Is Gaming a Real Sport?
An opinion article by a student about e-sports: the arguments in favour, the criticism and the writer's own view.
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1When I told my grandfather that some of my friends train for several hours a day to compete in video-game , he looked at me as if I had told him they were training to become professional sleepers. "That's not a sport," he said . "A sport makes you sweat." I understand his reaction, but I think he is only partly right. Competitive gaming, or e-sports, deserves more respect than it usually gets, even if its critics raise some fair points.
2Over the past two decades, e-sports have grown from small gatherings of fans into a global industry. Large now fill entire , and millions of people watch them online. Professional players belong to teams, have coaches, follow strict training schedules and even study recordings of their opponents, exactly as football players do. Some universities, particularly in the United States, now offer to talented gamers.
3Supporters argue that top-level gaming demands genuine skills. Players need lightning-fast reactions, hand-eye and the ability to make complex decisions under pressure, often in a fraction of a second. Team games require constant communication and cooperation. Chess has long been recognised as a "mind sport", they point out, so why should a strategy game played on a screen be treated differently?
4Critics, on the other hand, worry about the effects on young people's health. Sitting in front of a screen for many hours can lead to back and wrist pain, poor sleep and a lack of physical activity. Some parents fear that the dream of becoming a professional gamer encourages teenagers to their schoolwork, even though only a tiny number of players ever earn a living from playing. These concerns are serious, and I share some of them.
5However, the problem is not e-sports themselves but the way some people them. Many professional teams now encourage their players to exercise, eat well and sleep regularly, because a tired, unfit player makes slow decisions. In other words, success in e-sports depends on the same healthy habits as success in any other sport. Perhaps the question we should be asking is not whether gaming counts as a sport, but how to help young gamers play in a balanced way. As for my grandfather, I have invited him to watch a tournament with me next month. He has agreed — as long as I join him for his morning walk first.
📘 Glossary
- tournaments - competitions with many games, in which players try to win
- firmly - in a strong, sure way
- arenas - large buildings for sports or shows
- scholarships - money given to a student to pay for studies
- precise - exact and correct
- coordination - the ability to make different parts of the body work well together
- neglect - to not give enough care or attention to
- approach - to deal with something in a certain way
Questions
Making inferences
1. What does the grandfather's reaction in paragraph 1 show?Fact, opinion and stance
2. What is the writer's opinion, as stated in paragraph 1?Finding details
3. Give TWO ways in which professional gamers are similar to football players, according to paragraph 2.Word meaning
4. The word "genuine" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to…Purpose and structure
5. Why do supporters of e-sports mention chess?Finding details
6. Give TWO health problems that critics worry about.Word meaning
7. The word "neglect" in paragraph 4 means…Reference words
8. What does the word "them" in "I share some of them" (paragraph 4) refer to?Finding details
9. Why do many professional teams encourage their players to exercise and sleep well?Fact, opinion and stance
10. According to the writer, what question should we really be asking about e-sports?Making inferences
11. What can we learn from the last two sentences of the text?
Answer every question to get a score (0/11)