are/you/be/will/team/the/in?
....................................................................................................................................................
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 5

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences with the correct tense of ‘have to’.

1. I haven’t got a ticket for next Saturday’s match so I ……………………… watch it on TV.
2. We ……………………… practise our penalty kicks yesterday.
3. You always ……………………… wear shin pads for every football match?
4. The children (not) ……………………… go to the gym last Monday because their
instructor was ill.
5. You ……………………… referee the match in Birmingham next week?

Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of can/can’t/must/mustn’t/
have to/don’t have to. Sometimes more than one correct answer is possible.

1. FA regulations say footballers ……………………… wear shorts, a football shirt, shin

pads, football boots and socks.
2. Goalkeepers ……………………… wear tracksuit trousers if they prefer.
3. Players ……………………… wear jewellery that is dangerous for themselves or other
players.
4. Referees ……………………… use yellow and red cards at all levels until 1982.
5. Football players ……………………… wear gloves if it is very cold.
6. A player who is given a red card ……………………… leave the field immediately and
……………………… be substituted.
7. Referees ……………………… give a yellow card to a player who removes his shirt after
scoring a goal.
8. Players ……………………… give an interview after a match.
9. Players ……………………… use abusive language on the pitch.
10. Stewards ……………………… search spectators if they think they have brought illegal
objects into the football ground.

Exercise 3
Read the texts about Maradona and Pelé and answer the multiple choice questions.

Diego Armando Maradona

Many football experts, former players and fans regard Maradona as the best football player of
all time. With Pelé he shares the title of FIFA player of the 20th century. Maradona played for
Argentina in four World Cups. In the 1986 World Cup quarter final against England, he scored
two goals: the first was the infamous goal scored with his hand, while the second came only four
minutes later when he dribbled the ball past five English players before shooting it into the net.
Maradona is one of football’s most controversial figures because of his drug problems, suspected
connections with the Neapolitan Mafia and finishing two World Cups in disgrace. However he
was, and still is, extremely popular with Napoli fans after his successful seasons with their team.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, is a national hero in his native Brazil
and widely regarded as the best football player of all time.
Pelé came from a poor family who did not have enough money to buy him a real football. He
usually played with a sock filled with newspapers. In his career, Pelé scored 1281 goals in
1363 games, an all time record.
There are many anecdotes about Pelé’s fame and skill. The US President welcomed Pelé
to the White House with these words ‘My name is Ronald Reagan. I’m the President of the
United States of America. But you don’t need to introduce yourself, because everyone knows
who Pelé is.’ During the 1970 World Cup, a British television commentator asked; ‘How do
you spell Pelé?’, The reply was: ‘Easy, G-O-D’! Since retiring in 1977, Pelé has been an
ambassador of goodwill for UNICEF.

1. Maradona and Pelé 4. Pelé’s family

❑ A. come from Brazil. ❑ A. sold newspapers.
❑ B. have the same FIFA title. ❑ B. bought him a football.
❑ C. are controversial figures. ❑ C. did not have much money.

2. Pelé scored 5. At a White House meeting the US

❑ A. more goals than Maradona. President Ronald Reagan said Pelé
❑ B. as many goals as Maradona. ❑ A. was like a god.
❑ C. goals with his hand. ❑ B. was more famous than he was.
❑ C. must introduce himself.
3. Maradona is criticised because
❑ A. he scored two goals against England in
the World Cup.
❑ B. he cannot dribble the ball.
❑ C. he took drugs.

Exercise 4
Rewrite the following sentences so that they have the same meaning. Use must/
mustn’t/don’t have to.

1. Tickets for the friendly match are free.

You ……………………… pay for the tickets.
2. Smoking is not allowed in the football ground.
You ……………………… smoke in the football ground.
3. It’s not necessary to repeat this exercise.
You ……………………… repeat this exercise.
4. You can’t park here without special permission.
You ……………………… have special permission to park here.
5. It’s against the rules to chant abusive slogans.
You ……………………… chant abusive slogans.
6. Closed circuit TV cameras are obligatory in stadiums in the UK.
UK stadiums ……………………… have closed circuit TV cameras.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 5
Complete the following definitions.

1. If the score is equal after 90 minutes, the match finishes with a ……………………… .
2. The referee gives a ……………………… ……………………… when there is a foul in the
penalty area.
3. When the ball goes out of play, the game starts again with a ……………………… .
4. The players who receive the ball from defenders and pass it to the strikers are called
……………………… .
5. When a player tries to score by kicking the ball he ……………………… the ball to the goal.

Exercise 6
After a large number of football fans died in tragic accidents in British football
stadiums, the government and clubs introduced stricter regulations to make football
grounds safer. Read this interview with a football club steward who is talking about
his job and answer the comprehension questions.

Reporter: Good morning Mr Jarvis, I believe you’re a steward at the Warnford football club.
Mr Jarvis: Yes, that’s right. I’ve been a steward here for 8 months now.
Reporter: Can you tell us something about your job?
Mr Jarvis: One of our most important tasks is to control the crowd in our particular sector of
the stadium.
Reporter: Is that difficult?
Mr Jarvis: No, not now that all the supporters have to be seated and there are no perimeter
fences.
Reporter: Do you have to check what football fans bring into the stadium?
Mr Jarvis: Yes, we have to make sure they haven’t got any bottles or dangerous things like
knives.
Reporter: How can you identify fans who behave in a violent or aggressive manner?
Mr Jarvis: After a lot of supporters died in accidents at football grounds, clubs had to
introduce closed circuit TV cameras, so it’s easy to identify hooligans.
Reporter: Do stewards have other duties?
Mr Jarvis: We have to work with the police to stop racism. Some supporters chant racist
slogans against coloured players. We have to report that type of behaviour.

1. How long has Mr Jarvis been a steward at the Warnford FC?

....................................................................................................................................................
2. Why is it easier to control the crowd now?
....................................................................................................................................................
3. What mustn’t football fans bring into the football ground?
....................................................................................................................................................
4. How can the police and stewards identify hooligans?
....................................................................................................................................................
5. What kind of bad behaviour must stewards report to the police?
....................................................................................................................................................
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 6

Exercise 1
Put the letters in the correct order to compose the six basic skills in volleyball.

1. GITESTN ……………………………………………………………………
2. PKIGSNI ……………………………………………………………………
3. MPUB SPAGISN ……………………………………………………………………
4. NVGESRI ……………………………………………………………………
5. DIGNGGI ……………………………………………………………………
6. CLNIKBGO ……………………………………………………………………

Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences with when, as soon as, until, before or after.

1. The players will have a shower ………………………. they finish the match.
2. I’m going to practise my jump serve ……………………… I improve that technique.
3. Mum, I’m doing my homework. Call me ……………………… the volleyball match begins
on TV. I want to see the start of the match.
4. Please remove all your equipment from the gym ……………………… you leave.
5. Our setter is going to become a volleyball coach ……………………… she retires.

Exercise 3
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1. If the ball ……………………… (go) out of play, the other team ………………………
(score) a point.
2. The referee ……………………… (blow) his whistle if a player ……………………… (touch)
the net.
3. You ……………………… (not improve) your technique if you ……………………… (not
listen) to your coach.
4. The beach volleyball tournament ……………………… (start) at 10 o’clock unless it
……………………… (rain).
5. If our team ……………………… (lose) the next match, we ……………………… (have to)
go home without a prize.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 4
Rewrite the following sentences using unless.

1. Steve won’t play in the match if his knee injury doesn’t get better.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. You won’t sell all the tickets for the match if you don’t put an advertisement on the club
noticeboard.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. You will hurt your ankles if you do not learn to land correctly after jumping at the net.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss the start of the match.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. We won’t score many points if we don’t spike the ball more often.
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 5
Decide if the following statements refer to indoor volleyball (A), beach volleyball (B) or
both games (C).

1. The court is made of sand. ❑

2. Players rotate in a fixed order. ❑
3. Blocking the ball at net counts as one of the three ball contacts. ❑
4. There are 21 points in a set, and 15 in the final deciding set. ❑
5. The height of the net is 2.43 metres for men and 2.24 metres for women. ❑
6. A team scores points when the ball touches the ground on the opponents’ court. ❑
7. There is a libero in the team. ❑
8. There is a 3-metre attacking line. ❑
9. Teams change ends after every 7 points. ❑
10. Players cannot be substituted. ❑
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 7

Exercise 1
Choose the correct sentence from the following pairs.

1. ❑ A. Neil has been training volleyball teams for 5 years.

❑ B.Neil has been trained volleyball teams for 5 years.
2. ❑ A. How long have you been knowing Andrew?
❑ B. How long have you known Andrew?
3. ❑ A. You seem tired. What have you been doing?
❑ B. You seem tired. What have you done?
4. ❑ A. He has not been feeling well recently.
❑ B. He has been not feeling well recently.
5. ❑ A. They have scored five goals.
❑ B. They have been scoring five goals.

Exercise 2
Give advice to these people using should or shouldn’t.

1. Pete pulled a muscle during training.

I think he ……………………… see a doctor.
2. Bob watches too much TV and eats fast food.
He ……………………… do more exercise.
3. Sue is always tired in the morning.
She ……………………… stay up so late at night.
4. Jenny says her pace becomes slower after the first 5 laps of the track.
She ………………………… concentrate on building up her stamina.
5. Jack is having a party the evening before the race.
He ……………………… drink any alcohol.

Exercise 3
An athlete friend is telling you some news. Ask him/her a question with How long +
Present Perfect Continuous.

E.g. I’m feeling tired.

How long have you been feeling tired?

1. Ben is practising a new hurdling technique.

How long ……………………………………………… a new hurdling technique?
2. Alex and Steve are training on a new athletics track.
How long ……………………………………………… ?
3. My brother is coaching two young sprinters.
How long ……………………………………………… ?
4. Angela is learning to throw the hammer.
How long ……………………………………………… ?
5. Sarah is teaching Physical Education at the high school.
How long ……………………………………………… ?
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 4
Write the names of five field events in athletics.
1. ……………………………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………………………
4. ……………………………………………………………………
5. ……………………………………………………………………

Exercise 5
Write the names of the five events in the modern pentathlon.

1. ……………………………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………………………
4. ……………………………………………………………………
5. ……………………………………………………………………

Exercise 6
Complete the sentences with the Present Perfect Continuous of the verb in brackets.

1. John ……………………………………………… (write) a blog about running for more than

3 months.
2. The spectators ……………………………………………… (give) the winner a standing
ovation for at least 5 minutes.
3. I ……………………………………………… (not sleep) very well since I lost the race.
4. How long ……………………… you ……………………… (wait) for your teammates?
5. The runners ……………………………………………… (warm up) for 10 minutes.

Exercise 7
Read the description and write the name of the event.

1. In this race, athletes sprint for one lap of the track.

……………………………………………………………………
2. Athletes run very fast, jumping over obstacles at regular intervals.
……………………………………………………………………
3. Four sprinters take part in this team event to complete one lap of the track.
……………………………………………………………………
4. Athletes must touch a board before beginning to jump.
……………………………………………………………………
5. In this event, athletes must complete seven different sports disciplines.
……………………………………………………………………
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 8

Exercise 1
Name four pieces of apparatus used in men’s artistic gymnastics.

1. ……………………………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………………………
4. ……………………………………………………………………

Exercise 2
Name four pieces of apparatus used in women’s artistic gymnastics.

1. ……………………………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………………………
4. ……………………………………………………………………

Exercise 3
Name two objects that rhythmic gymnasts use during their routine.

1. ……………………………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………………………

Exercise 4
Complete the following sentences.

1. At the end of the runway in front of the vaulting table there is a ………………………… .
2. To prevent slipping, gymnasts can use ………………………… or wear grips.
3. The maximum duration of a beam routine is ………………………… .
4. Women’s ………………………… routines are always accompanied by music.
5. ‘Scissor’ leg work can be seen during a ………………………… …………………………
routine.
6. A perfect landing in gymnastics is called a ‘…………………………’ landing.
7. Giant swings are performed on the ………………………… ………………………… .
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 5
Complete the following sentences.

Active Passive
1. The coach will prepare all the apparatus. 1. All the apparatus ……………………… by
the coach.
2. They ……………………… a lot of fitness 2. A lot of fitness centres have been opened
centres in our town. in our town.
3. Will you take our equipment to the hotel? 3. ……………………… our equipment
……………………… to the hotel?
4. They ……………………… English and 4. English and French are spoken at
French at international events. international events.
5. They sold soft drinks and snacks in the 5. Soft drinks and sandwiches
sports centre café. ……………………… in the sports centre
café.

Exercise 6
Complete the following sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in
brackets.

1. Sports events ……………………… (watch) all over the world.

2. The 2020 Olympics ……………………… (hold) in Tokyo.
3. Last year the gold medal ……………………… (win) by the Japanese team.
4. Why ……………………… the match ……………………… (cancel) today?
5. Some exercises ……………………… (repeat) at least ten times during a training session.
6. Sometimes gymnasts can ……………………… (injure) during training.
7. In next year’s competition, all the points ……………………… (award) by a group of four
judges.
8. Balls must ……………………… (make) of rubber or soft plastic.
9. Very strong upper body muscles ……………………… (need) to practice rings.
10. The soccer match can ……………………… (not play) on Saturday because of bad
weather.

Exercise 7
Answer the following questions.

1. Who was the pommel horse invented by?

....................................................................................................................................................
2. Who were the parallel bars first designed by?
....................................................................................................................................................
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
3. What is Kohei Uchimura’s nickname?
....................................................................................................................................................
4. How must gymnasts hold their legs and feet during a routine on the pommel horse?
....................................................................................................................................................
5. On which piece of apparatus can you see the ‘iron cross’?
....................................................................................................................................................
6. What happens if a gymnast steps outside the perimeter during a floor exercise?
....................................................................................................................................................

Exercise 8
Look at the words underlined and ask questions using a passive verb.
E.g. The competition is being held in a new gymnasium.
Where is the competition being held?

1. Rope climbing was eliminated a long time ago.

………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
2. Jenny has been selected for the British gymnastics team.
………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
3. Two gymnasts have been disqualified for taking drugs.
………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
4. All the apparatus must be checked before Friday.
………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
5. Athletes were tested for doping before and after races.
………………………………………………………………………………………… ?

Exercise 9
Complete the paragraph with the correct active or passive form of the verbs in
brackets.

A new swimming pool (1) ………………………… just (inaugurate) in Newcastle. The pool,
which (2) ………………………… (complete) a few months ago, (3) …………………………
(build) with money donated by Paul Harding, the multimillionaire industrialist who (4)
………………………… (bring up) in the town. The swimming pool complex
(5) ………………………… (include) additional facilities such as a restaurant and café, sauna
baths and a play area where young children can (6) ………………………… (leave) with well-
trained staff while their parents enjoy a relaxing swim. The pool is open until 10 o’clock in
the evening and (7) ………………………… (use) by hundreds of local residents every week.
Admission is free for children under three years of age and a reduction of 20%
(8) ………………………… (make) for families who want to use the pool after 7pm.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
TEST UNIT 9

Exercise 1
Complete the following sentences with the correct word or words.

1. For figure skating, competitors wear special ………………………… with toe picks to help
them jump on the ice.
2. Skiers use two ………………………… for balance and to push themselves forward.
3. Ski boots are connected to skis with ………………………… .
4. In a slalom race, alpine skiers must pass through a series of ………………………… .
5. In luge and skeleton competitions, athletes travel very fast on small ………………………… .
6. The speed skating event in which four or six skaters race against each other is called
………………………… .
7. Both curling and ice hockey take place on an ………………………… .
8. The biathlon is a combination of cross country skiing and rifle ………………………… .
9. Athletes go ………………………… in snow parks, on slopes or in half-pipes.
10. ………………………… skiing is different from alpine and cross country skiing because it
involves acrobatics.
11. During curling, players push heavy ………………………… across the ice.
12. To get a better grip on the ice, skeleton riders wear ………………………… shoes.
13. A village or town with a lot of facilities for winter sports is called a ski ………………………… .
14. To reduce wind resistance speed skaters wear skintight ………………………… .
15. Skiers often wear ………………………… to protect their eyes.

Exercise 2
Complete the sentences in the Second Conditional with the correct form of the verbs
in brackets.

1. I ………………………… (go) skiing if it ………………………… (be) less expensive.

2. If I ………………………… (not enjoy) snowboarding, I ………………………… (not do) it.
3. If you ………………………… (decide) to have a winter holiday, where …………………………
you ………………………… (go)?
4. ………………………… you ………………………… (come) with me if I
………………………… (try) one of the black pistes?
5. What equipment ………………………… I ………………………… (need) if I
……………………… (decide) to try speed skating?
6. If Jane ………………………… (fall) during her ice skating routine, how many points
………………………… she ………………………… (lose)?
7. If you ………………………… (wear) a warm hat, you ………………………… (not feel) so
cold.
8. If I ………………………… (be) you, I ………………………… (buy) a new pair of skis next
year.
9. If you ………………………… (buy) a pair of après-ski boots, you ………………………… (not
slip) on the ice and snow.
10. A lot of people …………………………(ski) by night if the pistes ………………………… (be)
illuminated.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
Exercise 3
Rewrite these sentences using the Second Conditional.

1. I don’t live near the mountains so I can’t go skiing every day.

If I lived ……………………………………………………
2. Many people do not go skiing because ski equipment is expensive.
If ski equipment ……………………………………………………
3. There are sometimes long queues because there are not enough ski lifts.
If there ……………………………………………………
4. A lot of people have problems when they go skiing because they are not physically fit.
If people ……………………………………………………
5. Nick doesn’t have a winter holiday because he works too hard.
If Nick ……………………………………………………
6. Some countries do not do well at winter sports because they do not have good training
facilities.
If those countries ……………………………………………………

Exercise 4
Read the following situations and give your friend some advice.

1. Your friend is going to try skeleton for the first time.

If I were you, I ……………………….
2. Your friend wants to go skiing but there is an avalanche alert.
If I were you, I ………………………
3. Your friend hasn’t got a pair of ski gloves.
If I were you, I …………………….
4. Your friend says the snow conditions are poor at his/her ski resort.
If I were you, I ……………………………….
5. Your friend is exhausted after skiing all day.
If I were you, I……………………………………
6. Your friend wants to try snowboarding for the first time.
If I were you, I ……………………………………

Exercise 5
Write a brief description (80-100 words) of your favourite winter sport. Include the
following information:

- where/when people do this sport

- what equipment is needed
- if you have ever done this sport (where/when)
- why this sport is interesting/exciting

....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
 PROVE DI VERIFICA BES

Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 1

1) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. In tennis, a double fault occurs when

a. a
 player serves the ball incorrectly once and his/her opponent also serves it
incorrectly once immediately afterwards.
b. t wo tennis players play together against two opponents and one of these
couples serves the ball incorrectly once.
c. a player serves the ball incorrectly twice in succession.

2. The person who announces the score after each point during a tennis match is
called
a. a ball boy.
b. a coach.
c. an umpire.

3. A ball girl
a. counts how many times each player serves the ball incorrectly.
b. passes balls to the players when they need them.
c. warns a player if she thinks that he or she is going to commit a double fault.

4. The spectators are shown the constantly updated score of the game on a
a. scoresheet.
b. scoresign.
c. scoreboard.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
2) Sulla linea che si trova sotto ogni immagine, scrivi la lettera (a-d) che
pensi corrisponda a quell’immagine.

a. A serve.
b. The ball is hit chest high before it bounces (i.e. a volley).
c. Hips and shoulders turn in unison.
d. An overhead smash.

...................................................... ......................................................

........................................................................
........................................................................
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

3) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.

T F
a. A tennis court is 78 feet long. ❑ ✔
❑
b. A doubles court is 27 feet wide. ❑ ❑
c. The net is 3 feet high at the centre. ❑ ❑
d. The service area is 21 feet long. ❑ ❑
e. The tramlines are shorter than the baselines. ❑ ❑
f. It’s not possible to cover Centre Court at Wimbledon when it rains. ❑ ❑
g. At the Wimbledon Championships, the courts used are grass courts. ❑ ❑

4) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 8) alla seconda (a - h)
che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. The rules of tennis today are very similar to the rules of

2. Tennis probably originated from
3. In “jeu de paume”, the player who was serving the ball cried out
4. The term “love” in tennis probably derives from
5. Queen Elizabeth I
6. King Henry V
7. “Real tennis” was
8. During the Victorian period, tennis was

a. “tenez”.
b. the French game known as “jeu de paume”.
c. the first Wimbledon tournament, held in 1877.
d. watched “real tennis”.
e. played “real tennis”.
f. the French word for “egg”.
g. played outdoors on grass.
h. very popular throughout Europe.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 2

1) Completa l’immagine sottostante con le parole fornite. Vedi l’esempio.

1.
2.
13.
3.
12.

11.

4.
10.
5.

6.

9.
7. Foot
8.

Fist Shoulder
Knuckle Groin
Wrist Elbow
Chin Temple
Ankle Calf
Eyebrow Knee
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
2) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.
T F
a. Muhammad Ali changed his name to Cassius Marcellus Clay
when he changed his religion. ❑ ✔
❑
b. Muhammed Ali started his career at the age of 12 because
his father was putting pressure on him to become a boxer. ❑ ❑
c. Muhammed Ali is 6ft 3inch tall. ❑ ❑
d. Sonny Liston was beaten by M. Ali in the match known
as “Thrilla in Manilla”. ❑ ❑
e. M. Ali was the strongest boxer in the world in the 1960s. ❑ ❑
f. M. Ali claimed he could “float like a butterfly” and “sting like a bee”. ❑ ❑
g. The world of professional boxing suspended M. Ali for 4 years. ❑ ❑
h. Alzheimer’s disease has affected M. Ali’s ability to participate
in professional boxing matches. ❑ ❑
i. M. Ali came second in the Rome Olympics. ❑ ❑

3) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 8) alla seconda (a - h)
che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. The Etruscans
2. The ancient Greeks
3. The Romans
4. Ancient Roman boxing matches usually
5. In around 30 B.C.
6. The first boxing rules
7. Boxing rounds
8. There is a 10-second count

a. boxing was banned in Rome.

b. were introduced by John Broughton in 1743.
c. are timed.
d. made boxers wear gloves with metal spikes.
e. resulted in the death of one of the boxers.
f. for boxers who are knocked to the ground.
g. added boxing to the Olympic games in 688 B.C.
h. called boxing “pugilism”.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
4) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. Scales are used to 3. A groin guard

a. protect a boxer’s legs. a. helps to protect a boxer below the
waist.
b. help a boxer to judge the best place
to punch his opponent. b. helps to protect a boxer’s teeth.
c. find out a boxer’s weight. c. helps to protect a boxer’s stomach.

2. A corner stool 4. The aim of shadow boxing is to

a. stops a boxer from falling out of the a. increase a boxer’s self-confidence.
ring when he gets punched very
b. intimidate a boxer’s opponent.
hard.
c. improve a boxer’s reflexes.
b. offers a boxer a place to rest
between rounds.
c. is the place from where a boxer’s 5. At the 2014 Commonwealth Games,
coach can shout helpful advice to England’s boxing team won
him during a match.
a. five gold medals.
b. four gold medals.
c. six gold medals.

5) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F).

T F

a. An uppercut is a descending punch delivered to the head

or upper body. ❑ ❑
b. A jab is a straight horizontal punch. ❑ ❑
c. A hook is not a straight punch and it is usually delivered
to the opponent’s jaw or head. ❑ ❑
d. Nino Benvenuti was born on the Island of Elba. ❑ ❑
e. Nino Benvenuti won 3 gold medals at the 1960 Rome Olympics. ❑ ❑
f. N. Benvenuti lost his middleweight title in South Korea. ❑ ❑
g. Every time Emile Griffith fought N. Benvenuti, Griffith lost. ❑ ❑
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 3

1) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.

T F
a. In the front crawl, you swim on your stomach with a “frog kick”. ❑ ✔
❑
b. In the freestyle stroke, you use alternating arms and a flutter kick. ❑ ❑
c. In the backstroke, you pull your arms together in a circular motion. ❑ ❑
d. In the butterfly stroke, you pull your arms together and use
a dolphin kick. ❑ ❑
e. In the breaststroke, you pull your arms together
in a circular motion and use a “frog kick”. ❑ ❑
f. For competitive events, swimming pools are divided
into lanes by lane guides. ❑ ❑
g. The length of a standard-sized swimming pool is usually 60m. ❑ ❑
h. A swimming cap helps you to see better underwater. ❑ ❑
i. Fats are not essential in maintaining our body temperature. ❑ ❑

2) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. Synchronised swimming used to be called

a. water dance.
b. water ballet.
c. water gymnastics.

2. Synchronised swimming takes place

a. on and below the surface of the water.
b. below and above the surface of the water.
c. above, below and on the surface of the water.

3. In synchronised swimming lifts, the base should be

a. one of the biggest and strongest members of the team.
b. relatively small and have strong legs.
c. very agile.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
4. The easiest foods for our bodies to convert into glucose are
a. proteins.
b. micronutrients.
c. carbohydrates.

5. Fats
a. are used to build new cells.
b. break large food molecules into smaller ones.
c. help us to absorb vitamin K.

6. Carbohydrates contain
a. hydrogen, oxygen and carbon.
b. carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen.
c. carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen.

7. In synchronised swimming, routines usually last

a. 5 to 6 minutes.
b. 3.5 to 5.5 minutes.
c. 2.5 to 5 minutes.

8. Body mass index measures percentages of

a. fat and bone.
b. fat and muscle.
c. muscle and bone.

9. If you have metatarsalgia,

a. your heel is inflamed and painful.
b. the ball of your foot is inflamed and painful.
c. your ankle is painful and inflamed.

10. The width of each lane in a swimming pool is usually

a. 2.5 metres.
b. 2 metres.
c. 2.75 metres.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
11. By the time he retired from competitive swimming at the age of just 22, Mark
Spitz had won
a. 9 Olympic medals.
b. 8 Olympic medals.
c. 11 Olympic medals.

3) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 10) alla seconda (a -
j) che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. The radius
2. A tarsal
3. The earliest swimming races we know about took place in
4. A femur
5. Ayrton Senna
6. The earliest illustrations we have of swimmers are from
7. A rib
8. Lewis Hamilton
9. The rib cage, skull and spine
10. The pelvic girdle and the shoulder girdle

a. is one of the shortest bones in the body.

b. forms part of a lower limb.
c. is one of the longest bones in the body.
d. holds three Formula 1 world championship titles.
e. Egypt.
f. is considered a flat bone.
g. holds two Formula 1 world championship titles.
h. Japan.
i. are parts of the Appendicular Skeleton.
j. are parts of the Axial Skeleton.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 4

1) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. In a punt,
a. the player kicks the ball after it bounces once.
b. the ball is kicked before it reaches the ground.
c. the player kicks the ball after it bounces twice.

2. A kick which allows you to score a goal directly, without first scoring a try, is called
a. a conversion kick.
b. a drop kick.
c. a penalty kick.

3. The width of a standard rugby pitch must not exceed

a. 70m.
b. 100m.
c. 80m.

4. In America, a rugby ball has been created which will inform referees of its exact
location by sending signals
a. to a small device held by the referee.
b. to antennas found at the side of the field.
c. to antennas attached to the goalposts.

5. A ball with a built-in “referee” is currently used in

a. important British football matches.
b. rugby matches played in America.
c. American Football.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
6. In the old Welsh game of ‘cnappan’, which was similar to today’s rugby, the ball
used was made from
a. a pig’s bladder.
b. cloth.
c. wood.

2) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 7) alla seconda (a - g)
che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. The maximum length, in metres, of a rugby pitch is

2. In a rugby team, the total number of players plus substitutes is
3. The number of points a team receives if it scores a drop goal is
4. The number of minutes that each half of a rugby match lasts is
5. The number of points that a try in the in-goal area is worth is
6. The number of forwards in a rugby team is
7. The number of backs in a rugby team is

a. 5.
b. 40.
c. 100.
d. 3.
e. 22.
f. 8.
g. 7.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
3) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.
T F
a. A kick off is used to start a game of rugby. ✔
❑ ❑
b. The horizontal bar on a rugby goalpost is 3.5 metres
above ground level. ❑ ❑
c. On a rugby pitch, the side lines are also referred to as half-way lines. ❑ ❑
d. When a rugby ball goes over a side line, it is said to be in touch. ❑ ❑
e. In a knock-on, the ball travels forwards or backwards from
a player’s arm or hand and hits another player or the ground. ❑ ❑
f. In rugby, if a player receives a yellow card, they have to sit
in the sin-bin for fifteen minutes. ❑ ❑
g. In a scrum, a group of eight forwards from each team join
together in a sort of circle. ❑ ❑
h. A maul includes three or more players, one of which is the ball carrier. ❑ ❑
i In a line-out, players form two parallel lines in the centre of the pitch. ❑ ❑
j The backs in a rugby team are usually faster and smaller than
the forwards and have better kicking skills. ❑ ❑

4) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 5) alla seconda (a - e)
che ritieni corretta.

1. A prop
2. A fullback
3. A lock
4. The scrum-half
5. A hooker

a. tries to win the ball during a scrum.

b. is usually one of the tallest players in a team.
c. supports a hooker during a scrum.
d. receives the ball from a line-out.
e. often represents the last line of defence.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 5

1) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.

T F
a. Shin pads help to protect footballers’ legs. ✔
❑ ❑
b. If a player receives a yellow card, he doesn’t have to leave the field. ❑ ❑
c. The referee doesn’t have to use a whistle. ❑ ❑
d. There must be more than six players in a standard football team. ❑ ❑
e. The maximum number of players that can be substituted
in a team during a match is three. ❑ ❑
f. The goalkeeper mustn’t go into the opponents’ half of the field. ❑ ❑
g. A goal can be scored directly from a corner kick. ❑ ❑
h. Penalty kicks can be taken from anywhere inside the penalty area. ❑ ❑
i. In the U.K., supporters aren’t allowed to take cans
into football stadiums. ❑ ❑
j. Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Barcelona. ❑ ❑

2) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. ‘Extra time’ starts after a game has been played for

a. 60 minutes.
b. 80 minutes.
c. 90 minutes.

2. When both teams have scored the same number of goals by the end of the
match, it’s called a
a. try.
b. tie.
c. trick.

3. The ball is offside when,

a. a striker is nearer the opposing team’s goal than the last defender when the
ball is passed.
b. a striker is between the last defender and the other defenders when the ball is
passed.
c. a striker is nearer his own team’s goal than the last defender when the ball is
passed.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
4. In a hat-trick, a player scores
a. one goal in each of three consecutive matches.
b. three goals in one match.
c. a goal using his head.

5. The skipper of a team

a. is responsible for training new players.
b. leads the team.
c. stops the game when there is an unfair or invalid action.

6. Midfielders were originally called

a. back-halfs.
b. half-backs.
c. midways.

7. Historians can trace ball games back to

a. the 3rd and 4th century BC in Greece.
b. the 1st and 2nd century BC in Rome.
c. the 2nd and 3rd century BC in China.

8. In football matches in medieval times, there were

a. an unlimited number of participants.
b. twelve players in each team.
c. twenty-two players in each team.

3) Cerchia la risposta corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

Roberto Baggio came first / fourth’s in the FIFA Player of the Century Internet Poll.
Baggio’s nickname is The Holy Ponytail / The Divine Ponytail and he is a Buddhist
/ Catholic.
Alex Ferguson said that David Beckham used to practise his free kicks for many
hours before / after his team’s training sessions. He is a goodwill ambassador for
Amnesty International / UNICEF.
Lionel Messi is an Agentinian / a Brazilian footballer. He has won three / four
Ballons d’Or and three / four Golden Shoe awards and holds the record for
scoring the most free kicks / hat tricks in the Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s hometown is Faro / Funchal and he has opened a museum
there that houses items from the history of Portuguese football / his career.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 6

1) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. Volleyball was invented because its inventor wanted to create a game that was
a. faster and simpler than basketball.
b. less fast than basketball.
c. less rough than handball.

2. Mintonette was different from modern volleyball because

a. the court was larger and the net was lower.
b. the court was smaller and the net was higher.
c. each team could touch the ball as many times as it wanted before passing it to
the other side.

3. The first Olympic games that included volleyball took place in

a. Massachusetts.
b. Tokyo.
c. Rome.

4. In volleyball, the block move was used for the first time in
a. Czechoslovakia
b. Tokyo.
c. Rome.

5. In International Volleyball, the height of the net is

a. 2.43 metres for men and 2.34 metres for women.
b. 2.34 metres for men and 2.24 metres for women.
c. 2.43 metres for men and 2.24 metres for women.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
6. An ace serve in volleyball is when the ball hits the floor on the opposing team’s side
a. after touching the body of one of the opposing team’s players.
b. after one of the opposing team’s players has touched it just once.
c. with none of the opposing team’s players touching it.

2) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.

T F

a. The front and back parts of a volleyball court are divided

by a 3.5-metre attacking line. ❑ ✔
❑

b. In a volleyball team, there are seven players

who rotate positions clockwise. ❑ ❑

c. A volleyball team usually consists of two receivers,

two blockers, two setters and a striker. ❑ ❑

d. The basic skills that need to be learnt in volleyball are:

blocking, digging, passing, serving, spiking, and setting. ❑ ❑

e. Mintonette was invented in Massachusetts, by William Morgan. ❑ ❑

f. The inventor of Mintonette originally wanted to create

an outdoor game. ❑ ❑

g. The standard size of a volleyball court is 18 metres

by 9 metres. ❑ ❑

h. The first time universal rules were introduced

into volleyball was in 1918. ❑ ❑

i. In beach volleyball, the court is smaller than in indoor volleyball. ❑ ❑

Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
3) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 6) alla seconda (a - f)
che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. In indoor volleyball
2. At Karon Beach
3. In beach volleyball
4. At Manhattan Beach
5. At Plage du Prado
6. At Copacabana Beach

a. the wind can often be a problem for players.

b. players will take part in the beach volleyball competitions of the 2016 Olympic
Games.
c. substitutions are allowed.
d. the legendary tournament is now less popular than it once was.
e. short thunderstorms could disrupt play a little.
f. substitutions are not allowed.

4) Cerchia la risposta corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

There are six / five sets in a volleyball match and there are 25 / 35 points in each
set. In a dig, a player hits the ball when it’s near the floor / high in the air. The
libero can / can’t rotate into the frontline positions. The person in control of a
volleyball game is called an umpire / a referee.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 7

1) Scrivi il nome di questi sport, scegliendoli dal sottostante elenco e

scrivendoli sulla linea che si trova sotto ogni immagine.

high jump, hammer, hurdles, pole vault, shot put

1 2 3

................................................... ................................................... .............................................

4 5

............................................................................. ....................................................................
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
2) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.

T F

a. Women can compete in the Olympic decathlon. ❑ ✔

❑
b. In a heptathlon, the events are of the same type
for both men and women. ❑ ❑
c. Ethiopian and Kenyan runners have been dominating
long distance races for the past 20 years. ❑ ❑
d. Women have been throwing the hammer in the Olympics since 1990. ❑ ❑
e. The European skating championships have been won
5 times by Karolina Kostner. ❑ ❑
f. Federica Pellegrini has broken the 400m freestyle swimming
record three times. ❑ ❑
g. The Olympic marathon was introduced in 1896. ❑ ❑
h. The 1500m race is a middle distance race. ❑ ❑
i. The 3000m race is a long distance race. ❑ ❑
j. In the first Olympic Games there were just two events. ❑ ❑
k. The Olympic Games began in Olympia in the 8th century BC. ❑ ❑

3) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. In ancient Greece, before participating in the Olympic Games, athletes had to
train for
a. eight months.
b. ten months.
c. twelve months.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
2. Usain Bolt’s father believes that the vegetables responsible for Usain’s tall
stature are
a. potatoes.
b. yams.
c. tomatoes.

3. The five events in the modern pentathlon are

a. fencing, show jumping, pistol shooting, cross country running, swimming.
b. fencing, pistol shooting, a marathon, swimming, cross country running.
c. fencing, show jumping, swimming, hurdles, cross country running.

4. In the 800m race, the athletes

a. start on a bend.
b. have a staggered start.
c. line up together at the start.

5. Vaulting poles are made of

a. strong flexible plastic.
b. fibreglass.
c. a mixture of plastic and hard rubber.

6. The favourite high jump technique of athletes today is called the

a. scissors flop.
b. Fosbury flop.
c. crossbar flop.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
4) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 8) alla seconda (a - h)
che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. The men’s heptathlon

2. In the 5000m race, competitors
3. In the 400m race, competitors
4. The women’s heptathlon
5. Javelin
6. In the 800m race, competitors
7. The 400m hurdles
8. In ancient Greece, the only people who could take part in the Olympic Games
were

a. is held outdoors.
b. is held indoors.
c. run in lanes.
d. can leave their lanes after the first bend.
e. do not run in lanes.
f. is a track event.
g. free men who spoke Greek.
h. is a field event.

5) Cerchia la risposta corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

There are four / three main components of the long jump.

If athletes in the 200m race don’t stay in their lanes, they are cautioned /
disqualified.
The pentathlon originally tested the skills of gladiators / soldiers.
Francesco Totti has been playing for AS Roma for over fifteen / twenty years.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 8

1) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.

T F

a. Hockey is played with a bat. ❑ ✔

❑
b. In rugby union, the full back wears shirt number 5. ❑ ❑
c. The high jump was revolutionised by D. Fosbury. ❑ ❑
d. An “ippon” can be scored in Judo. ❑ ❑
e. An “épée” is used in cricket. ❑ ❑
f. The “kip” is one of the basic skills in vaulting. ❑ ❑
g. The runway used in vaulting is 30m long. ❑ ❑
h. Male gymnasts have been taking part in the balance
beam event since 2011. ❑ ❑
i. In a ‘floor’ routine, the qymnast should use the entire floor area. ❑ ❑
j. The handles in the pommel horse event are made of plastic. ❑ ❑
k. The first gymnast given a score of 10 in the Olympic games
was Nadia Comaneci. ❑ ❑

2) Cerchia la lettera corrispondente alla risposta che ritieni corretta.

1. In the parallel bars event,

a. there should be a flight over the bars.

b. no pauses are allowed in the routine.

c. a brief handstand should be included in swings.

Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
2. The still rings can be used by

a. both male and female gymnasts.

b. just male gymnasts.

c. just female gymnasts.

3. A balance beam routine can last up to

a. 90 seconds.

b. 60 seconds.

c. 120 seconds.

4. If a rhythmic gymnast decides to use a hoop in their routine, the routine must
include

a. at least four leaps.

b. at least five leaps.

c. At least three leaps.

5. A common element in a pommel horse routine is the

a. ‘scissors’.

b. ‘iron cross’.

c. ‘tumble’.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
3) Cerchia la risposta corretta. Vedi l’esempio.
The first modern Olympic Games took place in Athens in 1926 / 1896 . The term
“gymnastics” comes from the Greek word “gymnos” meaning strong / naked. The
prototype of the pommel horse was introduced by the ancient Greeks / ancient
Romans. German physical educators played a large role in the birth of modern
gymnastics with exercises to develop muscular strength and balance being
introduced by F. Guts Muths / F. Ludwig Jahn and the rings, parallel bars and high
bar being invented by F. Guts Muths / F. Ludwig Jahn. Women first competed in
gymnastics events in 1928 / 1918.

4) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 8) alla seconda (a - h)
che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. In ice-skating,
2. In vaulting,
3. In the uneven bars,
4. In the ‘rings’ event,
5. In the parallel bars,
6. In rhythmic gymnastics,
7. In the high bar,
8. In artistic gymnastics,

a. competitors are allowed to remount within 30 seconds if they fall from the
apparatus.
b. competitors sprint down a 25m runway before jumping onto a springboard.
c. dismounting should include a perfect “stuck landing”.
d. coaches are allowed to lift competitors into position at the beginning of their
routine.
e. group routines with teams of 5 competitors are possible.
f. competitors’ hands are 2.5m from the floor.
g. competitions are held on a rink.
h. Carlotta Ferlito represented Italy at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................

Unit 9

1) Cerchia la risposta corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

Yuna Kim broke eight / eleven world records for ladies’ figure skating. In figure
skating / speed skating, skaters participate in duos or individually. Figure skating
/ speed skating can take place indoors or outdoors. The rinks used in figure
skating / speed skating are usually larger than those used in figure skating /
speed skating. Two or four / four or six skaters race round the rink in short track
speed skating events. In speed skating, there are / aren’t team relay races. The
maximum number of rotations performed in the air in a figure skating jump is three
/ four and the toe stick / toe pick on the ice skaters’ boots helps them perform
these jumps. There are two / three programs in all the Olympic figure skating
events.

2) Decidi se le frasi sono True (T) o False (F). Vedi l’esempio.

T F

a.
Lugers lie on their stomach. ❑ ✔
❑
b. Lugers lie with their feet stretched out behind them. ❑ ❑
c. Lugers use handles to steer the sled. ❑ ❑
d. A helmet with a face visor must be used in luge races. ❑ ❑
e. Spiked shoes are essential for luge events. ❑ ❑
f. Gloves with spiked tips are used in skeleton sledding. ❑ ❑
g. Luge races are timed to a thousandth of a second. ❑ ❑
h. There are no steering or braking mechanisms in skeleton sledding. ❑ ❑
i. Skeleton sleds are made of steel. ❑ ❑
j. Bobsleigh teams consist of two or three people. ❑ ❑
k. Bobsleigh tracks are not wide. ❑ ❑
l. There is a brake on bobsleighs. ❑ ❑
m. The pilot of a bobsleigh uses handles to steer it. ❑ ❑
Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
3) Sulla linea che si trova sotto ogni simbolo, scrivi la lettera (a-h) che pensi
corrisponda a quel simbolo.

a. Luge.
b. Cross country skiing.
c. Figure skating.
d. Skeleton.
e. Curling.
f. Alpine skiing.
g. Freestyle skiing.
h. Speed skating.

............................ ............................ ............................ ............................

............................ ............................ ............................ ............................

Name: ..................................................... Class: ...................... Date: ......................
4) Traccia una linea dalla prima parte di ogni frase (1 - 8) alla seconda (a - h)
che ritieni corretta. Vedi l’esempio.

1. In the slalom,
2. In downhill skiing,
3. In the ‘super giant’,
4. In the ‘super combined’,
5. When he was younger, Alberto Tomba
6. When he was younger, Lamin Deen
7. The decision to retire was taken by
8. The decision to join the military was taken by

a. the gates are very close together and skiers must pass through all of them.
b. skiers travel downhill very fast and must also pass through gates placed quite
far from each other.
c. broke his collarbone.
d. a shorter version of the downhill run is followed by a slalom.
e. there is a very fast run down a steep hill with various types of terrain so skiers
also jump and turn.
f. was in danger of becoming a criminal.
g. Lamin Deen.
h. Alberto Tomba.
 KEYS - PROVE DI VERIFICA

UNIT 0- 1 5. rounds; 6. corner; 7. trainers; 8. boxing

shorts; 9. shoes; 10. mouth guard; 11. teeth;
12. punch; 13. waist.
Exercise 1A
2. do you go; 3. do you have; 4. do your lessons
Exercise 2
1. headgear; 2. boxing shorts; 3. punch bag;
finish; 5. do you do; 6. do you train; 7. do you
4. mouth guard; 5. jump rope; 6. groin guard.
prefer; 8. does your best friend do; 9. does a pair
of trainers cost; 10. does a football match last.
Exercise 3
1. Motor racing is more dangerous than horse
Exercise 1B
riding. / Horse riding is less dangerous than
Open answers.
motor racing. / Horse riding is not as/so
dangerous as motor racing.
Exercise 2
2. Squash is faster than tennis. / Tennis is not
1. When; 2. Who; 3. Why; 4. Where; 5. How
as/so fast as squash.
high; 6. Whose; 7. How long; 8. How wide;
3. Beach volley is more tiring than volleyball.
9. How far; 10. What.
/ Volley ball is less tiring than beach volley.
/ Volley ball is not as/so tiring as beach
Exercise 3
volley.
Suggested answers:
4. Football is more popular than rugby. /
DO: Athletics, Gymnastics, Judo, Karate, Kick
Rugby is less popular than football. / Rugby
boxing.
is not as/so popular as rugby.
PLAY: Football, Hockey, Tennis, Golf,
5. Diving is more spectacular than water polo.
Volleyball, Basketball, Polo, Table tennis,
/ Water polo is less spectacular than diving.
Squash, Badminton, Rugby.
/ Water polo is not as/so spectacular as
GO: Swimming, Diving, Skiing, Jogging,
diving.
Sailing, Skating, Windsurfing, Scuba diving,
6. Weight-lifting is more strenuous than table
Fencing.
tennis. / Table tennis is less strenuous than
weight-lifting. / Table tennis is not as/so
Exercise 4
strenuous as weight-lifting.
Open answers.

Exercise 5 Exercise 4
1. D; 2. C; 3. B; 4. E; 5. A.
2. Tennis; 3. Squash; 4. Boxing; 5. Table
tennis; 6. Fencing; 7. Gymnastics; 8. Judo; 9.
Rugby; 10. Motor racing.
Exercise 5
1. the youngest; 2. oldest; 3. the most
strenuous; 4. more dangerous; 5. the worst.
Exercise 6
1. B; 2. A; 3. B; 4. C; 5. C.
Exercise 6
1. stopped, was suffering; 2. was watching,
Exercise 7
you phoned; 3. lost, was travelling; 4. met, was
1. pitch; 2. umpire; 3. track; 4. beat/scoring; 5. prize;
studying; 5. were you doing.
6. court; 7. rink; 8. clay; 9. love; 10. coaches.

UNIT 3
UNIT 2

Exercise 1 Exercise 1
1. Since; 2. For; 3. For; 4. Since; 5. Since.
1. match; 2. ring; 3. referee; 4. weight;
 74
Exercise 2
1. Donald has never dived from a 10m
board.
2. Have you ever swum in a river?
3. The children have just finished their
swimming lesson.
4. Has he learnt to swim backstroke yet?
5. Have you already swum in the new
swimming pool?
Exercise 3
1. has been; 2. met; 3. learnt; 4. was; 5. took;
6. started; 7. has just come back; 8. won;
9. has never missed.
Exercise 4
1. It was called ‘water ballet’ because it
is a mixture of swimming, dance and
gymnastics.
2. They last between 2½ and 5 minutes.
3. There are three parts: the top, the base
and the pushers.
4. Breaststroke.
5. They wear goggles.
Exercise 5
1A.; 2A.; 3B.; 4B.; 5A.
Exercise 6
1. Francesco Totti has played football for the
Roma FC for ... years.
Francesco Totti has played football for the
Roma FC since 1993.
2. Federica Pellegrini has held the world
200m freestyle record for ... years.
Federica Pellegrini has held the world
200m freestyle record since 2009.
3. Nike has sponsored Nadal for ... years.
Nike has sponsored Nadal since 2008.
4. Nibali has been the Tour de France
champion cyclist for ... months.
Nibali has been the Tour de France
champion cyclist since July 2014.
5. Synchronised swimming has been an
Olympic sport for ... years.
Synchronised swimming has been an
Olympic sport since 1984.
Keys - Prove di verifica
UNIT 4
Exercise 1
1. will be; 2. will give; 3. are you going to
change; 4. will build up; 5. there will definitely
be; 6. are you going to watch; 7. it’s going to
rain; 8. will be; Is he going to learn; 9. will the
match start.
Exercise 2
1. try; 2. 15; 3. forwards; 4. hooker; 5. locks;
6. props; 7. touch; 8. pitch; 9. tackle; 10. oval.
Exercise 3
Open answer.
Exercise 4
1. T; 2. T; 3. F (There are 7 backs.); 4. F (The
ball must touch the ground.); 5. F (There are
also broken lines.); 6. T; 7. F (A rugby pitch
is 70 metres wide.); 8. F (Each half lasts 40
minutes.).
Exercise 5
1. My brother is going to play rugby next year.
2. When will Mike be 18?
3. Where are you going to train on Saturday?
4. I promise that I will support your team.
5. Are you sure Tim will be in the team?
UNIT 5
Exercise 1
1. will have to; 2. had to; 3. do you always have
to; 4. didn’t have to; 5. will you have to.
Exercise 2
1. must/have to; 2. can; 3. mustn’t; 4. didn’t
have to; 5. can; 6. must/has to; can’t; 7. must/
have to; 8. don’t have to; 9. mustn’t; 10. can.
Exercise 3
1. B; 2. A; 3. C; 4. C; 5. B.
Exercise 4
1. don’t have to; 2. mustn’t; 3. don’t have to;
4. must; 5. mustn’t; 6. UK stadiums must.
Keys - Prove di verifica
Exercise 5
1. draw; 2. penalty kick; 3. throw-in;
4. midfielders; 5. shoots.
Exercise 6
1. He has been a steward for 8 months.
2. Because all the spectators are seated and
there aren’t any perimeter fences.
3. They mustn’t bring in bottles, knives or
dangerous objects.
4. There are closed circuit TV cameras in the
football stadium.
5. They must report racist slogans.
UNIT 6
Exercise 1
1. SETTING; 2. SPIKING; 3. BUMP PASSING;
4. SERVING; 5. DIGGING; 6. BLOCKING.
Exercise 2
1. after/when; 2. until; 3. as soon as; 4. before;
5. when/after.
Exercise 3
1. goes, will score; 2. will blow, touches;
3. won’t improve, don’t listen; 4. will start, rains;
5. loses, will have to.
Exercise 4
1. Steve won’t play in the match unless his
knee injury gets better.
2. You won’t sell all the tickets for the match
unless you put an advertisement on the
club noticeboard.
3. You will hurt your ankles unless you learn
to land correctly after jumping at the net.
4. You’ll miss the start of the match unless
you hurry.
5. We won’t score many points unless we
spike the ball more often.
Exercise 5
1. B; 2. A; 3. A; 4. B; 5. C; 6. C; 7. A; 8. A; 9. B;
10. B.
75
UNIT 7
Exercise 1
1. A; 2. B; 3. A; 4. A; 5. A.
Exercise 2
1. I think he should see a doctor.
2. He should do more exercise.
3. She shouldn’t stay up so late at night.
4. She should concentrate on building up her
stamina.
5. He shouldn’t drink any alcohol.
Exercise 3
1. How long has he been practising a new
hurdling technique?
2. How long have they been training on a new
athletics track?
3. How long has your brother been coaching
two young sprinters?
4. How long has Angela been learning to
throw the hammer?
5. How long has Sarah been teaching
Physical Education at the high school?
Exercise 4
Open answer (Choose among: long jump, high
jump, javelin, discus, hammer, shot put, pole
vault.).
Exercise 5
1. Swimming; 2. Fencing; 3. Show jumping;
4. Pistol shooting; 5. Cross country race.
Exercise 6
1. has been writing; 2. have been giving;
3. have not been sleeping; 4. have you been
waiting; 5. have been warming up.
Exercise 7
1. 400m; 2. 110m hurdles; 3. 4x100m relay;
4. Long jump; 5. Heptathlon.
UNIT 8
Exercise 1
The answer should include 4 of the following:
vault, pommel horse, parallel bars, high/
horizontal bar, rings, floor.
 76
Exercise 2
Vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor.
Exercise 3
The answer should include 2 of the following:
ribbons, clubs, hoops, ball.
Exercise 4
1. springboard; 2. chalk; 3. 90 seconds;
4. floor; 5. pommel horse; 6. stuck; 7. high/
horizontal bar.
Exercise 5
1. will be prepared; 2. have opened; 3. will our
equipment be taken; 4. speak; 5. were sold.
Exercise 6
1. are watched; 2. will be held; 3. was won;
4. has the match been cancelled; 5. are
repeated; 6. be injured; 7. will be awarded;
8. be made; 9. are needed; 10. cannot be
played.
Exercise 7
1. It was invented by the ancient Romans.
2. They were designed by Friedrich Jahn, a
German Physical Educator.
3. Superman.
4. They must hold their legs straight and their
toes must be pointed.
5. On the rings.
6. Points are deducted from his/her score.
Exercise 8
1. When was rope climbing eliminated?
2. Who has been selected for the British
gymnastics team?
3. How many gymnasts have been
disqualified for taking drugs?
4. What must be checked before Friday?
5. When were athletes tested for doping?
Exercise 9
1. has just been inaugurated; 2. was
completed; 3. was built; 4. was brought up;
5. includes; 6. be left; 7. is used; 8. is made.
Keys - Prove di verifica
UNIT 9
Exercise 1
1. skates; 2. ski poles; 3. bindings; 4. gates;
5. sleds; 6. short track; 7. ice rink; 8. shooting;
9. snowboarding; 10. freestyle; 11. stones;
12. spiked; 13. resort; 14. speedsuits;
15. goggles.
Exercise 2
1. would go, was/were; 2. didn’t enjoy, wouldn’t
do; 3. decided, would you go; 4. Would you
come, tried; 5. would I need, decided; 6. fell,
would she lose; 7. wore; wouldn’t feel; 8. were,
would buy; 9. bought, would not slip; 10. would
ski, were illuminated.
Exercise 3
1. If I lived near the mountains, I could go
skiing every day.
2. If ski equipment was/were less expensive,
many people would go skiing.
3. If there were enough ski lifts, there wouldn’t
be long queues.
4. If people were physically fit, they wouldn’t
have problems when they go skiing.
5. If Nick didn’t work so hard, he would have a
winter holiday.
6. If those countries had good training
facilities, they would do well at winter
sports.
Exercise 4
Suggested answers:
1. If I were you, I’d wear a helmet.
2. If I were you, I’d stay in your hotel today.
3. If I were you, I’d buy a pair of ski gloves.
4. If I were you, I’d change ski resorts.
5. If I were you, I’d relax in a hot bath.
6. If I were you, I’d take some lessons.
Exercise 5
Open answer.
 KEYS - PROVE DI VERIFICA BES

UNIT 1 Exercise 2
1. b, 2. c, 3. b, 4. c, 5. c, 6. a, 7. c, 8. b, 9. b,
10. a, 11. c.
Exercise 1
1. c, 2. c, 3. b, 4. c. Exercise 3
1-c, 2-a, 3-h, 4-b, 5-g, 6-e, 7-f, 8-d, 9-j, 10-i.
Exercise 2
Foto 1: a. An overhead smash; foto 2: c. Hips
and shoulders turn in unison; foto 3: b. The
ball is hit chest high before it bounces (i.e. a UNIT 4
volley); foto 4: d. An overhead smash.

Exercise 3 Exercise 1
a-F, b-F, c-T, d-T, e-F, f-F, g-T. 1. b, 2. c, 3. a, 4. b, 5. c, 6. c.

Exercise 4 Exercise 2
1-c, 2-b, 3-a, 4-f, 5-d, 6-e, 7-h, 8-g. 1-c, 2-e, 3-d, 4-b, 5-a, 6-f, 7-g.

Exercise 3
a-T, b-F, c-F, d-T, e-F, f-F, g-T, h-T, i-F, j-T.
UNIT 2
Exercise 4
1-c, 2-e, 3-b, 4-d, 5-a.
Exercise 1
1. Eyebrow, 2. Chin, 3. Fist, 4. Wrist, 5. Groin,
6. Knee, 7. Foot, 8. Calf, 9. Ankle, 10. Elbow,
11. Shoulder, 12. Knuckle, 13. Temple. UNIT 5

Exercise 2
a-F, b-F, c-T, d-F, e-T, f-T, g-F, h-F, i-F. Exercise 1
a-T, b-T, c-F, d-T, e-F, f-F, g-T, h-F, i-T, j-F.
Exercise 3
1-h, 2-g, 3-d, 4-e, 5-a, 6-b, 7-c, 8-f. Exercise 2
1. c, 2. b, 3. a, 4. b, 5. b, 6. b, 7. c, 8. a.
Exercise 4
1. c, 2. b, 3. a, 4. c, 5. a. Exercise 3
The Divine Ponytail, Buddhist, after, UNICEF,
Exercise 5 an Argentinian, four, three, hat tricks, Funchal,
a-F, b-T, c-T, d-F, e-F, f-T, g-F. his career.

UNIT 3 UNIT 6

Exercise 1 Exercise 1
a-F, b-T, c-F, d-T, e-T, f-F, g-F, h-F, i-F. 1. b, 2. c, 3. b, 4. a, 5. c, 6. c.
 78 Keys - Prove di verifica BES

Exercise 2 UNIT 8
a-F, b-F, c-F, d-T, e-T, f-F, g-T, h-T, i-T.

Exercise 3 Exercise 1
1-c, 2-e, 3-f, 4-d, 5-a, 6-b. a-F, b-F, c-T, d-T, e-F, f-F, g-F, h-F, i-T, j-T, k-T.

Exercise 4 Exercise 2
five, 25, near the floor, can’t, a referee. 1. c, 2. b, 3. a, 4. c, 5. a.

Exercise 3
naked, ancient Romans, F. Guts Muths,
UNIT 7 F. Ludwig Jahn, 1928.

Exercise 4
Exercise 1 1-g, 2-b, 3-a, 4-d, 5-c, 6-e, 7-f, 8-h.
1. shot put, 2. pole vault, 3. high jump,
4. hurdles, 5. hammer.

Exercise 2 UNIT 9
a-F, b-F, c-T, d-F, e-T, f-F, g-T, h-T, i-F, j-F,
k-T.
Exercise 1
Exercise 3 Figure skating, speed skating, speed skating,
1. b, 2. b, 3. a, 4. b, 5. b, 6. b. figure skating, four or six, are, four, toe pick, two.

Exercise 4 Exercise 2
1-b, 2-e, 3-c, 4-a, 5-h, 6-d, 7-f, 8-g. a-F, b-F, c-F, d-T,e-F, f-F, g-T, h-T, i-T, j-F, k-T,
l-T, m-F.
Exercise 5
disqualified, soldiers, twenty. Exercise 3
c, e, h, d, a, g, f, b.

Exercise 4
1-a, 2-e, 3-b, 4-d, 5-c, 6-f, 7-h, 8-g.
 VIDEOS - TAPESCRIPTS

VIDEO 2 The Complete History of Rugby in 5 Minutes

140 years ago, on February 24th 1872, an elderly Anglican clergyman living in France went to
meet his Maker. The Reverend William Webb Ellis led a generally uneventful life, except for what
he did as a naughty schoolboy. In England’s rural Warwickshire in 1823, young William cheated:
playing a game of soccer with his classmates at the élite Rugby School, he picked up the ball and
ran with it, and in doing so he invented the game of rugby football. Today rugby is a sport enjoyed
by sportsmen and women from Argentina to Zaire; its International World Cup is the third most
watched sport after the soccer World Cup and the Summer Olympics. The Webb Ellis Cup is the
most prized accolade in rugby.
In England during the 1880s soccer and rugby enthusiasts parted ways and started to draw up
rules for their preferred games. Soccer with a round ball, rugby with an oval. Soccer comes from
the middle syllable of ‘association football’. In soccer, players except the goalkeeper may not
handle the ball, except to throw it in from the sidelines, that’s why they’re called ‘touch-lines’.
Rugby developed into a running and kicking game; players may not pass the ball forward, but
can pass it laterally and backward. The ball may be kicked forward, although teams risk losing
possession. The shape of the rugby ball is symbolic of life: sometimes it bounces in your favour,
sometimes it bounces in wicked ways. Physical contact is allowed, but only if three criteria are
met: players may tackle an opponent if he is in possession of the ball, tackles must be below
the neck, and must involve the arms – barging isn’t allowed. Interfering with an opponent not in
possession isn’t sporting either and could earn the offender a trip to the ‘sin bin’.
Years ago, English private schools and others drew up rules for rugby which were refined in
Scotland and shipped around the far-flung corners of the Empire, like cricket, polo and soccer,
by the British Army. Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, three nations that had never bred
wimps, embraced the sport with gusto. Pacific Island nations, like Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, boast a
warrior tradition that pervades their culture like a religion; rugby is a natural sport for them – they
all pass the ball like the Harlem Globetrotters, they all tackle opponents as if their lives depend
on it. And before they play, and also when they win, they do a spectacular war dance called
the ‘haka’. Fiji has their champion and cheerleader in Graham Eden, a 76 year old former New
Zealand score master: he travels around the world providing radio commentaries for rugby games
wherever the Fijian team plays, and he’s universally loved back home because he tells it how it
is. [SPORTS COMMENTARY]
There are two versions of rugby, one for teams of 15 players, and a 7-a-side version; ‘sevens’ is
played on a full field, so you have to be really fit, the crème de la crème, to survive those games.
The Las Vegas Sevens are played every year in February; they feature teams from around the
world, fans dress up in goofy costumes to show their pride – there’s even a special section of
the stadium set aside for superheroes and villains. Expect to see more rugby on television, and
hopefully, closer to home as the youth and college game expands, and get ready for the 2016
Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Rugby hasn’t been in the Olympics since the 1920s, but the
reigning Olympic rugby champion is… the United States.
80 Videos - Tapescripts

VIDEO 3 The History of Football Boots

The shape, colour and weight of today’s football boots would have been unrecognisable to the
first recorded owner of a pair of ‘cleats’. You wouldn’t believe it to look at him, but in 1525 Henry
VIII’s great wardrobe was recorded as containing a pair of football boots. 300 years later in
industrial Britain, football boots became more commonplace.
Ellis Cashmore, Professor of Culture, Media and Sport: “They were what were called ‘hob-nailed’
boots; the industrial workers in the late 19th Century used to use boots, for protection basically.
But the soles were secured to the uppers by what were called hob-nails: these were kind of blunt
nails, but they protruded for extra traction.”
As football boots became more popular in the 1950s and 60s, so boots evolved.
Cashmore: “Adidas were a significant innovator in footware because they cut down the sides so
that they were much more like shoes than boots. They also made them lighter, and of course, you
know, they were heaven to play with; they didn’t afford you the kind of ankle protection but the
game was changing, as were the rules.”
However the boots changed, the colour always remained the same, until the early 1970s when
players such as Alan Hinton, Terry Cooper and Alan Ball began to sport white boots.
Cashmore: “There was shock and surprise initially, but then people reflected on it and thought,
well actually, this is the way sport is going, and of course it wasn’t long before white was followed
by green and pink and blue.”
Advancements in technology meant that it wasn’t just the colour of the football boot that would
change.
Dr Mark Lake, Professor of Biomechanics: “Players are much fitter, they’re more agile, they train
harder, and that agility and speed has to be complemented with the boots that they’re wearing.
There’s definite improvements in things like ball speed, maximal speed on, you know, kicking the
ball as hard as you can on goal, you can get a little more speed with the modern boots. They can
improve the grip and speed, particularly during things like turning. When the ‘predator’ boot first
came out, there was a series of rubber-like fins on the surface of the upper, which did enhance
the grip with the ball.”
Materials have changed too: leather has given way to synthetics, and this month Adidas produced
the world’s first knitted boot. Boots today can weigh as little as 135 grams, that’s under a third of
the earliest boots. But has performance compromised protection?
Lake: “No, I think they’re getting that balance more in line, and they are making boots that aren’t
going to compromise safety for performance. Boots of the future will be very much customised,
even at the consumer level. Even things like 3D printing of boots will be commonplace, so you
might order your boots, and send in your data regarding what your foot is like, and a file will be
sent and you can print off your boots on your printer.”
So is this the end for the humble black boot?
Cashmore: “Like everything else, there are retro trends, and like the retro shirts and the shorts,
and pratically everything else connected with football, I think there is every chance that there will
be a retro black shoe and it will be, ehm, to coin a phrase, ‘back to black’.”
Videos - Tapescripts 81

VIDEO 4 The Offside Rule Explained

The offside rule is important in soccer, but can be confusing. For the attacking team to avoid
being called for offside, there need to be two defenders closer to the goal-line than an attacking
player when the ball is played to him or her by a team-mate. I’ll show you. The two defenders
almost always include the goalie, it’s the other player who really determines when offside is
called, and where the attacking player must be to avoid the penalty. To make it easier to refer
to him, this player is sometimes called ‘last defender’, and I’ll use that term here. There are also
two key attacking players involved in the offside call: the player who’s kicking the ball and the
player receiving. The offside call is not based on where the player is when receiving the ball, but
where he or she is when it’s kicked. In the diagram shown, if the ball’s kicked at this point, the
striker would be offside because he or she is closer to the goal-line than the last defender. Part of
this might not be clear, the defender is shown closer to the goal than the attacker, so why is this
offside? It’s not who’s closer to the goal, it’s who’s closer to the goal-line, which is the line that
marks either end of the field. You can see that the attacker is closer to the goal-line than the last
defender. The easiest way to visualise this is to draw an imaginary line on the defender, parallel
to the goal-line. This is often called the ‘restraining line’, and if the attacker is past this line when
the ball’s kicked, he or she is offside. It’s this imaginary line that both players and referees use
during a game to decide whether a player’s offside. If the attacker is past the restraining line
when the ball’s kicked, he or she is offside. If she’s even with the defender, she’s not offside.
And of course if he’s behind the restraining line he’s not offside. It doesn’t matter if there’s just
one defensive player on the restraining line, or if several are lined up the same distance from the
goal-line: the attacker has to be careful not to cross that line. When the attacking team is called
for offside, the other team gets an indirect free kick from the point of the infraction. That describes
the fundamentals of the offside rule. For direct links to more videos and other materials related to
the offside rule, go to the web address shown on the screen.
 82 Videos - Tapescripts

VIDEO 5 The Olympic Beach Volleyball Review

The action on the sand at London 2012 was rivalled only by the incredible venue in which beach
volleyball was showcased: Horse Guards Parade, a man-made beach with historic London as its
backdrop, and the British Prime Minister’s residence nearby. The men’s teams battled it out to
crown a new beach volleyball champion, the women sent perhaps the best ever in the game off to
retirement with a third gold medal around her neck. But long before the gold medal matches were
played, some surprising and emotional eliminations: five-time Olympian Australian Nat Cook and
her partner were unable to make it out of the preliminaries. The end, when it came, after so many
positive Olympic experiences, was abrupt.
Nat Cook: “Final thoughts, er, you know, I don’t want to leave, I don’t want to leave this atmosphere,
it’s fantastic. Um, the Olympics is the greatest thing on earth, it’s the greatest show on earth, and
I’m just proud to be a part of it, once, twice, three times, four times, five times, I feel like I’ve had
a privileged existence in the Olympic Games and I couldn’t be prouder.”
On the men’s side the Americans were shocked not once but twice, as both of their medal-hopeful
pairs were eliminated before the semi-finals. The defending gold-medallists Phil Dalhausser and
Todd Rogers gone even before the quarter-finals, sent home by a pair of young Italians with a
familiar look.
Rogers: “People say they’re the young Phil and Todd and they Phil and Todded us to death, I
guess you could say. I mean, they made a few critical plays and we had our opportunities to push
it, and that was really the difference. And credit to them, they’re good guys, and I wish them all
the best.”
A different story for the American women considered among the best in the field. Two time gold
medal winners Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh advanced to the final after defeating the pair
from China. Their opponent was expected to be Brazil, as that formidable duo was taking on the
other American pair of April Ross and Jennifer Kessy in the second semi-final. But in a surprise
upset Kessy and Ross won that match to set up an all-American women’s final on the sand in
London.
Meantime, with the American men gone, there appeared to be little stopping the favourite team
from Brazil. But while 39 year old Emanuel competed his heart out in his fifth Olympic Games,
and the 6 foot 8 Alison played like a giant, the German team of Brink and Reckermann outduelled
them, meaning, for the first time since beach volleyball’s introduction to the Olympics in ’96, a
European team won gold.
There was no doubt about which nation would win gold on the women’s side; the question was
could May-Treanor and Walsh hold off the upsurging American team of Kessy and Ross and
establish themselves as the best on the beach with a third Olympic title. The answer: a resounding
‘yes’, as the duo often considered the face of beach volleyball played their final match together
like they meant it, sending May-Treanor to her retirement in fitting style.
 VIDEOS - EXERCISES

VIDEO 1 Ancient Greek Olympics

1. Watch the video and say whether these statements are True or False.
Correct the false ones.
T F

1. The ancient Greek Olympics started in 776 AD. ❑ ❑

....................................................................................................................................................
2. The Greek Olympics honoured Heracles. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
3. They were held in Olympia every four years. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
4. All winners received a garland of olive leaves. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................
5. During the Olympics war never stopped. ❑ ❑
....................................................................................................................................................

2. Watch the video again and write a short essay on the ancient Greek Olympics. The
suggestions below can help you start.

1. When and why they started.

2. Who founded them.
3. Where and how often they were held.
4. What sports events there were.
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................

3. Ask and answer the questions in pairs.

1. What do you know about the ancient Greeks?

....................................................................................................................................................
2. Have you ever been to Olympia?
....................................................................................................................................................
3. Have you ever seen the modern Olympics?
....................................................................................................................................................
4. What sport would you do if you were an ancient Greek?
....................................................................................................................................................
 84 Videos - Exercises

VIDEO 2 The Complete History of Rugby in 5 Minutes

1. Watch the video and say whether these statements are True or False.
Correct the false ones.
T F

1. Today rugby is a sport enjoyed by sportsmen and women

from Argentina to Zaire. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
2. The Rugby World Cup is the first most watched sports competition. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
3. Soccer comes from the middle syllable of ‘association football’. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
4. Rugby players can only pass the ball forward. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
5. English private schools drew up rules for rugby, which were
refined in Australia and New Zealand. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................

2. Watch the video and answer the following questions.

1. Who was the Reverend William Webb Ellis?

....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
2. According to the speaker, what is the difference between soccer and rugby?
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
3. When is physical contact allowed in rugby?
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
4. How many versions of rugby are there?
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................
5. What is the ‘haka’?
....................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................

3. Translate the meaning of the following words.

1. Touch-lines: ............................................................................................................
2. Barge (to): ............................................................................................................
3. Tackle (to): ............................................................................................................
4. Sin bin: ............................................................................................................
Videos - Exercises 85

VIDEO 3 The History of Football Boots

1. Watch the video and say whether these statements are True or False.
Correct the false ones.
T F

1. In 1525 Henry VIII’s great wardrobe was recorded as containing

a pair of football boots. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
2. Industrial workers, in the late 19th century, used to wear boots
for protection. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
3. Nike were a significant innovator in footwear. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
4. The boots changed in colour but not in materials. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
5. The boots of the future will be very customised. ❑ ❑

2. Watch the video again and answer the following questions.

1. When did football boots become more popular?

...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
2. How did Adidas change footwear?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
3. When did the colour of football boots change?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
4. Why have boots been improved throughout the years?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
5. What will the boots of the future be like?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

3. Match each word with its corresponding synonym.

1. boots A. fashion
2. improvement B. tailor (to)
3. speed C. progress
4. customise (to) D. cleats
5. trend E. velocity
 86 Videos - Exercises

VIDEO 4 The Offside Rule Explained

1. Watch the video and say whether these statements are True or False. Correct the false
ones.
T F

1. The offside rule is the most important rule in rugby. ❑ ❑

...................................................................................................................................................
2. Offside is based on where the player is when the ball is kicked. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
3. The ‘restraining line’ is perpendicular to the goal line. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
4. When offside is called the defending team gets a free kick. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
5. The free kick is taken from the goal line. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................

2. Watch the video again and answer the following questions.

1. How many defenders must be closer to the goal line than an attacking player?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
2. What is the offside call based on?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
3. What is the ‘restraining line’?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
4. What happens when the attacking team is called for offside?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

3. Translate the meaning of the following words.

Offside: ............................................................................................................
Defender: ............................................................................................................
Goalie: ............................................................................................................
Free kick: ............................................................................................................
Videos - Exercises 87

VIDEO 5 The Olympic Beach Volleyball Review

1. Watch the video and say whether these statements are True or False.
Correct the false ones.
T F

1. Horse Guards Parade is near the British Prime Minister’s residence. ❑ ❑

...................................................................................................................................................
2. There were surprising and emotional eliminations during
the Olympic beach volleyball games. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
3. Nat Cook is from England. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
4. The Americans won the gold medal. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................
5. For the first time since beach volleyball was introduced
to the Olympics in ’96, a European team won gold. ❑ ❑
...................................................................................................................................................

2. Watch the video again and answer the following questions.

1. Who is Nat Cook?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
2. How does she feel after her elimination?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
3. Why are the Americans shocked?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
4. How many Olympic titles do May-Treanor and Walsh hold after London 2012?
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................

3. Match each word with its corresponding synonym.

1. showcase (to) A. group
2. match B. couple
3. fantastic C. game
4. pair D. display (to)
5. team E. incredible
 VIDEOS - KEYS TO EXERCISES

4. There are two versions of rugby: one for

VIDEO 1 Ancient Greek Olympics
teams of 15 players and a 7-a-side version
called ‘sevens’.
Ex. 1
5. It is a spectacular ‘war dance’ done by
1-F: They started in 776 BC.
rugby players before they play and also
2-F: They honoured Zeus, the king of Gods.
when they win.
3-T
4-T
Ex. 3
5-F: There was an Olympic truce, therefore no
1. Linee laterali
one engaged in war.
2. Spintonare
3. Placcare
Ex. 2
4. Panca delle penalità
Open answers

Ex. 3
Open answers
The History of Football
VIDEO 3
Boots

The Complete History of

VIDEO 2 Ex. 1
Rugby in 5 minutes
1-T
2-T
3-F: Adidas were a significant innovator in
The Complete History of Rugby in 5 minutes
footwear.
Ex. 1
4-F: After the 1970s boots changed both in
1-T
colour and in materials.
2-F: It is the third most watched sports
5-T
competition after the Soccer World Cup and
the Summer Olympics.
Ex. 2
3-T
1. Football boots became more popular in the
4-F: Players may not pass the ball forward but
1950s and 1960s.
they may kick it forward.
2. They made boots lighter and cut down their
5-F: Rugby rules were refined in Scotland.
sides so that they were much more like
shoes than boots.
Ex. 2
3. Although the boots changed, their colour
1. He was the man who invented the game
always remained the same until the early
of rugby football, picking up the ball and
1970s when some players began to wear
running with it while he was playing soccer
white boots.
with his schoolmates.
4. Because there has been an improvement in
2. Soccer is played with a round ball and
players’ performance. Nowadays they are
players, except for the goalkeeper, may not
much fitter and more agile. Their agility has
handle it.
to be complemented with suitable boots.
Rugby is played with an oval ball and
5. The boots of the future will be very
players may not pass the ball forward but
customised. Even 3D printing of boots will
can pass it laterally and backward.
be commonplace.
3. It is allowed only if players tackle an
opponent in possession of the ball. Tackles
Ex. 3
must be below the neck.
1-D; 2- C; 3-E; 4-B; 5-A
Videos - Keys to exercises 89

VIDEO 4 The Offside Rule Explained The Olympic Beach

VIDEO 5
Volleyball Review
Ex. 1
1-F: It is an important rule in soccer. Ex. 1
2-T 1-T
3-F: It is parallel to the goal line. 2-T
4-T 3-F: She is from Australia
5-F: The free kick is taken from the point of the 4-F: They were eliminated by a pair of young
infraction. Italians.
5-T
Ex. 2
1. There must be at least two defenders and Ex. 2
one of them is the goalkeeper. 1. She is a five time Olympian who comes
2. It is not based on where the player is when from Australia.
he receives the ball, but on where he is 2. She is sad to be eliminated but she also
when the ball is kicked. feels she has had a privileged existence
3. It is an imaginary line on the defender, in the Olympic Games and could not be
parallel to the goal line, used by players prouder.
and referees during a game to decide 3. Because the American men’s team is
whether a player is offside. eliminated, before the semi-finals, by a pair
4. The defending team gets an indirect free of young Italians.
kick from the point of infraction. 4. May-Treanor and Walsh have won 3
Olympic titles.
Ex. 3
1. Fuorigioco Ex. 3
2. Difensore 1-D; 2-C; 3-E; 4-B; 5-A
3. Portiere
4. Calcio di punizione
 DISTURBI SPECIFICI DELL’APPRENDIMENTO

Le espressioni DSA (Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento) e BES (Bisogni Educativi Speciali) sono
ormai entrate nell’uso nelle scuole italiane e indicano problemi cui viene richiesta una particolare
attenzione.

In particolare, con l’emanazione della Direttiva ministeriale del 27 dicembre 2012 Strumenti di inter-
vento per alunni con Bisogni Educativi Speciali e organizzazione territoriale per l’inclusione scola-
stica, si raccomanda un intervento specifico per favorire l’integrazione degli alunni che presentano
disturbi di apprendimento, disturbi evolutivi, ma anche svantaggio sociale e culturale.
È bene ricordare che si tratta di soggetti dotati di intelligenza e caratteristiche fisiche e mentali nella
norma, ma con disturbi che li rendono privi di una completa autosufficienza nell’apprendimento.
Le difficoltà più comuni riguardano la lettura (dislessia), la scrittura (disgrafia) e il calcolo matema-
tico (discalculia). Esse richiedono una diagnosi specifica; gli interventi richiesti sono regolati dalla
Legge 8 ottobre 2010, n° 170, che riconosce il diritto allo studio degli alunni con DSA, garantito
dalla realizzazione di percorsi individualizzati nell’ambito scolastico.
Nelle pagine che seguono vengono fornite alcune prime informazioni di carattere generale.
Ulteriori materiali relativi all’argomento sono presenti sul sito dell’Editore
(www.trinitywhitebridge.co.uk).
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento 91

DISLESSIA E LINGUE STRANIERE

La normativa italiana
La dislessia è ormai un problema ampiamente studiato e riconosciuto dalla comunità scientifica
internazionale.
Insieme alla disgrafia, alla disortografia e alla discalculia, fa parte dei Disturbi Specifici di Ap-
prendimento (DSA). Tali disturbi, di origine neurobiologica, si manifestano in presenza di capa-
cità cognitive adeguate e in assenza di patologie neurologiche e di deficit sensoriali.
La dislessia si manifesta con una difficoltà nell’imparare a leggere, nella correttezza e nella ra-
pidità della lettura. Non è una malattia e, come tale, non è curabile. È una disabilità che si può
migliorare e un insegnamento competente, unitamente all’adozione di misure specifiche, pos-
sono fornire all’allievo dislessico valide strategie per poter superare le sue difficoltà, facilitando
l’apprendimento.
All’interno del quadro normativo italiano, la L. 170/2010 sui disturbi specifici di apprendimento
(DSA), con le relative linee-guida (2011), e le successive indicazioni del Ministero dell’Istruzio-
ne, dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR) in riferimento ai Bisogni Educativi Speciali (BES),
forniscono un quadro completo che, oltre a delineare le caratteristiche del disturbo e il suo
riconoscimento, offre indicazioni sulla didattica e gli strumenti operativi da utilizzare nella prassi
psicopedagogica nei diversi ordini e gradi di scuola.
Le linee-guida ministeriali contengono, inoltre, un paragrafo dedicato in modo specifico alla
didattica delle lingue straniere, che costituisce uno degli elementi di criticità nel percorso edu-
cativo dell’allievo dislessico.

Le barriere della lingua straniera

Le difficoltà incontrate da un alunno dislessico nell’apprendimento della lingua straniera eviden-
ziano l’importanza di adottare misure di facilitazione e di supporto.
Le abilità richieste per l’apprendimento di una seconda lingua, che si presentano spesso deboli
all’interno dei profili dei soggetti con dislessia, provocando inevitabilmente l’insorgere delle dif-
ficoltà, sono rappresentate da:
• abilità fonologiche, che determinano se lo studente può segmentare le parole nella seconda
lingua in suoni, fonemi e riuscire infine a riprodurli;
• abilità di sequenza, richiesta sia per la sequenza dei suoni all’interno delle parole sia per le
parole nelle frasi;
• memoria a lungo termine e a breve termine, che permettono la conservazione del lessico e la
conoscenza delle strutture grammaticali.

Quali lingue presentano minori difficoltà per lo studente dislessico italiano?

La letteratura internazionale ha introdotto il concetto di dislessia differenziale, secondo cui al-
cune lingue amplificano le manifestazioni della dislessia, mentre altre possono risultare meno
problematiche.
Cosa rende una lingua più o meno accessibile a uno studente dislessico italiano?
In linea generale, più una lingua presenta una pronuncia affine alla sua ortografia (corrispon-
denza suono-segno) e viceversa, meno difficoltà emergono nel suo apprendimento.
Pertanto, lingue meno problematiche risultano essere quelle molto trasparenti come lo spagno-
lo e il tedesco, mentre il francese e soprattutto l’inglese presentano maggiori complessità per i
soggetti con disturbo/difficoltà di apprendimento.

L’apprendimento della lingua inglese

Considerando che lo studio della lingua inglese viene richiesto già a partire dalla scuola primaria
per poi proseguire fino alla fine del ciclo della scuola secondaria superiore, occorre qui soffer-
marci, in particolare, sulle differenze esistenti fra l’italiano e l’inglese.
Come appare subito evidente, ciascuna di queste lingue presenta una propria specificità, con
 92 Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento

elementi di variabilità riconducibili alle aree della fonologia e dell’ortografia che producono un
potenziale impatto nell’apprendimento della lettura e della scrittura.
Consideriamo nel dettaglio queste variabili.
In italiano, a suono corrisponde segno e viceversa, quindi si tratta di una lingua trasparente o
ad ortografia superficiale, in cui è presente una relazione tendenzialmente univoca tra fonemi e
grafemi (suono-segno). Infatti, a fronte di 25 suoni, presenta un sistema grafico composto da solo
33 combinazioni di lettere. Il suo grado di trasparenza ortografica influenza i ritmi di sviluppo della
lettura: un alunno italiano di 7 anni in genere legge con un grado quasi perfetto di accuratezza.
L’inglese è, al contrario, una lingua opaca o ad ortografia profonda, caratterizzata per un rap-
porto più complesso tra forma orale e scritta, in cui vengono amplificati i problemi di spelling. È
una lingua atipica sul fronte ortografico, dal momento che i suoi 40 suoni possono essere rap-
presentati con centinaia di combinazioni di lettere e il suo grado di opacità ortografica influenza
i ritmi di sviluppo della lettura: un bambino inglese giunge allo stesso livello di accuratezza di un
bambino italiano di 7 anni verso i 10/11 anni!

Il ruolo della scuola nella fase di osservazione

Nella fase di identificazione della dislessia e nel caso in cui manchi ancora una diagnosi, la nor-
mativa prevede che sia compito della scuola rilevare le prestazioni atipiche e segnalarle ufficial-
mente alla famiglia, affinché si proceda ad una diagnosi specialistica. Una diagnosi tempestiva
è molto importante e un eventuale trattamento riabilitativo può attenuare molte delle difficoltà
che incontra l’allievo dislessico (e quindi anche l’insegnante che con lui si rapporta) nel proces-
so di insegnamento/apprendimento.
Poiché è proprio nell’area linguistica che emergono con più chiarezza questi segnali, il docente
di lingua straniera e di inglese in particolare è in posizione privilegiata per osservare, riconosce-
re e segnalare prestazioni atipiche, per poi confrontarle con le rilevazioni dei colleghi e proce-
dere in seguito ad una eventuale segnalazione ufficiale.

Prestazioni atipiche nella classe di lingua

Nel contesto dell’apprendimento della seconda lingua, l’alunno dislessico può manifestare alcu-
ni comportamenti atipici che costituiscono segnali a cui prestare la massima attenzione.
Nell’area dell’oralità, si possono identificare degli indicatori che riguardano sia una generale
difficoltà a seguire un testo parlato in lingua straniera, sia in compiti orali, come ad esempio:
ripetere la sequenza delle lettere dell’alfabeto, contare, comprendere le consegne in lingua stra-
niera, rispondere prontamente, improvvisare dialoghi e role-play senza supporto scritto.
Nella lettura, i segnali più importanti riguardano la qualità, in termini sia di fluenza (lo studente
legge molto più lentamente dei compagni) che di accuratezza (pronuncia male anche le parole
più frequenti, legge la stessa parola in modi diversi, elimina o sostituisce parti di parola, confon-
de lettere simili, come p, b, d). Inoltre, anche la difficoltà a riconoscere la forma grafica di una
parola appena pronunciata e il rifiuto o la paura di leggere a voce alta costituiscono segnali da
non sottovalutare.
L’area del lessico offre indicatori piuttosto precisi: lo studente dislessico impiega molto tempo
a nominare in modo preciso le cose, fatica a ricordare la forma scritta di parole frequenti e a
ripetere parole lunghe, scrive la stessa parola in modi diversi, confonde parole molto simili (ad
es. in inglese cat e bat) e non riesce a ricordare il significato delle parole fuori dal contesto.
Nell’area della morfosintassi rientrano i problemi che spesso incontra uno studente dislessico
nel cogliere e riutilizzare le regole di composizione delle parole (suffissi, prefissi, parole compo-
ste ecc.) e della frase (soggetto, verbo, oggetto); egli, inoltre, mostra difficoltà nel comprendere
le regole grammaticali e non riesce ad applicarle, seppur comprese.
Vi sono, infine, degli indicatori comportamentali che costituiscono segnali importanti: infatti, lo
studente in difficoltà molto spesso non riesce a finire l’esercizio nel tempo assegnato, special-
mente se scritto, ottiene scarsi risultati pur impegnandosi a scuola e a casa, crede di non essere
portato per le lingue e di essere poco intelligente.
Se lo studente non è ancora stato diagnosticato come dislessico, l’insegnante utilizzerà questi
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento 93

dati proponendo tecniche di rinforzo e recupero usando le risorse a disposizione (per es. ma-
teriale integrativo del libro di testo); se queste attività non sortiranno alcun effetto si procederà
alla segnalazione alla famiglia.
Se, invece, la dislessia dello studente è già conclamata, l’insegnante utilizzerà i dati direttamen-
te per costruire il PDP (Piano Didattico Personalizzato).

L’ansia linguistica
Certi compiti linguistici possono rivelarsi ampiamente ansiogeni per i soggetti dislessici.
L’insegnante dovrebbe, pertanto, prestare particolare attenzione a non creare per loro situazioni
di fallimento, quali leggere a voce alta davanti alla classe, tradurre o rispondere a domande di
comprensione, imparare a memoria e ripetere in pubblico brani, memorizzare liste di parole
decontestualizzate, rispondere rapidamente a una domanda e improvvisare dialoghi senza
supporto cartaceo.
Una volta creatasi, questa forma d’ansia influirà sia sul piano personale (deterioramento
dell’autostima, blocco psicologico, ecc.) che a livello linguistico (riluttanza alla comunicazione,
incapacità di autocorreggersi, tendenza alla distrazione, ecc.).

Misure facilitanti l’apprendimento e valutazione

Nell’ambito degli interventi pedagogico-didattici necessari a consentire a studenti con dislessia
l’apprendimento delle lingue straniere, la normativa vigente richiede alle istituzioni scolastiche di
valorizzare le modalità attraverso cui l’allievo può esprimere le sue competenze, privilegiando le
abilità orali rispetto a quelle scritte, ricorrendo a strumenti compensativi sia per la lettura (sintesi
vocale, audio-libri) che per la scrittura (computer con correttore automatico e con dizionario
digitale).
In questo contesto, gli insegnanti possono incidere positivamente sul processo di apprendimen-
to di questi studenti attraverso l’adozione di libri di testo dyslexic-friendly, che si presentano
facilitanti a livello grafico per accessibilità grafica, layout, enfasi, organizzazione testuale e se-
mioticità a sostegno dei processi attentivi e motivazionali.
Le misure dispensative previste includono tempi aggiuntivi nelle prove scritte, riduzione del ca-
rico di lavoro e, nei casi più gravi, la dispensa dalle prove scritte, prevedendo solo prove orali.
In sede di valutazione della comprensione (orale e scritta) la normativa raccomanda la valoriz-
zazione della capacità di cogliere il senso generale del messaggio e, in fase di produzione, di
dare rilievo alla efficacia comunicativa (cioè alla capacità di farsi comprendere in modo chiaro),
anche se non corretta grammaticalmente.

La prospettiva europea
L’apprendimento delle lingue straniere costituisce per gli studenti con dislessia e con BES un
diritto educativo che può sortire effetti positivi, sia a livello personale (crescita dell’autostima)
che strumentale, in quanto la conoscenza delle lingue straniere costituisce oggi un elemento
imprescindibile per la qualificazione e il miglioramento del profilo professionale.
In una prospettiva pienamente europea non ci si deve, quindi, porre il problema se sia opportuno
insegnare le lingue straniere, in primo luogo l’inglese quale lingua parlata universalmente, ad un
allievo dislessico, ma, affermando il principio dell’inclusione e delle pari opportunità formative,
concentrarsi invece sul come promuovere l’apprendimento, tenendo presenti le specificità della
dislessia e individuando gli strumenti e le misure migliori. Una tale azione, pur assumendo un valo-
re particolare nel contesto della dislessia e dei bisogni speciali, può di fatto favorire il lavoro di tutta
la classe e promuovere una glottodidattica inclusiva che supporti anche altri studenti in difficoltà.

Dr.ssa Maria Grazia Casadio

esperta di disturbi dell’apprendimento
University of Cambridge CELTA teacher.
mariagrazia.casadio@gmail.com
mariagraziacasadio.blogspot.com
 94 Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento

Linee guida per il diritto allo studio

degli alunni e degli studenti con DSA
(Allegate al Decreto Ministeriale 12 luglio 2011)
Premessa Le Linee guida presentano alcune indicazioni,
La legge 8 ottobre 2010, n. 170, riconosce la elaborate sulla base delle più recenti conoscen-
dislessia, la disortografia, la disgrafia e la discal- ze scientifiche, per realizzare interventi didatti-
culia come Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento ci individualizzati e personalizzati, nonché per
(DSA), assegnando al sistema nazionale di utilizzare gli strumenti compensativi e per ap-
istruzione e agli atenei il compito di individuare plicare le misure dispensative. Esse indicano il
le forme didattiche e le modalità di valutazione livello essenziale delle prestazioni richieste alle
più adeguate affinché alunni e studenti con DSA istituzioni scolastiche e agli atenei per garantire
possano raggiungere il successo formativo. il diritto allo studio degli alunni e degli studenti
Per la peculiarità dei Disturbi Specifici di Ap- con DSA.
prendimento, la Legge apre, in via generale, un Il documento presenta la descrizione dei Di-
ulteriore canale di tutela del diritto allo studio, ri- sturbi Specifici di Apprendimento, amplia alcuni
volto specificamente agli alunni con DSA, diver- concetti pedagogico-didattici ad essi connessi e
so da quello previsto dalla legge 104/1992. In- illustra le modalità di valutazione per il diritto allo
fatti, il tipo di intervento per l’esercizio del diritto studio degli alunni e degli studenti con DSA nel-
allo studio previsto dalla Legge si focalizza sulla le istituzioni scolastiche e negli atenei. Un capi-
didattica individualizzata e personalizzata, sugli tolo è poi dedicato ai compiti e ai ruoli assunti
strumenti compensativi, sulle misure dispensati- dai diversi soggetti coinvolti nel processo di in-
ve e su adeguate forme di verifica e valutazione. clusione degli alunni e degli studenti con DSA:
A questo riguardo, la promulgazione della legge uffici scolastici regionali, istituzioni scolastiche
170/2010 riporta in primo piano un importante (dirigenti, docenti, alunni e studenti), famiglie,
fronte di riflessione culturale e professionale su atenei. L’ultimo, è dedicato alla formazione.
ciò che oggi significa svolgere la funzione do- Sul sito internet del MIUR, presso l’indirizzo web
cente. Le Nuove norme in materia di disturbi http://www.istruzione.it/web/istruzione/dsa, è
specifici di apprendimento in ambito scolasti- possibile visionare schede di approfondimento,
co sollecitano ancora una volta la scuola - nel costantemente aggiornate, relative alla disles-
contesto di flessibilità e di autonomia avviato sia, alla disortografia e disgrafia, alla discalcu-
dalla legge 59/99 – a porre al centro delle pro- lia, alla documentazione degli interventi didattici
prie attività e della propria cura la persona, sulla attivati dalla scuola (come per esempio il Piano
base dei principi sanciti dalla legge 53/2003 e Didattico Personalizzato) e alle varie questioni
dai successivi decreti applicativi: “La definizio- inerenti i DSA che si porranno con l’evolvere
ne e la realizzazione delle strategie educative della ricerca scientifica.
e didattiche devono sempre tener conto della
singolarità e complessità di ogni persona, del- 1. I DISTURBI SPECIFICI DI APPRENDIMENTO
la sua articolata identità, delle sue aspirazioni, I Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento interessano
capacità e delle sue fragilità, nelle varie fasi di alcune specifiche abilità dell’apprendimento sco-
sviluppo e di formazione.” lastico, in un contesto di funzionamento intellet-
In tale contesto, si inserisce la legge 170/2010, tivo adeguato all’età anagrafica. Sono coinvolte
rivolta ad alunni che necessitano, oltre ai pri- in tali disturbi: l’abilità di lettura, di scrittura, di
oritari interventi di didattica individualizzata e fare calcoli. Sulla base dell’abilità interessata dal
personalizzata, anche di specifici strumenti e disturbo, i DSA assumono una denominazione
misure che derogano da alcune prestazioni ri- specifica: dislessia (lettura), disgrafia e disorto-
chieste dalla scuola. Per consentire, pertanto, grafia (scrittura), discalculia (calcolo).
agli alunni con DSA di raggiungere gli obiettivi Secondo le ricerche attualmente più accredi-
di apprendimento, devono essere riarticolate tate, i DSA sono di origine neurobiologica; allo
le modalità didattiche e le strategie di insegna- stesso tempo hanno matrice evolutiva e si mo-
mento sulla base dei bisogni educativi specifici, strano come un’atipia dello sviluppo, modificabi-
in tutti gli ordini e gradi di scuola. li attraverso interventi mirati.
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
Posto nelle condizioni di attenuare e/o compen-
sare il disturbo, infatti, il discente può raggiun-
gere gli obiettivi di apprendimento previsti. È da
notare, inoltre (e ciò non è affatto irrilevante per
la didattica), che gli alunni con DSA sviluppano
stili di apprendimento specifici, volti a compen-
sare le difficoltà incontrate a seguito del distur-
bo.
1.1 La dislessia
Da un punto di vista clinico, la dislessia si ma-
nifesta attraverso una minore correttezza e ra-
pidità della lettura a voce alta rispetto a quanto
atteso per età anagrafica, classe frequentata,
istruzione ricevuta.
Risultano più o meno deficitarie - a seconda del
profilo del disturbo in base all’età - la lettura di
lettere, di parole e non-parole, di brani. In ge-
nerale, l’aspetto evolutivo della dislessia può
farlo somigliare a un semplice rallentamento
del regolare processo di sviluppo. Tale conside-
razione è utile per l’individuazione di eventuali
segnali anticipatori, fin dalla scuola dell’infanzia.
1.2 La disgrafia e la disortografia
Il disturbo specifico di scrittura si definisce di-
sgrafia o disortografia, a seconda che interessi
rispettivamente la grafia o l’ortografia. La disgra-
fia fa riferimento al controllo degli aspetti grafici,
formali, della scrittura manuale, ed è collegata
al momento motorio-esecutivo della prestazio-
ne; la disortografia riguarda invece l’utilizzo, in
fase di scrittura, del codice linguistico in quanto
tale.
La disgrafia si manifesta in una minore fluenza
e qualità dell’aspetto grafico della scrittura, la
disortografia è all’origine di una minore corret-
tezza del testo scritto; entrambi, naturalmente,
sono in rapporto all’età anagrafica dell’alunno.
In particolare, la disortografia si può definire
come un disordine di codifica del testo scritto,
che viene fatto risalire ad un deficit di funzio-
namento delle componenti centrali del processo
di scrittura, responsabili della transcodifica del
linguaggio orale nel linguaggio scritto.
1.3 La discalculia
La discalculia riguarda l’abilità di calcolo, sia
nella componente dell’organizzazione della co-
gnizione numerica (intelligenza numerica basa-
le), sia in quella delle procedure esecutive e del
calcolo.
Nel primo ambito, la discalculia interviene sugli
95
elementi basali dell’abilità numerica: il subitizing
(o riconoscimento immediato di piccole quanti-
tà), i meccanismi di quantificazione, la seriazio-
ne, la comparazione, le strategie di composizio-
ne e scomposizione di quantità, le strategie di
calcolo a mente.
Nell’ambito procedurale, invece, la discalculia
rende difficoltose le procedure esecutive per lo
più implicate nel calcolo scritto: la lettura e scrit-
tura dei numeri, l’incolonnamento, il recupero
dei fatti numerici e gli algoritmi del calcolo scritto
vero e proprio.
1.4 La comorbilità
Pur interessando abilità diverse, i disturbi sopra
descritti possono coesistere in una stessa per-
sona - ciò che tecnicamente si definisce “comor-
bilità”.
Ad esempio, il Disturbo del Calcolo può presen-
tarsi in isolamento o in associazione (più tipica-
mente) ad altri disturbi specifici.
La comorbilità può essere presente anche tra
i DSA e altri disturbi di sviluppo (disturbi di lin-
guaggio, disturbi di coordinazione motoria, di-
sturbi dell’attenzione) e tra i DSA e i disturbi
emotivi e del comportamento.
In questo caso, il disturbo risultante è superio-
re alla somma delle singole difficoltà, poiché
ognuno dei disturbi implicati nella comorbilità
influenza negativamente lo sviluppo delle abilità
complessive.
2. OSSERVAZIONE IN CLASSE
I Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento hanno una
componente evolutiva che comporta la loro ma-
nifestazione come ritardo e/o atipia del processo
di sviluppo, definito sulla base dell’età anagrafica
e della media degli alunni o degli studenti presen-
ti nella classe.
Alcune ricerche hanno inoltre evidenziato che ai
DSA si accompagnano stili di apprendimento e
altre caratteristiche cognitive specifiche, che è
importante riconoscere per la predisposizione di
una didattica personalizzata efficace.
Ciò assegna alla capacità di osservazione degli
insegnanti un ruolo fondamentale, non solo nei
primi segmenti dell’istruzione - scuola dell’infan-
zia e scuola primaria - per il riconoscimento di
un potenziale disturbo specifico dell’apprendi-
mento, ma anche in tutto il percorso scolastico,
per individuare quelle caratteristiche cognitive
 96
su cui puntare per il raggiungimento del succes-
so formativo.
2.1 Osservazione delle prestazioni atipiche
Per individuare un alunno con un potenziale Di-
sturbo Specifico di Apprendimento, non neces-
sariamente si deve ricorrere a strumenti appositi,
ma può bastare, almeno in una prima fase, far
riferimento all’osservazione delle prestazioni nei
vari ambiti di apprendimento interessati dal di-
sturbo: lettura, scrittura, calcolo.
Ad esempio, per ciò che riguarda la scrittura, è
possibile osservare la presenza di errori ricorrenti,
che possono apparire comuni ed essere frequen-
ti in una fase di apprendimento o in una classe
precedente, ma che si presentano a lungo ed in
modo non occasionale. Nei ragazzi più grandi è
possibile notare l’estrema difficoltà a controllare le
regole ortografiche o la punteggiatura.
Per quanto concerne la lettura, possono esse-
re indicativi il permanere di una lettura sillabica
ben oltre la metà della prima classe primaria;
la tendenza a leggere la stessa parola in modi
diversi nel medesimo brano; il perdere frequen-
temente il segno o la riga.
Quando un docente osserva tali caratteristiche
nelle prestazioni scolastiche di un alunno, pre-
dispone specifiche attività di recupero e poten-
ziamento. Se, anche a seguito di tali interventi,
l’atipia permane, sarà necessario comunicare
alla famiglia quanto riscontrato, consigliandola
di ricorrere ad uno specialista per accertare la
presenza o meno di un disturbo specifico di ap-
prendimento.
È bene precisare che le ricerche in tale ambito
rilevano che circa il 20% degli alunni (soprattut-
to nel primo biennio della scuola primaria), ma-
nifestano difficoltà nelle abilità di base coinvolte
dai Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento. Di que-
sto 20%, tuttavia, solo il tre o quattro per cento
presenteranno un DSA. Ciò vuol dire che una
prestazione atipica solo in alcuni casi implica un
disturbo.
2.2 Osservazione degli stili di apprendimento
Gli individui apprendono in maniera diversa uno
dall’altro secondo le modalità e le strategie con
cui ciascuno elabora le informazioni. Un inse-
gnamento che tenga conto dello stile di appren-
dimento dello studente facilita il raggiungimento
degli obiettivi educativi e didattici.
Ciò è significativo per l’argomento in questione,
in quanto se la costruzione dell’attività didatti-
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
ca, sulla base di un determinato stile di appren-
dimento, favorisce in generale tutti gli alunni,
nel caso invece di un alunno con DSA, fare ri-
ferimento nella prassi formativa agli stili di ap-
prendimento e alle diverse strategie che lo ca-
ratterizzano, diventa un elemento essenziale e
dirimente per il suo successo scolastico.
3. LA DIDATTICA INDIVIDUALIZZATA E
PERSONALIZZATA.
STRUMENTI COMPENSATIVI E MISURE
DISPENSATIVE.
La Legge 170/2010 dispone che le istituzioni
scolastiche garantiscano «l’uso di una didattica
individualizzata e personalizzata, con forme ef-
ficaci e flessibili di lavoro scolastico che tengano
conto anche di caratteristiche peculiari del sog-
getto, quali il bilinguismo, adottando una meto-
dologia e una strategia educativa adeguate».
I termini individualizzata e personalizzata non
sono da considerarsi sinonimi. In letteratura, la
discussione in merito è molto ampia e articolata.
Ai fini di questo documento, è possibile indivi-
duare alcune definizioni che, senza essere de-
finitive, possono consentire di ragionare con un
vocabolario comune.
È comunque preliminarmente opportuno osser-
vare che la Legge 170/2010 insiste più volte sul
tema della didattica individualizzata e persona-
lizzata come strumento di garanzia del diritto
allo studio, con ciò lasciando intendere la cen-
tralità delle metodologie didattiche, e non solo
degli strumenti compensativi e delle misure di-
spensative, per il raggiungimento del successo
formativo degli alunni con DSA.
“Individualizzato” è l’intervento calibrato sul
singolo, anziché sull’intera classe o sul piccolo
gruppo, che diviene “personalizzato” quando è
rivolto ad un particolare discente.
Più in generale - contestualizzandola nella si-
tuazione didattica dell’insegnamento in classe -
l’azione formativa individualizzata pone obiettivi
comuni per tutti i componenti del gruppo-clas-
se, ma è concepita adattando le metodologie in
funzione delle caratteristiche individuali dei di-
scenti, con l’obiettivo di assicurare a tutti il con-
seguimento delle competenze fondamentali del
curricolo, comportando quindi attenzione alle
differenze individuali in rapporto ad una pluralità
di dimensioni.
L’azione formativa personalizzata ha, in più,
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
l’obiettivo di dare a ciascun alunno l’opportuni-
tà di sviluppare al meglio le proprie potenzialità
e, quindi, può porsi obiettivi diversi per ciascun
discente, essendo strettamente legata a quella
specifica ed unica persona dello studente a cui
ci rivolgiamo.
Si possono quindi proporre le seguenti defini-
zioni.
La didattica individualizzata consiste nelle at-
tività di recupero individuale che può svolgere
l’alunno per potenziare determinate abilità o
per acquisire specifiche competenze, anche
nell’ambito delle strategie compensative e del
metodo di studio; tali attività individualizzate
possono essere realizzate nelle fasi di lavoro in-
dividuale in classe o in momenti ad esse dedica-
ti, secondo tutte le forme di flessibilità del lavoro
scolastico consentite dalla normativa vigente.
La didattica personalizzata, invece, anche sulla
base di quanto indicato nella Legge 53/2003 e
nel Decreto legislativo 59/2004, calibra l’offerta
didattica, e le modalità relazionali, sulla specifici-
tà ed unicità a livello personale dei bisogni edu-
cativi che caratterizzano gli alunni della classe,
considerando le differenze individuali soprat-
tutto sotto il profilo qualitativo; si può favorire,
così, l’accrescimento dei punti di forza di cia-
scun alunno, lo sviluppo consapevole delle sue
‘preferenze’ e del suo talento. Nel rispetto degli
obiettivi generali e specifici di apprendimento, la
didattica personalizzata si sostanzia attraverso
l’impiego di una varietà di metodologie e strate-
gie didattiche, tali da promuovere le potenzialità
e il successo formativo in ogni alunno: l’uso dei
mediatori didattici (schemi, mappe concettuali,
etc.), l’attenzione agli stili di apprendimento, la
calibrazione degli interventi sulla base dei livelli
raggiunti, nell’ottica di promuovere un apprendi-
mento significativo.
La sinergia fra didattica individualizzata e per-
sonalizzata determina dunque, per l’alunno e lo
studente con DSA, le condizioni più favorevoli
per il raggiungimento degli obiettivi di appren-
dimento.
La Legge 170/2010 richiama inoltre le istituzioni
scolastiche all’obbligo di garantire «l’introduzio-
ne di strumenti compensativi, compresi i mezzi
di apprendimento alternativi e le tecnologie infor-
matiche, nonché misure dispensative da alcune
prestazioni non essenziali ai fini della qualità dei
concetti da apprendere».
Gli strumenti compensativi sono strumenti di-
dattici e tecnologici che sostituiscono o facilita-
97
no la prestazione richiesta nell’abilità deficitaria.
Fra i più noti indichiamo:
· la sintesi vocale, che trasforma un compito di
lettura in un compito di ascolto;
· il registratore, che consente all’alunno o allo
studente di non scrivere gli appunti della lezio-
ne;
· i programmi di video scrittura con correttore or-
tografico, che permettono la produzione di testi
sufficientemente corretti senza l’affaticamento
della rilettura e della contestuale correzione de-
gli errori;
· la calcolatrice, che facilita le operazioni di cal-
colo;· altri strumenti tecnologicamente meno
evoluti quali tabelle, formulari, mappe concet-
tuali, etc.
Tali strumenti sollevano l’alunno o lo studente
con DSA da una prestazione resa difficoltosa
dal disturbo, senza peraltro facilitargli il compi-
to dal punto di vista cognitivo. L’utilizzo di tali
strumenti non è immediato e i docenti - anche
sulla base delle indicazioni del referente di isti-
tuto - avranno cura di sostenerne l’uso da parte
di alunni e studenti con DSA.
Le misure dispensative sono invece interven-
ti che consentono all’alunno o allo studente di
non svolgere alcune prestazioni che, a causa
del disturbo, risultano particolarmente difficolto-
se e che non migliorano l’apprendimento. Per
esempio, non è utile far leggere a un alunno con
dislessia un lungo brano, in quanto l’esercizio,
per via del disturbo, non migliora la sua presta-
zione nella lettura.
D’altra parte, consentire all’alunno o allo studen-
te con DSA di usufruire di maggior tempo per lo
svolgimento di una prova, o di poter svolgere la
stessa su un contenuto comunque disciplinar-
mente significativo ma ridotto, trova la sua ra-
gion d’essere nel fatto che il disturbo li impegna
per più tempo dei propri compagni nella fase di
decodifica degli items della prova. A questo ri-
guardo, gli studi disponibili in materia consiglia-
no di stimare, tenendo conto degli indici di pre-
stazione dell’allievo, in che misura la specifica
difficoltà lo penalizzi di fronte ai compagni e di
calibrare di conseguenza un tempo aggiuntivo o
la riduzione del materiale di lavoro. In assenza
di indici più precisi, una quota del 30% in più
appare un ragionevole tempo aggiuntivo.
L’adozione delle misure dispensative, al fine di
non creare percorsi immotivatamente facilitati,
che non mirano al successo formativo degli alun-
ni e degli studenti con DSA, dovrà essere sem-
 98
pre valutata sulla base dell’effettiva incidenza del
disturbo sulle prestazioni richieste, in modo tale,
comunque, da non differenziare, in ordine agli
obiettivi, il percorso di apprendimento dell’alunno
o dello studente in questione.
3.1 Documentazione dei percorsi didattici
Le attività di recupero individualizzato, le moda-
lità didattiche personalizzate, nonché gli stru-
menti compensativi e le misure dispensative
dovranno essere dalle istituzioni scolastiche
esplicitate e formalizzate, al fine di assicurare
uno strumento utile alla continuità didattica e
alla condivisione con la famiglia delle iniziative
intraprese.
A questo riguardo, la scuola predispone, nelle
forme ritenute idonee e in tempi che non supe-
rino il primo trimestre scolastico, un documento
che dovrà contenere almeno le seguenti voci,
articolato per le discipline coinvolte dal disturbo:
· dati anagrafici dell’alunno;
· tipologia di disturbo;
· attività didattiche individualizzate;
· attività didattiche personalizzate;
· strumenti compensativi utilizzati;
· misure dispensative adottate;
· forme di verifica e valutazione personalizzate.
Nella predisposizione della documentazione in
questione è fondamentale il raccordo con la fa-
miglia, che può comunicare alla scuola eventuali
osservazioni su esperienze sviluppate dallo stu-
dente anche autonomamente o attraverso per-
corsi extrascolastici.
Sulla base di tale documentazione, nei limiti della
normativa vigente, vengono predisposte le mo-
dalità delle prove e delle verifiche in corso d’anno
o a fine Ciclo.
Tale documentazione può acquisire la forma del
Piano Didattico Personalizzato.
A titolo esemplificativo, vengono pubblicati sul
sito del MIUR (http://www.istruzione.it/web/istru-
zione/dsa) alcuni modelli di Piano Didattico Per-
sonalizzato.
Nella stessa pagina web dedicata ai DSA, po-
tranno essere consultati ulteriori modelli, sele-
zionati sulla base delle migliori pratiche realiz-
zate dalle scuole o elaborati in sede scientifica.
4. UNA DIDATTICA PER GLI ALUNNI CON DSA
Negli ultimi anni abbiamo assistito ad un pro-
gressivo incremento in ambito clinico degli stu-
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
di, delle ricerche e delle attività scientifiche sul
tema dei DSA. Consultando la bibliografia in
argomento, si rileva infatti una quantità prepon-
derante di pubblicazioni nei settori della clinica
e delle neuroscienze, rispetto a quelli pedago-
gico-didattici. In tempi più recenti, anche per le
dimensioni che ha assunto il fenomeno nelle
nostre scuole, oltre che per l’attenzione deter-
minata dagli interventi legislativi in materia, si è
manifestato un sempre maggiore interesse per
la messa a punto e l’aggiornamento di metodo-
logie didattiche a favore dei bambini con DSA.
Sulla base di una impostazione tuttora ritenuta
valida, la didattica trae orientamento da consi-
derazioni di carattere psicopedagogico. A tale
riguardo, può essere utile far riferimento a testi
redatti nell’ambito di studi e ricerche che si con-
centrano sul comportamento manifesto, sulla
fenomenologia dei DSA, senza tralasciare di
indagare e di interpretare i modi interiori dell’e-
sperienza. In tale ambito, si cerca di indagare il
mondo del bambino dislessico secondo la sua
prospettiva, non come osservatori esterni. Si por-
ta il lettore attraverso vari esempi a comprendere
come il bambino dislessico non riesce a mettersi
da un punto di vista unitario, ciò che provoca una
corsa ai punti di riferimento, poiché ad ogni movi-
mento verso il mondo sorge spontaneamente un
doppio significato. Un esempio è quello del turi-
sta che si trova in Inghilterra dove vi è un sistema
di guida diverso e dove si fa fatica a guadagnare
nuovi punti di riferimento. E vi è l’esempio di un
Paese ancora più insolito dove la barriera del lin-
guaggio è raddoppiata da quella dei significati.
Immaginiamo di trovarci in un posto con una lin-
gua totalmente diversa o che non riusciamo a ben
comprendere: sentiamo sorgere un senso di pro-
fondo disagio perché manca “una comunicazione
completa, reale, intima”. Ma riusciamo a tranquil-
lizzarci perché il nostro soggiorno avrà termine e,
con il rientro a casa, potremo tornare ad esprimer-
ci, a parlare in rapporto allo stesso quadro di riferi-
mento, a trovare uno scambio vero, uno scambio
pieno. Pensiamo invece al disagio di questi bam-
bini che non possono tornare a casa, in un mondo
dove devono rincorrere punti di riferimento… che
rimangono stranieri, soprattutto se noi siamo per
loro stranieri, chiudendoci nell’incomprensione.
Da tali indicazioni si può prendere spunto per
trarre orientamento nella prassi pedagogicodi-
dattica. Gli insegnanti possono “riappropriar-
si” di competenze educativo-didattiche anche
nell’ambito dei DSA, laddove lo spostamento del
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
baricentro in ambito clinico aveva invece porta-
to sempre più a delegare a specialisti esterni
funzioni proprie della professione docente o a
mutuare la propria attività sul modello degli in-
terventi specialistici, sulla base della consape-
volezza della complessità del problema e delle
sue implicazioni neurobiologiche.
Ora, la complessità del problema rimane attuale
e la validità di un apporto specialistico, ovvero
di interventi diagnostici e terapeutici attuati da
psicologi, logopedisti e neuropsichiatri in siner-
gia con il personale della scuola non può che
essere confermata; tuttavia – anche in conside-
razione della presenza sempre più massiccia di
alunni con DSA nelle classi – diviene sempre
più necessario fare appello alle competenze
psicopedagogiche dei docenti ‘curricolari’ per
affrontare il problema, che non può più essere
delegato tout court a specialisti esterni.
È appena il caso di ricordare che nel profilo pro-
fessionale del docente sono ricomprese, oltre
alle competenze disciplinari, anche competenze
psicopedagogiche (Cfr. art. 27 CCNL). Gli stru-
menti metodologici per interventi di carattere di-
dattico fanno parte, infatti, dello “strumentario” di
base che è patrimonio di conoscenza e di abilità
di ciascun docente. Tuttavia, è pur vero che la
competenza psicopedagogica, in tal caso, deve
poter essere aggiornata e approfondita.
È per questo che il MIUR già da anni promuo-
ve azioni di formazione sul territorio e, da ulti-
mo, ha sottoscritto un accordo quadro per l’alta
formazione in ambito universitario sul tema dei
DSA (si veda il paragrafo 7, sulla formazione).
Si tratta di percorsi comuni per quanto riguarda
l’approccio psicopedagogico, ma differenziati ri-
spetto agli ordini e gradi di scuola. Vi sono infatti
peculiarità dell’azione didattica che vanno atten-
tamente considerate.
In tal senso, la Scuola dell’Infanzia svolge un
ruolo di assoluta importanza sia a livello pre-
ventivo, sia nella promozione e nell’avvio di un
corretto e armonioso sviluppo – del miglior svi-
luppo possibile – del bambino in tutto il percor-
so scolare, e non solo. Occorre tuttavia porre
attenzione a non precorrere le tappe nell’inse-
gnamento della letto-scrittura, anche sulla scia
di dinamiche innestate in ambiente familiare
o indotte dall’uso di strumenti multimediali. La
Scuola dell’Infanzia, infatti, “esclude imposta-
zioni scolasticistiche che tendono a precocizza-
re gli apprendimenti formali”. Invece, coerente-
mente con gli orientamenti e le indicazioni che
99
si sono succeduti negli ultimi decenni, la Scuola
dell’Infanzia ha il compito di “rafforzare l’identi-
tà personale, l’autonomia e le competenze dei
bambini”, promuovendo la “maturazione dell’i-
dentità personale,… in una prospettiva che ne
integri tutti gli aspetti (biologici, psichici, motori,
intellettuali, sociali, morali e religiosi)”, mirando
a consolidare “le capacità sensoriali, percettive,
motorie, sociali, linguistiche ed intellettive del
bambino”.
Come è noto, la diagnosi di DSA può essere
formulata con certezza alla fine della seconda
classe della scuola primaria. Dunque, il distur-
bo di apprendimento è conclamato quando già il
bambino ha superato il periodo di insegnamento
della letto-scrittura e dei primi elementi del cal-
colo. Ma è questo il periodo cruciale e più deli-
cato tanto per il dislessico, che per il disgrafico,
il disortografico e il discalculico.
Se, ad esempio, in quella classe si è fatto ricor-
so a metodologie non adeguate, senza prestare
la giusta attenzione alle esigenze formative ed
alle ‘fragilità’ di alcuni alunni, avremo non sol-
tanto perduto un’occasione preziosa per far svi-
luppare le migliori potenzialità di quel bambino,
ma forse avremo anche minato seriamente il
suo percorso formativo.
Per questo assume importanza fondamentale
che sin dalla scuola dell’Infanzia si possa prestare
attenzione a possibili DSA e porre in atto tutti gli
interventi conseguenti, ossia – in primis – tutte le
strategie didattiche disponibili. Se poi l’osservazio-
ne pedagogica o il percorso clinico porteranno a
constatare che si è trattato di una mera difficoltà
di apprendimento anziché di un disturbo, sarà me-
glio per tutti. Si deve infatti sottolineare che le me-
todologie didattiche adatte per i bambini con DSA
sono valide per ogni bambino, e non viceversa.
(…)
4.3 Scuola secondaria di I e di II grado
La scuola secondaria richiede agli studenti la
piena padronanza delle competenze strumen-
tali (lettura, scrittura e calcolo), l’adozione di un
efficace metodo di studio e prerequisiti adeguati
all’apprendimento di saperi disciplinari sempre
più complessi; elementi, questi, che possono
mettere in seria difficoltà l’alunno con DSA, indu-
cendolo ad atteggiamenti demotivati e rinuncia-
tari. Tali difficoltà possono essere notevolmente
contenute e superate individuando opportuna-
mente le strategie e gli strumenti compensativi
nonché le misure dispensative.
 100
4.3.1. Disturbo di lettura
Nel caso di studenti con dislessia, la scuola se-
condaria dovrà mirare a promuovere la capacità
di comprensione del testo.
La decodifica, ossia la decifrazione del testo,
e la sua comprensione sono processi cognitivi
differenti e pertanto devono essere considerati
separatamente nell’attività didattica. A questo
riguardo possono risultare utili alcune strategie
riguardanti le modalità della lettura. È infatti op-
portuno:
· insistere sul passaggio alla lettura silente piut-
tosto che a voce alta, in quanto la prima risulta
generalmente più veloce e più efficiente;
· insegnare allo studente modalità di lettura che,
anche sulla base delle caratteristiche tipografi-
che e dell’evidenziazione di parole chiave, con-
senta di cogliere il significato generale del testo,
all’interno del quale poi eventualmente avviare
una lettura più analitica.
Per uno studente con dislessia, gli strumen-
ti compensativi sono primariamente quelli che
possono trasformare un compito di lettura (reso
difficoltoso dal disturbo) in un compito di ascol-
to.
A tal fine è necessario fare acquisire allo stu-
dente competenze adeguate nell’uso degli stru-
menti compensativi.
Si può fare qui riferimento:
· alla presenza di una persona che legga gli
items dei test, le consegne dei compiti, le trac-
ce dei temi o i questionari con risposta a scelta
multipla;
· alla sintesi vocale, con i relativi software, anche
per la lettura di testi più ampi e per una maggiore
autonomia;
· all’utilizzo di libri o vocabolari digitali.
Studiare con la sintesi vocale è cosa diversa che
studiare mediante la lettura diretta del libro di
testo; sarebbe pertanto utile che i docenti o l’e-
ventuale referente per la dislessia acquisiscano
competenze in materia e che i materiali didattici
prodotti dai docenti siano in formato digitale.
Si rammenta che l’Azione 6 del Progetto “Nuove
Tecnologie e Disabilità” ha finanziato la realiz-
zazione di software di sintesi vocale scaricabili
gratuitamente dal sito del MIUR.
Per lo studente dislessico è inoltre più appro-
priata la proposta di nuovi contenuti attraverso
il canale orale piuttosto che attraverso lo scritto,
consentendo anche la registrazione delle lezio-
ni.
Per facilitare l’apprendimento, soprattutto negli
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
studenti con difficoltà linguistiche, può essere
opportuno semplificare il testo di studio, attra-
verso la riduzione della complessità lessicale e
sintattica.
Si raccomanda, inoltre, l’impiego di mappe con-
cettuali, di schemi, e di altri mediatori didattici
che possono sia facilitare la comprensione sia
supportare la memorizzazione e/o il recupero
delle informazioni. A questo riguardo, potrebbe
essere utile che le scuole raccolgano e archivi-
no tali mediatori didattici, anche al fine di un loro
più veloce e facile utilizzo.
In merito alle misure dispensative, lo studente
con dislessia è dispensato:
· dalla lettura a voce alta in classe;
· dalla lettura autonoma di brani la cui lunghezza
non sia compatibile con il suo livello di abilità;
· da tutte quelle attività ove la lettura è la presta-
zione valutata.
In fase di verifica e di valutazione, lo studente
con dislessia può usufruire di tempi aggiuntivi
per l’espletamento delle prove o, in alternativa e
comunque nell’ambito degli obiettivi disciplinari
previsti per la classe, di verifiche con minori ri-
chieste.
Nella valutazione delle prove orali e in ordine
alle modalità di interrogazione si dovrà tenere
conto delle capacità lessicali ed espressive pro-
prie dello studente.
4.3.2. Disturbo di scrittura
In merito agli strumenti compensativi, gli stu-
denti con disortografia o disgrafia possono ave-
re necessità di compiere una doppia lettura del
testo che hanno scritto: la prima per l’autocorre-
zione degli errori ortografici, la seconda per la
correzione degli aspetti sintattici e di organizza-
zione complessiva del testo. Di conseguenza,
tali studenti avranno bisogno di maggior tempo
nella realizzazione dei compiti scritti. In via ge-
nerale, comunque, la valutazione si soffermerà
soprattutto sul contenuto disciplinare piuttosto
che sulla forma ortografica e sintattica.
Gli studenti in questione potranno inoltre avva-
lersi:
· di mappe o di schemi nell’attività di produzione
per la costruzione del testo;
· del computer (con correttore ortografico e sin-
tesi vocale per la rilettura) per velocizzare i tem-
pi di scrittura e ottenere testi più corretti;
· del registratore per prendere appunti.
Per quanto concerne le misure dispensative, ol-
tre a tempi più lunghi per le verifiche scritte o a
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
una quantità minore di esercizi, gli alunni con
disgrafia e disortografia sono dispensati dalla
valutazione della correttezza della scrittura e,
anche sulla base della gravità del disturbo, pos-
sono accompagnare o integrare la prova scritta
con una prova orale attinente ai medesimi con-
tenuti.
(…)
4.4 Didattica per le lingue straniere
Poiché la trasparenza linguistica, ossia la corri-
spondenza fra come una lingua si scrive e come
si legge, influisce sul livello di difficoltà di ap-
prendimento della lingua da parte degli studenti
con DSA, è opportuno che la scuola, in sede di
orientamento o al momento di individuare quale
lingua straniera privilegiare, informi la famiglia
sull’opportunità di scegliere - ove possibile - una
lingua che ha una trasparenza linguistica mag-
giore. Analogamente, i docenti di lingue stranie-
re terranno conto, nelle prestazioni attese e nel-
le modalità di insegnamento, del principio sopra
indicato.
In sede di programmazione didattica si dovrà
generalmente assegnare maggiore importanza
allo sviluppo delle abilità orali rispetto a quelle
scritte. Poiché i tempi di lettura dell’alunno con
DSA sono più lunghi, è altresì possibile conse-
gnare il testo scritto qualche giorno prima della
lezione, in modo che l’allievo possa concentrar-
si a casa sulla decodifica superficiale, lavorando
invece in classe insieme ai compagni sulla com-
prensione dei contenuti.
In merito agli strumenti compensativi, con ri-
guardo alla lettura, gli alunni e gli studenti con
DSA possono usufruire di audio-libri e di sinte-
si vocale con i programmi associati. La sintesi
vocale può essere utilizzata sia in corso d’anno
che in sede di esame di Stato.
Relativamente alla scrittura, è possibile l’impie-
go di strumenti compensativi come il computer
con correttore automatico e con dizionario digi-
tale. Anche tali strumenti compensativi possono
essere impiegati in corso d’anno e in sede di
esame di Stato.
Per quanto concerne le misure dispensative, gli
alunni e gli studenti con DSA possono usufruire:
· di tempi aggiuntivi;
· di una adeguata riduzione del carico di lavoro;
· in caso di disturbo grave e previa verifica del-
la presenza delle condizioni previste all’Art. 6,
comma 5 del D.M. 12 luglio 2011, è possibile
in corso d’anno dispensare l’alunno dalla valu-
101
tazione nelle prove scritte e, in sede di esame
di Stato, prevedere una prova orale sostitutiva
di quella scritta, i cui contenuti e le cui modalità
sono stabiliti dalla Commissione d’esame sulla
base della documentazione fornita dai Consigli
di Classe.
Resta fermo che in presenza della dispensa
dalla valutazione delle prove scritte, gli studen-
ti con DSA utilizzeranno comunque il supporto
scritto in quanto utile all’apprendimento anche
orale delle lingue straniere, soprattutto in età
adolescenziale.
In relazione alle forme di valutazione, per quan-
to riguarda la comprensione (orale o scritta),
sarà valorizzata la capacità di cogliere il senso
generale del messaggio; in fase di produzione
sarà dato più rilievo all’efficacia comunicativa,
ossia alla capacità di farsi comprendere in modo
chiaro, anche se non del tutto corretto gramma-
ticalmente.
Lo studio delle lingue straniere implica anche
l’approfondimento dei caratteri culturali e sociali
del popolo che parla la lingua studiata e, con
l’avanzare del percorso scolastico, anche degli
aspetti letterari. Poiché l’insegnamento di tali
aspetti è condotto in lingua materna, saranno in
questa sede applicati gli strumenti compensativi
e dispensativi impiegati per le altre materie.
Sulla base della gravità del disturbo, nella scuo-
la secondaria i testi letterari in lingua straniera
assumono importanza minore per l’alunno con
DSA: considerate le sue possibili difficoltà di
memorizzazione, risulta conveniente insistere
sul potenziamento del lessico ad alta frequenza
piuttosto che focalizzarsi su parole più rare, o
di registro colto, come quelle presenti nei testi
letterari.
Ai fini della corretta interpretazione delle dispo-
sizioni contenute nel decreto attuativo, pare
opportuno precisare che l’ “esonero” riguarda
l’insegnamento della lingua straniera nel suo
complesso, mentre la “dispensa” concerne uni-
camente le prestazioni in forma scritta.
5. LA DIMENSIONE RELAZIONALE
Il successo nell’apprendimento è l’immedia-
to intervento da opporre alla tendenza degli
alunni o degli studenti con DSA a una scarsa
percezione di autoefficacia e di autostima. La
specificità cognitiva degli alunni e degli stu-
denti con DSA determina, inoltre, per le con-
 102
seguenze del disturbo sul piano scolastico, im-
portanti fattori di rischio per quanto concerne la
dispersione scolastica dovuta, in questi casi, a
ripetute esperienze negative e frustranti duran-
te l’intero iter formativo.
Ogni reale apprendimento acquisito e ogni
successo scolastico rinforzano negli alunni e
negli studenti con DSA la percezione propria
di poter riuscire nei propri impegni nonostante
le difficoltà che impone il disturbo, con evidenti
connessi esiti positivi sul tono psicologico com-
plessivo.
Di contro, non realizzare le attività didattiche
personalizzate e individualizzate, non utilizzare
gli strumenti compensativi, disapplicare le misu-
re dispensative, collocano l’alunno e lo studente
in questione in uno stato di immediata inferiori-
tà rispetto alle prestazioni richieste a scuola, e
non per assenza di “buona volontà”, ma per una
problematica che lo trascende oggettivamente:
il disturbo specifico di apprendimento.
Analogamente, dispensare l’alunno o lo studen-
te con DSA da alcune prestazioni, oltre a non
6. CHI FA CHE COSA
Con l’intento di semplificare e
di riassumere le varie fasi, pre-
viste dalla Legge, che vedono
coinvolte la scuola, le famiglie e
i servizi, si fornisce uno schema
di sintesi.
Diagramma schematico dei passi
previsti dalla legge 170/2010 per la
gestione dei DSA
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
avere rilevanza sul piano dell’apprendimento –
come la lettura ad alta voce in classe – evita la
frustrazione collegata alla dimostrazione della
propria difficoltà.
È necessario sottolineare la delicatezza del-
le problematiche psicologiche che s’innesta-
no nell’alunno o nello studente con DSA per
l’utilizzo degli strumenti compensativi e delle
misure dispensative. Infatti, ai compagni di
classe gli strumenti compensativi e le misure
dispensative possono risultare incomprensibili
facilitazioni. A questo riguardo, il coordinatore
di classe, sentita la famiglia interessata, può
avviare adeguate iniziative per condividere con
i compagni di classe le ragioni dell’applicazio-
ne degli strumenti e delle misure citate, anche
per evitare la stigmatizzazione e le ricadute
psicologiche negative.
Resta ferma, infine, la necessità di creare un
clima della classe accogliente, praticare una
gestione inclusiva della stessa, tenendo conto
degli specifici bisogni educativi degli alunni e
studenti con DSA.
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
6.1 Gli Uffici Scolastici Regionali
Il ruolo strategico di coordinamento e di indirizzo
della politica scolastica svolto dagli Uffici Scola-
stici Regionali (USR) li chiama direttamente in
causa nell’assumere impegni ed attivare speci-
fiche iniziative per garantire il diritto allo studio
agli alunni con disturbi specifici di apprendimen-
to.
In un sistema educativo e formativo che inve-
ste sulla centralità dell’alunno, sul forte rapporto
scuola-famiglia e sull’interazione tra i soggetti
– istituzionali e non – del territorio, numerose
e differenziate possono essere le iniziative e
ampia la gamma degli interventi rientranti nelle
politiche a favore degli studenti.
Si ritiene di particolare importanza che l’USR in-
centivi e promuova la messa a sistema delle di-
verse azioni attivate dalle singole istituzioni sco-
lastiche, al fine di uniformare comportamenti e
procedure tali da assicurare uguali opportunità
formative a ciascun alunno, in qualunque realtà
scolastica. In altri termini, le politiche dell’Ufficio
Scolastico Regionale devono tendere a garanti-
re che l’attenzione e la cura educative non siano
rimesse alla volontà dei singoli, ma riconducibili
ad una logica di sistema.
A tal fine, ferma restando l’autonomia di ogni
singola realtà regionale, si indicano alcune azio-
ni che appare opportuno attivare:
· predisposizione di protocolli deontologici re-
gionali per condividere le procedure e i compor-
tamenti da assumere nei confronti degli alunni
con DSA (dalle strategie per individuare preco-
cemente i segnali di rischio alle modalità di ac-
coglienza, alla predisposizione dei Piani didat-
tici personalizzati, al contratto formativo con la
famiglia);
· costituzione di gruppi di coordinamento costi-
tuiti dai referenti provinciali per l’implementa-
zione delle linee di indirizzo emanate a livello
regionale;
· stipula di accordi (convenzioni, protocolli, inte-
se) con le associazioni maggiormente rappre-
sentative e con il SSN;
· organizzazione di attività di formazione diversifi-
cate, in base alle specifiche situazioni di contesto
e adeguate alle esperienze, competenze, pratiche
pregresse presenti in ogni realtà, in modo da far
coincidere la risposta formativa all’effettiva do-
manda di supporto e conoscenza;
· potenziamento dei Centri Territoriali di Suppor-
to per tecnologie e disabilità (CTS) soprattutto
incrementando le risorse (sussidi e strumenti
103
tecnologici specifici per i DSA) e pubblicizzando
ulteriormente la loro funzione di punti dimostra-
tivi.
6.2 Il Dirigente scolastico
Il Dirigente scolastico, nella logica dell’autono-
mia riconosciuta alle istituzioni scolastiche, è il
garante delle opportunità formative offerte e dei
servizi erogati ed è colui che attiva ogni possibile
iniziativa affinché il diritto allo studio di tutti e di
ciascuno si realizzi.
Tale azione si concretizza anche mediante la
promozione e la cura di una serie di iniziative
da attuarsi di concerto con le varie componenti
scolastiche, atte a favorire il coordinamento dei
vari interventi rispetto alle norme di riferimento.
Sulla base dell’autonoma responsabilità nella
gestione delle risorse umane della scuola, il Di-
rigente scolastico potrà valutare l’opportunità di
assegnare docenti curricolari con competenza
nei DSA in classi ove sono presenti alunni con
tale tipologia di disturbi.
In particolare, il Dirigente:
· garantisce il raccordo di tutti i soggetti che ope-
rano nella scuola con le realtà territoriali;
· stimola e promuove ogni utile iniziativa finaliz-
zata a rendere operative le indicazioni condivise
con Organi collegiali e famiglie, e precisamente:
- attiva interventi preventivi;
- trasmette alla famiglia apposita comunicazio-
ne;
- riceve la diagnosi consegnata dalla famiglia, la
acquisisce al protocollo e la condivide con il grup-
po docente;
· promuove attività di formazione/aggiornamen-
to per il conseguimento di competenze specifi-
che diffuse;
· promuove e valorizza progetti mirati, individuan-
do e rimuovendo ostacoli, nonché assicurando il
coordinamento delle azioni (tempi, modalità, fi-
nanziamenti);
· definisce, su proposta del Collegio dei Docenti,
le idonee modalità di documentazione dei per-
corsi didattici individualizzati e personalizzati di
alunni e studenti con DSA e ne coordina l’ela-
borazione e le modalità di revisione, anche – se
necessario – facendo riferimento ai già richia-
mati modelli esemplificativi pubblicati sul sito del
MIUR (http://www.istruzione.it/web/istruzione/
dsa);
· gestisce le risorse umane e strumentali;
· promuove l’intensificazione dei rapporti tra
i docenti e le famiglie di alunni e studenti con
 104
DSA, favorendone le condizioni e prevedendo
idonee modalità di riconoscimento dell’impegno
dei docenti, come specificato al successivo pa-
ragrafo 6.5;
· attiva il monitoraggio relativo a tutte le azioni
messe in atto, al fine di favorire la riproduzione di
buone pratiche e procedure od apportare even-
tuali modifiche.
Per la realizzazione degli obiettivi previsti e pro-
grammati, il Dirigente scolastico potrà avvalersi
della collaborazione di un docente (referente o
funzione strumentale) con compiti di informazio-
ne, consulenza e coordinamento.
I Dirigenti scolastici potranno farsi promotori di
iniziative rivolte alle famiglie di alunni e studenti
con DSA, promuovendo e organizzando, pres-
so le istituzioni scolastiche - anche con l’ausilio
dell’Amministrazione centrale e degli UU.SS.
RR. - seminari e brevi corsi informativi.
6.3 Il Referente di Istituto
Le funzioni del “referente” sono, in sintesi, rife-
ribili all’ambito della sensibilizzazione ed appro-
fondimento delle tematiche, nonché del supporto
ai colleghi direttamente coinvolti nell’applicazio-
ne didattica delle proposte.
Il referente che avrà acquisito una formazione
adeguata e specifica sulle tematiche, a segui-
to di corsi formalizzati o in base a percorsi di
formazione personali e/o alla propria pratica
esperienziale/didattica, diventa punto di riferi-
mento all’interno della scuola ed, in particolare,
assume, nei confronti del Collegio dei docenti,
le seguenti funzioni:
· fornisce informazioni circa le disposizioni nor-
mative vigenti;
· fornisce indicazioni di base su strumenti com-
pensativi e misure dispensative al fine di realiz-
zare un intervento didattico il più possibile ade-
guato e personalizzato;
· collabora, ove richiesto, alla elaborazione di
strategie volte al superamento dei problemi nel-
la classe con alunni con DSA;
· offre supporto ai colleghi riguardo a specifici
materiali didattici e di valutazione;
· cura la dotazione bibliografica e di sussidi
all’interno dell’Istituto;
· diffonde e pubblicizza le iniziative di formazio-
ne specifica o di aggiornamento;
· fornisce informazioni riguardo alle Associazio-
ni/Enti/Istituzioni/Università ai quali poter fare
riferimento per le tematiche in oggetto;
· fornisce informazioni riguardo a siti o piattafor-
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
me on line per la condivisione di buone pratiche
in tema di DSA;
· funge da mediatore tra colleghi, famiglie, stu-
denti (se maggiorenni), operatori dei servizi sa-
nitari, EE.LL. ed agenzie formative accreditate
nel territorio;
· informa eventuali supplenti in servizio nelle
classi con alunni con DSA.
Il Referente d’Istituto avrà in ogni caso cura di
promuovere lo sviluppo delle competenze dei
colleghi docenti, ponendo altresì attenzione a
che non si determini alcun meccanismo di “dele-
ga” né alcuna forma di deresponsabilizzazione,
ma operando per sostenere la “presa in carico”
dell’alunno e dello studente con DSA da parte
dell’insegnante di classe.
La nomina del referente di Istituto per la pro-
blematica connessa ai Disturbi Specifici di Ap-
prendimento non costituisce un formale obbligo
istituzionale ma è demandata alla autonomia
progettuale delle singole scuole. Esse operano
scelte mirate anche in ragione dei bisogni emer-
genti nel proprio concreto contesto operativo,
nella prospettiva di garantire a ciascun alunno
le migliori condizioni possibili, in termini didattici
ed organizzativi, per il pieno successo formati-
vo.
Laddove se ne ravvisi l’utilità, per la migliore
funzionalità ed efficacia dell’azione formativa,
la nomina potrà essere anche formalizzata, così
come avviene per numerose altre figure di siste-
ma (funzioni strumentali) di supporto alla pro-
gettualità scolastica.
6.4 I Docenti
La eventuale presenza all’interno dell’Istituto
scolastico di un docente esperto, con compiti
di referente, non deve sollevare il Collegio dei
docenti ed i Consigli di classe interessati dall’im-
pegno educativo di condividere le scelte.
Risulta, infatti, indispensabile che sia l’intera
comunità educante a possedere gli strumenti di
conoscenza e competenza, affinché tutti siano
corresponsabili del progetto formativo elaborato
e realizzato per gli alunni con DSA.
In particolare, ogni docente, per sé e collegial-
mente:· durante le prime fasi degli apprendimenti
scolastici cura con attenzione l’acquisizione dei
prerequisiti fondamentali e la stabilizzazione del-
le prime abilità relative alla scrittura, alla lettura e
al calcolo, ponendo contestualmente attenzione
ai segnali di rischio in un’ottica di prevenzione ed
ai fini di una segnalazione;
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
· mette in atto strategie di recupero;
· segnala alla famiglia la persistenza delle diffi-
coltà nonostante gli interventi di recupero posti
in essere;
· prende visione della certificazione diagnostica
rilasciata dagli organismi preposti;
· procede, in collaborazione dei colleghi della
classe, alla documentazione dei percorsi didat-
tici individualizzati e personalizzati previsti;
· attua strategie educativo-didattiche di poten-
ziamento e di aiuto compensativo;
· adotta misure dispensative;
· attua modalità di verifica e valutazione ade-
guate e coerenti;
· realizza incontri di continuità con i colleghi
del precedente e successivo ordine o grado di
scuola al fine di condividere i percorsi educati-
vi e didattici effettuati dagli alunni, in particolare
quelli con DSA, e per non disperdere il lavoro
svolto.
6.5 La Famiglia
La famiglia che si avvede per prima delle diffi-
coltà del proprio figlio o della propria figlia, ne
informa la scuola, sollecitandola ad un periodo
di osservazione. Essa è altrimenti, in ogni caso,
informata dalla scuola delle persistenti difficoltà
del proprio figlio o figlia.
La famiglia:
· provvede, di propria iniziativa o su segnalazio-
ne del pediatra - di libera scelta o della scuo-
la - a far valutare l’alunno o lo studente secon-
do le modalità previste dall’Art. 3 della Legge
170/2010;
· consegna alla scuola la diagnosi di cui all’art. 3
della Legge 170/2010;
· condivide le linee elaborate nella documenta-
zione dei percorsi didattici individualizzati e per-
sonalizzati ed è chiamata a formalizzare con la
scuola un patto educativo/formativo che preve-
da l’autorizzazione a tutti i docenti del Consiglio
di Classe - nel rispetto della privacy e della riser-
vatezza del caso - ad applicare ogni strumento
compensativo e le strategie dispensative ritenu-
te idonee, previste dalla normativa vigente, te-
nuto conto delle risorse disponibili;
· sostiene la motivazione e l’impegno dell’alun-
no o studente nel lavoro scolastico e domestico;
· verifica regolarmente lo svolgimento dei com-
piti assegnati;
· verifica che vengano portati a scuola i materiali
richiesti;
· incoraggia l’acquisizione di un sempre maggio-
105
re grado di autonomia nella gestione dei tempi
di studio, dell’impegno scolastico e delle relazio-
ni con i docenti;
· considera non soltanto il significato valutativo,
ma anche formativo delle singole discipline.
Particolare importanza riveste, nel contesto
finora analizzato, il rapporto con le famiglie
degli alunni con DSA. Esse, in particolare
nel primo periodo di approccio dei figli con la
scuola primaria, sono poste di fronte a incer-
tezza recata per lo più da difficoltà inattese,
che rischiano di compromettere il sereno svol-
gimento dell’iter scolastico da parte dei loro
figli. Necessitano pertanto di essere oppor-
tunamente guidate alla conoscenza del pro-
blema non solo in ordine ai possibili sviluppi
dell’esperienza scolastica, ma anche informa-
te con professionalità e costanza sulle stra-
tegie didattiche che di volta in volta la scuo-
la progetta per un apprendimento quanto più
possibile sereno e inclusivo, sulle verifiche e
sui risultati attesi e ottenuti, su possibili ricali-
brature dei percorsi posti in essere.
Sulla scorta di tali necessità, le istituzioni sco-
lastiche cureranno di predisporre incontri con
le famiglie coinvolte a cadenza mensile o bi-
mestrale, a seconda delle opportunità e delle
singole situazioni in esame, affinché l’operato
dei docenti risulti conosciuto, condiviso e, ove
necessario, coordinato con l’azione educativa
della famiglia stessa.
Dovendosi necessariamente prevedere un’inten-
sificazione dell’impegno dei docenti, i Dirigenti
scolastici avranno cura di prevedere idonee mo-
dalità di riconoscimento di tali forme di flessibilità
professionale, da ricomprendere nelle materie di
pertinenza della Contrattazione integrativa di Isti-
tuto di cui all’art. 6, comma 2, lettera l) del vigente
CCNL - Comparto Scuola.
6.6 Gli Studenti
Gli studenti e le studentesse, con le necessarie
differenziazioni in relazione all’età, sono i primi
protagonisti di tutte le azioni che devono essere
messe in campo qualora si presenti una situa-
zione di DSA. Essi, pertanto, hanno diritto:
· ad una chiara informazione riguardo alla diver-
sa modalità di apprendimento ed alle strategie
che possono aiutarli ad ottenere il massimo dalle
loro potenzialità;
·a ricevere una didattica individualizzata/perso-
nalizzata, nonché all’adozione di adeguati stru-
menti compensativi e misure dispensative.
 106
Hanno il dovere di porre adeguato impegno nel
lavoro scolastico.
Ove l’età e la maturità lo consentano, suggeri-
scono ai docenti le strategie di apprendimento
che hanno maturato autonomamente.
(…)
7. LA FORMAZIONE
La formazione degli insegnanti e dei dirigenti
scolastici è un elemento fondamentale per la
corretta applicazione della Legge 170/2010 e
per il raggiungimento delle sue finalità. Al riguar-
do, si pone in primo piano il tema della formazio-
ne in servizio.
Un principio generale è che la competenza sui
DSA dovrà permeare il corpo docente di ogni
classe, in modo che la gestione e la program-
mazione di passi significativi (per es. il PDP)
non sia delegata a qualcuno dei docenti, ma
scaturisca da una partecipazione integrale del
consiglio di classe.
A tal fine, gli Uffici Scolastici Regionali attivano
gli interventi di formazione realizzando sinergie
con i servizi sanitari territoriali, le università, gli
enti, gli istituti di ricerca e le agenzie di forma-
zione, individuando le esigenze formative spe-
cifiche, differenziate anche per ordini e gradi di
scuola e tenendo conto di priorità dettate anche
dalle precedenti attività formative svolte sul ter-
ritorio.
Le istituzioni scolastiche, anche collegate in
rete, possono organizzare opportuni percorsi di
formazione mirati allo sviluppo professionale di
competenze specifiche in materia.
L’insegnante referente per i DSA può svolgere
un ruolo importante di raccordo e di continuità
riguardo all’aggiornamento professionale per i
colleghi.
7.1 I contenuti della formazione
Legge170/2010 e caratteristiche delle diver-
se tipologie di DSA.
La conoscenza della legge consente di avere
consapevolezza del percorso completo di ge-
stione dei DSA all’interno della scuola; i vari mo-
menti di tale percorso e i processi conseguenti
devono essere ben chiari al fine di assicurarne
l’applicazione. La legge e le disposizioni attua-
tive, contenute nel DM 12 luglio 2011, riassu-
mono e superano tutti i provvedimenti e note
ministeriali precedentemente emanati riguardo
ai DSA.
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
Risulta inoltre opportuno conoscere le caratte-
ristiche dei singoli disturbi di apprendimento,
anche da un punto di vista medico-sanitario e
psicologico, sia perché tali caratteristiche giusti-
ficano gli specifici interventi previsti dalla Legge,
sia perché ciò consente di costruire un linguag-
gio comune fra mondo scolastico e mondo dei
servizi di diagnosi e di trattamento.
Principali strumenti che la scuola può utiliz-
zare per l’individuazione precoce del rischio
di DSA.
L’individuazione tempestiva permette la messa
in atto di provvedimenti didattici, abilitativi e di
supporto che possono modificare notevolmen-
te il percorso scolastico e il destino personale
di alunni e studenti con DSA. Il maggior inte-
resse è rivolto alla scuola dell’infanzia e alla
scuola primaria, nelle quali è necessaria una
maggior e più diffusa conoscenza degli indi-
catori di rischio e una impostazione del lavoro
didattico orientata alla prevenzione. L’attività di
identificazione si deve esplicare comunque in
tutti gli ordini e gradi di scuola; infatti, sappia-
mo che tuttora molti ragazzi con DSA sfuggo-
no alla individuazione nei primi anni di scuola,
mentre manifestano in maniera più evidente le
loro difficoltà allorché aumenta il carico di stu-
dio, cioè durante la scuola secondaria e all’u-
niversità.
Strategie educativo-didattiche di potenzia-
mento e di aiuto compensativo.
È necessario che i docenti acquisiscano chiare
e complete conoscenze in merito agli strumen-
ti compensativi e alle misure dispensative, con
riferimento alla disciplina di loro competenza, al
fine di effettuare scelte consapevoli ed appro-
priate.
Inoltre, gli insegnanti devono essere in grado di
utilizzare le nuove tecnologie e realizzare una
integrazione tra queste e le metodologie didat-
tiche per l’apprendimento, dato che le ricerche
dimostrano che ambienti didattici supportati
dall’uso delle nuove tecnologie risultano mag-
giormente efficaci.
Gestione della classe con alunni con DSA.
I docenti devono porre attenzione alle ricadute
psicologiche delle scelte educative e didattiche,
ricordando che nell’apprendimento un ruolo
di grande rilievo è rappresentato dagli aspetti
emotivi, motivazionali e relazionali. La forma-
Disturbi specifici dell’Apprendimento
zione, in tale ambito, ha l’obiettivo di sviluppare
competenze per creare ambienti di apprendi-
mento capaci di sviluppare autostima, stile di at-
tribuzione positivo, senso di autoefficacia negli
alunni e negli studenti con DSA.
Forme adeguate di verifica e di valutazione.
La valutazione deve concretizzarsi in una prassi
che espliciti concretamente le modalità di diffe-
renziazione a seconda della disciplina e del tipo
di compito, discriminando fra ciò che è espres-
sione diretta del disturbo e ciò che esprime l’im-
pegno dell’allievo e le conoscenze effettivamen-
te acquisite.
Indicazioni ed esercitazioni concernenti le
misure educative e didattiche di cui all’art.
4.
La concreta applicazione delle misure didat-
tiche e valutative personalizzate richiede un
allenamento pratico, da attuare già in fase di
formazione mediante attività laboratoriali. È
auspicabile che ogni docente ne acquisisca
la competenza, perlomeno per le discipline di
propria pertinenza, onde evitare meccanismi di
delega.
107
Forme di orientamento e di accompagna-
mento per il prosieguo degli studi.
È necessario che vengano superate le visioni
semplicistiche dettate da pregiudizi datati per
cui i ragazzi con DSA sarebbero destinati a
percorsi formativi di basso livello; la costruzio-
ne di nuovi percorsi per orientare le scelte degli
studenti con DSA non può che scaturire da un
bilancio a livello personale non solo delle aree
di forza e di debolezza, ma anche della motiva-
zione e delle scelte personali e delle opportunità
disponibili, mettendo in campo l’intuizione delle
potenzialità emergenti.
Esperienze di studi di caso di alunni con
DSA, per implementare buone pratiche di-
dattiche.
La migliore efficacia formativa si raggiunge pro-
babilmente con lo studio di casi concreti, dei
problemi e del percorso svolto, delle criticità ve-
rificatesi in corso e delle possibili soluzioni.
Attività di formazione specifiche devono essere
rivolte anche ai dirigenti scolastici, mirate agli
aspetti di competenza: aspetti normativi, orga-
nizzativi e gestionali.
(…)
 NOTES

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