The Great Wall Marathon

The Great Wall of China is one of the new wonders of the world, with breathtaking views. In 1998 Soren Rasmussen     1     the idea of organizing a Great Wall marathon. Rasmussen and two running experts chose a route along part of the Great Wall. The marathon has taken place annually in May since 1999. In the initial event, just 292 runners participated but numbers have gone up     2    —in 2015 there were 2,500 runners from over 160 countries.

The Great Wall marathon is considered to be one of the toughest in the world. The part of the route that is actually on the Great Wall includes two exhausting up-and-down sections about 8 km long with 5,146 steps. It’s such a steep climb in parts     3     it’s hard to walk up—never mind run! The weather is hot and humid, with temperatures of around 30℃, but it can be hotter. Part of the route passes through a dry river bed with huge boulders (巨石). Runners who arrive there later in the day find it challenging because the boulders have become so hot that it’s like     4     a sauna.

So who does the marathon? Surprisingly, the marathon attracts both professional     5     and people who want to run for fun or simply do something different. Some runners stop every 10-15 minutes to take photos, chat to the locals and enjoy the scenery! If the thought of doing such a marathon horrifies you, then you can do a half marathon or an 8-km fun run instead.

3 . You’ve probably heard countless times how exercise is “good for you”. But did you know that it can improve your mood too?     1    .

Exercising regularly can help prevent weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Exercises like jumping or lifting weights can help keep your bones strong. Also, when you exercise, your body makes chemicals that help you feel good. Exercise lowers your chances of depression and decreases feelings of anxiety.     2     .

Considering all the health benefits of being physically active, it’s easy to see why doing exercise is wise. And the great thing is that it’s never too late to start.     3    — like taking a short bike ride, walking the dog or raking (用耙子拢) leaves.

However, sometimes you may find it hard to keep exercising regularly.     4     . If what you’re doing isn’t fun, it’s hard to keep it up. But there are many different sports and activities you can try and see which one inspires you. If you need a little more motivation, take a class, join a team or find an exercise buddy to help keep you on track.

    5     , even those with disabilities or medical problems. But if you have a health problem or other concerns, talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise plan.

Wearing wristbands with the names of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant     1     (write) on them, 17-year-old Tibetan girl Cigla plays her favorite sport — basketball — at Nagqu No 2 Senior High School in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. For her,     2       (study) in Lhasa, the region’s most developed city, has made it much     3     (easy) for her to realize her basketball dream.

With     4       average altitude of over 4,500 meters, Nagqu is among the most uninhabitable places in Tibet.     5     have long compromised the health of Nagqu students are low-oxygen environment and extreme weather. “The students had barely played any sports due to     6       (limit) sports facilities and frequent bad weather in Nagqu.” said Bachug, the school's physical education teacher.

However, in a bid to ensure equal access     7     quality education, in recent years, the Tibet regional government     8       (establish) several schools in Lhasa to recruit Nagqu students. Like Cigla, many Nagqu students are from poor farming and herding families. The school     9       (campus) in Lhasa have seven concrete basketball courts, a standard soccer field and a sports stadium, which gives students opportunities     10       (train) their bodies and find the sport that appeals to them.

6 . Basketball is a team sport played in a court with two netted rings attached to 10-foot poles on either end of the court.     1     Variations (变种) on the basic game include beach basketball, wheelchair basketball and banks hot basketball. Here’s how to play the basic game.

    2     Two players from the opposing teams try to take possession of the ball. The team that catches the ball first plays offense, and the opposing team plays defense. Players of the same team pass the ball back and forth as the opposition attempts to take possession of it. Team players are assigned different positions.     3    

The ball must be continually dribbled (运球) as players try to move it toward the extreme ends of the court where the netted rings wait.     4    . You have to dribble or shoot the ball. Each player must throw the ball within a maximum of 35 seconds. The players cannot kick the ball.

Making illegal body contact is a foul (犯规). If a team commits consecutive (连贯的) fouls, their opponents are awarded a free throw.     5    

The team that scores the most points in the stipulated time is the winner. If the teams are tied at the end of regulation, the game goes into overtime. Overtime periods are played until one team has more points than the other at the end of an overtime period.