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ENGLISH FOR THE GAMES

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

Judo means ‘gentle way’ and it is the only martial art on the Paralympic programme. In Paralympic Judo, all the athletes have visual impairments. The main difference between Paralympic Judo and Olympic Judo is the athletes are allowed to have contact with their opponent before each contest begins. Have you ever practised Judo or another martial art?

Judoka

Judogi

Tatami

Katamewaza

Nagewaza

1. Vocabulary

a. Write the correct words in the spaces provided.

a. Katamewaza b. Judoka c. Judogi

d. Nagewaza e. Tatami

4

3 2 1

5

2. The rules of Judo

What is it?

Judo, which means ‘gentle way’ and was developed from jujitsu, is the only martial art

included in the Paralympic programme. Judoka (athletes) use a combination of attack

and defence techniques.

Who can participate in judo at the Paralympics?

Judo is open to visually impaired athletes. All blind and partially sighted athletes who

meet the International Blind Sport Federation (IBSA) Classification guidelines can

compete.

Classifications

There are no disability classifications. Participants are divided into categories according

to their bodyweight (as in Olympic judo).

How is it played?

In Paralympic Judo athletes compete with the same rules as sighted athletes. The only

difference is the beginning of the match, where both competitors hold on to each other.

If contact is broken the bout stops and the competitors return to the centre and hold

each other again.

Each judo bout lasts five minutes, except if there is an ippon (see below). Ippon

ends the contest immediately.

Scores are awarded for different throws and holds:

o An ippon is a winning manoeuvre (a movement or set of movements) that

is awarded for throwing your opponent onto his back or for holding him

for 25 seconds, or when he surrenders.

o A waza-ari is worth a half-point. It is awarded for certain types of throws or

holding your opponent for 20 seconds.

o A yuko is worth less than a waza-ari . It is awarded for certain throws or

holding your opponent for 15 to 20 seconds.

o If there is no ippon during the 5 minutes, the winner is the judoka with

most points at the end of that time.

If the scores are tied after five minutes, the contest enters a golden score period,

when the first score of any sort wins.

All the judo events are played in a knockout format, with the winners qualifying

for the next round.

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

a. bodyweight b. bout c. ippon

d. judoka e. waza-ari f. yuko

1. A contest between two judo competitors

2. A half-point, WHICH IS awarded for a throw WHICH MEETS three scoring criteria or holding the opponent for 20 seconds

3. A judo competitor 4. A SMALLER score awarded for either a throw meeting 2 scoring criteria or holding

your opponent for 15 to 20 seconds

5. The amount that someone weighs. Judokas are divided into different groups, depending on how much they weigh.

6. The maximum score, award for a single manoeuvre that wins a bout

3. Reading

Judo helps me to see

“Do you see?” We often say that when we mean “do you understand?” I practise judo, do

you see? I’m very good at it, but I can’t see anything. I was born with no vision but one of

the best things that I have ever done was to start practising judo.

Of course, playing sport is recommended for everybody, but it can be especially

important for people with a disability. This is because sometimes people with a disability

suffer from inactivity and / or feel isolated from other people.

Judo has given me the opportunity to meet other people and measure myself against

them on an equal basis.

It has helped me to achieve independence of movement and develop physical

capacities which have improved my quality of everyday life.

One of the most important elements of judo is balance. Balance is extremely important

for the visually impaired. Judo helps you appreciate where you are in relation to other

people and objects. This means, in my everyday life, I can move around with more

confidence and avoid accidents.

And if you do fall – and visibly impaired people know this will sometimes happen – the

skills you learn in judo will help you to fall in a way that is least likely to hurt.

My instructor says that my inability to see is not a serious problem for a judoka - a judo

competitor. That’s because you don’t really look at your opponent, instead you

understand his strength and behaviour through physical contact. That’s what makes you

react in one way or another.

My instructor also says that I am good enough to try for a black belt, though that is a

joke between us because for me all belts are black! Do you see now?

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

1. The author is pleased that he began doing judo. True

False

2. All people with a disability suffer from inactivity and feel isolated from other people.

True False

3. Playing sport is only important for people with a disability. True

False

4. Balance is important in judo and also for visually impaired people. True False

5. Visually impaired people should expect to fall sometimes. True False

6. Sight is the most important thing when practising judo. True

False

b. Which of the verb forms is/are the correct way to complete each sentence?

There may be more than one correct answer.

1. A I started (……………) judo when I was young. a. practising b. practise c. to practise

2. It has given me the opportunity (……………) a lot of people. a. meeting b. meet c. to meet

3. It has helped me (……………) my goals.

a. achieving b. achieve c. to achieve

4. It has allowed me (……………) to the things around me.

a. adapting b. adapt c. to adapt

5. It enables you (……………).

a. moving around b. move around c. to move around

6. It makes you (……………) more quickly. a. reacting b. react c. to react

7. You should avoid (……………) coffee at night. d. drinking e. drink f. to drink

4. Solution

Exercise 1a

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

Exercise 2a

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

Exercise 3a

1. True; 2. False; 3. False; 4. True; 5. True; 6. False

Exercise 3b

1. a, c; 2. c; 3. b, c; 4. c; 5. c; 6. B; 7. a