2 . The days when art was an Olympic sport

Did you know that creating works of art used to be an Olympic competition?     1     In the first year, Walter Winans became the first and the only Olympian to win medals for both art and sports. Despite this seemingly optimistic start, the idea of the arts being included in the Olympic Games soon met with disinterest, finally resulting in the removal of the art competition from the Olympic Games.

    2    

The idea to include art in the Olympics came from Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who was the founder of the International Olympic Committee, which created the modern Olympics. Coubertin believed that the arts and sports were linked and was impressed by anyone who had a firm command of both a sport and an artistic discipline.

Why aren’t the arts included in the Olympics today?

For starters, only amateurs were allowed to compete in the arts part of the Olympics.     3     Having artists of average quality competing while only the most competent athletes were allowed to compete created a dramatic divide and gave the impression that the arts were not as important as sports.

Secondly, works of art created had to have sports as the subject matter.     4     Limiting the subjects also contributed to making the arts part of the Olympic Games boring to the general public.

Finally, one of the biggest reasons was that the arts are subjective. Sports can be judged by time and distance, making it easy to determine who is the winner.     5     This difficulty in judging a definite winner resulted in the arts part becoming a non-competitive exhibition that ran for the duration of the Olympic Games.

A．What is a discipline in the Olympic Games?

B．Why was art made an Olympic discipline?

C．On the other hand, the arts are not quite so easy to judge.

D．This rule made the objects produced seem really boring.

E．It means that many famous artists were banned from participating.

F．However, the arts part of the Olympics Games was soon abandoned.

G．For 36 years, from 1912 to 1948, artists participated in the Olympic Games.

5 . Do you like running enough to make it a habit? Tierney Wolfgram does; she has made running a lifelong career and isn't stopping.

In February, the 16-year-old from a high school, US, competed at the 2020 US Olympic Trials. She finished the marathon(42.195 km)with a time of 2:42:47 as the youngest competitor in the race and ranked 76th out of 390 runners. However, the cross-country(越野的)season was postponed to winter because of the COVID-19. So she jumped at the opportunity to train for another race-the Parkway Marathon in California. In November, Wolfgram broke the Women's American Junior marathon record with her time of 2:31:49. The old record was 2:34:32, which had stood since 1984.

“I'm completely stunned, ”said Wolfgram's coach.   “I knew she was going to break it, but she really showed out！”

During the run, Wolfgram once hit a wall pretty hard, but she overcame it to finish. “I guess I can say I gave it my all, ”she told Runner's World. “When I finished, all I was thinking was I felt super happy,” Wolfgram said This was only her third marathon. In 2018, when Wolfgram was 15 years old, she ran her first marathon just because she wanted to see if she had the ability to do it. “I believed that I would get faster as the distances got longer. . . I'm still glad that I did it. ”

When preparing for that first marathon, she ran up to 120 miles per week. Although her parents didn't have any background in running, they helped Wolfgram train. At first, her dad would take her out in the morning and run about 13 miles. The distance would gradually increase each day. On top of her runs in the morning, she would do cross-country practice after school.

Now Wolfgram will consider attending the Olympics Games in 2024 after it's scheduled.

1. What can we learn about Wolfgram from Paragraph 2?

A．She was the champion at the 2020 US Olympic Trials.

B．She put off the cross-country season for the COVID-19.

C．She broke an Olympic marathon record in November.

D．She prepared for the Parkway Marathon in California.

2. What does the underlined word “stunned”in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Doubtful

B．Worried.

C．Shocked.

D．Interested

3. What inspired Wolfgram to run her first marathon?

A．Her parents' encouragement.	B．Her desire to prove she could do it.
C．Her coach's support and help.	D．Her hope to break the national record

4. Which section of a newspaper does the passage probably come from?

A．Sports.

B．Lifestyle

C．Culture.

D．Opinion

6 . As is often the case, it is human nature to lead a sedentary（久坐的）lifestyle and most of us are so involved in our busy schedules that we don't even notice our bad habits. Many worry about the right time or "right age" to start working out.     1     Here're some practical tips to help you get fit.

Master your mind. Most people argue that they are too tired or old to start exercising. Doing so is much easier than trying to change the busy lifestyle. Change your mindset and be more confident in improving your health.     2    

Easy does it. Once you have chosen a fitness program, start slowly and increase it in stages. Begin with just a few minutes of gentle exercises and stretches.     3     About 30 minutes should be devoted to your workout. As your body starts to respond and your muscles get used to the exercises, you can gradually increase the length of your workout.

Always warm up. Always remember to warm up your muscles before exercising. Gentle warm-ups will reduce your risk of injury, aches and pains, and increase blood circulation and flexibility.

    4     There's no quick access to getting fit. It's a common mistake to do too much too soon. If you don't know how to balance your needs and your expectations, you might seriously injure your muscles or just create stress.

Cool down. When you finish your routine, you need to cool your muscles and let your heart rate slow gradually.     5    

A．Don't overload your body.

B．Never ignore your potentials.

C．Tell your body to be more active and say, "I can do it."

D．However, nobody cares about what you have done for them.

E．Go next to some mild activity such as walking, jogging or cycling.

F．Cooling down will help your body to return to its pre-exercise level.

G．But it's never too late for them to start exercising and all they need is enough determination.

7 . To bring the Olympic spirit to developing nations in the late 1990s, the Olympic Committee allowed a small number of “wild card” athletes to join the Games. But because they didn’t have to go through any qualifying rounds to compete, when they arrived, not all of the competitors were prepared. One such athlete was a swimmer from Equatorial Guinea named Eric Moussambani. When Moussambani arrived at the 2000 Sydney Games, he’d only been training for the 100-meter freestyle for about eight months. He’d also never been in an Olympic-size pool and had never raced more than 50 meters. Regardless, he was determined to represent his country.

The three wild-card athletes were given their own race, and Moussambani was next to the other two swimmers from Niger and Tajikistan. When the official called the swimmers to begin the game, both of Moussambani’s competitors were disqualified for false starts. Left to swim by himself, Moussambani dove in and dog paddled, breathing for air and moving his arms and legs. Halfway through the race, the situation looked so serious that the audience seriously worried he was drowning.

When Moussambani finally passed the finish line and pulled himself from the water, the applause thundered. His final time was 1:52.72 - more than twice that of swimmers in the previous race. But Moussambani couldn’t have been happier. He told reporters, “I’ m going to jump and dance all night long in celebration of my personal success.”

Moussambani’s courage and determination made him an Olympic celebrity (名人). He kept training for the 2004 Games and even got his time down to a respectable 57 seconds.

1. What can we infer about “wild card” athletes?

A．They arrive late.	B．They are well-prepared.
C．They are the best athletes.	D．They are from developing countries.

2. How did Moussambani do in the race?

A．He lost in the race.	B．He swam unskillfully.
C．He failed at the beginning.	D．He disappointed everyone.

3. How did Moussambani feel after finishing the race?

A．Extremely excited.	B．Quite ashamed.
C．Very disappointed.	D．Pretty calm.

4. Which words can best describe Moussambani?

A．Smart and flexible.	B．Patient and careful.
C．Brave and determined.	D．Optimistic and modest.

8 . Try This at Home!

Are you looking for a new pastime that will create a balance between physical activity and relaxation? Then yoga may be the perfect choice for you. Yoga can be practiced by people of all ages and levels of fitness.    1     It's a great way to strengthen your muscles and become more flexible.

In the 1930s, Indian Sri Tirumali and K. Pattabhi developed one of the most popular forms of yoga practised worldwide today. They worked together using an ancient Sansknt text called Yoga Korunta to create a set routine of yoga movements and breathing exercises.     2    

Ashtanga is different from other forms of yoga. It is a very powerful form of aerobic (有氧的)exercise which creates deep heat in the body.     3     In other forms of yoga, however, the routine can change each time and the stretching exercises aren't aerobic.

    4    As well as making you stronger and more flexible, it can also help you to stay calm. By focusing on your breathing while doing physical exercise, you are able to get a balance between mind and body. In addition, yoga helps to make us healthier so we are less likely to get common illnesses like colds.

Furthermore, yoga encourages you to think about what you're doing. Often you will close your eyes while doing certain movements.    5    After a few lessons you'll stop looking at what the others around you are doing. You will stop comparing yourself and start focusing on yourself.

A．It can also be done anywhere at any time.

B．The result of their co-operation was ashtanga yoga.

C．Whatever kind of yoga you choose, there are many long-term benefits.

D．This allows you to concentrate better and it makes you less competitive.

E．Every time someone practices ashtanga, he or she does exactly the same movements.

F．If you're interested in yoga, but can find a class near you, then it might be     an excuse to travel.

G．Recently, it has become extremely common for beginners as well as advanced yoga students to go on yoga holidays.

9 . There are lots of skiing lovers around the world. To get the most out of your time on the mountain you should think through each part of your adventure- equipment, clothing, food, and travel.     1    , the more time you can spend on the slopes.

Equipment

Your skiing equipment — composed of your skis, poles, bindings, helmet, and goggles — should be checked over, and possibly tuned up, before you pack your bags for the mountain.     2    . Inspect your boots to make sure they fit properly. Check your goggles and put them on with your helmet to see that they fit comfortably and offer a wide field of view.

Clothing

Your jacket and snow pants should be properly fitting and recently cleaned. Make sure your gloves are in good shape and offer a sense of comfort.     3    . Don’t forget extra items like warm socks, neck warmers and ski masks as well.

Food

Anyone who has ever purchased lunch at the ski lodge knows just how expensive it can be. Packing your own lunch saves you money and gets you back on the slopes faster.     4    , bring plenty of fluids to drink on breaks between runs.

    5    .

Know your way to the mountain before you hit the road and consider writing down directions if you know you’re heading into areas with spotty service. At the mountain, choose a designated meeting place in case the group becomes separated- a spot near the main lift often works well. Check the forecast and current conditions of the mountain. Many ski resorts will have live updates on the number of open trails and lifts.

A．Routes and planning

B．Spots and conditions

C．If you are fully prepared

D．The more prepared you are

E．While bringing a bottle of water with you on the mountain isn’t recommended

F．Besides, long underwear goes a long way in keeping your legs warm and comfortable

G．If you are taking your skis onto the slope for the very first time, they may also need a fresh wax

10 . A study has found that a lifetime of regular exercise and activity can slow down the aging process (衰老过程). Researchers say that getting older should not necessarily mean becoming more weak or sick. Their research shows that a devotion to a life of movement and exercise may help us live not only longer, but also healthier.

For their study, the researchers looked at two groups. The first group was made up of 125 non-professional cyclists between the ages of 55 to 79. This group included 84 healthy men and 41 healthy women. We will call this group the “cyclists”.

Researchers then found 130 people to make up a second group. Within this group, 75 people were aged from 57 to 80. The other 55 were between the ages of 20 and 36. The people in this group were also healthy, but they did not exercise regularly. We will call this group the “non-exercisers”. Smokers, heavy drinkers of alcohol and people with other health issues were not included in the study.

Then, researchers gave both groups a series of tests. They tested their muscle mass (肌肉质量), muscular strength, percentage of body fat and the strength of their immune (免疫的) systems. Then the researchers compared the results of the two groups.

Results showed that the cyclists did not experience body changes usually regarded as a normal aging process. For example, they did not lose muscle mass or muscular strength. Also, their body fat did not increase with age.

The researchers also found something they had not expected. The study showed that the immune systems of the cyclists did not age either.

The researchers advise us all to find an exercise that we like in our lives.

1. How did the researchers carry out the study?

A．By comparing.	B．By discussing.
C．By imagining.	D．By reasoning.

2. Which of the following is a result of the research?

A．The cyclists kept a thin body shape.

B．The non-exercisers gained weight easily.

C．The cyclists’ muscles remained strong with age.

D．The non-exercisers usually had health problems.

3. Which is an unexpected result for the researchers?

A．The cyclists had normal aging process.

B．The cyclists’ immune systems didn’t age.

C．The cyclists lost nearly all their fat.

D．Everyone needed an exercise in their lives.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Healthy People Need More Exercise

B．Take an Exercise, the Harder, the Better

C．Cycling Is the Best Way to Prevent Aging

D．A Lifetime of Exercise Slows Aging Process