There are many ways we can enjoy sport—watching it on TV or a smartphone, attending an event at a stadium or even playing the game. Bu for those who enjoy getting competitive with their computer gaming, there are realistic-looking games to be played without leaving home. And people’s interest in this type of sport—if that’s what we can call it—has gone to a new level.
Initially, grabbing a controller and playing a game was individual activity. But around 20 years ago computers became cheaper and the Internet became faster, which made it much easier for more people to get involved with computer gaming. This led to gamers connecting with each other around the word, so they could go head-to-head online. It also became a spectator sport, with people watching others play. The whole experience has been given the name “esports”—Electronic Sports.
Now, huge esports tournaments take place all over the world in big arenas (竞技场) with large crowds. Diehard enthusiasts, who have become first-rate players, are now well-known—some play together in teams. Its top stars can earn millions of dollars a year, without even breaking into a sweat! And fans from around the world tune in to watch the action online. The global audience is now estimated at more than 200 million and growing. Annual profits from esports, currently around 650 million dollars for events, continue to rise with billions more through the video games sales.
Famous football clubs are now trying to get in on the action. England’s Football Association for example launched its first esports team this year, known as the eLions. It recruited (招募) FIFA 19 players to represent them at the FIFA eNations Cup. Mark Bullingham, the FA’s chief commercial and football development officer, said “The FA prides itself on being a modern, innovative organization that tries to engage and inspire all generations of football fans.”
But while this virtual version of football might give footballers a chance to get closer to the real game, some might argue the lack of physical activity means it shouldn’t be called a sport—and the biggest winners are the companies who promote and sell esports.
1. What contributed most to the popularity of esports?| A．The support from the public. | B．Cheaper computers and faster Internet. |
| C．The advanced sports equipment. | D．People’s preference for individual activities. |
| A．They have become a big industry. | B．They make players get rich easily. |
| C．They will replace traditional sports. | D．They have a great impact on other sports. |
| A．To explain why it has become interested in esports. |
| B．To tell readers it is taking the lead in hosting esports. |
| C．To state the officers are proud of its achievements in esports. |
| D．To show famous football clubs are getting involved in esports. |
| A．The Rise of Esports |
| B．The Advantages of Esports |
| C．Esports Teams: Famous for Star Players |
| D．Esports Tournaments: Exciting and Fantastic Events |
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【推荐1】Here’s an idyllic scene: a small village where the sun always shines crops always grow and your friends drop by to sweep your yard to the sound of guitar music. Animals do what they are told there is no disease and lending folks a helping hand makes you richer and wiser. Welcome to Farm Ville --- current population 69m and rising fast.
“It reminds me of my childhood,” says one player, Lia Curran, 37, a chemist from London. “Right now I’m growing wheat and poinsettia, I’ve got a small orchard and I’m keeping some chickens and some cows. I like having the animals. It’s comfortable.”
Curran’s young animals, however, are nothing more than a collection of computer-controlled cartoons. Farm Ville is an online computer game built into the social networking site Facebook and is described by its players as “addictive”. Launched last June by Zynga Game Network, Farm Ville now has more players than Twiter’s entire user base --- or more than the population of the UK. The players are largely women over the age of 35.
Jenny Glyn, 33, a London housewife, started playing in September. “I had a look at a friend’s farm and was hooked” she says. “My first motivation was to overtake her, but I did that pretty quickly. Now there’s something satisfying about growing crops.”
Farm Ville intellectually unites the worlds of social networking and gaming. Players are given a patch of ground with six fields, “cash”, a few seeds and a plough and have to build up wealth, skills and neighbors to create bigger, better, richer farms.
Inviting your online friends to play means you earn more and get free gifts; you rise rapidly through the first levels but once hooked have to work harder and harder with no final level or goal in sight. “It’s very moreish,” says Curran. She hasn’t yet paid real-world money to advance in the game, but her friends do. One buys extra virtual currency at the exchange rate of $240 (￡145) in Farm Ville for $40 (￡24) in the real world.
“I’d expanded on Farm Ville as much as I could, but I just wanted a pond and some bushes and trees around it,” says the woman, who is too embarrassed to be named. “I didn’t tell my husband I’d paid real money because he’d think I’m mad. But then he did keep me waiting in the car outside our house while he harvested his raspberries.”
Brian Dudley, chief executive at Broadway Lodge, an addiction treatment centre, warns that this sort of obsessive play can lead to an addiction as severe as gambling.
1. What does Curran do in the passage?| A．She is a player. | B．She is a farmer who grows wheat and poinsettia. |
| C．She is a chemist. | D．She is a housewife who raises chickens and cows. |
| A．an addictive farm on which live 69 million farmers |
| B．a London housewife’s farm |
| C．an online computer game built into the social networking site |
| D．a farm on which people grow real crops and play as well |
| A．because he was angry at his wife’s being mad about the farm |
| B．because he himself was busy with his farm |
| C．in order to punish his wife for her having paid real money |
| D．so that his wife would wake up from her addiction to the farm |
| A．The population of the UK is less than 69 million. |
| B．This sort of obsessive play can cause very severe addiction. |
| C．Once hooked one has to make greater efforts to reach a higher level. |
| D．Up till now nobody has yet paid real-world money to advance in the play. |
【推荐2】So how do you kill time to relax yourself? Here are some of the things my friends and I did to have fun without modern conveniences last month.
Card games
Playing cards can bring hours of fun! It is the most common card game. You only need a pack of cards. The games include ‘President’, ‘Cheat’ and a take on the game ‘UNO’.
Hunt the thimble
One player hides a thimble or another small object in a room, while the other players stay outside. The other players then return to the room and look for the object. The player who hid the thimble can give clues or say ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ depending on how close the players are to the object. The person who finds the item first wins.
Board games
Board games are great at helping pass the time on a dull day. In the game, players have to deduce (推断) the mystery of the story. For example, when solving the mystery of the broken toy, players have to discover which toy it was, who broke it, and when it was broken.
Consequences
This is a very amusing game. All you need is a pen and piece of paper for each person in the group. Everyone writes the beginning of a story. Then it is passed to the next person in the circle, who writes the next word or sentence. But the challenge is that the paper is folded so that only the most recent phrase can be seen before being passed again to the next player, who writes the next line and so on. After ten sentences have been written, the whole story is seen clearly. Usually there will be some funny stories to make you laugh!
1. Which game favors a player good at finding/hidden objects?| A．Card games. | B．Hunt the thimble. | C．Board games. | D．Consequences. |
| A．Players need a pen and piece of paper. |
| B．Players must write clearly and completely. |
| C．Players should write the beginning of a story on the paper. |
| D．Players can only see the most recent part of the folded paper. |
| A．To instruct readers to play four games. | B．To compare which game is more funny. |
| C．To introduce some games to pass the time. | D．To inform readers he could play four games. |
【推荐3】Since the beginning of history, people have played games. Children in one country may play games that are quite different from those played anywhere else in the world. Here are some interesting games that you and your friends can try.
The Mouse Game (The Philippines)
In this game, a piece of string is tied to the player’s hand. One part of the string represents (代表) the “cat” while the other part is the “mouse”. The aim of the game is for the cat to catch the mouse and for the mouse to escape just in time. It teaches you to focus and move your fingers fast.
Pinata (Mexico)
A pinata is a colorful box made from papers and filled with sweets and toys. Children are blindfolded and take turns at trying to hit the pinata, which usually hangs (悬挂) on a tree or pole. When someone breaks open the pinata, the children run to get the sweets and toys, which they can take away as gifts. This game improves your sense of direction.
Help (China)
Chasing games are popular all around the world. In China, one player is chosen to be the chaser and runs after the other players until someone is caught. No equipment is needed to play this game, but it helps to run fast and have a loud voice for shouting.
Doorkeeper (Afghanistan)
In the villages of Afghanistan, there is no limit to the number of players who can take part in the game. A small rubber ball is all you need to play the game. It helps to have quick reactions and focus your eyes on the ball because you need to prevent the ball getting into the net.
1. Which game offers players presents in the end?| A．The Mouse Game. | B．Pinata. | C．Help. | D．Doorkeeper. |
| A．It needs no equipment. | B．It limits player numbers. |
| C．It trains quick reaction. | D．It needs close attention. |
| A．To explain the game rules. | B．To introduce some fun games. |
| C．To tell the origin (起源) of games. | D．To show the advantages of games. |
【推荐1】Over the years, cheerleading has taken two primary forms: game-time cheerleading and competitive cheerleading. Game-time cheerleader’ main goal is to entertain the crowd and lead them with team cheers, which should not be considered a sport. However, competitive cheerleading is more than a form of entertainment. It is really a competitive sport.
Competitive cheerleading includes lots of physical activity. The majority of the teams require a certain level of tumbling (翻腾运动) ability. It’s a very common thing for gymnasts, so it’s easy for them to go into competitive cheerleading. Usually these cheerleaders integrate lots of their gymnastics experience including their jumps, tumbling, and overall energy. They also perform lifts and throws. This is where the “fliers” are thrown in the air, held by “bases” in different positions that require strength and working with other teammates.
Competitive cheerleading is also an activity that is governed by rules under which a winner can be declared. It is awarded points for technique, creativity and sharpness. Usually the more difficult the action is, the better the score is. That’s why cheerleaders are trying to experience great difficulty in their performance. Besides, there is also a strict rule of time. Any performance beyond the limit of time is invalid (无效的).
Another reason for the fact that competitive cheerleading is one of the hardest sports is that it has more reported injuries. According to some research, competitive cheerleading is the number one cause of serious sports injuries to women. Emergency room visits for it are five times the number than for any other sport, partially because cheerleaders don’t use protective equipment. Smiling cheerleaders are thrown into the air and move down into the arms of the teammates, which may easily cause injuries. Generally, these injuries affect all areas of the body, including wrists, shoulders, ankles, head, and neck.
There can be no doubt that competitive cheerleading is a sport with professional skills. Hopefully, it will appear in the Olympics since cheerleaders are just as athletic and physically fit as those involved in the more accepted sports. It should be noted that it is a team sport and even the smallest mistake made by one teammate can bring the score of the entire team down. So without working together to achieve the goal, first place is out of reach.
1. What is the main purpose of competitive cheerleading?| A．To compare skills of participants. |
| B．To make the audience feel amused. |
| C．To attract more people to watch events. |
| D．To cheer up the competitors on the court. |
| A．examine | B．combine | C．identify | D．replace |
| A．lacks necessary guidelines to follow |
| B．enjoys greater popularity than other sports |
| C．requires more designed actions than gymnastics |
| D．has a relatively high rate of damage to the body |
【推荐2】Two years ago, Beijing became the first city ever to hold both Summer and Winter Olympic Games after winning the 2022 Winter Olympics bid with co-host city Zhangjiakou, bringing snow and ice sports into public spotlight. Now, let’s take a look at some of the most popular events in the Winter Olympic Games.
Figure skating
Figure skating is one of the most popular sports at the Winter Olympics, in which ice skaters, singly or in pairs, perform freestyle movements of jumps, spins, lifts, and footwork in a graceful manner. The figure skating competition is one of the fiercest at the Winter Olympics — one slight error, and a competitor’s chance of a medal goes up in smoke. To win the game, the skater has to be flawless.
Curling
Curling is one of the most unique sports at the Winter Olympics — a winter sport played by two teams of four players on a rectangular sheet of ice. The two teams take turns to slide (滑动) large round flat stones towards a target. Members of each team use brooms to sweep the surface of the ice in the path of the stone to control its speed and direction.And while curling may be a “slow” sport, it’s still full of skill, suspense and excitement!
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a popular winter sport that involves sliding downhill on snow with a snowboard firmly attached to a rider's feet. The sport is said to have been inspired by surfing, skiing and skateboarding, as an alternative to alpine skiing (高山滑雪).While snowboarding is one of the newer events — first included at the 1998 Winter Olympics, it has become one of the most popular and exciting sports at the Winter Olympics.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey is a game between two teams who wear skates and compete on an ice rink (溜冰场). Each team usually has six players. The object is to push the puck (冰球) past a goal line and into a net guarded by a goalkeeper. Ice hockey is popular for its speed and frequent physical contact. Worldwide there are more than a million registered Ice hockey players performing regularly in leagues.
1. Which of the winter sports mentioned above involves team work?| A．Figure skating and Curling. |
| B．Curling and Ice hockey. |
| C．Snowboarding and Figure skating. |
| D．Snowboarding and lee hockey. |
| A．elegant and faultless | B．inspired and excited |
| C．skillful and defensive | D．calm and fashionable |
| A．The curling ice path is brushed to help the stone slide. |
| B．Minor mistakes can be ignored in figure skating. |
| C．Over a million become ice hockey league members each year. |
| D．Snowboarding originated from skiing, surfing and shooting. |
After two years of chemo(化疗)that helped control the disease，my body was weak and lifeless．I felt as if I were a puppet who needed help to lift his arms or hold up his head．
I began to run．After six months my strength had come back．On one of my runs，one where I felt I could run forever，I decided I was going to try to run a marathon．
After telling my Dad about my plan，he told me of a program that trains people to run a marathon，while raising funds for Leukemia research at the same time．So that summer，through the Leukemia Society’s Team in Training program，I started to train for the Marine Corps Marathon．During mile after mile of uncertainty，the day finally came to run the marathon．
On October 27，1996，at 8 A．M．，along with l9,000 other brave souls I started on a 26.2-mile journey that I will never forget．
I first saw my wife Patty at the six-mile mark . She seemed happy that I was still looking as if I knew what I was doing，and having a good time doing it．At Mile l7，my mind was going back to those two horrible years that tried to bring my family and me down．I saw her again．The concern in her face told me she knew I was starting to struggle．I felt as if we were thinking the same，nine more miles and these last few years will be behind us．
That thought alone pulled me forward．Mile 22，23，slowing but going，24，25，then there it was．The Iwo Jima War Memorial．I have seen nothing so grand and inspiring in my life．Three hours and forty-one minutes after I started，I crossed what I think has to be the most fitting finish line in all of road racing!
That night the Leukemia Society gave me a pin at a post-race party that simply says，“Leukemia 26.2”．
If God wills，my cancer may once again take away my hair and my strength，maybe even my life．But it can never take away my pin，or the fact that I am a marathoner .
1. The writer decided to run a marathon because __________ .
| A．he wanted to raise money for Leukemia research |
| B．he believed he was able to take the challenge |
| C．he hoped to recover his strength through training |
| D．his dad knew about the race and made the suggestion |
| A．He has always been dreaming of becoming a marathoner． |
| B．The training he took that summer well prepared him for the race． |
| C．Those running in the race were mostly Leukemia patients like him . |
| D．His wife was with him during the marathon to give him support． |
| A．Because running a marathon is the most suitable sport for him． |
| B．Because the memorial is the most powerful construction he has seen． |
| C．Because he considers it a victory over his disease to finish the race． |
| D．Because 26.2 miles is the most reasonable distance for road racing． |
| A．Optimistic and outspoken | B．Strong-willed and determined |
| C．Generous and easy-going | D．Brave and warm-hearted |
【推荐1】Reading books and looking at pictures is great, but nothing facilitates (促进) learning like travel, especially for teenagers. Not only do they get to see a world beyond their neighborhood, they also get to experience it, feel it, taste it, hear it and better understand the world around them.
After nearly four decades in the classroom and traveling the world, Phyllis Duvall Bailey knew this perhaps better than anyone else.
Becoming involved in the work in AKA Sorority Inc in US, she worked to educate children about the United Nations. There was no doubt in Bailey's mind that the lessons would mean so much more if the students could see things for themselves.
Starting in 2015, Bailey, 82, set out to take her students to the UN Headquarters in New York City to give them a “Window Seat to the World”, and thus transformed them into global citizens.
Indeed, it is a great opportunity to give students national and international exposure. Since Bailey saw the students as future leaders, she was desperate to expose them to the UN, its mission, its agendas (议程) and its supporting organizations.
She decided to give $10, 000 of her own money to pay for the late June trip, enough to take 10 students aged 14-17 on a four-night stay in New York. There, they had guided tours of the UN Headquarters and the New York City Harbor (海港).
It was Quenyaun Payne's first trip to the city and Taylor Sappington's second. Payne, 17, is a senior at Mceachem High School in the state of Georgia, US. Sappington, 15, is a junior at Therrell High School in Atlanta, Georgia, US. Both said their visit to the UN was inspiring.
“I like not only how countries are working together but they're focused on common goals like global warming and keeping peace,” Sappington said.
Payne commented, “The trip was amazing. I'm so thankful Mrs. Bailey made it possible.”
Actually, there are a lot of people grateful for the retired teacher's effort. The United Nations Association of Atlanta recently gave Bailey its Humanitarian Award, and the United Nations Association of the US-awarded her with the National Education Award.
But Bailey wasn't looking for recognition or even gratitude. Over those four days in New York, she'd already felt it and seen it in the eyes of those 10 teenagers, Payne and Sappington included, who made the trip.
“It has been a real joy to get to see and watch their reaction to new experiences,” she said.
1. The underlined word “this” in Paragraph 2 refers to___.| A．the benefits of traveling | B．good reading habits |
| C．new teaching methods | D．the things teenagers like |
| A．She offered them voluntary opportunities at the UN. |
| B．She paid for trips that helped students see the world. |
| C．She paid for them to go to school in other countries. |
| D．She taught them some useful life-long reading skills. |
| A．He determines to work for the UN in the future. |
| B．He shows no interest in global affairs at all. |
| C．He finds the trip to the UN greatly instructive. |
| D．He wants to visit New York City once again. |
| A．Students' gratitude. | B．Social recognition. |
| C．Students' gains. | D．Official awards. |
【推荐2】Like any language, English has many variations （ 变形） in vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation. The differences can be regional or even exist within the same city! As a Canadian who lives in Vancouver, I have always known these differences, but I didn’t get to experience them firsthand until I began attending an American university.
I found that there are some Canadian words that people in the US just don’t understand like “tuque”, which is a warm, knitted hat. My friends tease me every time I use the “washroom,” as the word isn’t used in the US - “bathroom”, “toilet” and “restroom” are often used instead. In a similar way, when I asked my friend what marks he got on his test, he gave me a confused look. People in the US only say “grades”.
Though certain Canadian expressions sound very different from our North American neighbor, they share the same original language because both served as colonies（殖民地）of the former British Empire. This cultural heritage survives through speech and language.
Unlike American English, most Canadian spellings are similar to the British words. In the US, words like “harbour” and “colour” are spelled without the “u”. Even so, some words changed in Canada, like “aluminum”. British people spell and pronounce this word as “aluminium”.
As a result, Canadian English has developed an identity of its own. For example, we cannot forget the most important word in Canadian English: sorry. While it isn’t really the most important word, Canadians have a reputation for being polite and friendly. I, for one, want to preserve that reputation and honor my Canadian roots, even while I’m in the United States.
“Language brings with it an identity and a culture…,” wrote South African comedian Trevor Noah in his book, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Child. “A language barrier says ‘We’re different.’ A shared language says ‘We’re the same’.”
1. Why might Americans fail to understand Canadians sometimes?| A．Canadian English is more challenging. |
| B．There exist differences in the two languages. |
| C．Canada is less strongly influenced by the former British Empire. |
| D．Canadians attach more importance to being polite and friendly. |
| A．Excuse me, where’s the bathroom? |
| B．The girl student got good grades on her exams. |
| C．I’m sorry that he laboured all day in the harbour. |
| D．The window of the toilet is made of aluminium. |
| A．never sees the difference between different kinds of English |
| B．is always looked down upon by his friends in the US |
| C．found great difficulty adapting to university life in the US |
| D．does not want to lose his identity as a Canadian |
| A．language is an important carrier of culture |
| B．most of the languages have the same origin |
| C．one culture’s meat is another culture’s poison |
| D．honesty is the key to crossing the language barrier |
【推荐3】Researchers from Purdue University have developed a simple printing process that changes any paper or cardboard packaging into a keyboard, keypad or other easy-to-use human machine interfaces(界面). The technology makes use of a special coating that’s resistant to liquids and dust, which allows multiple circuit (电路) layers to be printed on top of the paper without any dirt between the layers. On the other side of the paper, standard ink printing can then be used to point out where the buttons are, and what they represent. When the printed parts of the paper get pressed, they’re able to send signals over Bluetooth to another device—a laptop, for example. You’ve then got a lightweight, foldable keyboard that can be taken anywhere and easily wiped clean when needed.
Researcher Ramses Martinez says this is the first time that a self-powered paper-based electronic device has been displayed. Also, the technology allows the construction of vertical pressure sensors that don’t require an outer battery thanks to their ability to harvest energy from the tap of a finger. The technology can be used together with conventional printing processes. It could be accomplished easily and rapidly to turn cardboard packaging or paper into smart packaging or a smart human-machine interface.
The technology is great. It’s good for the environment because the paper can be simply recycled again. These paper devices are cheap to produce as well—less than $0.25 each, according to the researchers. Potential uses include smart packaging, or where temporary input devices are required.
“I expect this technology to help the user interact with food packaging—checking whether the food is safe to be consumed, or allowing users to sign the package that arrives at home by dragging their fingers over the box to properly identify themselves as the owner of the package.” says Martinez. “Additionally, our group showed that simple paper sheets from a notebook can be transformed into music player interfaces for users to choose songs and play them.”
1. What can we learn from the first Paragraph?| A．The technology can turn any paper into a screen. |
| B．The keyboard is complicated and heavy. |
| C．The technology uses the coat with liquids and dust resistance. |
| D．The keyboard can’t be connected to other devices. |
| A．The battery within it. | B．User’s touch on it. |
| C．The power energy stored in it. | D．The outer battery. |
| A．Positive. | B．Suspicious. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Conservative. |
| A．A music player interface created for musicians. |
| B．The application of a new printing technology. |
| C．A special coating resisting circuit layers onto paper. |
| D．A simple printing process making keyboards out of any paper. |
