The wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since 1992. In 1992, the people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions.
Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official “wife-carrying drink.” Then he may continue the race.
While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a wife carrying dance and other forms of entertainment.”
| A．There are a few basic rules. |
| B．People everywhere hold the event. |
| C．A special prize is awarded to the team. |
| D．Do you know how these traditions restarted? |
| E．This event is becoming increasingly popular. |
| F．The winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time. |
| G．Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-Ronkainen in that area. |
2 . Why Is Exercise Cool?
•Exercise Strengthens Muscles
Did you ever do a push-up or swing across the monkey bars at the playground?
•
Can you touch your toes easily without yelling ouch? Most kids are pretty flexible, which means that they can bend and stretch their bodies without much trouble. Being flexible is having “full range of motion”, which means you can move your arms and legs freely without feeling tightness or pain.
•Exercise Keeps the Balance
•Exercise Makes You Feel good
It feels good to have a strong, flexible body that can do all the activities you enjoy—like running, jumping and playing with your friends. It’s also fun to be good at something, like scoring a basket, hitting a home run, or perfecting a dive.
But you may not know that exercising can actually put you in a better mood.
| A．Exercise Makes You Flexible |
| B．Exercise Makes Your Heart Happy |
| C．Those are exercises that can build strength. |
| D．So you want to do some aerobic (有氧的) exercise right now? |
| E．But if you’re active, your body needs an extra measure of calories or energy. |
| F．Food gives your body fuel in the form of calories, which are a kind of energy. |
| G．When you exercise, your brain releases a chemical which may make you feel happier. |
3 . Thirteen, for me, was a challenging year. My parents divorced and I moved to a new town with my father, far from my old family and friends. I was terribly lonely and would cry myself to sleep each night. To ease my sadness, my father purchased an old horse for me at a local auction. I named him Cowboy.
Cowboy was undoubtedly the ugliest horse in the world. But I didn’t care. I loved him beyond all reason.
I joined a riding club and suffered rude comments and mean snickers about Cowboy’s looks. I never let out about how I felt, but deep inside, my heart was breaking. The other members rode beautiful, registered horses.
When Cowboy and I entered the events where the horse is judged on appearance, we were quickly shown the gate. No amount of preparation and love would turn Cowboy into a beauty. My only chance to compete would be in the speed events. I chose the jumping race.
One girl named Becky rode a big brown horse in the race events. She always won the blue ribbons. Needless to say, she didn’t feel threatened when I competed against her at the next show. She didn’t need to. I came in next to last.
The stinging memory of Becky’s smirks(得意的笑) made me determined to beat her. For the whole next month I woke up early every day and rode Cowboy five miles to the arena. We practiced running and jumping for hours in the hot sun and then I would walk Cowboy home totally exhausted.
All of our hard work didn’t make me feel confident by the time the show came. I sat at the gate and sweated it out while I watched Becky and her horse charge through the course and finish in first place.
My turn finally came. I put on my hat, rubbed Cowboy’s neck and entered the arena. At the signal, we dashed toward the first fence, jumped it without trouble and raced on to the next one. Cowboy then flew over the second, third and fourth fences like a bird and I turned him toward the finish line.
As we crossed the line the crowd was shocked into silence. Cowboy and I had beaten Becky and her fancy horse by two seconds!
I gained much more than a blue ribbon that day. At thirteen, I realized that no matter what the odds, I’d always come out a winner if I wanted something badly enough to work for it.
1. The underlined expression “shown the gate” (paragraph 4) most probably means “_________”.| A．told how to enter the arena | B．shown how to make the horse beautiful |
| C．removed from the competition early | D．told to enter the timed-speed events |
| A．He had not practiced enough. |
| B．He was an inexperienced rider. |
| C．He believed he was unpopular with the crowd. |
| D．Becky and her horse performed well in their turn. |
| A．Life can sometimes be unfair. |
| B．A positive attitude will bring success. |
| C．Anything is possible if one tries hard enough. |
| D．One should not make judgments based on appearance. |
| A．A Run to Remember | B．A Horse’s Tale |
| C．Neck and Neck | D．A Difficult Age |
4 . Breakdancing is close to becoming an Olympic sport after the organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics announced on Thursday that they will propose four additional sports, including newcomer breakdancing and the other three sports-surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing-to the Games in 2024.
"Breakdancing is a fantastic opportunity to be really in line with the story that Paris 2024wants to tell. We want those Games in connection with creativity, connected with the youth, more urban, more out of the stadiums. We look forward to working with breakdancing to propose a new experience." Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet told Xinhua.
Breakdancing is a sport which can be played anytime and anywhere in urban and other environments. It has no previous appearance at the Summer Olympic Games, but was included at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018.
"Right from the beginning, our aim was to offer Games that would have an impact and the element of surprise. This is why we have chosen to present the IOC (International Olympic Committee) with four sports that are as creative, appealing to the youth and in line with our vision.
We are certain that breakdancing, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing will contribute to strengthen our project," Estanguet added.
The organizers seek to deliver three key principles in hosting the Games: sustainable and socially-responsible Games in accordance with the 10C's New Norm (规则), Games in keeping with the times and inspire new audiences and attract young people, and Games reflecting the identity of Paris 2024, which is spectacular, culturally relevant, engaging, accessible and inclusive.
Under the new IOC rules, Olympic host cities can select sports and propose them for inclusion in those Games if they are popular in that country and add to the Games appeal. The inclusion still needs to be pubberstamped by the IOC which is expected to make the final decision after the 2020Tokyo Olympics
1. What is mentioned about the 2024 Olympic Games in the first paragraph?| A．They will be much more organized under new IOC rules. |
| B．New sports events will be included. |
| C．They will attract more younger audiences than ever. |
| D．They will spread the local culture worldwide. |
| A．It appeals to people of all ages. |
| B．It is the symbol of Paris. |
| C．It can be played either indoors or outdoors. |
| D．It is accepted as an Olympic sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics. |
| A．Because they well represent the youth of the country. |
| B．Because they will make Paris more artistic and urban |
| C．Because they will tell the story of the city |
| D．Because they will help attract young people. |
| A．Approved. | B．Canceled |
| C．Submitted. | D．Designed. |
5 . As Simon Kindleysides, 34, took his first step in the London Marathon in April, he felt as if magic was in the air.
"As we were walking toward the first mile, we actually started joining all the runners," he said. "Everyone was on the streets, cheering, and that was a magical moment." As time went on, the crowds and other racers spread around. Kindleysides and his team of eight supporters continued walking.
Kindleysides, who is paralyzed(瘫痪的)from the waist down and typically uses a wheelchair, was equipped with an exoskeleton(体外骨骼)to help him walk. His supporters walked with him to change the batteries in his exoskeleton so he could keep moving.
In 2013, Kindleysides was diagnosed with a brain tumor (肿瘤) that was growing in a way that pressed on certain nerves, leading to him losing feeling in his legs. He was told he would never walk again. Before his paralysis, the London-based singer and dancer had "always wanted to run a marathon," he said, but he never made the plan to do so--until this year.
During the London Marathon, the last two miles were the hardest. "At that point, I was exhausted. It was freezing cold, and I was hurting emotionally," Kindleysides said. But he kept going. "I didn't want to let people down. I had a team of eight, and I was raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity," he said. "I didn't want to let them down, myself down, and I thought if I would get this far, I would have to continue."So he continued and made history as the first paralyzed man to complete the London Marathon on foot.
Then, recovering at home, he shared his accomplishment with his three children. "They used to say I'm the only dad in their whole school who's in a wheelchair, and now they say I'm their dad, the only one who has walked a marathon," he said.
Kindleysides is training to complete three more marathons next year, including the London Marathon again.
1. Why did Kindleysides' supporters accompany him all the way?| A．To help change the batteries. | B．To inspire him as a team. |
| C．To guide him along the road. | D．To assist him with the wheelchair. |
| A．An operation on his brain for the tumor. |
| B．An accident in the previous marathon. |
| C．Some nerves produced out of the tumor. |
| D．The pressure from the brain tumor on the nerves. |
| A．The prize money for the winner. | B．The strong desire to recover. |
| C．The kindness to help the charity. | D．The belief to beat others. |
| A．He was once a successful actor. |
| B．He is ambitious for joining in London marathons once more. |
| C．His children feel a pity for him in the wheelchair now. |
| D．He was the first disabled man to complete the London Marathon. |
6 . The Alexander technique
Until earlier this year, I didn’t know anything about the Alexander technique—and saw no reason to think I should. One day, the backache I regularly suffered was more painful. I was brought up to think that the preferred way of dealing with aches is to do nothing and hope they’ll go away, but I eventually went to the doctor. After examining me, he said, “You actually have bad posture (姿势). Go off and learn the Alexander technique.” Three months later I could walk straighter and sit better.
The Alexander technique is a way of learning how you can get rid of harmful tension in your body. The teaching focuses on the neck, head and back. It trains you to use your body less severely and carry out the movements that we do all the time with less effort. There is little effort in the lessons themselves, which sets apart the Alexander technique from yoga or pilates, which are exercise-based. A typical lesson involves standing in front of a chair and learning to sit and stand with minimum effort. You spend some time lying on a bench with your knees bent to straighten the spine (脊椎) and relax your body while the teacher moves your arms and legs to train you to move them correctly.
The technique helps to break the bad habits accumulated over years. Try folding your arms the opposite way to normal. This is an example of a habit the body has formed which can be hard to break. Many of us carry our heads too far back. The head weighs four to six kilos, so any inappropriate posture can cause problems for the body. The technique teaches you to let go of the muscles holding the head back, allowing it to go back to its natural place on the top of our spines.
So who was Alexander and how did he come up with the technique? Frederick Alexander, an Australian actor born in 1869, found in his youth that he had vocal (声音的) problems during performances. He analyzed himself and realized his posture was bad. He worked on improving it, with excellent results. He brought his technique to London and opened a teacher-training school, which is still successful today.
So if you’re walking along the road one day with shoulders bent forward, feeling weighed down by your troubles, give a thought to the Alexander technique. It will help you walk tall again.
1. What does the author suggest in Paragraph 1?| A．She felt no better after the treatment. |
| B．She got bored with the Alexander technique. |
| C．She was sceptical about the doctor’s method. |
| D．She was unwilling to seek treatment for her backache. |
| A．Physical tension shouldn’t be completely relieved. |
| B．The technique shouldn’t be combined with other exercises. |
| C．The practice of the technique shouldn’t be attempted alone. |
| D．Familiar physical actions shouldn’t be done with much effort. |
| A．He managed to recover his vocal powers. |
| B．He was eager to make a name for himself. |
| C．He developed a form of exercise for actors. |
| D．He had to leave home to develop his technique. |
| A．The occurrence of back pain is widespread. |
| B．Alexander improved the technique to treat body pain. |
| C．The Alexander technique helps overcome posture problems. |
| D．People with back pain are victims of inappropriate postures. |
7 . Competitive eating has become big business. The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) holds events for competitive eating all around the world. One of the most popular contests (竞赛) is held every 4th of July on Coney Island in New York. Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest started in 1916 and the event has been dominated (占据优势) by Takeru Kobayashi. The Japanese competitor set his first record in 2001, when he ate 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes and has won the contest six years in a row.
The main types of food eaten in the contests are fast food. Hot dogs, chicken wings, pickles, corndogs and pizza are main foods of the contests. The contests usually last from around 8 to 12 minutes. Now most of the competitors are men, but there are also women who take part in competitive eating.
Being large and overweight isn’t necessarily an advantage in competitive eating. The biggest advantage a competitor can have is the ability to actually stretch (扩张) their stomach. Many competitors will drink plenty of water over a period of time in order to achieve this. Apart from having an unusually stretchable stomach, another important thing seems to be hand to mouth speed.
The IFOCE has very strict safety guidelines laid out regarding competitive eating. Competitions must take place in a controlled area and only competitors over the age of 18 are allowed to enter. They also advise against any type of home training. There has been much talk regarding the inclusion of competitive eating as an Olympic sport. Although the IFOCE has talked about that with the Olympic committee, it seems that they will not agree to it at present.
1. Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest _____.| A．has a history of over 200 years |
| B．takes place once a year in Japan |
| C．is becoming less popular than before |
| D．has made Takeru Kobayashi famous |
| A．Fast food is the only type of food. |
| B．They usually last ten minutes or so. |
| C．Only men are allowed to enter a contest. |
| D．They are open to competitors of all ages. |
| A．How to win an eating contest. |
| B．The history of competitive eating. |
| C．Safety guidelines from the IFOCE. |
| D．The disadvantages of eating too much. |
| A．To report. | B．To advertise. | C．To introduce. | D．To warn. |
8 . Every day, in all kinds of weather, thousands of men and women jog. Why has jogging — running slowly for long distances — become so popular? Most joggers begin because they hear it is a very good exercise. Jogging makes the heart stronger and helps people lose weight. It can also help them feel better about themselves.
Donald Robbins, who is forty two years old and works in an office, began jogging a few years ago because he felt he was too fat. At first he could only run about 100 yards. It took him three months to be able to run a mile. But two years later, he ran in a marathon over twenty six miles. Many joggers, like Donald Robbins, feel that if they can succeed in jogging, they can succeed in other things, and quite often this feeling helps them in their jobs.
Should you jog too? If you do, be sure to ask your doctor for advice. Jogging may be too much exercise for you.
Does jogging cost much? No, it costs almost nothing. But it is very important to have a good pair of shoes that are made especially for jogging.They protect your feet and legs from the shock of running on the hard surface.
How fast should you go? Jog with a friend and talk to each other as you run. If you have difficulty in talking, you're going too fast.
How far should you jog? Remember not to go too far too soon. In fact, you should walk, not run, the first few times. Then do some short jogs, but no more than what you can do comfortably. After that, increase your distance a quarter or half a mile every two weeks or so. Maybe in a few years, you can run in a marathon too.
1. The article is mainly about______.| A．jogging as a sport | B．jogging as an exercise |
| C．jogging in a safe way | D．jogging as a way to the marathon |
| A．Jogging should be done in the early morning. |
| B．Many people think that jogging needs one's will power. |
| C．Jogging is time consuming. |
| D．You should not talk while jogging. |
| A．Have a good pair of shoes. |
| B．Have a sports suit. |
| C．Remember not to go too far too soon at the beginning. |
| D．Ask your doctor for advice. |
| A．It doesn't cost much. |
| B．One can start jogging at any time and in any place. |
| C．It is a very good exercise. |
| D．One can talk with one's friend while jogging. |
