1 . Donna Urquhart is an experienced runner. She ran 1,402 kilometers over the course of 28 days in Antarctica (南极洲), _______ the record for the longest-ever run in a polar region.

Urquhart spent 10 months training for the _______, turning to some unusual training methods. A company allowed her to run in a _______ storage unit where she ran in temperatures below zero. Besides, she ran along the beaches with uneven (凹凸不平的) surfaces that are like the _______ grounds in Antarctica. All those proved useful _______.

The difficulties that Urquhart faced in Antarctica were _______: taking in about 5,000 calories each day, _______ in a tent. Combined with the sound of _______ winds and the continent’s 24 hours of sunlight in the summer months, these were _______ favorable to a good night’s sleep. Urquhart would usually wear four layers of coats and keep ________ her own body temperature while running.

Urquhart launched the Run Antarctica aiming to encourage more women to ________ sport. Though still unsure about what her next running challenge will have, she has set a ________ of raising $1.5 million for charity.

“Confidence is a real issue for females,” says Urquhart. “And a sporting environment provides them with a great opportunity to ________ themselves.” This served as a huge ________ for her to take on a challenge that no other woman had attempted before. “It was actually showing that we can push our ________, and explore what seems impossible,” says Urquhart.

3 . The Games are the world’s largest sporting event and almost 10 million tickets are set to go on sale for the 2024 Olympics, with 2.8 million for the Paralympics. Spectators will experience the 2024 Games alongside the greatest sporting champions in a unique atmosphere―celebrating with the whole world.

A number of different options for attending the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be available, but they will all be sold via a single site. For the first time in the history of the Games, ticket sales will be online only and accessible worldwide.

Tickets for the Olympic Games are now available without any draw(抽签). Tickets for various sessions may go on sale at anytime up until the Olympic Games, so stay tuned! For the Paralympic Games, single tickets and day passes for several Paralympic sports are on sale.

The Summer 2024 Olympic Games will take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024 and the Summer 2024 Paralympic Games will take place from 28 August to 8 September 2024.

Please note that Paris 2024 reserves the right to modify or adapt its sales policy for tickets and hospitality at anytime. By buying tickets or hospitality packages (贵宾套票) outside the official channels, the buyer runs the risk that tickets or packages are not delivered to them or the access will be denied by the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee in accordance with the terms and conditions, In addition, all buyers are informed that unauthorized sale or resale of tickets outside the official channels, constitutes(构成) an offense under French law.

4 . “Second place is just the first loser” is a well-known saying from the legendary NASCAR champion Dale Eamhardt. Or as my father put it jokingly, “It’s not enough to win. Your friends have to lose too.” We may not want others to know our thoughts, but many of us think this way, because we are born to compete with each other. However, if left unmanaged, this can create disagreements between ourselves and others. Fortunately, there is a way to solve this problem: instead of always going for gold, aim for the bronze (铜牌) .

To expand on the wisdom of Earnhardt, let’s put it another way: although second place may be the first loser, third place can be the real winner, at least when it comes to happiness. A 1995 study discovered that bronze winners appeared happier on average than silver medalists, while another research in 2018 studied U.S. athletes in the Olympics from 1904 to 1936 and found that those whose best performance was silver lived to 72 on average. Gold medalists beat this by living to 76 But the first prize went to the bronze winners, who lived to 78.

The social concepts of upward and downward comparison help explain the difference. Silver medalists see themselves as the first loser because they compare themselves only with the champions. However, the bronze winners compare downwards with those who have never made it onto the podium at all. Therefore, they feel better about themselves and thus, happier. The feeling shows up in improved health. In fact, researchers have found that comparing ourselves with the unfortunate ones can help prevent a negative mood. The comparison is not from a feeling of ill will, but because rewards in life are relative (相对的).

The worldly happiness strategy of working for gold every day is foolish. Stop spending most of your time feeling like a silver medalist or always relying your happiness on a single result. Rather, aim for healthy competitions in which you do your best without the expectation of being the top winner.

For the last two weeks, 32 women’s football teams have been playing in stadiums (体育场) across Australia and New Zealand as part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Along the way, there have been some     1    (excite) matches, along with several surprises. Now there are only eight teams     2    (leave).

This is the     3    (nine) Women’s World Cup. The competition     4    (begin) in 1991 and is held every four years. For the first time ever, the competition is being hosted     5    more than one country. The first match took place in New Zealand. The final match will    6     (hold) at Stadium Australia in Melbourne on August 20.

In another change, this year, for the first time ever, 32 teams were invited to compete.   In the past, there were only 24 teams. For the eight     7    (country), this was the first time they’d ever made it into the World Cup.

Some people criticized (批评) the move, saying the new teams were too weak. But several teams     8     were included for the first time performed (表现) very well even beating teams that were expected     9     (do) much better. Morocco beat both South Korea     10    Colombia. Morocco is the only one of the new teams to make it into the final 16 teams in the competition.

Have you ever roller skated? This sporty and interesting activity involves rolling around on special wheeled shoes. It is a physical activity     1     can be done both indoors and outdoors. It has something to do     2     the fashion and music. There are several forms of roller skating, including speed, dance and roller derby (速度比赛) — a contact sport     3     (play) between two teams,

Roller skating was     4     (huge) popular in America in the 1970s and 1980s, especially among children     5     young adults. Later, in the 1990s, inline skates, or roller blades, became the leading kind of roller skate. Over time, roller skating     6     (drop) in popularity in general.

Now, The Associated Press reports that roller skating is back in style. You can find temporary roller skating rinks set up in     7     (park) and on roadways. Roller skating is trending on     8     (society) media. Skate meet-ups in large cities are common.

New York City’s Rockefeller Center held a skating gathering (聚会) for the first time since 1940. The organizers advertised     9     event as “bringing the magic of the 1970s with it”. And then there were many people on skates.

Skating references are common in media of all kinds lately: music videos, magazine covers and movies. Stars of music, film and the Internet     10     (be) among the producers.

9 . Some Winter Activities

Winter activities are underestimated (低估). The days may be shorter, but the list of fun activities isn’t. Don’t let the winter blues take over.     1    

Finding your favourite.     2     Nobody likes cardio (有氧运动) for a long time, but signing up for an adult sports team, or taking a yoga class on the weekend can be a fun way to break up the boredom of going to the gym. Recreational (娱乐的) sports are also a great way to meet new people.

Walking on snow.     3     Walking with snowshoes is friendly to beginners, and suitable for kids and seniors alike. You can buy a set for under $100 or rent some for the afternoon. Take a friend or walk alone to enjoy the peacefulness of the outdoors in winter.

Skiing. Those that love it really love it. Hitting the ski hills is an old wintertime tradition. It gets you outside, boosts your mood, and serves as a core workout. You don’t need the latest gear (设备) to be able to have fun.     4     If you’re feeling tired of too much indoor time, get your heart pumping at a nearby ski hill.

    5     Taking an online class, or picking up an instrument for the first time, can be incredibly rewarding. Expanding your professional skill can do wonders for your future job prospects. It may take a little planning, but consider learning something new this season.

10 . Trainers and parents saw children play sports at a young age and then saw them become professional. Many correlated the training to success. Competitive sports are good for young children because they teach children life skills, provide health benefits, and offer special opportunities.

To begin with, sports teach children life skills. A formal athlete stated, “I played soccer in high school and college and found team sports weren’t just about winning, but also about developing a solid ethic(行为准则), and learning why that’s important.” In short, playing highly competitive sports teaches kids many life skills like teamwork. People will have to use teamwork for the rest of their life, and sports can help them improve that skill. Taking part in sports can help develop a positive attitude towards life, which will help in the long run.

Sports are also good for kids because they provide health benefits. It is healthier for a kid to play a sport competitively than to waste time playing video games all day. Furthermore, a research group of University of California said, “96 percent of the participants(参与者) said they enjoy their sports. They’re all loving life.” That is to say, kids playing highly competitive sports tend to enjoy life instead of doing something else like watching TV.

On the other hand, some people might argue that competitive sports are bad for young children because they are so time-consuming. However, the time spent is not “robbing” kids of their childhood, but offers unique opportunities. Athletes can get success to live their dream life by playing sports. Even though sports are time-consuming, they offer distinctive opportunities.

In conclusion, competitive sports are good for children because they can provide wholesome benefits, create new experiences, and build skills that will last a lifetime.