Lesson 3_Will cybersport be an Olympic sport

1.

Astana IT University
School of General Disciplines
Foreign Language 1. B 1- level.
Week 4. Lesson 3. Reading.
“Will cybersport be an Olympic sport?”
2025-2026 academic year

2.

Lesson outline
1. Pre reading: Vocabulary preview
2. While reading exercises
3. Post reading exercises

3.

Lesson objectives
to improve reading comprehension skills.
understand the debate and challenges surrounding the inclusion
of esports in the Olympic Games.

4.

PRE-READING VOCABULARY PREVIEW.
REVIEW THE VOCABULARY LIST AND FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND THEIR MEANINGS.
Base Word
Word Family (Part of Speech)
Meaning
Example in Context
Necessary
Necessary (adj), Necessity (n)
Needed or very important
It is necessary to train hard to win in
esports.
Inclusion
Inclusion (n), Include (v), Inclusive (adj),
Inclusively (adv), Involvement (n)
Adding or being part of something
The inclusion of new games makes the
event more interesting.
Exclusion
Exclusion (n), Exclude (v), Exclusive (adj),
Exclusively (adv), Omission (n)
Not allowing someone or something to
join
The exclusion of violent games helps
keep the competition safe.
Considered
Considered (adj), Consideration (n), Considerate
(adj), Considerably (adv)
Thought about carefully
The organizers considered many
options before choosing the games.
Violence
Violence (n), Violent (adj), Violently (adv),
Aggression (n)
Physical harm or fighting
Games with too much violence are not
good for young players.
Hesitant
Hesitant (adj), Hesitate (v), Hesitance (n), Uncertain
Not sure or slow to decide
(adj)
The team was hesitant to change the
rules quickly.
Align with
Align with (phrasal verb), Alignment (n), Aligned
(adj)
To agree with or match
The new rules must align with fair play
principles.
Concern
Concern (n), Concerned (adj), Worry (n)
A worry or problem
There is concern about players cheating
in the game.
Recognize
Recognize (v), Recognition (n), Recognizable (adj),
To accept or know something is true
Identify (v)
Many people recognize esports as real
sports now.

5.

Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the box below. Each word can only be used once.
Words to Use:
necessary, inclusion, exclusion, considered, violence, hesitant, align with, concern, recognize,
accessible
1.The inclusion of esports in the Olympics is __________ to attract a younger audience.
2.The __________ of violent video games ensures that the Olympics promote peace and respect.
3.Esports are __________ for inclusion due to their global popularity and engagement.
4.The IOC is __________ about including esports without thorough evaluation.
5.The Olympic Games must __________ the values of fair play and respect.
6.There is a growing __________ about the impact of esports on traditional sports viewership.
7.Esports should be __________ to a global audience through digital platforms.
8.The __________ of violent games from the Olympics ensures alignment with Olympic values.
9.The IOC may __________ esports as a legitimate sport in the future.

6.

EXERCISE 2. SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ THE TEXT
Match paragraphs with headings (7 mins):
1.Requirements for Cybersport
2.Olympics Virtual Series
3.Concerns About Violence.
4.The Debate on the Status of
Esports as Sports

7.

Match paragraphs with headings:
Will Cybersport be an Olympic Sport?
1.________________________
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been working to
engage younger generations in sports. To achieve this, they updated
the list of sports in the Olympics, adding skateboarding and surfing in
2016. However, the inclusion of video games, or cybersport, is way
more complicated. Esports are not universally accepted. Some critics
even go as far as to make the provocative argument that esports
should not be labelled as sports. On the other hand, we would argue
that esports are not activities based on the display of physical skills
and abilities in the same way as traditional sports. Therefore, it is
unnecessary to compare esports and traditional sports from the
perspective of the level of physicality required for athletes practicing
each respective discipline. After all, not all traditional sports,
especially among those recognized by the IOC, require comparable
levels of physical commitment.
• Requirements for Cybersport
• Olympics Virtual Series
• Concerns About Violence.
• The Debate on the Status of Esports as Sports
2. __________________________
The IOC is hesitant to include cybersport in the Olympics due to
combat sports have origins in real fighting, they are considered
civilized forms of sport. Therefore, violent video games, such as
first-person shooters, do not align with Olympic values. To explore
the world of video games, the IOC created the Olympic Esports
Series. This annual event features various virtual sports in a multisport format similar to the Olympics. However, first-person shooter
games will not be part of the Olympic Esports Games. The reason
for this exclusion is due to concerns about the violent content in
these games, which the International Olympic Committee believes
does not align with the Olympic values of promoting peace and
respect through sport. Therefore, there is a good chance that you
-Strike 2 at the
2025 Olympic Esports Games.

8.

3._________________________
In 2019, the IOC are seriously interested in video games, and
more specifically virtual reality based games. The Olympics
Virtual Series was the first digital experience at the Olympic
Games. Players competed in virtual hybrid sports that included
disciplines such as racing, sailing, rowing, cycling and baseball.
Virtual Series is a new, unique Olympic digital experience that
aims to grow direct engagement with new audiences in the field
of virtual sports. Its conception is in line with Olympic Agenda
4.___________________________
To be recognized in the Olympics, cybersport must meet several criteria. An
International Sports Federation must exist and be recognized by the IOC.
Additionally, the sport must involve men in 75 countries or women in 40
countries. Although cybersport meets these requirements, factors like popularity
and market potential are also important. All in all, it is up to the IOC to decide if
cybersport will be included in future Olympic Games. Additionally, to
Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker. Faker was a top professional League of
Legends player from South Korea, known for his great skills and smart play. He
won several world championships and was one of the best players in the world.
participation and promotes the Olympic values, with a special
between sports simulation games and traditional sports, and the
event itself gave gamers the opportunity to become part of the
Olympic movement.
athletes in traditional sports, top esports players trained hard, studied their
that esports required a lot of talent and effort, making them similar to
traditional Olympic sports. In fact, success in esports required high skill,
strategy, and teamwork. Recognizing this in the Olympics showed the talents of
modern athletes in a new way. As technology and digital entertainment became
a big part of our lives, adding esports to the Olympics reflected this change. It
story showed the skill and effort in esports. If esports are included in the
Olympics, the Games will attract new fans and will recognize the changes in
sports and entertainment. Adding esports will make the Olympics more exciting

9.

EXERCISE 3. DETERMINE WHETHER STATEMENTS
ARE TRUE OR FALSE (7 MINS)
1.Critics believe that esports require the same physical skills as traditional sports.
2.The Olympic Esports Series features a variety of gaming formats, including violent
shooter games.
3.The IOC's in two minds to include esports is primarily due to concerns about violent
content in certain games.
4.The Virtual Series primarily targeted younger audiences to promote esports.
5.Faker’s success demonstrates that only physical athletes achieve recognition in the
Olympics.
6.Several conditions must be met for esports to be officially recognized by the IOC.
7.The Olympic Virtual Series serves as a connection between traditional sports and
esports, enhancing audience engagement.

10.

MINI QUIZ.
EXERCISE 4. CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER (A, B, C, OR D).
(7 MINS)
1. Why do some critics argue that esports should not be called sports?
4. Why does the IOC exclude first-person shooter games from the Olympic
a) Because esports require no physical skills
Esports Series?
b) Because esports are too expensive
a) They promote violence and do not align with Olympic values
c) Because esports are not competitive
b) They are too expensive to organize
d) Because esports are too old-fashioned
c) They require too much physical activity
2. Which sports did the IOC add to attract younger generations in 2016?
a) Baseball and softball
b) Skateboarding and surfing
c) Chess and archery
d) Snowboarding and gymnastics
d) They are not popular enough
5. Which of the following is a criterion for cybersport to be recognized by the
IOC?
a) It must include violent video games
b) There must be an International Sports Federation recognized by the IOC
c) It must be played by people in at least 10 countries
3. How did Thomas Bach describe the Olympic Virtual Series?
d) It must be a traditional physical sport
a) A failed attempt to modernize the Olympics
6. Who is Faker and why is he important in the esports discussion?
b) A new, unique Olympic digital experience aimed at engaging youth
a) An IOC official who supports esports
c) An event only for professional gamers
b) A top professional League of Legends player who shows esports require skill and
d) A replacement for traditional sports
effort
c) A game developer who created esports titles
d) A traditional athlete who criticized esports

11.

ESPORT GAME