A.A coach. | B.A cook. | C.A student. |
2 . According to legend, the first-ever marathon was so exhausting that the Greek messenger, who dashed 40km from the battlefield to Athens, collapsed and died. Over the past 2,500 years, humans have become better at running. Eight of the ten fastest times in female marathon have been recorded since 2022. This can to a large extent be explained by the development of a new generation of hyper-bouncy running shoes— “super-shoes”—that offer athletes greater assistance. Such has been the improvement that some have questioned whether the technology is now too dominant.
No doubt that athletes are breaking records because of their footwear. Both Nike and Adidas have persuaded World Athletics to permit shoes with chunky, foam soles(鞋底), which act as springs. When their feet compress the super-shoes into the ground, the runners receive more energy as they push off again. In 2017 Nike announced the new technology allowed athletes to use 4% less energy than they would if wearing a regular shoe.
Those who would like the shoes banned worry that the balance between the runners’ ability and footwear has become twisted. Plainly, though, this is a long way from shoes that matter more than runners. A club runner may set a personal best in a pair of Nike Alphaflys, but she is not going to outrun Ms. Assefa(world champion) wearing regular shoes. World Athletics insists such super-shoes should be available to all athletes in order to be legal, so there is no risk of results being determined by a lack of access to the best equipment.
Part of the appeal of sports is that they show humans on an upward trajectory (轨迹), becoming stronger, faster and fitter. Technology has always contributed to this. But as the sports industry has more investment, the motivations to find an edge in performance have grown, whether in kit, diet or game strategy. Surely, advances have to be controlled. But banning super-shoes would be opposing progress and difficult to enforce. This is a genie (精灵)that cannot be returned to its shoebox.
1. What has improved female marathon records since 2022?A.The changes of rules. | B.The advance in sports kit. |
C.The assistance of coaches. | D.The development of humans. |
A.The principle. | B.The history. | C.The challenge. | D.The drawback. |
A.Ms. Assefa runs slowly in regular shoes. | B.Using super-shoes is regarded as dishonest. |
C.Nike Alphaflys better athletes’ performance. | D.Access to super shoes determines athletes’ success. |
A.Athletics should not embrace super-shoes. |
B.There is nothing to fear about technological advances. |
C.Not all investments have led to advances in technology. |
D.It is impossible for sports industry to control super-shoes. |
3 . “The Worthington Christian defeated the Westerville North by 2—1 in an Ohio boys’ soccer game on Saturday.” That’s according to a story that appeared last month in The Columbus Dispatch. That lead was written not by a sportswriter, but by an artificial intelligence (AI) tool.
Many news organizations are now examining how AI might be used in their work. But if they begin their “experimenting” with high school sports because they are less momentous than war, peace, climate change and politics, they may miss something crucial. Nothing may be more important to the students who play high school sports, and to their families, neighborhoods, and sometimes, the whole town. That next game is what the students train for, work toward, and dream about. Someday, almost all student athletes will go on to have jobs in front of screens, in office parks, at schools, in hospitals or on construction sites. They may suffer blows and setbacks. But the high school games they played and watched, as well as their hopes and cheers, will stay vivid in their memories.
I have a small idea. If newspapers will no longer send staff reporters to cover high school games, why not hire high school student journalists? News organizations can pay students an hourly wage to cover high school games. The young reporters might learn how to be fair to all sides, write vividly, and attract readers. That’s what some celebrities in sports did, and do.
And think of the great writers who were inspired by sports: Hemingway on fishing, Bernard Malamud and Marianne Moore on baseball, Chen Zhongshi on football, and CLR James on cricket, who said, “There can be raw pain and bleeding where so many thousands see the inevitable (不可避免的) ups and downs of only a game.” A good high school writer, unlike a robot, could tell readers not just the score, but the stories of the game.
1. Why is the lead mentioned in the first paragraph?A.To introduce an original idea. | B.To show AI’s wide application. |
C.To bring in the opinion about AI. | D.To stress AI’s importance to news. |
A.Hopeful. | B.Eye-catching. | C.Competitive. | D.Far-reaching. |
A.Rich in contents. | B.Fair in comments. |
C.Centered on results. | D.Targeted on readers. |
A.News Organizations Are Abusing AI | B.High Schoolers Can Do What AI Can’t |
C.Great Writers Are Crazy About Sports | D.AI Ruins High School Students’ Memory |
1. What is the weather like now?
A.Windy. | B.Sunny. | C.Rainy. |
A.A football game. | B.A basketball game. | C.A volleyball game. |
5 . Here are four writing contests available for high school students.
Skipping Stones Youth Honor Awards
Skipping Stones magazine recognizes high school students that are working to promote multicultural and environmental awareness. The written submissions can include short stories, poems, and essays. Winners will receive an honor award certificate, and a year-long subscription to the magazine.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Noteworthy former winners include John Updike, Truman Capote, and Joyce Carol Oates. Each submission is judged on technical skill, originality, and the presence of a clear vision and voice. Regional and national award winners are qualified for a variety of different monetary awards in addition to publication in the National Catalog.
Bennington Young Writers Awards
Submissions are accepted in the fiction category. Students in 10th through 12th grade can submit a one-act play or a short story, recommended by a high school teacher. The first-place fiction winner receives $500 and the second-place winner receives $ 250.
The Claremont Review Writing Contest
The Claremont Review holds an annual contest in fiction and poetry writing. Submissions are welcome from writers aged 13 to 18 and must be previously unpublished. Winners and those receiving honorable mentions will be published in the autumn issue of The Claremont Review and will receive a year-long subscription to the magazine.
1. Which contest did Truman Capote once win?A.Skipping Stones Youth Honor Awards. |
B.Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. |
C.Bennington Young Writers Awards. |
D.The Claremont Review Writing Contest. |
A.Being a local. | B.Paying the entry fee. |
C.Handing in an unpublished entry. | D.Having a teacher's recommendation. |
A.Different cash prizes. | B.An honor award certificate. |
C.Free magazines for 12 months. | D.An opportunity to visit a college. |
1. Where would Humbert’s 60th marathon take place?
A.In Paris. | B.In Athens. | C.In Boston. |
A.In 1998. | B.In 1983. | C.In 1982. |
A.Her family members object. |
B.The number of runners is restricted. |
C.Her age exceeds the maximum age limit. |
A.Recommending a lifestyle. |
B.Promoting an event. |
C.Introducing a person. |
1. What led to the postponement of the match?
A.The occupation of the field. |
B.The absence of some players. |
C.The result of the bad weather. |
A.Watch a match. | B.Help the organizers. | C.Play football. |
1. What does the woman think of this year’s singing competition?
A.It’ll be intense. | B.It’ll be fun. | C.It’ll be relaxing. |
A.A participant. | B.A judge. | C.An organizer. |
Actually, I enjoyed most of the
1. How does the woman feel about the result of the competition?
A.Excited. | B.Delighted. | C.Disappointed. |
A.Amber. | B.Mary. | C.Linda. |
A.They were unfair. |
B.They made a hard decision. |
C.They listened carelessly. |