There are no big screens or superstars and yet an outdoor basketball court in rural China has attracted tens of thousands to its matches     1    the atmosphere equals America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) games.

Widely known as CunBA, the basketball event     2     (hold) in Taipan Village in Taijiang County in Guizhou Province every year, which is an important part of a Miao ethnic harvest festival. The matches are organized     3    (local) by villagers, without any involvement from authorities.

From July 30 to August 2 this year, 16 teams from across Guizhou Province took part in the     4    (compete) named Guizhou Beautiful Village Basketball League. Most of the players were farmers, with only the referees    5     (have) professional experience. More than 10,000 people watched the games every evening and millions watched online.

Because of the popularity of the games, many had to stand outside the seating area, even climbing onto nearby hills and rooftops     6    (watch). During the breaks of these matches, local artists performed     7    (tradition) Miao-style dances, forming a kind of cheering squad. After 27 matches, a team from Liping County     8     (win) the championship after beating a team from Kaili City, with     9    score of 102 to 85. One of the players, Yang Changyi, said, “Basketball is our hobby. Although we are not professional players, we have a dream in our heart－to show ourselves     10    a bigger stage. ”

5 . We all put our hands in the middle, ready for the “TIGERS!” shout. Andrew looked up, his face wrinkled in confusion, and then loosed in relief he said, “Whoa, for a second I forgot there was a girl on this team. I was wondering why there was one hand with painted pink nails!” The guys laughed, and I smiled, once again reminded how cool it was that I was different. “1, 2, 3, TIGERS!” and we were off to the field.

My adventures as the only girl on my all-boys middle school football team were always interesting. Football is known as being predominantly male. But I love football. Ever since I could walk, I would get around the fields. My dad is a huge football fan, and we spend many Saturday afternoons playing football in the yard or watching games. Football is in my blood. So when signups came for the 7th- and 8th-grade team, I signed up. Who says a girl can’t do it?

Back to Grade 7. Though it was strange for the guys to have me there, and a few felt embarrassed when they heard they’d be tackling a girl, they got used to it. The coach treated me like anyone else, and the boys learned to also. I did the drills, I tackled people, and I got tackled. By the time I got home every night, my body literally crumbled into my bed. But it was all worth it. Game days were everyone’s favorite. Football is a team sport of passion, pride and love. The coach would always tell us, “We win as a team: we lose as a team!”

To play well we needed to work as a team. Different as I was being the only girl, it didn’t matter. One person, one girl, is not a big thing. I was a part of the team. The coach got us all together, and we’d once again shout “TIGERS!”

7 . 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.

8 . People do physical exercise as part of their healthy lifestyle to get stronger and healthier.

There are three basic modes of physical exercise: flexibility exercise helps the human body in general or its part in particular to be able to reach farther and bend better; aerobic exercise helps the body work hard for a long time; anaerobic exercise makes the arms and legs stronger.

It has long been known that exercise is not only good for your body, but also for your mind. According to researchers, gymnasts are more likely to be emotionally stable, football players the most outgoing and swimmers the happiest.

The psychological study, which was carried out by experts, also revealed that sports can also offer clues to a person’s attitude to charity, reading habits and even their voting intentions. Boxers, for example, are most likely to focus on material possessions in life. Meanwhile, runners tend to be outgoing people who love being the centre of attention. Walkers, a group that includes those who enjoy wandering and cross-country races, are least concerned about other people and like doing things by themselves without interruption from others. Those who play chess are confident when they face challenges and trouble. Those who swim tend to be tidy and charitable. However, according to Mind Lab, 61 percent of adults are fond of helping others regardless of their choice of sports.

The results from this study also show that no matter what kind of person you are, there is the right kind of exercise for you.

10 . Students to Compete in 34th National Science Bowl

Thousands of students from middle and high schools across the country have committed themselves to extra study hours as they prepare to compete in the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s)34th National Science Bowl(NSB). These students are hard at work now to win their regional competitions, hoping to advance to the final competition.

The first regional event will take place on January 13th with high schools from the D. C. /Maryland area. Teams will face off in a fast-paced, question-and-answer format, and their knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics will be tested. Regionals will continue weekly until mid-March.

The winning team from each qualifying regional competition will be qualified to compete in the National Finals to be held in Washington, D. C. , from April 25-29, 2024, with all expenses paid by DOE. The national event consists of several days of science activities and sightseeing, along with the competitions.

In the National Finals, the top two teams will earn $5, 000 for their schools’ math and science departments. Schools ranking in the top 16 will receive $1, 000 for their science departments. But to many, the ultimate prize is simply the honor of winning the National Championship.

Today, the NSB annually draws more than 10, 000 middle and high school competitors. Since the first competition in 1991, approximately 344, 000 students have faced off in the NSB Finals. The 2024 competitors will follow in the footsteps of previous NSB contestants and will blaze a trail for students in science, math, and engineering. For more information, please visit the Office of Science website.