1 . The United States is a sports-loving nation. Sports in America take various forms: organized competitive struggles, athletic games, hunting and fishing. Most sports are seasonal, so that what is happening in sports depends upon the time of year.
Baseball is the most popular sport in the US. It is played throughout the spring and summer, and professional baseball teams play well into the fall.
Football is the most popular sport in the fall. The game originated as a college sport more than 75 years ago. It’s not the same as European football or soccer. In American football there are 11 players as well on each team, and they are dressed in padded uniforms and helmets because the game is rough and injuries are likely to occur. It is still played by almost every college and university in the country.
Basketball is the winner sport in American schools and colleges. Like football, basketball originated in the US, many Americans prefer it to football because it is played indoors throughout the winter and because it is a faster game. And the famous NBA games are considered the best of this game.
Other sports attracting a great many people include wrestling, boxing and horse racing. Although horse-racing fans call themselves sportsmen, the exactness of the term is questionable, as only the jockeys who ride the horses in the races can be considered athletes. The so-called sportsmen are the spectators, who do not come primarily to see the horses race, but to bet (打赌) upon the outcome of cach race. Gambling is the attraction of horse racing.
1. Baseball is so popular in America that some professional teams play it until __________.| A．spring | B．Summer | C．fall | D．winter |
| A．to avoid unexpected injuries |
| B．to play it like European football |
| C．to make the game difficult enough |
| D．to look like professional players |
| A．NBA games are very popular |
| B．it comes from the US |
| C．it is much faster than football |
| D．it is played indoors all the winter |
| A．mainly stand and watch the races |
| B．don’t ride horse in the races |
| C．are only interested in the results |
| D．don’t care who wins in the races |
| A．the person who bets upon the race |
| B．the person who cares about horse-racing |
| C．the rider who enjoys watching the race |
| D．the rider who competes in horse-racing |
2 . “Barefoot Mike” gets a lot of attention when he shows up at the beginning of a race. He loves to run and has been running since he was a kid. He loves to and often competes in 10K races. But That’s not the reason he gets so much attention. People notice him because when he runs, “Barefoot Mike” runs barefoot.
Running barefoot has become a huge trend in the world of running. “I didn’t set out to be a trend setter,” laughed “Barefoot Mike”, otherwise known as Mike Whitaker. “I’ve always been a runner, but until a few years ago, I always wore shoes. Then one day I was running after a rainstorm. I stepped off into the grass to avoid a puddle (水坑) on the sidewalk, and accidentally stepped into a huge muddy puddle that had been hidden in the grass. I tried to keep running, but the wet and dirty shoe made it really hard. I figured the best solution was to just get rid of the shoes.”
Mike took off his shoes and dropped them into the nearest trash can. “Then I started running. At first I went really slowly because I was watching out for rocks or other things that could hurt my feet, but there really weren’t any problems.” He started going faster. “It felt so good!” Mike said. “My knee, which always ached, didn’t ache. My foot was able to spread out so I had better balance. And my feet didn’t feel all hot and sweaty. It was awesome!”
“There are actually potential health benefits to running barefoot” said Dr. Nancy Bower, a podiatrist (足科医师).
A recent study agrees. A team of researchers recently videotaped several people running—first wearing shoes and then barefoot. In almost every case, when wearing shoes, the runners tended to land on the heel of their foot, which they call “heel-striking.” Many runners have impact injuries such as knee pain. Heel-striking may be the cause of these injuries or may make an existing injury worse. When running barefoot, the runners tended to land on the middle part of the foot. The force is spread out throughout the foot. The ankle, shin (胫部), knee and hip don’t get the shock of a hard landing with every step.
1. Why does Mike receive a lot of attention while running?| A．Because he runs very fast. | B．Because he loses his shoes. |
| C．Because he wears no shoes. | D．Because he wears strange clothes. |
| A．He liked running barefoot. |
| B．He was advised to run barefoot. |
| C．His shoe became very uncomfortable. |
| D．His dream of becoming famous motivated him. |
| A．was very tired | B．was badly hurt |
| C．gave up running | D．felt unexpectedly great |
| A．is bad for one’s health |
| B．is caused by existing injuries |
| C．happens when one runs barefoot |
| D．can be avoided by wearing sports shoes |
| A．How to choose shoes. | B．Why people need shoes. |
| C．Useful tips on running barefoot. | D．The advantages of running barefoot. |
3 . A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.
I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P. E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and hit a softball. I didn't do either well. He later informed me that I was "not athletic".
The idea that I was "not athletic" stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!
The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn't even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.
Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!
At mile 3, I passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!"
By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt severely. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.
By mile 21, I was starving!
As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.
I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. Actually, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.
Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a "marathon winner".
1. After the author’s ankle was injured, what was he determined to do?| A．quit | B．go ahead |
| C．have a rest | D．keep calm and walk |
| A．treasure his precious old days | B．prove his inability in sports then |
| C．defend himself from prejudice | D．convey his gratitude to the teacher |
| A．He succeeded for a strong will. | B．He quit running halfway. |
| C．He was awarded the first prize. | D．He walked to the end. |
| A．He passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!" |
| B．He became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt severely |
| C．He was starving! |
| D．He was encouraged by his wife. |
| A．One is never too old to learn. |
| B．Failure is the mother of success. |
| C．Family support is the fountain of success. |
| D．Success can be acquired with a great effort of will. |
4 . US Open Championships
The US Open has been in existence for more than 130 years. The first tournament was held in 1881 at the Newport Casino. It was called the US National Singles Championship. Entry was limited to only those clubs which were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association, and the competitors were all male, competing in both singles and doubles. Richard Sears won the men's championship and he went on to win the next six men's singles championships.
The Wimbledon
In 1875, the All England Croquet Club was troubled financially due to declining membership. A new sport called lawn tennis was gaining fast in popularity and taking away the members. Two years later, a new roller was needed for maintaining its lawns so the club proposed to hold a tournament to raise money. Twenty-two players entered that first Wimbledon tournament which was won by Spencer Gore in straight sets over W. C. Marshall. Two hundred spectators each paid a shilling to watch the final game, enabling the club to buy the needed roller plus some extra cash.
The French Open
The very first French Championship was way back in 1891, and the tournament has since grown into one of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments we know today. The first competition was a one-day national championship which was won by a British. The competition was poorly attended by world class players. It took 24 years before it became fully international and an accepted tennis grand slam event. After the First World War, French tennis was achieving stature. Suzanne Lenglen was the predominant French player, winning the championships six times between 1920 and 1926.
The Australian Open
The very first tennis tournament ever played in Australia was held in January 1880, on the courts of the Melbourne Cricket Club. In 1905, the Australian Open was established as the Australasian Tennis Championship and was played at the Warehouseman's Cricket Ground in Melbourne. It became the Australian Championship in 1927 and the Australian Open in 1969. Women's events were added in 1922.
1. Which of the following statements about the first U.S. Open is right?| A．It has a history of 130 years. |
| B．Only men were allowed to play in the game. |
| C．Richard Sears won six championships. |
| D．It has remained about the same through all these years. |
| A．raise some fund for a lawn roller | B．attract more people to play tennis |
| C．attract more audience to watch the game | D．celebrate the renaming of the club |
| A．the tournament has been played in the same place all these years |
| B．twenty-two players played in the first tournament |
| C．few good tennis players took part in the first French Championship |
| D．the players played in singles and doubles in the tournament |
| A．they were all born in the same year |
| B．they all had only male players in the first tournament |
| C．they have all experienced financial difficulties |
| D．they all have had a history of 130 years or more |
| A．how the four international tennis tournaments came into being |
| B．how long it took for women to have the right to play in the game |
| C．how the four international tennis tournaments get their present names |
| D．why the tennis tournaments are held in these four countries |
How do students spend their spare time after finishing their homework? Watch TV, play computer games, or go outside to relax? Here's a good example.
Tim and Kerry Meek are both teachers. They live in the UK with their two daughters: eleven-year-old Amy and nine-year-old Ella. Recently, the Meek family has become the focus of the whole country after they completed 100 different outdoor activities in one year.
The Meek couple didn't want their children to spend all their free time in front of the TV and become "couch potatoes". So about one year ago, the Meeks decided that watching TV and playing computer games were not permitted. Instead, they set 100 tasks for the two girls to do outside. Although Mr. and Mrs. Meek are not outdoor activity fans, they took part in all the activities to encourage their daughters. It turns out that the two sisters really had a good time joining activities.
Every holiday and weekend, whether it's sunny, rainy or snowy, the Meeks' would set off to try the activities on their list, including hiking, sailing, climbing, skiing, and so on. The two little girls not only had a wonderful time, but also learned a lot of skills from the activities. They were even able to stand up in front of their school to give a talk for charity. "Our friends spend a lot of their free time doing things which are harmful to their health. Luckily, we've had the chance to experience something different." Amy and Ella also helped their parents to draw up a new list of challenges for the next 12 months.
1. Why did the Meeks become the focus of the UK? (no more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined phrase "couch potatoes" mean? (no more than 15 words)
3. When did the Meeks go out to do the activities? (no more than 5 words)
4. What did the two little girls learn from the activities?(no more than 5 words)
5. What have you learnt from the story? (no more than 25 words)
6 . Diana Nyad, born in 1949, is one of the world's greatest long-distance swimmers. She started as a speed swimmer, winning races in high school and dreaming of the Olympics. However, Nyad fell ill with heart disease before she could compete in the 1968 Olympic Games and had to spend three months in bed. By the time Nyad was better, she was unable to swim as fast as she had previously.
Nyad then turned from speed swimming to distance swimming. Her first race was 10 miles in the cold waters of Lake Ontario. Even though she came in tenth place, she was the first woman ever to complete the course. In 1974, Nyad set a record while swimming a 22-mile race in the Bay of Naples, Italy. That same year she tried to swim back and forth across Lake Ontario, a total of 64 miles. Nyad made it across the lake, but on the return trip, she lost consciousness and had to be pulled from the water. In 1975, she swam around Manhattan Island, a distance of 28 miles, in a record of 7 hours and 57 minutes. Three years later she swam 102 miles from the Bahamas to Florida.
In 2010, at the age of 61, Nyad announced she would swim from Cuba to Florida. In order to train, Nyad spent as many as 14 hours a day swimming in the ocean. The swim from Cuba to Florida would last at least 60 hours and cover 103 miles. Unfortunately, bad weather forced Nyad to wait until the next year. In 2011, Nyad attempted the swim but was blown off course after being in the water for 29 hours. Nyad attempted the swim again a few months later, but she had to stop because of too many jellyfish stings (海蜇蜇伤）.
Despite these setbacks, Nyad continues to preserve and plans to eventually make the Cuba-to-Florida swim. She has made a vow (誓言）to never stop swimming and wants other older Americans to understand that it is never too late to make one's dreams come true.
1. What made Nyad fail to participate in the 1968 Olympic Games? (No more than 5 words)2. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about? (No more than 10 words)
3. How did Nyad make preparations for her swimming from Cuba to Florida? (No more than 15 words)
4. What does the underlined word “setbacks” in the last paragraph mean? (Only 1 word)
5. What inspiration do you learn from Nyad’s stories and experiences? (No more than 25 words)
7 . First it was jogging. Then aerobics(有氧运动). Not too long ago, Americans discovered race walking.
Now Americans are into a new fitness craze. They’re taking up bicycling. Over hills and down mountainsides and across quiet country roads, Americans are busily rolling along.
The number of adults who ride for fitness is around 17 million, an increase of 70 percent over four years ago. Twice as many women as men are coming to the sport. Americans are falling in love with biking because it has speed, the benefits of jogging and beautiful scenery.
Bicycling is a very appropriate sport, which is important to people who injured their knees while jogging or whose joints are aching from aerobics. And biking is a real awakening for people who have been into race walking in the past. Race walking is as dull as watching paint dry.
The most popular kind of bicycle for people who are new to the sport is the mountain bike, which has a fixed frame with wide tires and upright handles. Mountain bikes also have many gears(齿轮)to make it easier to climb hills. About 5 million Americans ride mountain bikes, compared with 200,000 who rode them only five years ago.
Costs range from about $130 for a bottom-of-the-line bicycle to more than $2,700 for an expensive bicycle.
Mountain biking has attracted some people who race down the sides of mountains like a bat out of hell. But most riders ride slowly and they rarely venture far from home.
The biking craze has brought an unexpected profit(盈利)to clothing and bicycle accessory (附属品)makers. Last year, bikers paid $630 million for biking clothes and accessories.
Bicycling seems likely to continue its fantastic growth.
1. The main idea of the article is _____________.| A．riding a bicycling is one of the most dangerous sports in America |
| B．Americans are rolling along |
| C．bicycling is the latest fitness craze in America |
| D．Most people in America want to own a hand-made bicycle that can cost more than $2,700 |
| A．race walking is a slow-moving sport |
| B．the number of adults who ride for fitness has grown 70 percent in four years |
| C．it has speed, the benefits of jogging and beautiful scenery |
| D．Americans are taking up bicycling |
| A．walk up stairs | B．throw a baseball |
| C．write your name | D．use the telephone |
| A．most people are new to that sport |
| B．about 5 million Americans own mountain bikes |
| C．a cheap mountain bike costs about $130 |
| D．they have many gears to make it easier to ride up hills |
| A．people who want to ride like a bat out of hell |
| B．bicycle accessory makers |
| C．race walkers |
| D．twice as many women as men |
8 . The term “Iron Man” has many connotations(内涵), including references to a song, a comic book icon, even a movie. Yet only one definition of the term truly lives up to its name: the Ironman triathlon held annually in Hawaii, a picturesque(独特的)setting for a challenging race, which demands amazing physical prowess and the ability to swim, bike, and run a marathon, all in less than 12 hours with no break. Very few individuals are up to the task.
However, Gordon Haller is a notable exception. Growing up in the 1950s, Haller developed an interest in many sports categorized as endurance(耐性)athletics and welcomed their physical demands. As he pursued a degree in physics he drove a taxi to pay the bills, but competitive training proved his passion. So when he heard about the race in 1978, the first year it was held, he immediately signed up.
The race originated in a somewhat amusing way. The members of the two popular sports clubs, the Mid-Pacific Road Runners of Honolulu and the Waikiki Swim Club of Oahu, had a long-standing and good-natured debate going over who made better athletes: runners or swimmers. However, some local bikes thought both clubs were wrong, claiming that they, in fact, deserved the title. Wanting to settle the dispute (争论)once and for all, they decided to combine three separate races already held annually on the island into one massive test of endurance. Thus, the Waikiki Roughwater Swim of 2.4 miles, the Around-Oahu Bike race of 112 miles, and the Honolulu Marathon of 26.2 miles were all put together to form the Ironman Triathlon.
Haller was one of only fifteen competitors to show up that February morning to start the race. He quickly scanned the few pages of rules and instructions, and on the last page he discovered a sentence that would become the race’s famous slogan: “Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag(吹牛)for the rest of your life!” Haller took that to heart, and at the end of the day, he became the first Ironman champion in history. Haller’s physical strength enabled him to do what no one else in the past had accomplished.
In the approximately thirty years since that very first race, the Ironman has become a tradition in Hawaii and now boasts approximately 1500 entrants every year. The competitors who complete the race don’t have to be the first across the finish line to claim success: just finishing is a victory onto itself.
1. The “Iron Man”in the passage above refers to ____________.| A．a folk song | B．a movie character |
| C．a triathlon athlete | D．a sports event |
| A．He had a great interest in all kinds of sports. |
| B．He was a member of the Waikiki Swim Club of Oahu. |
| C．He became a taxi driver after he graduated from school. |
| D．He was the champion in the first Ironman Triathlon. |
| A．muscles | B．skills | C．balance | D．reaction |
| A．The two clubs fought over who made better athletes. |
| B．Gordon Haller wanted to show his great endurance. |
| C．The combined race can help choose the most athletic. |
| D．Club members wanted to improve their physical abilities. |
| A．Participants had to choose two from the three races in the first Ironman Triathlon. |
| B．Haller may not have known the rules of it before he showed up for the event. |
| C．No other competitors other than Haller finished the races in the end. |
| D．Sixteen competitors in total participated in it on February morning. |
| A．It is the participation rather than victory that counts. |
| B．The current Ironman Triathlon is different from the original one. |
| C．The victors respond excitedly when crossing the finish line. |
| D．The event attracts many people because it creates good fortune. |
9 . Long ago, poems were recited out loud instead of being written down. Back when the Greeks first started the Olympics, they held poetry contests as well as athletic competitions.
Now, poetry competitions have been revived. This year 120,000 high school students competed in the first Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest, performing poems from memory for $100,000 in prizes.
The first competitions were held in classrooms. The winners went on to schoolwide contests, and then they competed in city and state competitions, and then the 50 state champions, along with the District of Columbia champion, came to Washington, D. C., last week for the last showdown(对决). After the 51 champions competed against one another,12 went on to the finals. Then the field was narrowed to five. The final five had one last chance to “perform” a poem. The overall champ, Jackson Hille, a high school senior from Ohio, won a $20,000 scholarship.
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation started Poetry Out Loud because they realized that hearing a poem performed is a different experience from reading it on the page.
It’s not just a matter of saying the words in the right order. It’s the tone of voice, the pauses, the gestures, and the attitude of the person performing that bring the words to life. “Each time we hear somebody recite a poem, we understand again what we found fresh and interesting about it,” says National Public Radio broadcaster Scott Simon, master of ceremonies for the finals. Hearing it in a new voice offers something new to the listener.
Not only do the people hearing poems have a new experience, memorizing and presenting poems helps the participants understand those poems in a new way. Another benefit of a competition such as Poetry Out Loud is that the participants learn public-speaking skills that can help them for life.
1. From the first paragraph, we can know _______.| A．the Greeks were the first to write poems |
| B．the Olympics used to start with poem reciting |
| C．poems were spread orally in the past |
| D．athletes were asked to recite poems before competing |
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．bring a new life to listeners |
| B．help listeners find their interest |
| C．make listeners learn the words |
| D．offer something new to listeners |
| A．become confident while speaking in public |
| B．write good poems themselves |
| C．change their attitudes towards life |
| D．make friends with many great poets |
| A．Reciting poems improves your memory |
| B．Remembering a lot of poems is fun |
| C．Poets have a great time |
| D．Poetry rocks the microphone |
Born in 1949, Diana Nyad took an early interest in swimming as a sport and was a Florida State High School swimming champion. Like many young athletes, she had Olympic dreams, but a serious illness kept her from competing in the Games. The disappointment didn’t stop her from going forward. Instead, she became interested in marathon swimming. A brilliant athlete, she was well-conditioned for spending long periods of time in the water. As a long-distance swimmer, she would compete against herself and the obstacles presented by distance, danger, cold, and exhaustion.
For ten years Nyad devoted herself to becoming one of the world’s best long-distance swimmers. In 1970, she swam a ten-mile marathon in Lake Ontario, setting the women’s record for the course. In 1972 she set another record by swimming 102.5 miles from an island in the Bahamas to the coast of Florida. Then she broke a third record when swimming around Manhattan Island in 1975.
Nyad attempted to swim the distance between Florida and Cuba in 1978. Though the span of water is less than 100 miles wide, it is rough and dangerous. After battling the water for two days, she had to give up for the sake of her own health and safety. Even so, she impressed the world with her courage and strong desire to succeed. For Nyad her strength of purpose was just as important as reaching Cuba. That is how she defined success. It did not matter that her swim came up short; she believed she had touched the other shore.
When Nyad ended her career as a swimmer, she continued to try new things---travelling the world as a reporter, writing books and giving public speeches about her life. Diana Nyad works to inspire others, just as she did when she swam the waters of the world.
1. What prevented Nyad from taking part in the Olympic Games? (Not more than 5 words)_______________________________________________________________________
2. What does the underlined word “obstacles” mean? (1 word)
_______________________________________________________________________
3. What achievement did Nyad make in 1970? (Not more than 10 words.)
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Why did Nyad believe that she had touched the other shore? (Not more than 10 words)
_______________________________________________________________________
5. Please explain how you are inspired by Nyad. (Not more than 20 words)
_____________________________________________________________________
