1 . Today’s Olympic Games are a technological marvel. Slow-motion cameras capture the milliseconds-long difference between first and second place. Wearable sensors detect clean hits in fencing or tae kwon do.

Technology and sport are tightly linked, but controversy (争议) arises when technology enhances athletic performance, sometimes called “technological doping (兴奋剂).” This refers to using apparel (服装) or equipment to gain an unfair advantage.

Unlike drug doping, monitored by an international agency, legal apparel and equipment are decided by each sport’s governing body. It’s up to these bodies to put in place technical requirements for equipment use in their sport and enforce these requirements. But there’s no standardized rules across sports to disqualify an item based on its degree of enhancement, cost or exclusivity (排他性). Consequently, decisions to ban an item from competition are often made retroactively.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 94% of swimming gold medals were won by athletes wearing the Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit, engineered to reduce drag. It was worn by athletes who set 23 new world records. Many labeled it technological doping, so World Aquatics banned full-body swimsuits from competition.

The running equivalent (对等物) of the LZR Racer, Nike’s tailored shoe for Eliud Kipchoge, helped him achieve a sub-two-hour marathon in 2019. Its commercial version, Nike Vaporfly, led to numerous long-distance world records. These super shoes feature energy-returning midsole foam, a curved rigid plate, and a shape that rolls a runner forward, improving running economy by 4% on average. Other brands have since released super shoes, but some research suggests they don’t match Nike Vaporflys in performance. Differences in access to the best equipment have long been a source of inequality in elite sport (高水平竞技体育), worsened by technological doping, where brand exclusivity and high costs limit access.

Andy Miah, a professor at the University of Salford, believes this technological race is natural in elite sport. “Resisting technology in athletics may be fruitless, as elite performances are a combination of biological capability and technological training.” Miah says, “In fact, being a genius athlete is a very unnatural way of life — but that doesn’t make it bad.”

1. What does the underlined word “retroactively” in the third paragraph most likely mean?

A．Afterwards

B．Ineffectively

C．Ahead

D．Temporarily

2. Which of the following is TRUE about the Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit mentioned in the passage?

A．It was allowed in all swimming competitions after 2008.

B．It was designed to reduce drag force and improve performance.

C．It was banned before any Olympic records were broken.

D．Its fabric played the most significant role in the drag reduction.

3. How does Andy Miah seem to feel about the integration of technology in elite sports?

A．Skeptical, fearing it could harm the integrity of sports

B．Supportive, seeing it as a natural progression in elite athletics

C．Indifferent, viewing it as a natural part of modern sports

D．Concerned, believing it might create an uneven playing field

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Nike, the Biggest Winner ever in History

B．The Very Two Sides to Technological Doping

C．Technology, an Unfair Competitive Advantage

D．A Form of Doping, or a Reality of Modern Sport?

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What prizes were given last week?

A．Smartphones.

B．Sports bags.

C．Pens.

2. When was the show broadcast for the first time?

A．A week ago.

B．A month ago.

C．A year ago.

3. What does the speaker say about the footballer?

A．He can speak French.

B．He has a famous wife.

C．He owns a club.

4. How will the listeners tell their answers?

A．By making calls.

B．By writing letters.

C．By sending postcards.

3 . Olympic athletes pour everything into training for the Games, routinely pushing their physical and mental bounds to the limit—and beyond—for a shot at a gold medal. Yet they are often accompanied by an emotional comedown.

Emotions are heightened by the nature of the event itself. The Olympics is a massive cultural event—a combination of global public attention, financial investment and media coverage. New international celebrities are created, and some competitors’ reputations are ruined during various accusations. Athletes are under the pressure of representing their country and winning medals in front of worldwide audience. “But then all of that publicity and intensity around being an Olympian falls off very quickly,” says Cogan, a lead sport psychologist. It’s more about making a map of how to get to a destination. Once you get there, it’s like, “Now what?”

A 2023 paper explained the identity crises athletes face as a result of overfocus on performance, leaving their non-sporting personalities underdeveloped. In a 2018 paper, Howells wrote that athletes with a greater “myopic” focus are more at risk of the “blues”. “It is common for top competitors to have this very high athletic identity,” says Howells. “They’ve sacrificed (牺牲) every other aspect of their identity for the purpose of being an Olympian. They seem unable to realize that their actions might have negative consequences in the future.”

Efforts to minimize this mindset have helped some athletes to open up more about their mental health. Experts advise Olympians to start conversations about mental health support well before the Games begin. Olympians should also discuss mental health monitoring strategies before, during and after the Games. Athletes and experts say the sporting industry has, in the last decade, been promoting better work-life balance outside of the game. Briana, a soccer goalkeeper, says that her team and coaches actively encourage spending quality time with families and significant others, as well as finding hobbies that feel joyful and rewarding.

1. What is the main cause for Olympic athletes’ mental breakdown?

A．A sense of loss.	B．The pressure of competition.
C．The media coverage.	D．The audience’s attention.

2. What does the underlined word “myopic” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Ridiculous.

B．Short-sighted.

C．All-around.

D．Unexpected.

3. What might be a fundamental solution to the athletes’ identity crisis?

A．Having higher athletic identity.

B．Discussing their problems publicly.

C．Developing a sense of identity outside the sport.

D．Making greater achievements in sporting industry.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．From Bad to Worse: Athletes’ Well-being

B．Olympic Athletes Suffering from Stress

C．Athletes Adapting to Post-Olympic Period

D．From Hero to Zero: the Post-Olympic Blues

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Who is the speaker?

A．A competitor.

B．A college teacher.

C．An organizer of the competition.

2. What is a common wrong belief?

A．Familiar words destroy understanding.

B．Difficult words sound impressive.

C．Pausing is not important.

3. What should the competitors pay most attention to?

A．Pronunciation.

B．Fluency.

C．Personal appearance.

4. What’s the speaker’s last piece of advice?

A．Be yourself.

B．Practice more.

C．Gain more confidence.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the man think caused his team’s loss in the first match?

A．Two players’ injuries.

B．Bad weather.

C．The judges.

2. Why did the man’s team lose the second match according to the woman?

A．The judges made the wrong decision.

B．A player kicked the ball into their own goal.

C．The opposing team scored in the last minutes.

3. When was the third match held?

A．In the morning.

B．In the afternoon.

C．In the evening.

4. What is the man doing now in his spare time?

A．Practicing soccer.

B．Seeing an online chess match.

C．Watching the rest of the matches.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How was Diego Garcia’s performance last year in Paris?

A．Just so-so.

B．Terrible.

C．Excellent.

2. Who will play Diego Garcia in the finals?

A．An American player.

B．A Brazilian player.

C．A Swiss player.

3. What is the weather like in France today?

A．Rainy.

B．Windy.

C．Sunny.

4. What competition did Gert Kruger take part in?

A．A car race.

B．A bicycle race.

C．A tennis match.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．It is an important occasion of American cultural activities.

B．They can have drinks and snacks while watching the game.

C．Some companies offer viewers expensive sample products.

D．The result of the game may be beyond people’s expectation.

2.

A．Exciting professional performances.	B．Fancy advertisements of products.
C．Pleasant atmosphere on the spot.	D．Warm company of their family.

3.

A．Expensive and impressive TV commercials.

B．Various ways of entertaining audience during intervals.

C．An introduction to a popular ball game in America.

D．Different sports people love to play in America.

9 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the theme of 2008 Beijing Olympics?

A．One World, One Dream.

B．Civilization and Harmony.

C．Inspire a Generation.

2. What was shown in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics?

A．The significance of Big Ben.

B．The history of the UK.

C．The local customs.

3. Why was the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics different from the others?

A．It presented nothing about Japanese culture and lifestyle.

B．The main torch was not lit by a national athlete.

C．The location of the main torch was outside the stadium.

4. What does the speaker mainly talk about?

A．The spirits of the Olympic Games.

B．The themes of the Olympic Games.

C．The opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

10 . 根据所听材料，完成填空。
1. This metal is ________________ than that one.
2. He can run ________________ Jim.
3. Kate is ________________ than I.
4. How long do you ________________ every day?
5. ________________ do you go swimming?
6. Most people would like to work in the west, mainly because wages are comparatively ________________.