2 . I love outings to the ballpark. My ears perk (竖起) up at the whack of a precisely hit ball, my nose enjoys the scent of hot dogs, and my heart jumps at the possibility of winning it all. But a few years ago I discovered the best way to watch a baseball game might be not to watch at all.

This discovery arose the year I got married. The first apartment my husband and I rented could charitably be called “charming”, although “diminutive” better describes it. But to young newlyweds, the 41-square-metre apartment felt sublime. The best thing about the apartment, in my opinion, was its location a quarter-mile from baseball’s oldest stadium, Boston’s Fenway Park.

The only problem? My husband was not a Red Sox fan. I hadn’t anticipated this stumbling block. He was an avid sports fan, and he’d only just moved to Boston. Surely a love of the hometown team would seep into his heart as naturally as fish take to water.

My hopes faded as the season began. A Seattle Mariners hat remained firmly planted on his head. Matching Red Sox T-shirts earned a veto.

As newlywed disagreements go, this one wasn’t horrible. Plenty of couples flourish with dueling team loyalties. But a worry nagged: If he couldn’t root for the Red Sox, would he ever truly make Boston home?

As a student, when the magic in the air that season permeated (传播) the girls’ boarding school I attended outside Boston, we begged our house directors to let us stay up past curfew to watch the games on TV, and when they at first refused, we listened on radios in our rooms and gleefully burst into the halls to cheer.

So when my husband said he’d never be a Red Sox fan, my heart clenched. But one delightful spring day our teeny apartment came to my rescue. As we sat at our dining room table, we heard a roar swell to a crescendo. This was the first indication that we could hear the stadium crowds from our home.

3 . Naismith was born on November 6, 1861, in Ontario, Canada. After earning a bachelor's (学士) degree in physical education at McGill University, he moved to the US to pursue a career. He took up a job at the YMCA International Training College in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was there that he made a plan for an entertaining game that could be played indoors, especially during the cruelly cold winters.

When creating the rules of basketball, Naismith took inspiration from several of the then-popular sports such as rugby (橄榄球), soccer, baseball, and football. The idea of passing the ball was drawn from American rugby, and the shape of the ball was influenced by soccer balls. And in 1891, the well-loved sport of basketball came to life, and Naismith named it "Basket Ball".

In December 1891, the first-ever basketball game was played. The game followed a set of thirteen instructions written by Naismith himself, and players played for two fifteen-minute rounds with a five-minute break in between.

Interestingly, the hoop was a simple fruit basket nailed to the wall, and it was several years later, that an opening was cut at the bottom of the basket! Initially, the game involved tackling until Naismith realized that the players were knocking each other and getting violent. So, he introduced the idea of dribbling (运球) and passing. However, familiar basketball positions, such as forwards, centers, and guards were present since the first game.

Throughout the years, the original list of thirteen rules written by Naismith was printed all across the country. High schools and colleges introduced basketball into their athletics program, and by 1905, basketball was officially recognized as a winter sport. Basketball was adopted in other countries. In 1936, basketball was added to the Olympics Games in Berlin, Germany. According to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), there are 44 million people around the world who play basketball, making this sport the second most popular in the world!

The Chinese UN representative on Monday said Beijing aims to hold a green Winter Olympics in 2022, in     1     green power will be used in all venues     2     （seek）carbon neutrality（碳中和）．

Zhang Jun, Chinese representative to the UN, reaffirmed     3     promise during a UN General Assembly debate on sports for development and peace. “We will hold a green Olympic Games and prioritize     4     （ecology）consideration, resource conservation and environmental friendliness by developing and     5     （carry）out a low-carbon work plan; ” Zhang said. “With the work plan, green power will be used in all winter Olympic venues, ” he explained.

Zhang said, “China will continue to promote openness in Olympic Games, and through it, we will     6     （strength）sports cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and the other     7     （country）of the world. ”

He said, “China will create a new window for promoting the Olympic spirit     8     the exchanges among civilizations.     9     （beside）, China will support integrity in hosting the Olympic Games, tighten oversight of the preparations and adopt zero tolerance for doping（兴奋剂）so that the Beijing Winter Olympic Games     10     （be）as clean and pure as ice and snow”.

6 . Table tennis may not seem a reasonable option for someone with no arms — but Ibrahim Hamadtou doesn't believe in limits. The 48-year-old Egyptian Paralympian breaks the barrier by holding the paddle (球拍) in his mouth and using his right foot to serve the ball.

Hamadtou, who lost his arms in a train accident at the age of ten, was drawn to table tennis after being challenged by a friend. "I was once watching a match between two of my friends," Hamadtou explains. "They disagreed on a point, When I counted the point in favor of one of them, the other player told me, 'Mind your own business as you will never be able to play.' It was that statement that fired me up to decide to play table tennis."

It took Hamadtou three years to master the sport. He says the biggest challenge was figuring out the best way to control his body. "I was trying first to use the bat under the arm, and I also tried using other things, which weren't working so well. Finally, I tried using my mouth. It took me nearly a year of practice to get used to holding the paddle with my mouth and making the serve. With practice and playing regularly, this skill was improved."

The Egyptian's incredible talent came to light in 2014 when he was awarded the best Arab Athlete of the year. He won a silver medal at the 2016 African Championships, qualified for his first Paralympics in 2016 at 43, and then again for the 2020 Tokyo Games at 48.

The inspiring athlete says, "The disability is not in arms or legs but to give up in whatever you would like to do."

Allan, my husband, had recently moved up the tennis league's ladder（晋级赛）and would compete against someone at a similar skill level. "Do you know who your opponent is?” I asked him. My husband explained that although he knew his opponent's name, he had never met him. That's when I saw a young man—about twenty years old—at the other end of the reception area.

The young man had large muscular arms and a well-built body. He was using a skip rope at quite a fast pace； I thought he might be warming up for a tennis match. I smiled at my husband and said that might be his opponent. Allan gave me a frustrated（沮丧的）look on his face, remarking it was an unusual way to prepare for a tennis match, as he continued completing his usual warm-up routine.

The league coordinator（统筹者）called out my husband's name, and then she called the young man. I gave my husband a kind of smile that wives give their husbands when they are encouraging them. The coordinator gave them their court number. They introduced themselves to each other, shook hands, and headed off.

The young man was dressed in the latest trendy tennis clothes and looked great. With his muscular body, he could have easily be a star athlete. Allan was at least thirty years older, much less muscular, and dressed in an ordinary tennis shirt and untrendy tennis shorts. Allan's focus had always been on good tennis shoes, socks, and, of course, the tennis racket.

When they walked onto their court, the pre-game warm-up began The young man played with confidence. It was almost as if he was showing his ability. Allan closely observed his various strokes and powerful serves, while casually returning each shot. Then began the game.

It was the moment that warmed hearts around     1    globe. Two high jumpers competed for hours but neither defeated the other. Instead of     2    （head）into a tie-breaking jump off, Qatar’s Mutaz Essah Barshim asked, “Can we share the Gold? ”

When the answer came back yes. Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi     3    （immediate）jumped into Barshim’s arms on the track. Both had suffered     4    near career-ending injuries and both had tried     5    （they）best. Through years of competition, the two became close     6    （friend）.

“I know for a fact that for the     7    （perform）I did, I deserve that gold. He did the same thing, so I know he     8    （deserve）the gold, too, ” Barshim said afterward. “This is beyond sport. This is the message we deliver to the young generation. A message of sportsmanship and love. ”

“You can’t believe the emotion and the dream of a gold medal to somebody     9    sacrificed his entire life for this and it was just amazing     10    （share）it with a friend, ” Tamberi said.