To complete a study, a team of scientists left Boston and went to the middle of Kenya. They wanted to find out more about barefoot running.
Sure, people can run barefoot anywhere. But the Rift Valley Province in Kenya has produced some of the most famous long-distance runners in history, and many of these athletes grew up not wearing shoes. With a video camera in hand, scientist Daniel Lieberman and his colleagues visited some of these runners to figure out what a difference shoes make.
It was a big difference, and not necessarily for the better. In particular, when a bare foot hits the ground, the blow is softer and the running motion is smoother. This research suggests that running barefoot may have advantages over running with shoes on, though more studies are needed to determine whether or not barefoot running reduces the chances of injuries.
Previous studies have shown that when a person runs barefoot, he lands on the front or middle of the foot. Then the heel goes down. During this process, the weight of the body is at first on the front of the foot, then moves to the heel. When a person wears shoes, however, he tends to run so that his heel hits the ground first. The impact of the heel hitting the ground may be much more forceful than the impact of the front of the foot hitting the ground.
In the 1970s, shoe companies began selling running shoes that had cushioned soles (加垫子的鞋底). Those soles spread the body weight through the foot and may have influenced the way people ran. Once runners started wearing these shoes, they could land on their heels and still be comfortable.
The researchers also studied barefoot runners in their lab in Boston. The goal was to measure the force with which a runner’s foot hits the ground. By studying this force, the scientists could compare the impact of different running styles.
“A rear-foot strike is like someone hitting you on the foot with a hammer, with about one and a half to three times your body weight. It would hurt without a shoe,” Lieberman said. “A fore-foot strike is like having no one hit you at all.”
Lieberman’s study explores the physics of running, which is a complex topic. Reed Ferber is a biochemist at the University of Calgary, Canada. The idea that barefoot running is better is a big assumption. He said, “Basically, there are no studies out there that show barefoot running is less injurious.” In other words, don’t throw out those fancy running shoes just yet.”
43. The best title for the passage might be “________”.
A.The Study of Running Barefoot | B.The Function of Shoes in Running |
C.Race and Long-Distance Runners | D.Mystery of Increasing Running Speed |
44. The difference between running barefoot and running with shoes on lies in ________.
A.the feeling of feet when they touch the ground |
B.the force with which a runner’s foot hits the ground |
C.the way of spreading the body weight through the foot |
D.the degree of comfort one enjoys in running |
45. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Shoes with cushioned soles can greatly increase one’s running speed. |
B.The lighter a runner’s body weight is, the faster he can run. |
C.One of the advantages of barefoot running is less chance of injury. |
D.A fore-foot strike has great advantages over a rear-foot strike. |
46. What conclusion can we draw from the passage?
A.Future runners will be trained in a barefoot way. |
B.People prefer running with shoes on to running barefoot. |
C.There is still no clear evidence that running barefoot is superior to running with shoes on. |
D.Some running shoes may bring about amazing results to the people who wear them. |