1 . To bring the Olympic spirit to developing nations in the late 1990s, the Olympic Committee allowed a small number of “wild card” athletes to join the Games. But because they didn’t have to go through any qualifying rounds to compete, when they arrived, not all of the competitors were prepared. One such athlete was a swimmer from Equatorial Guinea named Eric Moussambani. When Moussambani arrived at the 2000 Sydney Games, he’d only been training for the 100-meter freestyle for about eight months. He’d also never been in an Olympic-size pool and had never raced more than 50 meters. Regardless, he was determined to represent his country.
The three wild-card athletes were given their own race, and Moussambani was next to the other two swimmers from Niger and Tajikistan. When the official called the swimmers to begin the game, both of Moussambani’s competitors were disqualified for false starts. Left to swim by himself, Moussambani dove in and dog paddled, breathing for air and moving his arms and legs. Halfway through the race, the situation looked so serious that the audience seriously worried he was drowning.
When Moussambani finally passed the finish line and pulled himself from the water, the applause thundered. His final time was 1:52.72 - more than twice that of swimmers in the previous race. But Moussambani couldn’t have been happier. He told reporters, “I’ m going to jump and dance all night long in celebration of my personal success.”
Moussambani’s courage and determination made him an Olympic celebrity (名人). He kept training for the 2004 Games and even got his time down to a respectable 57 seconds.
1. What can we infer about “wild card” athletes?| A．They arrive late. | B．They are well-prepared. |
| C．They are the best athletes. | D．They are from developing countries. |
| A．He lost in the race. | B．He swam unskillfully. |
| C．He failed at the beginning. | D．He disappointed everyone. |
| A．Extremely excited. | B．Quite ashamed. |
| C．Very disappointed. | D．Pretty calm. |
| A．Smart and flexible. | B．Patient and careful. |
| C．Brave and determined. | D．Optimistic and modest. |
2 . Older women who walk a little over three kilometers each day might live longer than less active women of the same age, a new study suggests.
Many Americans hoping to stay healthy set a daily goal of 10, 000 steps, or about eight kilometers. They often have this goal because they are wearing electronic devices which set that target, note researchers in the United States. Their findings appeared recently in the publication JAMA Internal Medicine.
But it is not clear how much intensity(强度)or speed matter when counting the health benefits of every step, the researchers write. They add that 10,000 steps per day might not be the right goal for everyone.
For the study, researchers observed 17,000 women, all in their early 70s. They asked the women to wear accelerometers for at least four days. Accelerometers are small devices that measure the number of steps and the intensity of movement. The researchers followed up with the women much later, around 4. 3 years later, on average. Since the beginning of the study, 504 women had died. Compared to women who took no more than 2, 718 steps daily, the women who took at least 4,363 steps per day were 41 percent less likely to die.
“Even a modest amount of steps is associated with lower death rates, "said I-Min Lee, the lead writer of a report on the study. "The rate of stepping did not matter in these older women: it was the number of steps that mattered.
The study had a few limitations. For example, the researchers only measured women’s movements once, at the start of the study period. It is possible that the women’s behaviors changed over time. Still, the results are "good news for older adults who may have difficulty walking at faster paces, "said Keith Diaz, a researcher at Columbia University. He was not involved in the study.
“Any walking is better than nothing, " Diaz said by email. "With even small amounts of walking, your risk of death will be sharply reduced "For those who have difficulty walking, other research shows that any form of aerobic activity provides health benefits," he added. "Swimming, bicycling or any form of activity that is continuous in nature will provide health benefits.
1. What conclusion can we come to from the text?| A．People who walk about 10,000 steps can live longer. |
| B．10,000 steps per day might be the right goal for people. |
| C．The more steps one walks per day, the longer life he may live. |
| D．The number of steps is important for a long life among older women. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By comparison. |
| C．By listing statistics. | D．By explaining reasons. |
| A．People who walk fast will get more health benefits. |
| B．If people have a habit of walking, the risk of death will be reduced. |
| C．People with walking difficulty can not benefit from activities |
| D．Activities such as swimming and bicycling are not as beneficial as walking. |
| A．A medical journal. | B．A news report. |
| C．A magazine about fashion. | D．A traveler brochure. |
3 . There are lots of skiing lovers around the world. To get the most out of your time on the mountain you should think through each part of your adventure- equipment, clothing, food, and travel.
Equipment
Your skiing equipment — composed of your skis, poles, bindings, helmet, and goggles — should be checked over, and possibly tuned up, before you pack your bags for the mountain.
Clothing
Your jacket and snow pants should be properly fitting and recently cleaned. Make sure your gloves are in good shape and offer a sense of comfort.
Food
Anyone who has ever purchased lunch at the ski lodge knows just how expensive it can be. Packing your own lunch saves you money and gets you back on the slopes faster.
Know your way to the mountain before you hit the road and consider writing down directions if you know you’re heading into areas with spotty service. At the mountain, choose a designated meeting place in case the group becomes separated- a spot near the main lift often works well. Check the forecast and current conditions of the mountain. Many ski resorts will have live updates on the number of open trails and lifts.
| A．Routes and planning |
| B．Spots and conditions |
| C．If you are fully prepared |
| D．The more prepared you are |
| E．While bringing a bottle of water with you on the mountain isn’t recommended |
| F．Besides, long underwear goes a long way in keeping your legs warm and comfortable |
| G．If you are taking your skis onto the slope for the very first time, they may also need a fresh wax |
4 . Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides, following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member…. These are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating.
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones，which sharpens the hand-eye coordination(协调)needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
1. Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to .| A．be a team leader |
| B．act as a grown-up |
| C．obey the basic rules |
| D．predict possible danger |
| A．describe life in an exciting way |
| B．turn real-life experiences into a play |
| C．change people’s views of sporting events |
| D．make learning life skills more interesting |
| A．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners. |
| B．It inspires people’s deep love for the country. |
| C．It helps the country out of natural disasters. |
| D．It earns the winners fame and fortune. |
| A．bring fun to poor kids |
| B．provide soccer balls for children |
| C．give poor kids a chance for a better life |
| D．appeal to soccer players to help poor kids |
5 . Before there was the written word, there was the language of dance. Dance expresses love and hate, joy and sorrow, life and death, and everything else in between.
“I adore dancing,” says Lester Bridges, the owner of a dance studio in Iowa. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.” Bridges runs dance classes for all ages. “Teaching dance is wonderful.
So, do we dance in order to make ourselves feel better, calmer, healthier? Andrea Hillier says, “Dance, like the pattern of a beating heart, is life. Even after all these years, I want to get better and better.
| A．So why do we dance? |
| B．Dance in the U.S. is everywhere. |
| C．If you like dancing outdoors, come to America. |
| D．My older students say it makes them feel young. |
| E．I keep practicing even when I’m extremely tired. |
| F．Dancing seems to change their feeling completely. |
| G．They stayed up all night long singing and dancing. |
