1 . In my latest novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, I wanted to draw on this ancient Greek tradition of sponge (海绵) diving; and explore the traditions surrounding the way of life. My fictional island of Helios, therefore, has a long association with sponge diving, and the heroine Oriel, a newcomer to the island and a diver herself, is keen to learn all about it.

Damian, the leader of the island, explains to Oriel that in his father’s generation, sponge diving was one of the main industries on the island. A sizeable group of islanders would leave each May-yet in the autumn, a smaller group would return. “In those days,” Damian explains, “one man in three was either dead or crippled (残疾的) from the caisson disease before they reached marriageable age.” Under Damian’s leadership, other means of earning a living are being developed-such as olive oil production. But some of the men continue to follow in their ancestors’ footsteps and dive for sponges, and each year there are still two or three deaths.

The emotional impact of these losses on the little island community is apparent to Oriel when she comes across a shrine (祠堂) by the port. There she sees tiny paintings that tell the story of the sponge divers, and before the paintings, so many flowers and gifts. They are laid by the women of the sponge-diving families, as offerings for protection for their men and as thanks for the miracle of their safe return.

Why, Oriel wonders, would these men take the risk? After all, with synthetic (合成的) sponges flooding the market, sponge diving is nowhere near as lucrative as it used to be. “It comes down to tradition,” Damian explains: “To the romantic young, it naturally seems a grand thing to sail away every summer to the shores of Africa and to come back, pockets full of money, hailed a hero... I have seen young boys playing at sponge fishing: swimming underwater, wearing the sponge-fisher’s mask and carrying their spear, pretending to detach sponges from the bottom of the sea. An aura (气息) of heroism surrounds the profession.”

When skateboarding (滑板运动) started in 1960s, skateboards     1    (make) of wood and had clay wheels. Since the wheels didn’t hold the concrete firmly, the riders could do very few tricks with them. In 1973, a new wheel made of a plastic     2    (call) urethane (氨基甲酸乙酯) was invented in California. A skateboard     3     these wheels moved very quickly and it also held the concrete well. During the next few years, skateboards were     4    (far) improved. The urethane was perfected, and the boards were shaped better. These skateboards gave new life to skateboarding.

Although skateboarding was easy     5    (ride), the streets weren’t safe for it. As a result, skateboard parks sprang up. The first parks     6    (appear) in California and Florida. But at first there were only outdoor parks     7     had concrete slopes with small curves (曲面). The more exciting parks appeared which had steep downward slopes, banked curves     8     vertical walls. Today there are both indoor and outdoor parks where the riders must wear helmets as well as knee and elbow pads, which can avoid serious injury when     9     rider falls down. Whenever they ride, people should always use the safety     10    (equip). Many accidents happen during the first week of riding, so it’s of vital importance to learn how to fall safely.

5 . Korten went to a public school. There were students who were friends with Korten and who weren’t, But deep down, our hero knew that he was “that kid” in school because of his Korten was often nulled Butism (自闭症). Diagnosed that he could never speak, Korten was often pulled out of class for speech treatment. He was infamous for having “breakdowns” in the middle of a class and for seeing specialists inside and outside of the school.

When all hope seemed lost, it was athletics that came to Korten’s rescue. After trying swimming, he took up running and joined the cross-country team of his school. But autism seriously affected him, In the beginning, Korten couldn’t run around the school yard without stopping at least a couple of times. Frustrated, he would often drop out of them.

However, the sportsperson’s mentality (心态) which was locked up by his autism before had begun to rise. Despite his condition, Korten decided to take part in the cross-country races during the upcoming season. He worked on his skills with his father during the summer break and to his surprise, Korten was not only competing but successfully finishing the races with some of the best records. He even almost won the 1,500-metre race that year.

When he started his college life, Korten realized that he wasn’t the only one with “issues”. There were people who, though, may not be autistic, were fighting their own battles. Having displayed his real and complete self in front of the world, Korten not only was able to give his 100% to sports, but also was awarded the “Who’s who among students on campus”, a valuable recognition given to those with high academics along with participating in many after-school activities.

6 . The INF Clairefontaine is one of the world’s top football academies and also houses the French national football team.

The national team is in its third day of _________ since it gathered at the place to _________ a match against Denmark. Villagers nearby have been invited to watch their _________ on one side of the pitch (球场)．A media group watches from the _________ side. Most players are just _________ from their club teams, but they fall quickly and _________ into a communicative dance with the ball. Didier Deschamps, their coach, looks on from the pitch, _________ the discipline and efficiency he prizes.

On a nearby pitch, the academy youngsters (青训营)_________ their training session, too. The boys erupt with screams whenever they _________ a goal.

After dusk settles in and training __________, Kylian Mbappé, the French football superstar, stays late with a goalkeeper and a few defenders, __________ extra shots. When he arrived on these same grounds roughly a decade earlier, he was full of __________ like the current group of youngsters. But__________ them, he doesn’t__________ when his shots find their way past the keeper. He simply __________ the practice, over and over. His only __________ comes when a ball __________ its mark. Then Mbappé erupts in shouts of regret.

“The youngest players look at the French team, and they tend to __________ what they see, ”Deschamps says. “So each player has a__________ in everything he does, on the pitch or off . . . to have a __________ influence and to give a good image to the young players.

8 . Exercise is important in all phases of life, but for seniors, it’s crucial to maintaining independence. Exercise ensures that seniors can get around and continue to do the things they enjoy and helps to prevent serious health conditions.     1    

Strength exercises are among the best exercises for seniors.     2     These exercises can also improve a senior citizen’s metabolism(新陈代谢), which can be important for the maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels and normal weight.

Balance exercises are good for senior citizens as well because they build up muscles in the legs and strength in the lower body. They can help a senior citizen have better stability, translating into lowered risk of serious falls.     3    

    4     They help improve flexibility, making it easier for an older person to remain physically active and move around without stiffness(僵硬) and pain. Additionally, stretching exercises help senior citizens avoid muscle­related injuries, which can occur in the course of exercising as well as during daily living.

Though exercise is good for senior citizens, it is smart for seniors to speak with their doctors before starting any new exercise program.     5     In some cases, they may also recommend avoiding certain exercises altogether.

10 . There are a lot of reasons to love biking, whether it brings back childhood memories of the past, provides an eco-friendly mode of transportation, or gives you an energizing way to move your legs.     1    

Biking can also help get you stronger without overly demanding your joints.     2    Biking is a non-weight bearing activity, which means it puts less stress on joints of the knees and ankles.

Just because you’re sitting down when biking, it doesn’t mean you can’t get a challenging training. There are a number of levers you can pull to level up or down your ride. This can come in the form of resistance, hills, and speed. A variety of all three at intervals is a great choice.

    4     Calorie burn is completely dependent on the weight of the rider, the amount of energy they are using to ride, and the time and distance they are riding. The more power output, the harder the ride, the more calories burned.

There are no hard and fast rules on how long and often you should ride a bike, as it depends on individual fitness levels, goals, and more.     5     If you are not working as hard or have different goals like endurance or recovery, then 45-60 minutes may be appropriate.