1 . Benefits of Sports

Taking exercise is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from study and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven to improve general well-being.

    1     Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you take part. Nearly every sport requires physical activity and the skills needed to be competitive. Basketball players focus on strength training.     2     The training process helps encourage physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    3     Playing sports contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, high-five from a teammate, or handshake after a match really raises a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise the self-worth.     4     So after a game, it’s a better idea to ask “Did you enjoy the game?” rather than “Did you win?”

Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up leadership and responsibility.     5     Teamwork demands both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork will raise your responsibility and give you an opportunity to be a leader.

There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to take part in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!

A．It’s not just your body that benefits from sports.

B．Therefore, playing sports is going to make you more fit.

C．Football players work on speed while track athletes train through longer runs.

D．Among these, learning how to work as a team is the most important advantage.

E．But remember, a child’s self-worth should not be judged by victory or loss.

F．If you play group sports, you’ll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach.

G．The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious.

2 . Race walking shares many fitness benefits with running, research shows, while most likely contributing to fewer injuries. It does, however, have its own problem.

Race walkers are conditioned athletes. The longest track and field event at the Summer Olympics is the 50-kilometer race walk, which is about five miles longer than the marathon. But the sport’s rules require that a race walker’s knees stay straight through most of the leg swing and one foot remain in contact (接触) with the ground at all times. It’s this strange form that makes race walking such an attractive activity, however, says Jaclyn Norberg, an assistant professor of exercise science at Salem State University in Salem, Mass.

Like running, race walking is physically demanding, she says, According to most calculations, race walkers moving at a pace of six miles per hour would burn about 800 calories(卡路里) per hour, which is approximately twice as many as they would burn walking, although fewer than running, which would probably burn about 1,000 or more calories per hour.

However, race walking does not pound the body as much as running does, Dr. Norberg says. According to her research, runners hit the ground with as much as four times their body weight per step, while race walkers, who do not leave the ground, create only about 1.4 times their body weight with each step.

As a result, she says, some of the injuries associated with running, such as runner’s knee, are uncommon among race walkers. But the sport’s strange form does place considerable stress on the ankles and hips, so people with a history of such injuries might want to be cautious in adopting the sport. In fact, anyone wishing to try race walking should probably first consult a coach or experienced racer to learn proper technique, she says. It takes some practice.

1. Why are race walkers conditioned athletes?

A．They must run long distances.

B．They are qualified for the marathon.

C．They have to follow special rules.

D．They are good at swinging their legs.

2. What advantage does race walking have over running?

A．It’s more popular at the Olympics.

B．It’s less challenging physically.

C．It’s more effective in body building.

D．It’s less likely to cause knee injuries.

3. What is Dr. Norberg’s suggestion for someone trying race walking?

A．Getting experts’ opinions.

B．Having a medical checkup.

C．Hiring an experienced coach.

D．Doing regular exercises.

4. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to race walking?

A．Skeptical.	B．Objective.
C．Tolerant.	D．Conservative.

3 . BEST BODY FITNESS

About us

You don’t want just gym membership. You want membership that means something. And that means you need support, expert help and a community.

Best Body Fitness isn’t just a gym: it’s full-service fitness membership made for you.

Here’s how it works:

STEP ONE: Your assessment

We begin with an assessment session. This is a chance for you to see what we do at Best Body. Our assessment plans are no-cost and no-risk. We’ll also make a training plan specifically for you.

STEP TWO: Your training

When you decide to become a Best Body member, we show you what to do, how to do it and why you are doing it. After a few sessions with an expert private trainer you will feel comfortable working out on your own. But don’t worry, we’ll always be nearby if you have questions.

STEP THREE: Your membership

Membership works on a month-to-month basis. There are no sign-up fees and no cancellation fees. Start and stop whenever you want. And the best part? Our fees are the most competitive in the whole downtown area.

STEP FOUR: Your community

At Best Body Fitness, we see everyone as part of a big team. And when you work with a team, you can do great things. Join any of our specialized classes, led by expert instructors. Come to our nutrition classes. Participate in our regular social events. Everything is included in your fee.

Finally, share some reasons why our members have chosen us over any other fitness centre in the city.

It’s so EASY

Easy to start, stop, cancel or refund membership

Easy to access — we’re open 24/7, we never close

Easy to do exercise — we have lots of equipment, no long wait

Easy to find — in the centre of town, near public transport and with parking

1. Which statement about Best Body Fitness is correct?

A．It provides you with a fitness assessment after training.

B．It offers you a customized training plan.

C．It allows you to work out without any fees.

D．It asks you to work out on your own.

2. What is the best part of Best Body Fitness?

A．Its price is quite good.	B．Its time is enough.
C．Its classes are no-risk.	D．Its trainers are experienced.

3. What type of writing does this text probably belong to?

A．News report.	B．Speech.
C．Announcement.	D．Advertisement.

4 . Water skiing

Water skiing is an exciting water sport that can be a ton of fun. You will get to have a happy and joyful adventure every time you go out on the water.     1     However, once you start, water skiing is a sport you can enjoy whenever you have a boat and enough flat water.

    2     Every water skier needs water skis—these are different from snow skis and they also differ depending on the size of the skier and the experience level of the skier.     3     You will need to find at least two people to go with you on your water skiing adventure. You and everyone you go with will have more fun if the friends you go with also want to water ski. You need a boat, naturally.     4    

For your first time water skiing, you may want to either take a lesson from an expert or find a friend that has experience and is willing to teach you.     5     The observer rides in the boat, but watches the water skier for any signals and helps the driver know when to start and stop.

A．It’s no hard task to learn.

B．It takes a little patience to learn.

C．Of course, no one can water ski alone.

D．Once prepared, a skier can start the game on his own.

E．You will also need a water skiing cable and a life jacket.

F．Before you start water skiing, there are a few supplies you’ll need.

G．Of your two helpers, you need one to drive the boat and one to observe.

5 . People need to relax and enjoy themselves. One way they can have a good time is to watch a baseball game or another sports event.Even thousands of years ago，groups of people gathered to watch skilled athletes(运动员)．

Over 2，000 years ago in Greece，certain days in the year were festival days. These were holidays when people stopped work and enjoyed themselves. They liked to watch athletes take part in races and other games of skill.

The most important festival was held every four years at the town of Olympia. It was held in honour of the Greek god Zeus. For five days，athletes from all parts of the Greek world took part in the Olympic Games. At the Olympic Games，people could watch them box，run，jump and so on. There was a relay race between two teams of men in which a lighted torch(火炬) was passed from runner to runner. The Olympic Games were thought to be so important that cities which were at war with one another had to stop fighting. People were allowed to travel to the games freely. Thousands of people came to Olympia from cities in Greece and from its colonies(殖民地) in Africa，Asia and Italy. They met as friends to cheer their favourite athletes and to enjoy themselves.

1. What happened in Greece over 2，000 years ago?

A．People stopped work and enjoyed themselves.

B．The cities there were often against one another.

C．People watched baseball games.

D．People didn't go to any games at all.

2. What did people do at the games?

A．They fought.

B．They just talked to friends.

C．They cheered for good athletes.

D．They tried to find friends.

3. Greek cities then were fighting so they ______．

A．were weak

B．were strong

C．couldn't go to other cities freely

D．could see each other

4. The best title for the story is ''______''．

A．Greece at War	B．Together for the Games
C．Stop Fighting	D．Sport

6 . The boy sat on his chair, with his hands above the keyboard. He thought about what to write.

He recalled that the competition deadline was merely a week away. But he still had not even started on his piece. He looked at the brochure again.“WRITING COMPETITION！” the title read. His mom had encouraged him to enter the writing competition, and now he was taking it on as his personal task for the holidays.

As the boy reflected on his previous writing efforts, he realized how hopeless his task of winning was. Every story he ever wrote was based on other stories. He had little imagination, and unfortunately, imagination was the key to writing.

Suddenly, he had a brainwave. This time, he came up with an original and imaginative story.

The words shot towards him like a storm of leaves. Words were coming easily, flowing through him, faster than he could type. He typed faster than he ever had before. He continued to type, amazed how easy writing this story was. The boy could not stop writing. He looked at the word count and saw the number “248” staring right back at him. He was not even halfway yet.

Then he heard his mother’s call of saying time for bed. He continued writing the piece, ignoring her. He had to make up for the time he had lost in thinking about a topic to write.

Finally, he finished. The word count now read “498”.

“Perfect，” he thought, “just under the word limit.” He knew this was the story that would win.

He went to the website and searched for the competition. He found the page but there was no “Enter” button.

Confused, he then re­read the page again. It read COMPETITION CLOSED.

1. What caused the boy to take part in the writing competition?

A．A new computer.

B．The prize money.

C．His own interest.

D．His mom’s encouragement.

2. How did the boy finish his earlier writing?

A．His mom helped him.

B．He copied others’ ideas.

C．His friends assisted him.

D．He used his imagination.

3. Why did the boy delay his writing?

A．Because he was terribly lazy.

B．Because he didn’t know what to write.

C．Because he wasn’t confident.

D．Because he read too many stories.

4. Which might be the maximum word limit for each entry?

A．100.	B．250.
C．500.	D．1000.

7 . Humans were made for walking. With our upright posture and strong leg muscles, our bodies were actually designed with walking in mind which makes it such perfect exercise. It’s kind to our bodies and great for our waistlines.     1    

Maybe you already love to walk, but you’re getting tired of tracing the same old route day after day, or maybe you’re new to walking and aren’t sure how to get started.     2    Ask yourself, what do you want to get out of walking aside from the health benefits? Do you want to meet other people? See new places? Get out into the countryside or explore a new city? Knowing your goals will help you decide on the type of walk you want to do.

If making friends and socializing is your goal, call up your friends and schedule walks with them.    3     Many malls have groups that come every day, or every weekend, to “walk the mall.” These groups are always happy to include one more walker!

    4    Many large cities have incredible gardens and parks that include quiet walking trails getting you off the beaten path. Thanks to the Rails to Trails program, railways across the country are being transformed into scenic walking paths that are a perfect way to seek calmness.

From the benefits to your heart to your overall happiness, walking is just plain good for you.    5    It’s a fantastic way to get to know a place by the power of your own two feet.

A．Headed to a new city?

B．This month, pick up a map and start walking.

C．Ask your friends where they like to walk and just go there.

D．Either way, it's time to accept the idea of walking with a purpose.

E．And best of all, it’s a great way to see new things and meet new people!

F．Recently, science has proved that walking is good for your body shape.

G．If you're after walking alone, ask about local hikes that get you out of town and into the countryside.

8 . The beach may seem like an inviting place to run on a cool summer morning, but is running on the sand good for your body? It can be, but it’s important to be aware of the challenges that some beach runners experience before you get ready.

Running on the beach can be a good thing. It’s certainly different from running on a track or a pavement. For starters, sand can be a challenge because it has an uneven (不平坦的) surface. As you push off, you’re going to lose some of your push as the sand moves. So, you’re not going to be able to push yourself forward as you would on a track or a pavement. But this unevenness has an upside; It gives your body an extra workout, forcing you to exercise muscles that don’t get as much use during runs on firm surfaces. For example, your feet, ankles and lower back might feel sorer and more tired than usual after a beach run just because the surface is constantly moving and changing step to step.

You also might feel sore afterward because beaches tend to slope (倾斜) down to the water. If you’re going for a long run on the beach, you might notice that one side of your body might feel sorer because you’re putting more pressure on it due to the slope.

Some beach runners prefer to run barefoot — not wearing anything on feet. However, if you’re not used to barefoot running, start slowly and don’t run long distances at first. That’s because running barefoot uses more different muscles than running with shoes does, and it’s important to strengthen these muscles and adapt your feet. If you want to run barefoot and as long as you run carefully enough into it, go for it!

Running on the sand can be a smart choice for you, because running on softer ground surfaces can reduce muscle damage.

1. Why is it difficult to run on the beach for starters?

A．Running on its uneven surface takes much effort.

B．People need to run carefully on its smooth surface.

C．The soft surface makes people fall over easily.

D．It’s hard to keep one’s balance on its hard surface.

2. Which of the following best explains “upside” underlined in Paragraph 2?

A．Character.	B．Reason.
C．Advantage.	D．Challenge.

3. The passage can probably be found in ________.

A．A primary school textbook	B．A sports magazine
C．A tourist guide	D．A scientific report

9 . Do big sporting events make us do more sport?

I recently spent half a weekend sitting on the sofa watching the Davis Cup. I thought about going for a run, but I did not want to miss the rest of the match. Soon it was starting to get dark, so I did not bother. Whenever I watch tennis, I think how nice it would be to play it regularly. But I have been thinking that for almost 20 years without actually setting foot on a court. The evidence would suggest that I’m not the only one.

When a country or city bids to host an international sporting event, it often promises that more people will take up sports as a result. London was no exception. Tessa Jowell, who helped to secure the 2012 Olympics for London, said they would be the first to set challenging but achievable targets as a measure of their ambition: By 2012 two million more people would be physically active. And 60 percent of young people would be doing at least five hours of sports per week.

In the end it did not turn out quite like that. Just over one-third of people in Britain take part in sports once a week. A report on Olympic and Paralympic legacy has said that a big change in participation levels simply has not happened.

Why isn’t there a big increase in people taking part in sports after most sporting events? Perhaps it is a mistake to assume an automatic link between watching sports and playing it. While the games are on, they actually encourage people to do just the opposite — to spend whole sunny days not out playing sports, but inside sitting on the sofa with the curtains shut to stop the sun shining on the TV screen and spoiling the view. We don’t expect half the audience of a hit musical to apply to drama school the next day, yet we seem to expect it of sporting events.

We might have sat on the sofa doing an impression of Usain Bolt’s bow-and-arrow signature pose. But how many of us have been inspired by watching him sprint (短跑) 100 meters? The high-level performances on show only remind people that they could never match the elite athletes in their sporting achievements even if they trained full time.

Maybe participation in sports is not the right legacy to expect after a major sporting event. It’s not so much that the Olympics failed to get people to participate but rather that this was never going to be the result. The Olympics can do many things, but maybe this cannot necessarily be one of them.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．The author prefers playing tennis to running.

B．The author watches tennis matches very rarely.

C．The author hasn’t played tennis in nearly two decades.

D．The author didn’t go for a run because the match lasted longer than expected.

2. The underlined word “secure” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.

A．to fasten

B．to protect

C．to obtain

D．to promise

3. According to the article, there is no noticeable rise in sport participation after most events because      .
①it takes people a longer time to play sports than watch it
②watching sports actually discourages people from going out
③sporting events make people aware that they could never be as good as elite athletes
④people are too busy to get into the habit of taking part in sports

A．①②

B．②③

C．③④

D．①④

4. According to the author, to expect more citizens to play sports after a country hosts the Olympics is      .

A．important

B．natural

C．harmful

D．unnecessary

10 . After the Gold

Congratulations! You’ve won the gold medal! Stand still while the photo flashes (闪光灯) pop and TV journalists ask how it feels. Thousands of new followers on social media, meanwhile, are waiting for what you have to say.

Then, prepare for a different kind of downhill.

Diann Roffe knows the experience well. The American Alpine ski racer (高山滑雪运动员) won a gold medal at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics after winning a silver at the 1992 Albertville Games. She immediately announced her retirement. She was 26, an age when most people have just begun a career.

Joining society at 26 can be tough. A professional athlete’s life is remarkably self-centered. You wake up taking your heart rate. You think of your own workout goals. You write down what you eat. After years of self-focus, if everything works out just right, you win. Most people will never experience a high that high. But there’s a downside.

“It was like being taken up to the highest mountain peak to see the view, and then being brought down, never to be there again,” said Roffe. In the first years after her win, Roffe thought, “Here I am struggling with the masses to make ends meet and get school done, seeking that extraordinary feeling again.”

Roffe’s friend, speed skater Cathy Turner, was the darling after she won a gold at the 1992 Albertville Games. “I woke up every day with a long to-do list,” she recalled her early days after retirement. “It was like, ‘What speech am I giving? What company am I going to address?’ I was Cathy the skater, the Olympian. Then I was Cathy the motivational speaker.”

Turner found it difficult to make a transition out of the sport. She returned to compete at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, where she won another gold. She retired again, turned her attention to computers, but soon found herself with marital (婚姻的) troubles. Turner escaped her troubles the only way she knew — she trained for the 1998 Games, where she didn’t win a medal.

If their stories illustrate how difficult post-gold years can be, Roffe and Turner also show why winning athletes often eventually succeed.

“Think of what these people develop!” said California sports psychologist Doug Gardner. “Perseverance. Tenacity in dealing with failure. These skills are very useful in other aspects of life.”

Turner combined her perseverance with her love of computer technology. She finally became a valued database (数据库) manager at a company in New York state. Roffe, 23 years after her retirement, runs a successful business which makes locker (储物柜) systems for team locker rooms, resorts and gyms.

1. Which of the following statements about Diann Roffe is true?

A．She won her first Olympic gold medal in 1992.

B．She was invited to address many big companies after her retirement.

C．She has taken part in the Olympic Games three times in all.

D．She has become a successful businesswoman.

2. According to the article, what is the “downside” of winning Olympic gold medals?

A．Athletes will have many sleepless nights as TV journalists pour in.

B．Athletes will have a hard time deciding what to say to new followers on social media.

C．Athletes will find it challenging to relive such great feelings in daily life.

D．Athletes earn small salaries and most of them will find it hard to make ends meet after retirement.

3. Doug Gardner thinks winning athletes can achieve success in life as well because ______.

A．they focus remarkably well on themselves

B．most of them are very strong and healthy

C．they tend to keep trying despite difficulties

D．they know how to motivate others

4. We can tell from the article that Roffe felt happy after returning from the 2014 Sochi Winter Games because ____.

A．American Alpine ski racers won many gold medals

B．she felt she had finally made a transition out of her sport

C．the U.S.A. team used the products of her company

D．her husband and kids accompanied her to the races