The Importance of Sports Shoes

Reading Questions FEEL GOOD IN YOUR RUNNERS Knocks, falls, wear and tear... Eighteen per cent of sports players aged 8 to 12 already have heel injuries. The cartilage of a footballer's ankle does not respond well to shocks, and 25% of professionals have discovered for themselves that it is an especially weak point. The cartilage of the delicate knee joint can also be irreparably damaged and if care is not taken right from childhood (10–12 years of age), this can cause premature osteoarthritis. The hip does not escape damage either and, particularly when tired, players run the risk of fractures as a result of falls or collisions. According to the study, footballers who have been playing for more than ten years have bony outgrowths either on the tibia or on the heel. This is what is known as ‘footballer’s foot’, a deformity caused by shoes with soles and ankle parts that are too flexible. Protect, support, stabilise, absorb If a shoe is too rigid, it restricts movement. If it is too flexible, it increases the risk of injuries and sprains. A good sports shoe should meet four criteria: Firstly, it must provide exterior protection: resisting knocks from the ball or another player, coping with unevenness in the ground, and keeping the foot warm and dry even when it is freezing cold and raining. It must support the foot, and in particular the ankle joint, to avoid sprains, swelling and other problems, which may even affect the knee. It must also provide players with good stability so that they do not slip on a wet ground or skid on a surface that is too dry. Finally, it must absorb shocks, especially those suffered by volleyball and basketball players who are constantly jumping. Dry feet To avoid minor but painful conditions such as blisters or even splits or athlete’s foot (fungal infections), the shoe must allow evaporation of perspiration and must prevent outside dampness from getting in. The ideal material for this is leather, which can be water-proofed to prevent the shoe from etting soaked the first time it rains. Use the article to answer the questions below. Question 1: RUNNERS What does the author intend to show in this text? A That the quality of many sports shoes has greatly improved. B That it is best not to play football if you are under 12 years of age. C That young people are suffering more and more injuries due to their poor physical condition. D That it is very important for young sports players to wear good sports shoes. Question 2: RUNNERS According to the article, why should sports shoes not be too rigid? ................................................................................................................................ Question 3: RUNNERS One part of the article says, “A good sports shoe should meet four criteria.” What are these criteria? ................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................ Question 4: RUNNERS Look at this sentence from near the end of the article. It is presented here in two parts: “To avoid minor but painful conditions such as blisters or even splits or athlete’s foot (fungal infections),…” “…the shoe must allow evaporation of perspiration and must prevent outside dampness from getting in.” (first part) (second part) What is the relationship between the first and second parts of the sentence? The second part A B C D contradicts the first part. repeats the first part. illustrates the problem described in the first part. gives the solution to the problem described in the first part. Science Questions CATCHING THE KILLER Read the following newspaper article, and answer the questions that follow. DNA TO FIND KILLER Smithville, yesterday: A man died from multiple stab wounds in Smithville yesterday. Police say that there were signs of a struggle and that some of the blood found at the scene of the crime did not match the victim's blood. They suspect that this blood came from the killer. To help find the killer, police scientists have prepared a DNA profile from the blood sample. When compared to DNA profiles of convicted criminals, kept on a computer database, no match was found. Photo of typical DNA profiles from two people. The bars are different fragments of each person's DNA. Each person has a different pattern of bars. Like fingerprints, these patterns can identify a person. Police are now asking all citizens of Smithville to come forward to have their DNA analysed. Sergeant Brown of the Smithville police said, "We just need to take a harmless scraping from the inside of the cheek. From this scientists can extract DNA and form a DNA profile like the one pictured." Except for identical twins, there is only a 1 in 100 million chance that two people will have the same DNA profile. Person A Person B Question 1: CATCHING THE KILLER This newspaper article refers to the substance DNA. What is DNA? A B C D A chemical substance in cell membranes that stops the cell contents leaking out. A chemical substance that contains the instructions to build our bodies. A protein found in the blood that helps carry oxygen to all the tissues. A hormone in blood that helps regulate glucose levels in the body cells.