Gordon had a remarkable talent for basketball but he wasn't good at     1     (与队友合作).     2     (正如所料), his team was defeated in the intense semi­final. Instead of losing his self­belief, Gordon     3     (继续练习，抓住一切机会加强与队友的合作).Their efforts finally paid off. Their team     4     (在篮球比赛中一举成名), which was     5     (超出了大家的预料).

For many students，it is a great honour     1     (participate) in all kinds of     2     (compete). Some regard competitions     3    a good chance to improve themselves while others complain that on such     4     (occasion), they have no freedom and there     5     (exist) stress. In my opinion, when an opportunity comes, you should embrace it and make every effort     6     (make) it. If you fail, it is all right, because you lose nothing. Instead, during the process, you harvest experience and courage.

Sports like American football and ice hockey get most of the attention when it comes to concussions (脑震荡) and other forms of brain injury. But soccer is a(n)     1     (激烈的) sport for which the head can be as important as the foot.

Heading the ball is a key soccer skill. But a new study finds that players who head the ball frequently are more likely to suffer     2     (长久的) brain injury and damage their memory than players who are less likely to use their heads.

“For many people, it’s beyond belief that a slight injury could be a problem,” said Dr. Michael Lipton, an expert of neuroradiology (神经放射学) in New York City.

Lipton and his team interviewed 37 adult soccer players from New York City and took high-tech scans (扫描) to     3     (检查) their brains. They also asked the players how often they played soccer and how often they headed the ball, and they gave the players some neurocognitive tests.

The     4     (结果) was that the researchers found no link between small amounts of heading and players’ attention, ability to control their       5     (速度) when they move, or ability to manage complex thinking tasks. However, Lipton warned players not to ignore the possible risks of heading the ball too many times. Players could safely head the ball 885 to 1,550 times a year. It took almost 1,800 times a year for players to have trouble with their memory.

For many years, the Future City Competition has brought together young people to create visionary(幻想的) designs,     1     (require) skill and imagination. This year’s theme, “The Age-Friendly City,” invited students to design small cities,     2     would enable older people to live     3     (independent).

The competition, which     4     (encourage) students to hone (磨炼) their engineering skills while working to create a better world, is open to kids in    5     (grade) six through eight. After more than 44, 000 students participated in regional competitions, finalists    6     (choose) for the top competition.

The grand prize went to “Halona,” a city of the future    7     (create) by students from Edlin School in Reston, Virginia. The team researched and developed their model city     8     the help of teacher Vasantha Ayala and volunteer mentor ( 导师) Nandhini Kuntipuram. For their grand prize,     9     Edlin students won $7, 500 for their school’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program.

Tom Chmielenski, a computer software engineer, served as a judge. “It’s very nice as an engineer to see young people have these futuristic ideas,” he said. “We can’t wait     10     (see) what the future holds.”

9 . Benefits of Walking in Cold Weather

As winter blankets the world in a coat of ice and fresh cold air, the idea of going outdoors fora walk might seem less attractive.     1     Walking in cold weather comes with a lot of health benefits that might just make it the perfect season to put on your shoes and hit the roadway.

Strengthened Immune System

Remaining in colder temperatures can actually improve your immune (免疫的) system. As your body adapts to the cold, it produces more white blood cells.     2     Regular cold-weather walks might help make a strong er immune reaction, letting you stay healthier throughout the winter season.

High Spirits

The winter blues, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), can affect many individuals during the colder months. Fortunately, walking in cold weather has been linked to improved emotion and reduced signs of sadness. The fresh air and physical activity inspire the production of endorphins, the body’s natural emotion enhancers (增强剂).     3    

Improved health and energy level

Cold-weather walking can provide an excellent heart workout. The combination of light movement and the body’s reaction to the cold increases heart health by improving circulation (血液循环) and lowering blood pressure. Over time, this can make your blood system healthier.

    4     Instead, walking in the fresh air can make your senses energetic and increase overall energy levels. The physical activity and stay in natural light work together to reduce feelings of tiredness, leaving you feeling more active and ready to deal with the day.

So, as the winter winds blow and snowflakes fall, consider wearing your warm clothes and taking a walk outside.     5     It is also helpful to mental wellbeing and overall energy.