2 . Sports play an important role in teenagers’ lives. They help teenagers keep fit and teach them teamwork. Four teenagers from different countries talk about their sports.

Li Yue, China

I do many sports, but my favourite is table tennis. I play table tennis in a club at the weekend and I’m quite good at it. On Saturday I teach some younger children to play table tennis, and that’s really fun.

Sophie, Britain

My sport is rugby. I play for the U15s, the team for players under the age of 15. My team always plays a match on Saturday or Sunday, and I usually go to practice games three times on weekdays. It’s hard work, but it’s never boring!

Ben, Canada

I love the snow and the mountains. In the holidays, I always go to the mountains with my family. I go snowboarding with my sister and other young people every day, and I’m getting really good. I want to be a famous snowboarder one day.

Laura, America

I started running when I was really young. When I was 13, I joined a club and started taking part in competitions. I have never won a race, but I’m improving all the time. That’s the most important thing for me. I’ve also made many friends since joining the club.

3 . Playing basketball requires natural skill.     1     if you properly condition your body, practice with the right drills, and master the mental aspects of the game. Good basketball players put in the effort and training that it takes to get better on the court, and they have the personality characteristics that coaches appreciate.

    2     Some experts believe the ability to handle the ball well is the most important skill in the game. You shouldn't have to think too hard about dribbling the ball if you practice a lot. A good way to improve this skill is through dribbling drills.

Master your passing ability. Passing is a skill that basketball players must master.     3     One is a chest pass in which you throw the ball to your teammate without it bouncing. The second is a bounce pass, in which you bounce the ball once when throwing it to your teammate. This is the hardest pass for a defender to stop.

Better your shooting. The shooters get a lot of the glory, and they are obviously critical to the game. But you don't want to be in a situation where people are blocking your shots or you miss a lot of them.     4    

Condition your body. Speed, quickness, verticality, strength, and stamina can turn any skill deadly just by simply giving you the advantage over an opponent physically.     5     They are designed for basketball offensive players to condition their body, not just exercises like you might do for fun. Coaches look for players who want to work hard to achieve good conditioning, like who has an explosive first step or who can jump 2 feet in the air.