1 . Spring marathons are approaching, and we’re here to help you prepare for the starting line.     1    .

What training plan should I use?

    2    . Some people respond well to logging high mileage six days a week, while others prefer lower-intensity plans that allow for more cross-training and fewer running days. The best marathon training plan is the one that suits your needs and preferences.

    3    ?

The duration of your marathon training plan depends on your experience level, current fitness, and the expert or authority you’re following. Typically, marathon training lasts 12 to 20 weeks, with most plans falling within the 16-to 20-week range.

What if I miss training time?

It’s important to stick to your training plan in order to run your best race. However, no one’s training is perfect. Don’t worry if you miss some runs due to life events or unexpected circumstances.     4    .

What if my training feels too difficult?

Marathon training is no easy task. At times, this can feel overbearing and difficult. You should be uncomfortable to some degree, which is normal when growing in anything.     5    . If it does, consider adjusting your plan or seeking advice from experienced runners or coaches.

Finally, don’t forget about fueling during training and racing, as well as what to wear on race day. With the right training plan, preparation, and attention to these details, you’ll be well-equipped to run your best race yet — whether it’s your first or 50th!

A．Training plans vary for each runner

B．How long should I train for a marathon

C．How do I determine my marathon goals

D．But your training shouldn’t feel impossible

E．It’s better to skip a few days to allow your body to rest

F．Take a deep breath and get back on track as soon as possible

G．This guide addresses common questions about marathon training

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar and it is the first time that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)    1     (include) the term “Chinese dragon” in its dictionary. The Chinese dragon has two definitions in the OED, with the first one about its physical image and the second one on its figurative and allusive (典故的) nature.

Emperors in ancient dynasties were dressed in a Dragon Robe, a traditional silk-woven costume with dragon designs,     2     (symbolize) imperial power and authority. Jade Seals (玉玺), often     3     (carve) with dragons, also symbolize the authority of the emperor.

Contrary     4     the Western dragon, the image of the Chinese dragon, despite undergoing constant changes, has represented various’ positive     5     (quality) including prosperity, authority, strength and good fortune.

In ancient Chinese belief, dragons     6     (associate) with the control of the weather, particularly rain. The dragon’s ability to bring rain was seen as crucial for agriculture, which made it     7     positive symbol for the fertility of the land.

With the rising China Chic trend and the country’s booming cultural creative industry, the Chinese dragon in folktale is now     8     (common) seen in creative products such as tear-off calendars, dolls, dragon-themed jewelry as well as the “dragon blind boxes”     9     appeal to young consumers.

Whether it is through the hands of a national-level intangible (非物质) cultural heritage inheritor     10     the hands of a Generation Z “blind box” designer, the Chinese dragon carries forward the Chinese cultural spirit.

3 . Why are the kids in the woman’s yard?

A．To play baseball.

B．In New York.

C．To get their baseball back.

4 . 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Every morning, millions of people in China do Tai Chi. It is popular    1    women and men. Tai Chi is    2     good kind of exercise for old people. It is good for the body and the mind. It is healthy and    3     (relax). Tai Chi    4    ( arise) from China. It is    5     (hundred) of years old. Tai Chi is a “soft” martial art (武术),    6     means it is slow and calm.

There are also “hard” martial arts. Shaolin Kung Fu, for example, which has a history of over 1, 500 years, is a “hard” martial art. It is fast and    7    (danger). You have to be very fit and strong    8    (do) “hard” martial arts.

In Beijing, Master Li Yu    9     (teach) Shaolin Kung Fu to thirty young students now, three of whom come from abroad. “Shaolin Kung Fu is    10     (extraordinary) difficult,” said Li Yu. “You must practise every move many times. ”

Sports like football and basketball are also popular in China. But martial arts like Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung Fu are part of Chinese culture and history.

5 . Special Events in Discovery Center Museum

Discovery Center Museum is a children’s science museum located in downtown Rockford, Illinois. Every year Discovery Center offers a large number of special events, programs, classes and more.

All special events are included with admission to Discovery Center Museum. General admission: $10.00 adults; $10.00 children ages 2-17; free to Discovery Center Members and children age 1 and younger.

Mini Monet—Preschool Program
September 11, 2023 10: 00 am until 11: 30 am

PARENTS OF PRESCHOOLERS! Encourage your young child’s interest in art with special projects in the Art Studio. Our new “Mini Monet” drop-in program will explore a different art medium four times this fall. The program is for children ages 2-6, along with their grown-ups. We will celebrate nature in our Secret Garden “painting” with tissue paper. Monet himself would be proud!

Community Superheroes to the Rescue
September 20, 2023 10: 00 am until 2: 00 pm

Wear your favorite superhero costume and join our gathering of community superheroes. Meet REAL emergency first responders and explore the science our community heroes use every day. If it doesn’t get called for an emergency, you can even get up close to the Mercyhealth REACT helicopter and an MDI response vehicle from 10 am to Noon in our parking lot. In the afternoon, enjoy K-9 dog demonstrations at 1: 00 and 1: 30 pm.

Jim Gill Concert
October 2, 2023 10: 00 am until 1: 00 pm

Concerts at 10: 00 am and 1: 00 pm. Get ready to sing, clap, dance and spin along during this visit by award-winning musician and author Jim Gill. Jim Gill’s distinctive music play is an invitation to children, parents and grandparents to sing and play together.

Magic & Fairy Tales
October 14, 2023 10: 00 am-2: 30 pm

Magic and fairy tales come to life at Discover Center! Come dressed in costume and enjoy a wonderful day of magic shows of TNZ Magic activities as well as activities related to beloved fairy tales.

1. How much do a couple with a 2-aged boy pay to attend Mini Monet-Preschool Program?

A．$10.00.

B．$20.00.

C．$30.00.

D．$40.00.

2. What can visitors probably do in Community Superheroes to the Rescue in the morning?

A．Enjoy K-9 dog demonstrations.	B．Join in the rescue in an emergency.
C．Fly Mercyhealth REACT helicopter.	D．Watch an MD1 response vehicle.

3. In which event can kids play a fairy game in costumes?

A．Jim Gill Concert.	B．Magic & Fairy Tales.
C．Mini Monet—Preschool Program.	D．Community Superheroes to the Rescue.

6 . When did the woman want to be a writer?

A．When she was a kid.

B．When she worked at a bookstore.

C．When she had some books published.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the speaker doing?

A．Reporting the weather.

B．Recommending outdoor activities.

C．Arranging for the summer holiday.

2. What was the weather like in the Northeast in the past week?

A．Cool.

B．Warm.

C．Hot.

3. Why is the Midwest probably the best place in the speaker’s eyes?

A．It’ll be sunny and comfortable.

B．Its transport is convenient.

C．It has great air-conditioning systems.

4. What does the speaker advise people in the South to do?

A．Prepare for storms.

B．Replan their outing.

C．Enjoy the clear skies.

8 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The frightening day of our diving test was here. Our parents thought we were lucky to have an Olympic-size swimming pool at the school. My mom stressed that the swimming pool was one of the best in our city. But I didn’t feel happy about it at all. Instead, I felt afraid of the swimming pool. It was mainly because I was terribly shy.

I was so shy that I always sat at the back of the room in class so I’d not be called upon to read. As for the present physical education class each Monday morning, I would work my way to the back of the line forming at the diving board so I would not have to practice the dives.

Now, it was another Monday morning - the morning of our diving test. My blood ran cold when the teacher Ms. Robbins announced that we would be graded for our final on the most difficult dive- the jackknife. And she added, “This diving test is important. The one who fails has to spare time in the following Monday mornings to practice diving in this swimming pool and attend this test again.”

My body kept shaking with fear as the line to the scary diving board shortened. As I watched, each student seemed to perform the challenging dive effortlessly. And shortly I would have to attempt something that I had never even practiced before.

Then I remembered someone telling me that when you picture yourself doing a skill over and over, it’s just as effective as physically practicing that skill. So I watched carefully as each classmate jumped at the end of the board once, added a jump for height, folded their body in half to reach for their toes, and finally straightened out like an arrow for going into the water. After carefully watching for a while, I was actually in a state of surprise, because all of a sudden I realized that it was possible for me to perform these four steps of diving.

Eventually all classmates except me finished jumping. The teacher announced that it was my turn.

注意：1. 续与词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

With my heart knocking wildly, I walked down the diving board towards its end.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Knowing I failed, I climbed out of the pool, embarrassed.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . CREATIVE SUMMER CAMPS

Video Game Design

This international organization is aimed at inspiring girls to explore the world of games and build their confidence in the areas of math and technology. Students are grouped based on skill levels. Girls at all levels are welcome!

Time: June 15-26
Age: 7-15
Fees: $ 160 each one; $ 128 members
Contact: Call Children’s Creativity Museum at 415-820-3320 or visit www. creativity. org.

History Summer Camp

Each day, kids will have a task to explore a different aspect of past life, including food, work, music, art through games, storytelling and even silent films.

Time: June 22-26
Age: 8-12
Fees: 200 each one; 160 members
Contact: Call at 252-1770 or visit www.historiccolumbia.org.

Adventures in Creative Writing

This helps improve your writing skills if you have already mastered the basics of good writing. You’ll discover new techniques and polish your writing.

Time: June 21-26
Age: 9-12
Fees: $ 500 each one
Contact: Call at 777-9444 or visit www.saeu.sc.edu/adventures.

Heathwood Hall Guitar

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced guitar player who wants to improve your skills, Heathwood Hall Guitar provides top-quality guitar instruction using a variety of fun games and exercises.

Time: June 15-19; July 13-17; Aug. 3-7
Age: 3-12
Fees: 150 each one
Contact: Call Heathwood Hall at 231-7710 or visit www.heathwood.org.

Basic Drawing Writing Camp

This camp helps beginners discover the basic skills of drawing and writing and how to make it come to life on paper.

Time: June 8-11
Age: 6-12
Fees: $ 350 each one; $ 300 members
Contact: Call Ladybug Art Studios at 603-7312 or visit www.ladybugartstudios.com.
1. What do we know about Video Game Design?

A．It groups students by age.	B．It accepts no boy students.
C．It welcomes only experienced students.	D．It mainly develops students’ team spirit.

2. Which website should you visit to improve your writing skills after two years of practice?

A．www.heathwood.org.	B．www.historiccolumbia.org.
C．www.saeu.sc.edu/adventures.	D．www.ladybugartstudios.com.

3. What do History Summer Camp and Heathwood Hall Guitar have in common?

A．Charging the same fees.	B．Putting students into groups.
C．Offering professional instructions.	D．Letting students learn through games.

10 . About three years ago, a tornado attacked our town. My father and I _________ to visit my grandparents to make sure they were okay. Upon arrival, I took my regular seat and _________ with Grandma about what was on our mind to pass the time. _________, the power was out and it got dark in what seemed like a matter of minutes.

Then, Grandma turned to me and asked with _________ eyes that stared right past me, “Now you’re graduating this year, aren’t you?” As a freshman, I was _________, about this strange question. Actually, Grandma could exactly _________ you when every one of her grandchildren was born. _________, I assured her that I was not yet a(n) _________, and still had a few years until graduation.

Soon, my father asked if I was ready to go home. I silently _________ my head—yes. Into the car, I __________ and couldn’t stop weeping. My father asked me what was wrong. “Is Grandma going to __________ my graduation?” I asked.

It took him a long time to respond, “Yes. She may not know where she is, but she will be there, no matter what.” The rest of the car ride home was __________. When we eventually arrived home, I rushed to my room and cried for hours. That night, I could picture that Grandma’s __________ would be changed from the care giver to care receiver.

Ever since that talk with my Grandma, I have matured and __________. Her Alzheimer (阿尔茨海默症) has progressed to about stage 3 now. At my graduation, I was sitting on the stage seeing Grandma there sitting with the rest of my family. “She may not know where she is, but she will be there”. My father’s words __________ in my ears.

1.

A．flew

B．cycled

C．drove

D．walked

2.

A．chatted

B．argued

C．consulted

D．whispered

3.

A．Finally

B．Suddenly

C．Immediately

D．Constantly

4.

A．loving

B．bright

C．watery

D．empty

5.

A．concerned

B．confused

C．cautious

D．curious

6.

A．identify

B．remind

C．persuade

D．tell

7.

A．Shocked

B．Amazed

C．Disappointed

D．Excited

8.

A．assistant

B．freshman

C．senior

D．genius

9.

A．shook

B．nodded

C．raised

D．lowered

10.

A．calmed down

B．cut in

C．called out

D．broke down

11.

A．attend

B．forget

C．celebrate

D．cancel

12.

A．dull

B．smooth

C．silent

D．uneasy

13.

A．character

B．status

C．power

D．role

14.

A．grown up

B．given up

C．cheered up

D．kept up

15.

A．exploded

B．burst

C．rang

D．flashed