1 . All over the world people are hooked on sports, which help them to strengthen their body and build their character.    1     They improve the participants’ physical skills, and provide entertainment for the audience as well.

Many people like to watch others play games.    2     Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins. If they are crazy about the game or the player, then they’ll become their diehard fans. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in countries near the sea or in those with many rivers.    3     And think of people in cold countries. Masses of people love to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada.

    4     Chinese boxing, also has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new, which started in the late of the nineteenth century. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water skiing, as a modern game, is one of the newest in the family of sports.

People from different countries or races may not be able to understand each other, but after a game, they get to know each other better and they often become good friends.    5     One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace.

A．They buy tickets or turn on the TV to watch the games.

B．What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy!

C．Some sports or games date back thousands of years, like running or jumping.

D．Sports help to train a person’s character.

E．Chinese people liked doing sports even in ancient times.

F．Sports are competitive physical activities or games through casual or organized participation.

G．They can make friends with each other.

2 . Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules, planning your next move and acting as a team member 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. What are children expected to learn Through playing hide-and-seek?

A．Be a team leader	B．Obey the basic rules
C．Act as a grown-up	D．Predict possible danger

2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably mean ?

A．Games can describe life in an exciting way

B．Games can turn real-life experiences into a play

C．Games can make learning life skills more interesting

D．Games can change people’s views of sporting events

3. According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?

A．It inspires people’s deep love for the country.

B．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.

C．It helps the country out of natural disasters.

D．It earns the winners fame and fortune.

4. What’s Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation ?

A．Bringing fun to poor kids.

B．Providing soccer balls for children.

C．Giving poor kids a chance for a better life.

D．Attracting soccer players to help poor kids.