Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine

National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport

Time Left: 30:00
October 19–24, 2026 • Bachelor's Degree Level

All-Ukrainian Student Olympiad in Foreign Languages in the Field of Physical Culture and Sports

Department of Ukrainian and Foreign Languages • English Language B2 Proficiency Examination

Exam Instructions

Complete all 5 tasks within the 30-minute limit. Fill in your full name, student group, and university before beginning. Once submitted, your answers will be securely recorded.

Task 1

Sports Idioms & Contextual Expressions

6 points

Choose the correct sports idiom or expression to complete each sentence appropriately at a B2 level.

1. After weeks of intense training, the marathon runner felt ready to on race day by pacing himself carefully.

2. When the coach announced unexpected tactical changes right before the championship, we had to and adapt our strategy.

3. Our team captain urged everyone to during the final quarter instead of relying solely on star players.

4. Although they were losing 2-0 at halftime, the manager told the squad not to because a comeback was entirely possible.

5. The young gymnast performed brilliantly under pressure, completely with her flawless floor routine.

6. The university sports committee decided to midway through the tournament by changing qualification rules.

Task 2

Reading Comprehension: Modern Athletics & Tech

6 points

Text Extract: The landscape of modern physical culture has undergone a seismic shift over the past decade. Traditional athletics, once rooted exclusively in repetitive physical conditioning and stopwatch metrics, now intersect deeply with biomechanical engineering and artificial intelligence. Wearable inertial sensors monitor joint load angles in real time, alerting coaches to micro-tears and fatigue patterns before clinical injuries manifest.

Simultaneously, eSports and interactive virtual simulations have challenged traditional definitions of physical education. While purists argue that digital competition lacks kinetic exertion, sports physiologists point out cognitive endurance, reaction time optimization, and tactical spatial reasoning developed in virtual environments mirror high-level decision-making in team ball sports. Consequently, modern sports universities are redefining curricula to embrace both physical grit and digital literacy.

1. According to the text, what role do wearable inertial sensors play in modern athletics?

2. How are eSports viewed by sports physiologists in the context of physical education?

3. What does the expression "seismic shift" imply about modern physical culture?

4. How are modern sports universities reacting to these technological changes?

5. Traditional athletics relied solely on stopwatch metrics in the past.

6. Purists unanimously agree that eSports require high kinetic exertion.

Task 3

Open Cloze: Sports Psychology & Peak Performance

10 points

Fill in each gap (1–10) with one suitable word (preposition, article, auxiliary verb, or conjunction).

Achieving peak athletic performance depends not only physical conditioning, but also heavily upon mental resilience. Elite competitors frequently utilize visualization techniques rehearse complex tactical manoeuvres before stepping the field.

Sport psychologists emphasize athletes must learn how to manage competitive anxiety. When anxiety not controlled effectively, can lead to muscle tension and impaired focus. Therefore, breathing exercises are integral part of pre-competition warm-ups.

Furthermore, studies show athletes who maintain strong team communication perform better under pressure those who isolate themselves. Ultimately, mental training is crucial as physical drills for long-term success.

Task 4

Key Word Transformations

5 points

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Use between 2 and 5 words.

1. It was foolish of the team to underestimate their opponents in the quarterfinals. (SHOULD)

The team

2. They started the football match despite the heavy downpour. (EVEN)

They started the football match

3. Nobody in the university has ever broken the 100m sprint record. (EVER)

This is

4. "Why don't we organize an inter-faculty basketball tournament?" said the student president. (SUGGESTED)

The student president

5. The coach believes that our team has a good possibility to win the championship. (CHANCE)

The coach believes that our team

Task 5

Creative Writing Sprint

10 points

Choose one of the following prompts and write a coherent response of 120–150 words:

Option A: Sports Commentary Write a thrilling live broadcast commentary excerpt describing the final dramatic seconds of a university championship basketball game.
Option B: Halftime Locker Room Speech Compose an inspiring motivational speech delivered by a team captain to rally discouraged teammates during halftime.
Word count: 0 words Target: 120–150 words