1 . Walking has been considered as one kind of rewarding exercise. For many people, daily walking offers massive and long-term physical and mental benefits.
But the scenery is almost as important as the sweat. Just by going outside, you are stepping out of your habitual surroundings and your comfort zone, which is necessary if you want to open your mind to new possibilities. You can walk through a tree-filled neighborhood.
Walking outside develops our ability to collect new ideas and take in new sights, sounds, smells, and flavors. Shinrin-yoku, a common form of relaxation in Japan, suggests that being in the forest and walking among the trees there can lower your stress levels.
So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking outdoors?
Walk not just for exercise. Walk for wonder.
| A．Unfortunately, you often fail to do it. |
| B．Expose yourself more to your surroundings. |
| C．The movement during walking is obviously key. |
| D．Without enough energy, you cannot wonder or create. |
| E．But to receive the benefits, you do not have to live in a forest. |
| F．This habit, however, not only benefits well-being but also contributes to innovation. |
| G．Wandering around a park and observing people relaxing or birds singing is also a choice. |
2 . The village super league, or “Cun Chao” in Chinese, is a soccer game among different villages in Rongjiang county, Guizhou Province, and it is so down-to-earth but popular that it has attracted not only the attention of football legend Michael Owen but also millions of Chinese netizens (网民), who are paying attention to this non-professional football league.
The players come from a variety of backgrounds. They are vendors, drivers, students, carpenters, tilers, former butchers, and brick factory workers. Their ages range from 15 to over 40 years old. At the game site, representatives wearing various traditional national costumes play national musical instruments and enter the field with the players, and perform songs and dances.
“This kind of football game is natural and with ‘pureness’ and it is driven by the love of the ordinary people not the economic benefits. The game is providing not only values of sports, but also a way of socializing with low costs,” an expert noted. This kind of atmosphere is very rarely seen and is treasured, especially for people in urban areas who are getting increasingly busy and under great work pressure, and when they look at the fun, relaxing and down-to-earth way of life in the countryside, they will naturally be interested, experts said. There is at least one good effect brought by the “Cun Chao” to Chinese soccer—to make more people see the pureness of joy and encourage them to play soccer.
Today, more and more grassroots sports events are held in the mountains and are using sports as a medium to showcase the unique charm of the local area, reflecting an energetic lifestyle filled with agricultural activities and rural fun.
1. Why does the author mention Michael Owen in Paragraph 1?| A．To show he is a household name in China. |
| B．To voice his view on modern soccer game. |
| C．To show the great popularity (流行) of “Cun Chao”. |
| D．To stress the importance of “Cun Chao”. |
| A．They are from all walks of life. |
| B．Seniors are welcome to join the team. |
| C．They are able to play national musical instruments. |
| D．They wear traditional costumes on the soccer field. |
| A．Slow-paced (慢节奏的). | B．Highly stressed. |
| C．High-cost. | D．Nonprofitable. |
| A．The village super league wins the hearts of Chinese. |
| B．The village super league: From nobody to somebody. |
| C．The village super league bridges the countryside and the city. |
| D．The village super league promises the future of Chinese soccer. |
3 . In July 2021, kids from around the world watched the first appearance of skateboarding at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The four medal events for men and women in park and street boarding showed the gifts of 80 athletes from all over the world.
Bryce Wettstein is one of the top competitors from the United States in park skateboarding, which requires athletes to show skills that combine (使结合) art and athleticism in a bowl that looks like an empty swimming pool. At 17, Bryce shows her skills in a way that celebrates the skateboarding community.
Skateboarding began in the late 1940s and early 1950s in small Southern California beach towns. Born into this community, Bryce has won a place at the center of the sport. “Skateboarding just seems like it can be everything and anything all washed together in some washing machine of color,” she said.
Bryce shares her California hometown with international skateboard pioneer Tony Hawk. He was chosen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as an ambassador (大使) in its “Stronger Together” competitive sport, which celebrates this year’s athletes. In an IOC video, Hawk summarized the unlikely rise of skateboarding. “We used to see ourselves as a family of misfits (不合群),” he said. “But now the world calls us Olympians.”
Skateboarders celebrate each other’s natural abilities and achievements, while working to help the sport develop. This is shown in the friendship between Bryce and top Australian competitor Poppy Starr Olsen. Both athletes have dreamed of acting for their own countries at the Olympic Games since they skateboarded together as kids.
“I think skateboarding is going to be really different from all the other sports,” Poppy said. “We’re all kind of like a family.” Bryce agreed. “That’s what makes skateboarding such a great sport,” she said.
1. Which of the following best describes Bryce Wettstein?| A．A skateboarder who likes everything colourful. |
| B．An excellent skateboarder easy to get on with. |
| C．An excellent skateboarder from the birthplace of skateboarding. |
| D．A skateboarder having a special understanding of skateboarding. |
| A．He does much to celebrate the athletes. | B．He made skateboarding rise in the world. |
| C．He is a skateboard pioneer all over the world. | D．He made an important speech in an IOC video. |
| A．It gets family members together. | B．It is the dream of many children. |
| C．It is a means to celebrate success. | D．It can bring people close together. |
| A．Top athletes at the Olympics. | B．A new Olympic sports event. |
| C．Some skateboarders’ success. | D．Opinions on an Olympic sports event. |
4 . The village super league, or “Cun Chao” in Chinese, is a soccer game among different villages in Rongjiang County, Southwest China’s Guizhou Province, and it is so down-to-earth but popular that it has attracted not only the attention of football legend Michael Owen, but also millions of Chinese netizens (网民), who are paying attention to this non-professional football league.
The players come from a variety of backgrounds. They are vendors, drivers, students, carpenters, tilers, former butchers and brick factory workers. Their ages range from 15 to over 40 years old. At the game site, representatives wearing various traditional national costumes play national musical. instruments and enter the arena (竞技场) with the players, and perform songs and dances.
“This kind of football game is natural and with ‘pureness’ and it is driven by the enthusiasm of the ordinary people not the economic benefits. The game is providing not only values of sports, but also a way of socialising with low costs,” an expert noted. “This kind of atmosphere is very rarely seen and is treasured, especially for people in urban areas who are getting increasingly busy and under great work pressure, and when they look at the fun, relaxing and down-to-earth way of life in the countryside, they will naturally be interested,” experts said. There is at least one good impact brought by “Cun Chao” to Chinese soccer—to make more people see the pureness of joy brought by the sport and encourage them to play soccer.
Today, more and more grassroots sports events are held in the mountains and are using sports as a medium to showcase the unique charm of the local area, reflecting a vibrant lifestyle filled with agricultural activities and rural fun.
1. Why does the author mention Michael Owen in Paragraph 1?| A．To show he is famous in China. |
| B．To tell about his love for China. |
| C．To suggest he has taken part in “Cun Chao”. |
| D．To prove the great popularity of “Cun Chao”. |
| A．They are from all walks of life. |
| B．Seniors are welcome to join the team. |
| C．Most of them are capable of playing national musical instruments. |
| D．They wear traditional costumes on the soccer field when competing. |
| A．To build more arena s in the countryside. |
| B．To help people know more about soccer. |
| C．To encourage more people to play soccer. |
| D．To make Chinese soccer known around the world. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Favourable. | C．Ashamed. | D．Negative. |
5 . The fitness center offers a variety of (各种各样的) activities for members of all ages throughout the week. Activities on Monday 12 July, 2017:
Learning to swim. Classes for preschool children aged five and under start at 10 am. Classes last 30 minutes and parents must attend (参加) with their children. Don’t forget to book (预定) in advance, as places are limited, and to pack some warm clothes for using after the lesson.
Woman’s aerobics (有氧运动). Sessions last (持续) for one hour and begin at 10:45 am, led by Melissa. Come along and join us every Monday for an exhilarating (令人高兴的) hour of exercise and fun. Leave your kids at the nursery (托儿所) and take time out for yourself. Wear a track suit (运动服) or something similar.
Lunchtime yoga (午间瑜伽). Take a break at lunchtime (1:00—2:00 pm) for an hour of meditation (沉思) and yoga. Enjoy the peace and quiet of our meditation room, and relaxing sessions designed for active people with busy lives. Use your own mat (垫子) for floor (地板) work or hire (租) one from us for a small sum (金额).
Family shootaround. 10:00—5:30 pm. Family shootaround is open for members and guests to bring the family out for basketball. Half court games are only during this time. There are no full court games during family shoot around hours. All participants must sign in (签到) at the front desk and wear a wristband (腕套) during the play.
1. If you want to join in “Learning to swim”, you must__________.| A．Sign in at the front desk. | B．Wear a wristband. |
| C．Book in advance. | D．Hire a mat. |
| A．From 10:10 am to 10:40 am. | B．From 10:45 am to 11:45 am. |
| C．From 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. | D．From 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. |
| A．Lunchtime yoga. | B．Learn to swim. |
| C．Women’s aerobics. | D．Family shoot around. |
| A．Lunchtime yoga. | B．Learn to swim. |
| C．Women’s aerobics. | D．Family shootaround. |
6 . Simon James is a super-trail runner (越野跑步者) who encourages people to reconnect with nature in the name of exercise. He has completed Super Trail in the Alps, the Andes and the Himalayas. A late-night bet with a client (客户) got him tied to running.
“In 2006, a business client challenged me one evening in a bar to a 36-hour walk across 54 miles of the West Highland Way, and I foolishly said ‘yes’,” James said. “He then rang me the next day to tell me we would be running it.”
At the time, James was 20 kilograms overweight and the longest he had run before that was just under 8 miles, but he managed to finish that run and has never looked back.
According to a report, two-thirds of adults in the U.K. are overweight, one-fifth suffering from depression (抑郁). The huge influence caused by modern lifestyle has worsened these issues. We are aware of the importance of exercise in everyday life, and no amount of virtual meetings can make up for direct social contact. James said, “Only one thing can fix these problems — trail running.”
What is unique about trail running, he explained, is that “it reconnects us to our beautiful nature and connects our physical, mental and spiritual aspects, as well as providing us with an experience which can connect us to other people”.
Inspired, he quit his city life of working 16-hour-plus-days as a banker, and spent more time in trails and mountains.
James is now in charge of the trail running company Run the Wild. He said every run has been a gift following a physical operation in 2015, even though his doctor told that he could hardly run again. He said, “The outdoors is such a great place for us all to experience.”
1. How did Simon James take part in trail running?| A．He was inspired by a friend. | B．He tried to deal with his health issue. |
| C．He made a bet with a client. | D．He had a passion for workout. |
| A．It focuses largely on overweight British people. |
| B．It has little influence on people’s mental health. |
| C．It connects people through virtual community. |
| D．It helps to build the social connection for people. |
| A．Adventurous. | B．Sociable. | C．Kind-hearted. | D．Determined. |
| A．A Unique Experience | B．Running Wonder |
| C．A Trail to Nature | D．Depression Disorders |
7 . For many runners, a marathon can often be a challenge—but sometimes what gets a runner through the tough 26.2 miles is looking out into the crowd and seeing his or her loved one holding up a sign and shouting words of encouragement. For one mom, though, her loved one was a bit more hands-on.
While running the REVEL Big Cottonwood Marathon in Salt Lake City, Courtney Rich, a self-taught baker and mother of two, was beginning to run out of energy just yards from the end when she was suddenly joined by her 10-year-old daughter, Avery.
The touching moment, caught on video and posted on social media, shows Avery running to her mother’s side to support her as she approached the end of the race. Rich’s face lit up when Avery joined her and helped her cross the finish line.
Rich later said in the video’s caption that being joined by her daughter to finish the race was “a moment I hope neither of us ever forget”. Rich said that her daughter could tell she was struggling after a phone call near the end of the race. “She knew I had struggled the last few miles,” Rich said. “She saw tears in my eyes when I called on mile 24.”
In the video, Rich’s facial expression changes from tiredness to a smile after seeing her daughter emerge from the crowd to join her. Then, Rich and her daughter ran hand-in-hand to the finish line. “Nothing could have prepared me for the moment my 10-year-old daughter would jump out of the crowd and run with me to the finish line,” she said. When the race was done, the two hugged each other at the finish line. The video ends with a final caption, “And then she just held me. She held me.”
In the past, the REVEL Big Cottonwood Marathon has had other memorable moments of mothers caring for their children, but perhaps not as hands-on as this one.
1. What happened to Rich when she was coming to the finish line?| A．She felt herself struggling. | B．She was far behind others. |
| C．She fell down all of a sudden. | D．She was interrupted by Avery. |
| A．She ran the rest in place of Rich. | B．She tried to call for help at once. |
| C．She helped Rich run to the finish line. | D．She shouted encouraging words to Rich. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Content. | C．Concerned. | D．Expected. |
| A．A Daughter Cheered For Her Mother By Joining In Her Race |
| B．A Mother Encouraged Her Daughter To Pursue Her Dream |
| C．A Daughter Got Involved In Her Mother’s Race By Mistake |
| D．A Mother Would Never Give Up On Her Marathon Dream |
8 . The 2024 “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreigners across the Globe — Calligraphy and Painting Challenge has been officially announced (宣布), which will start on April 1, 2024.
This competition invites painting, calligraphy, and Chinese language lovers from all around the world to take part in this exciting event.
Here we are calling on those who have interest to turn in their creative topics for the competition, with the topic selection process being decided by the public.
If you’re interested, feel free to turn in the topic that you believe fits the requirements of the competition.
Here are what you should follow:
Who can take part
The call for creative topics for the Calligraphy and Painting Challenge is open to any Chinese language lovers worldwide, with no limitations on age or nationality.
When to turn in
If you’d like to take part, you’d better hand in between Jan. 15, 2024 and Mar. 30, 2024 (Beijing Time).
Announcement date
The selected topic for the Calligraphy and Painting Challenge will be announced on Mar. 31, 2024, which also marks the official start for handing in calligraphy and painting works under the selected topic next day.
Methods to hand in
Participants (参与者) can send their topics and related information to Chinesebridge@chineseplus.net. “Chinese Bridge” also accepts direct messages on its official account on Facebook, Instagram, We Chat, and Weibo.
1. Which of the following statements is correct?| A．Participants must be more than 18 years old. |
| B．The nationality of the participants must be Chinese. |
| C．Participants can turn in the topic online or to the office. |
| D．Participants can hand in whatever topic suitable for the competition. |
| A．June 20, 2024. | B．February 12, 2024. |
| C．March 25, 2024. | D．January 28, 2024. |
| A．To set up a competition organization. |
| B．To announce the opening of a competition. |
| C．To collect creative topics for a competition. |
| D．To provide some information about a competition. |
9 . Sometimes, kids feel that they don’t like sports because they may not understand how to play them or they haven’t had much practice. Sports may seem tough because of all the rules and special equipment. Even the fields and courts sports are played on come in different shapes and sizes and have confusing (让人糊涂的) lines drawn on them.
People usually need to spend many years learning about their favorite sports and practicing how to play them well, so don’t feel bad if you don’t know the difference between a “corner kick” and a “goal kick” in soccer. If you want to learn more, you can go to camps or take part in activities that introduce kids to new sports. These may be better than just joining a team that starts playing games right away without much explaining first.
Gym classes and programs at school can also be good ways to try new sports with a mix of kids. But you need to focus your attention. Some of my students just don’t listen to me carefully when I explain the rules to them. They prefer to come back to me when they run into difficulty.
Another way to learn about a sport is to watch instructional videos that explain the rules and offer advice.
If you have an older friend or family member who’s good at a certain sport, you might ask him or her to help you practice. Some sports may seem easy to understand, but once you begin to play them, you’ll have great difficulty. Therefore, having someone teach you and play with you will be a good choice.
1. The underlined word “tough” is closest in meaning to “_____”.| A．unimportant | B．useless | C．dangerous | D．difficult |
| A．Going to camps that help you to learn about a certain sport. |
| B．Watching videos that teach how to play a certain sport. |
| C．Reading books that explain how to play a certain sport. |
| D．Asking a friend to practice with you. |
| A．a health expert | B．a PE teacher |
| C．the headmaster of a school | D．the manager of a sports club |
| A．How to Learn to Play a Sport. | B．Sports Are Good for You. |
| C．Why Do We Play Sports? | D．Sports Are Hard to Play. |
10 . Whether you run a race or bounce a basketball, you do it because it’s fun. Some scientists claim that play is a natural instinct, just like sleep.
Sports come in many shapes and sizes. Both team and individual sports have advantages and disadvantages. In a team sport such as soccer, you’re part of a group, struggling to be a winning team.
There’s little doubt about the value of sports. We learn how to negotiate plans, settle disagreements, and monitor our attitude. Since organized sports are a hands-on, minds-on learning process, they stimulate our imagination, curiosity, and creativity.
In a perfect world, everyone would have fun playing sports.
Playing sports doesn’t mean you have to play on a school team. Few people have what it takes to be a professional athlete. But your school basketball coach or gymnastics teacher has found a way to make play their work. In doing so, they’ve found a profession best suited to their abilities.
| A．But that’s not always the case. |
| B．Regardless of your sport, play to have fun. |
| C．Sports may have begun as a form of survival. |
| D．The skills we learn can be applied to school and work. |
| E．This might explain why sports are likely to be as old as humanity. |
| F．There are rules to obey, skills to learn, and strategies to carry out. |
| G．You must learn to get along with your teammates and share responsibility. |
