1 . Thirteen can be a challenging age. Not only did I have to _______ my changing body, I also had to deal with the _______ move from my country home to a crowded suburb.

When we moved, my beloved _______, a small brown pony, had to be sold. Feeling alone, I couldn’t eat or sleep. I missed my friends and my pony. My father realized that and _______ an old horse for me in the market. I named him Cowboy.

Cowboy was without a doubt the _______ horse in the world, and he was pigeon-toed and knock-kneed. But I didn’t _______ his faults. I loved him beyond all reason. I joined a riding club and _______ rude comments about Cowboy’s looks. I never revealed how I felt, but deep down inside, my heart was _______. When Cowboy and I entered the events _______ the horse is judged on appearance, we were ________ out of the game. This ________ experience made me determined to do something.

And then I realized that my only chance to ________ would be in the timed-speed events. I chose barrel racing (绕桶比赛). For the whole next month I woke up early every day, rode Cowboy five miles to the arena (比赛场) and we ________ for hours in the hot sun.

My turn ________ came. At the signal, we dashed toward the first barrel, quickly whipped around it and with perfect precision ________ the second and thundered on to the third. We tore around the final curve and shot for the ________ line. No cheers filled the air. The end of our run was met with surprised ________. With the sound of my heart pounding in my ears, I heard the ________ call our time. Cowboy and I had beaten other fancy horses and won the blue ribbon!

________, I gained much more than a blue ribbon that day. At thirteen, I realized that no matter what the difficulties, I’d always come out a ________ if I wanted something badly enough to work for it. I can be the master of my own destiny.

3 . It was the final part of the 2016 World Triathlon Series in Mexico. With jus700 meters to go, Alistair Brownlee was in third place and his younger brother Jonny, was in the lead. Alistair pushed himself towards the finish line in the burning heat, but as he came round the corner, he saw his brother about to fall onto the track Alistair had to choose -brotherly love, or a chance to win the race?

For Alistair, the choice was clear. His brother was in trouble. He had to help. Alistair ran towards Jonny, caught him and started pulling him towards the finish line. Alistair then pushed his brother over the line. The move put Jonny in second place and Alistair himself in third. It was an unexpected end to the race, but Alistair did not want to discuss it with the media. He just wanted to see his younger brother who had been rushed to the medical area.

The Brownlee brothers have been doing triathlons since they were children “Obviously, when your older brother is doing it, you think it’s a cool thing to do,’says Jonny. Alistair says that they encourage each other as much as they can where they train. Despite argument s over “stupid things” now and then, Alistair agrees than having a brother is an advantage. “Throughout my entire life, I’ve had my brother trying to beat me at everything I do. It has been a fantastic driving force.”

Watched by millions, the ending to the race has varied opinions: should the brothers have been disqualified or highly praised for their actions? But for Alistair his decision was easy to explain: “Mum wouldn’t have been happy if I’d left Jonny behind.” At that moment, he was no longer an athlete aiming for a me dal - he was just a brother.

4 . Even though people have been paralyzed (瘫痪的) playing sports like rugby and football, extreme sports take the whole ordeal (磨难) to the next level. Sports like downhill cycling are very dangerous because one would be going downhill, over rocky or dirt zone, through forests, even at potentially deadly speeds. A slip up could be your downfall.

Nobody who gets into extreme sports goes with the desire to do harm to themselves. With that, athletes train for years and years before they attempt anything extreme. To most people, extreme sports are extreme simply because they take more skill than what an average person has. An athlete with skill and training makes an extreme thing become a daily routine, which does not wipe out the danger, but greatly reduces it.

Even when there is a lot of skill involved, things might not go the athlete’s way, not at all. Luck and circumstances have a lot to do with how things develop, whether above 8,000 meters or in a wood, going downhill. In some places, crossing the street is an extreme sport, considering how wild traffic can get.

Some view parkour, the sports of running, jumping and climbing under, around and through buildings, as an extreme sport, while it is more of a life philosophy, where the athlete does not have to do anything remotely dangerous. Free soloing, which means climbing a rock or ice face without safety gear, is absolutely deadly, where one slip means almost certain death, depending on the height, of course. Skateboarding is relatively safe, but if you constantly find ridiculous places to practice on, like the fence of a bridge, then things can get very complicated. The extreme part depends on the athlete.

To summarize, yes, extreme sports are dangerous, but the danger depends on the athlete, their choice of sport, direction in which they take it, as well as the circumstances. Some things are out of our control, while others we can influence through exercise and healthier risk choices.

Li Jin

10 . Kayaking(皮划艇) is an activity enjoyed by many people of all ages. It requires little or no experience and nearly anyone of any skill level can participate. It’s most popular as a summertime sport, but it is also a great activity during the winter. Kayaking also seems relatively friendly to the environment, more so than speed boating or water skiing. Because a kayak doesn’t create large or frequent waves, require fuel, or let off polluted air, it is indeed a fairly safe activity for humans and wildlife alike.

Kayaking on freshwater lakes and streams creates little turbulence and therefore does not disturb fish or other aquatic life. Actually, the gentle paddling and movement of the kayak helps to bring seaweed to the surface, making for convenient snacking to the fish. However, there is a drawback to the all-you-can-buffet for your fishy friends. In addition to bringing food to the surface, kayaking also stirs up litter that’s been hiding beneath the waters. Some aquatic animals will mistake it for food. This could cause the animals to choke on the indigestible litter, leading to death. As hazardous as this sounds, it isn’t very likely for such an event to take place. Most litter in lakes and streams is found along the shoreline and settles in the sand and dirt, and isn’t likely to drift away to the main body of water. Unlike boats operated by motor and fuel, kayaks pose little or no harm to the fish swimming beneath. And because kayaks do not have a motor, fish have no risk of getting caught underneath the boat.

One potential hazard that results from kayaking is human waste. This depends solely on where you plan to kayak, and if there are resources available (such as campsites) along the shoreline. When there are no facilities in sight, you’re paddling in the middle of a lake, and nature calls, then often you are given no choice but to expel your waste in the middle of the water. While human waste is considered biodegradable, it can be harmful when swallowed by fish. The only preventative measure is to avoid using the water as a restroom. Some public lakes and streams have taken steps to preserve the quality of the water by requiring permits for kayaking. This won’t ease the human waste problem, but does help regulate entry into the lake and prevent it from becoming overcrowded.

An important factor to remember when kayaking is that you are a guest in someone else’s home. You may not be greeted by anyone or be able to kick up your feet and watch TV, but the water is home to many aquatic animals and wildlife. Just as you would not throw trash on the floor or destroy the home of another, you shouldn’t do it outdoors either. Keep all trash with you in your kayak and properly dispose of it after you return to shore. By doing your part, you will help keep kayaking a safe and enjoyable activity for yourself and the environment.