1 . Basketball is a great sport that is not only fun, but also brings children many benefits in different ways.     1    .

Playing basketball has physical benefits. Children are full of energy—they need to move, jump and run constantly. Basketball will allow them to control that energy in a positive way. It’s a full-body sport.     2     Since it’s a fast and dynamic sport, children need to follow the game and the continuous movement of the ball. The ball moves quickly from one side of the court to the other and the kids move at the same pace which helps improve both resistance and speed.

Playing basketball has cognitive (认知的) benefits. Children who practice playing basketball develop skills that help them fight against opponents and move around the court. This sport helps them increase their ability to concentrate.     3     Children will learn to assess surrounding situations and problems that may arise, and then find the best and fastest solution. The fast pace of the game encourages quick decision-making and stimulates their concrete and abstract thinking.

    4     Since it’s a team sport, basketball promotes sociability, coexistence and respect among peers. It’s ideal for shy children because they will have to learn to interact with other players. This is important both to get better at the sport and to have more fun. They will also learn important values like cooperation, teamwork and competitiveness.

    5     In fact, there are many other benefits. The most important thing is that it’s a very fast and fun sport. This tends to make the vast majority of children enjoy it.

A．Playing basketball just has entertaining benefits.

B．Playing basketball has social and emotional advantages.

C．These are not all of the advantages of playing basketball.

D．This means that it strengthens muscles in their whole body.

E．It also makes them more aware of the environment around them.

F．This sport promotes healthy development in children for a number of reasons.

G．However, there are some disadvantages when children keep running on the court.

2 . Every January, more than 3,000 people take part in one of the most difficult races on Earth: the Tough Man competition in the UK. The participants run, swim and climb around the 15 km course. But this is no normal race. These runners have to crawl through tunnels, run across a field of nettles(荨麻) and jump over fire. What’s more, the competition takes place in January when temperatures are freezing. People travel from throughout the world to participate in it.

The competition is quite dangerous and every year there are accidents. Injuries like broken bones and cuts are quite common. One-third of the participants do not complete it. Runners have to be very athletic and most people train all the year to prepare for it. There are similar events, but this is the first one in the world. Many people do the competition because it is so famous. Every year the organizers change the events and add new things. This means that the competition stays thrilling and challenging, so people go back year after year.

First, the participants run 1 km along a muddy road. Next, they crawl under low nets on the ground. After the nets, the runners jump off a high platform into a lake and swim for 1 km. Then, they reach the field of fire. Here, the runners run across a field and jump over small bonfires(篝火). Next, the participants must crawl through a long tunnel which is partly under water. Finally, the runners run 2 km through nettles before they reach the finishing line.

1. According to the text, the participants in the competition ________.

A．are required to run 15km	B．may take the risk of being injured
C．have to take a medical examination	D．are trained to deal with emergencies

2. What do we learn about the Tough Man competition?

A．It is exciting but quite tough.

B．It is intended for overweight people.

C．The participants are mainly British natives.

D．Only one-third of the participants can make it.

3. To attract participants, the organizers usually ________.

A．create more items	B．hold the similar activities
C．hold the competition in winter	D．organize the competition in different counties

4. The purpose of the text is to ________.

A．warn the participants of danger	B．advertise the Tough Man competition
C．introduce the Tough Man competition	D．inform the participants of the competition