Inglês 2026

PART A – Reading I

Read a text about Cheating in Sports, and for questions 1 to 7, choose the correct answer (a, b, c, or d).

Cheating in Sports

Anyone who loves sports will agree that cheating is bad. For example, it was simply wrong for Spain to enter people who were not actually disabled into the 2000 Sydney Paralympics basketball team. But sometimes, it is hard to draw a line between what is cheating and what is not. Many sports encourage players to be ‘sporting’, that is, to play honestly and accept when they lose. However, in sports, the prizes for winning are great, so it is natural for people to use different ways to win a game. Sometimes players cheat or bend the rules to get an advantage in a game.

Gamesmanship is when you try to win a game by bending the rules or using dubious tactics. For example, when British Team cyclist Philip Hindes had a bad start in a team race in the 2012 Olympics, he didn’t want to let his team down, and since he knew that if a rider fell early, the race would be restarted, he crashed his bike on purpose. Britain went on to win gold.

Other examples of gamesmanship are when players fake injuries or waste time. This might give them a chance for a short rest, or it could annoy their opponent and affect their concentration. For example, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, badminton player Carolina Marins screamed and shouted every time her opponent made a mistake. This affected her opponent’s feelings, and people thought she behaved rudely. However, she won the gold medal without breaking any rules.

When there is a grey area, it is the referee or umpire’s job to decide whether cheating is taking place. However, players can take advantage of this situation because referees aren’t perfect and can’t see everything. For example, in cricket, if the ball hits a batter’s legs, he is out, and most batters know when they are out, so they should leave the field immediately. However, few cricketers are sporting. They wait until the umpire tells them to go because they want to stay in the game, and the umpire might not see what happened. This isn’t considered cheating.

However, there’s no denying that Diego Maradona cheated in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals between England and Argentina. In that particular match, Maradona infamously scored a goal using his hand. The referee, who missed the incident, awarded the goal, and unsurprisingly, Maradona didn’t question the decision. But the game of football, however, isn’t always so forgiving of those who bend the rules, as Brazilian player Rivaldo knows. In the 2002 World Cup, he faked an injury during a match. Unlike Maradona, Rivaldo wasn’t so lucky; he was caught out and was later fined, proving that the outcomes of such actions are not always in the player’s favour.

Sometimes, players might even try to lose on purpose. At the 2012 London Olympics, four women’s badminton doubles teams from China, Indonesia, and South Korea purposely played badly. They all wanted to lose because it would lead to an easier place in the tournament. Although none of the players broke any badminton rules, they were all disqualified for their poor sportsmanship.

Where there are games, people will always try different ways to win. But is bending the rules the same as cheating? Or does it just make the game more interesting because sports competitions are not only about physical skills but also about clever strategies?

Reading II

Read a text on “How to stay fit, happy, and healthy”, and for the gaps 8 to 14, choose the correct answer (a, b, c, or d) from the choices provided below the text.

How to stay fit, happy, and healthy

If you’ve been listening to the news, you already know about our national obesity levels rising by the day. It has never been more critical (8) _____ and to get an adequate amount of exercise and sleep to keep yourself fit and healthy. Though it may feel like really hard work at first, once you adopt an exercise routine and start (9) _____, you’ll forget you ever did things differently.

Here are just four of the top adjustments to make:

1. Get more sleep!

Sleep is huge, and almost a third of the US population doesn’t get nearly enough to stay physically and mentally healthy. If you are sleep deprived, try changing your habits in order (10) _____

2. Strive for a better diet

Look at your diet and what you’re eating now, and make changes where you see fit. If you are susceptible to snacking, keep a piece of fruit or a few nuts at hand. The key is to eat small meals throughout the day. Reduce portion sizes, eliminate white bread and replace it with whole grains, and make sure each meal includes at least one portion of fruit and/or vegetables. Healthy food doesn’t have (11) _____, and you can get an abundance of low-priced fruit and veggies, like apples, bananas, potatoes and peas.

3. Stop all those bad habits

Take a look at your current lifestyle and make a short list of everything you do that isn't good for your health. This could be anything, from eating too much junk food or drinking too much caffeine, to smoking or drinking. Start breaking these habits one by one. Some will be easy, while others may take months or maybe years (12) ______, but the sooner you start fighting, the better.

Some addictions (like smoking, drugs, or alcohol) are incredibly bad not only to your health, but also to your pocketbook. If you smoke and – or drink, start by cutting back on how many drinks you have, or cigarettes you smoke, in a day, and if necessary, seek medical advice and assistance (13) ______.

4. Exercise, exercise, exercise

We all should be doing at least 30 minutes of exercise, 3 to 4 or more times a week, (14) ______. This can be pretty much anything physical, like walking, cycling, running, swimming, or weightlifting. This too does not have to be expensive, and you can get a great workout without joining any costly gyms. Most of these exercises are inexpensive, and just doing a cardiovascular workout, like walking, jogging, or treadmill walking, a few times a week will do your body (and heart) good.

PART B: Grammar, Vocabulary & Language use

Read the sentences 15 to 60 and choose the correct or most suitable answer (a, b, c, or d) to complete the gaps in each sentence