1 . The United States is a sports-loving nation. Sports in America take various forms: organized competitive struggles, athletic games, hunting and fishing. Most sports are seasonal, so that what is happening in sports depends upon the time of year.
Baseball is the most popular sport in the US. It is played throughout the spring and summer, and professional baseball teams play well into the fall.
Football is the most popular sport in the fall. The game originated as a college sport more than 75 years ago. It’s not the same as European football or soccer. In American football there are 11 players as well on each team, and they are dressed in padded uniforms and helmets because the game is rough and injuries are likely to occur. It is still played by almost every college and university in the country.
Basketball is the winner sport in American schools and colleges. Like football, basketball originated in the US, many Americans prefer it to football because it is played indoors throughout the winter and because it is a faster game. And the famous NBA games are considered the best of this game.
Other sports attracting a great many people include wrestling, boxing and horse racing. Although horse-racing fans call themselves sportsmen, the exactness of the term is questionable, as only the jockeys who ride the horses in the races can be considered athletes. The so-called sportsmen are the spectators, who do not come primarily to see the horses race, but to bet (打赌) upon the outcome of cach race. Gambling is the attraction of horse racing.
1. Baseball is so popular in America that some professional teams play it until __________.| A．spring | B．Summer | C．fall | D．winter |
| A．to avoid unexpected injuries |
| B．to play it like European football |
| C．to make the game difficult enough |
| D．to look like professional players |
| A．NBA games are very popular |
| B．it comes from the US |
| C．it is much faster than football |
| D．it is played indoors all the winter |
| A．mainly stand and watch the races |
| B．don’t ride horse in the races |
| C．are only interested in the results |
| D．don’t care who wins in the races |
| A．the person who bets upon the race |
| B．the person who cares about horse-racing |
| C．the rider who enjoys watching the race |
| D．the rider who competes in horse-racing |
2 . “Barefoot Mike” gets a lot of attention when he shows up at the beginning of a race. He loves to run and has been running since he was a kid. He loves to and often competes in 10K races. But That’s not the reason he gets so much attention. People notice him because when he runs, “Barefoot Mike” runs barefoot.
Running barefoot has become a huge trend in the world of running. “I didn’t set out to be a trend setter,” laughed “Barefoot Mike”, otherwise known as Mike Whitaker. “I’ve always been a runner, but until a few years ago, I always wore shoes. Then one day I was running after a rainstorm. I stepped off into the grass to avoid a puddle (水坑) on the sidewalk, and accidentally stepped into a huge muddy puddle that had been hidden in the grass. I tried to keep running, but the wet and dirty shoe made it really hard. I figured the best solution was to just get rid of the shoes.”
Mike took off his shoes and dropped them into the nearest trash can. “Then I started running. At first I went really slowly because I was watching out for rocks or other things that could hurt my feet, but there really weren’t any problems.” He started going faster. “It felt so good!” Mike said. “My knee, which always ached, didn’t ache. My foot was able to spread out so I had better balance. And my feet didn’t feel all hot and sweaty. It was awesome!”
“There are actually potential health benefits to running barefoot” said Dr. Nancy Bower, a podiatrist (足科医师).
A recent study agrees. A team of researchers recently videotaped several people running—first wearing shoes and then barefoot. In almost every case, when wearing shoes, the runners tended to land on the heel of their foot, which they call “heel-striking.” Many runners have impact injuries such as knee pain. Heel-striking may be the cause of these injuries or may make an existing injury worse. When running barefoot, the runners tended to land on the middle part of the foot. The force is spread out throughout the foot. The ankle, shin (胫部), knee and hip don’t get the shock of a hard landing with every step.
1. Why does Mike receive a lot of attention while running?| A．Because he runs very fast. | B．Because he loses his shoes. |
| C．Because he wears no shoes. | D．Because he wears strange clothes. |
| A．He liked running barefoot. |
| B．He was advised to run barefoot. |
| C．His shoe became very uncomfortable. |
| D．His dream of becoming famous motivated him. |
| A．was very tired | B．was badly hurt |
| C．gave up running | D．felt unexpectedly great |
| A．is bad for one’s health |
| B．is caused by existing injuries |
| C．happens when one runs barefoot |
| D．can be avoided by wearing sports shoes |
| A．How to choose shoes. | B．Why people need shoes. |
| C．Useful tips on running barefoot. | D．The advantages of running barefoot. |
According to a review of evidence in a medical journal, runners live three years
The best exercise is one that you enjoy and will do. But otherwise… it's probably running. To avoid knee pain, you can run on soft surfaces, do exercises to
