Gary McKee ran 365 marathons in as many days to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.
Gary McKee, 53, from Cleator Moor in Cumbria raised his arms in victory and was cheered by a crowd of supporters as he completed his 365th marathon of the year on New Year’s Eve. As of 4 pm on Saturday, he had raised more than £ 890,000 for the charities Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria, just shy of (缺少) his £1 million fundraising target. The father of three has gone through 22 pairs of sports shoes and has run 9,563 miles in rain, snow and sunshine to raise money for the charities.
“The support has been amazing and it always is and the West Cumbrians get behind us, but cancer affects everybody so it isn’t just a West Cumbrian thing, it’s a national thing,” said Gary. “I just hope that people do get behind us and we do raise those million pounds.” Gary has not only raised money for two fantastic charities, but he has also sprinkled magic on the local community and brought people together to support him with the challenge.
Chris Young, 29, ran 90 marathons with Mr. McKee. “Gary set a good example to me this year when I began running frequently with him and has given me both physical and mental resilience (适应力) that I don’t know if I would have ever discovered in myself in a million years. I know I don’t just speak for myself on that front as he has inspired not just me or the few, but the entire local community and beyond,” said Chris, “This challenge has raised a great amount of money for two fantastic charities, but the impact Gary has provided to the community and people around him is immeasurable. A lot of people’s lives will be much better off thanks to Gary’s efforts, mine included.”
1. What did Gary do when he completed his 365th marathon? (no more than 10 words)2. What is Gary’s goal of running 365 marathons? (no more than 10 words)
3. How do you understand the underlined part in Paragraph 3? (no more than 10 words)
4. In what ways has Gary McKee influenced Chris Young? (no more than 5 words)
5. What does Gary’s story inspire you? Put it in your own words. (no more than 20 words)
2 . When watching sports events, we often notice athletes with their earphones on while preparing in the locker room or entering the stadium. They keep their eyes shut, and gently nod along the beats. It seems as if the music is empowering them and toughening them up for the competition. But is there any science behind such practice?
According to a recent research, it turns out there is. Music actually does make us feel powerful, but not all songs have the same effect. The research was led by Dennis Hsu of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in the US. His team had people listen to 31 songs of different types. The listeners felt powerful after listening to some songs, such as Queen’s We Will Rock You and 2 Unlimited’s Get Ready for This. Researchers also found that high-power music made people want to take control in social events and come first in competition. As for the reason for music’s magical power, Hsu’s team came up with one possible explanation: When people hear music that expresses a sense of power, they mimic these feelings in their mind.
So, when choosing music, we need to look at the type of music. In previous research by the Music in Exercise and Sport Group at Brunel University in London, they found that pop was perfect for slower, more repetitive-type tasks. Dance music was found to be best suited to strength and weight training because it’s “fast and rhythmical”. During high-intensity workouts, though, you’d better not listen to rock. Its different changes in tempo can affect your rhythm.
1. Why athletes were mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To list things athletes have in common with other people. |
| B．To describe athletes’ common habits before sports games. |
| C．To get readers to wonder whether music matters in sports. |
| D．To explain why athletes like listening to music before games. |
| A．Listening to music can always boost the athlete’s performance. |
| B．People listening to powerful music are likely to produce similar feelings. |
| C．The result of a game is mainly affected by the physical condition of the players. |
| D．Most athletes don’t know the effects of high-power music on their performance. |
| A．Pop music. | B．Dance music. | C．Rock. | D．Blues. |
| A．With comparisons. | B．Through examples. |
| C．By giving general rules. | D．Through listing figures. |
3 . Is Adventurous Sports Teaching Good or Bad?
In recent years, adventurous sports such as bungee jumping have become increasingly popular. More and more people are taking these kinds of sports whatever the cost is. They say it is so exciting and enjoyable to take part in an adventure, which can relieve pressure or stress.
According to ED, some schools in the U.S. have also been urged to increase class teaching about adventures. And many have.
The study involved injuries treated in hospital emergency departments. Only two percent were serious.
The researchers did not try to identify the causes of the increase, but they have some theories. Lara McKenzie from Ohio State University was the lead researcher. She says one possibility is a decrease in the number of school nurses during the period they studied. For example, a study in 2004 showed that the number of school nurses nationally failed to meet federal guidelines.
Another possible reason for more injuries is a change in the traditional idea of adventure. Cheryl Richardson is with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. From her point of view, this “New adventure” expands the kinds of sports that are taught.
The researchers say larger class sizes are another possible reason for the increase in injuries.
| A．Classes on large scales can mean less supervision and cause potential injuries. |
| B．Yet now comes a study showing an increase in the number of injuries in “adventurous” class. |
| C．Generally speaking, untrained nurses could be more likely to be unemployed. |
| D．Adventurous sports help to relax students’ pressure and benefit their mental health. |
| E．But high-risk activities some schools offer now, like bungee jumping, can also expand the risks. |
| F．Schools without a nurse on duty may be more likely to send an injured child to a hospital. |
4 . The health benefits of staying active are already well-known. It can help you manage weight, keep blood sugar levels down and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Now, a new study suggests that regularly playing sports, especially badminton or tennis, is not only healthy but also reduces your risk of death, at any age, by approximately 50%. This is a big scale population study to explore the health benefits of sports in terms of death rate. The study evaluated responses from 80, 306 adults aged 30 and above in England and Scotland, who were surveyed about their health, lifestyle and exercise patterns.
After adjusting factors such as age, sex, weight, smoking habits, alcohol use, education and other forms of exercise besides the named sports, the researchers compared the risk of death among people who took part in a sport to those who didn’t. The percentage of reduced risk of death was found to be: 47% for racket(球拍)sports, 28% for swimming and 15% for cycling.
In addition to this, the study didn’t find any significant reduction in the risk for sports like running and football. The findings also exposed that over 44% of the participants met the guidelines for the recommended exercise levels to stay fit and healthy, which amounts to 150 minutes of moderate(适度的) physical activity in a week.
Does this mean you stop running or playing football and switch to tennis instead? Every kind of sport and physical activity has different physical, social and mental benefits attached to it. The apparent lack of benefits of running and football could result from several variables (变量) that were not taken into account.
Being active helps you feel happier and live longer. So, the most important step is to take part in any kind of sport that you are likely to enjoy and follow in the long term.
1. How is the study conducted?| A．By doing comparative experiments. |
| B．By analyzing previous data. |
| C．By evaluating survey information. |
| D．By tracking participants for a long time. |
| A．Water sports. | B．Racket sports. |
| C．Individual sports. | D．Traditional sports. |
| A．Few people will play football. |
| B．Tennis will become more popular. |
| C．The result of this study is wrong. |
| D．The study could be further improved. |
| A．Stick to any sport that you like. |
| B．Play badminton and tennis only. |
| C．Stop running and playing football. |
| D．Do any sport according to guidelines. |
5 . In the Pacific Northwest during winter, 5:15 a.m. might be the dead of night. The alarm goes off and the only light is the red glow from my clock. My body says, “Go back to bed.” But I don’t. I know my running partner will be waiting in the street and I’m not going to stand her up. Then I walk onto the road, complaining about the cold and wishing I were back under my warm covers.
If you asked me a year ago if I could see myself running at 5:15 on a winter morning, my answer would be surely no. Running in the morning was something I didn’t even consider. While my friends went to the gym before work, I preferred to work out in the middle of the morning or in the afternoon.
Then, last fall I met an old friend. She’d been running in the morning and lost forty pounds. When I looked in the mirror, I knew I could benefit from the same kind of weight loss. I asked if I could join her. I knew I needed to change something if I wanted to get back in shape.
The first two months was especially hard, because we ran twice a week at 5:15 a.m. and I slept till 7:00 the other mornings. But as I’ve adjusted to the morning run, I’ve discovered great joys that make it even more worthwhile than a little weight loss.
While I haven’t lost forty pounds yet, I fall in love with the morning run. It’s amazing that I have more energy and feel stronger. Because of the morning run, the rest of my day is more productive.
1. What can we know about the author from paragraph 1?| A．5:15 a.m. is the best time for her to exercise. |
| B．She prefers to run alone without any company. |
| C．She always goes running with many warm clothes on. |
| D．She goes for a run despite the cold and the need to rise early. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Scared. | C．Confused. | D．Supportive. |
| A．Her friend’s suggestion. | B．Her partner’s encouragement. |
| C．Realizing the harm of being fat. | D．Realizing the benefit of running. |
| A．She has become slim again. | B．She has become more energetic. |
| C．She has become more confident. | D．She has become a better runner. |
6 . Staying fit is a great way to improve your mood and physical health. With some simple tricks, you can stay fit for years to come!
Start walking, jogging or cycling
No matter what your speed is, walking, jogging and cycling are very important part of a healthy lifestyle.
For example, if you drive to the grocery store, try to park your car in a spot far away from the entrance so that you have to walk those extra steps to get there. If you live close enough to school, it will be a good idea to start walking.
Exercise in the classroom
Not everyone has the time or money to go to the gym and there is no need to.
Sit-ups. Sit-ups can be done by simply lying on the ground or with a chair or exercise ball.
Push-ups.
Join a school sports team
Joining a school sports team may be a great way to get outside, move around and have some fun!
| A．Go out of your way to walk more |
| B．The most popular school sports are basketball and football |
| C．Working out in the classroom is easy and beneficial |
| D．If you need the coach’s help, the gym is a great place to stay fit |
| E．Many schools have their own sports teams that meet and play after school |
| F．Lift your body by pressing against the floor to build up your upper body strength |
| G．They can keep your heart and lungs active and improve the blood flow around the body |
7 . Reasons Why Running Is the Easiest Exercise
Some people think that running is hard. I once thought that too.
★It can be as easy or hard as you want.
Many people start running by going out and running as fast as they can for as long as they can. That is not so fun.
★
Classes at the gym are great but they always end up never working for me. With a busy life, I find it hard to take a class. On the other hand, with running, you just need to find the time whenever you can, here and there, and change it around.
★The gear (设备) is simple.
★You can do it anywhere.
You can run in the city. You can run in the country. You can run on a track, in a park, on the street or even on the beach. You can run at home. You can run when you travel. And in fact, running around new cities when you’re traveling is great fun.
| A．You can do it on your own schedule. |
| B．Choose some training classes at the gym. |
| C．It is important to have proper running shoes. |
| D．It might make you hurt or even cause injuries. |
| E．That is a wonderful way to get to know a place. |
| F．Starting at a running track is a great way to begin. |
| G．But if you work out properly, it is easy and wonderful. |
8 . The beach may seem like an inviting place to run on a cool summer morning, but is running on the sand good for your body? It can be, but it’s important to be aware of the challenges that some beach runners experience before you get ready.
Running on the beach can be a good thing. It’s certainly different from running on a track or a pavement. For starters, sand can be a challenge because it has an uneven(不平坦的) surface. As you push off, you’re going to lose some of your push as the sand moves. So, you’re not going to be able to push yourself forward as you would on a track or a pavement. But this unevenness has an upside: It gives your body an extra workout, forcing you to exercise muscles that don’t get as much use during runs on firm surfaces. For example, your feet, ankles and lower back might feel sorer and more tired than usual after a beach run just because the surface is constantly moving and changing step to step.
You also might feel sore afterward because beaches tend to slope (倾斜) down to the water. If you’re going for a long run on the beach, you might notice that one side of your body might feel sorer because you’re putting more pressure on it due to the slope.
Some beach runners prefer to run barefoot-- not wearing anything on feet. However, if you’re not used to barefoot running, start slowly and don’t run long distances at first. That’s because running barefoot uses more different muscles than running with shoes does, and it’s important to strengthen these muscles and adapt your feet. If you want to run barefoot and as long as you run carefully enough into it, go for it!
Running on the sand can be a smart choice for you, because running on softer ground surfaces can reduce muscle damage.
1. Why is it difficult to run on the beach for starters? ________| A．The soft surface makes people fall over easily. |
| B．It’s hard to keep one’s balance on its hard surface. |
| C．People need to run carefully on its smooth surface. |
| D．Running on its uneven surface takes much effort. |
| A．Challenge. | B．Advantage. | C．Reason. | D．Character. |
| A．Positive. | B．Critical. | C．Doubtful. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．a primary school textbook | B．a tourist guide |
| C．a sports magazine | D．a scientific report |
9 . Do you want to live in a healthy lifestyle? Practicing yoga is one of the best choices. Yoga has a well-deserved fame for helping to improve balance and flexibility and for gaining calm and relaxation.
Several studies have confirmed that doing yoga does reduce cortisol (皮质醇) levels.
In a 2016 study, participants involved in practicing yoga realized that they tended to notice not only the amount of food they ate, but what type of foods they ate and the impact of eating those foods as well. “Subjects are reported becoming aware of the effect of certain foods on their bodies during their yoga practice, including sugar, dairy, meat and alcohol,” wrote the authors of the study.
Making Weight Loss LastUltimately, the best yoga is the practice that fits you—the one you’ll commit to. There are now many accessible styles of yoga that meet you where you are no matter what your weight, age, physical challenge or background.
| A．Finding the best food |
| B．Moving Well, Eating Well |
| C．Everybody and every body can benefit from a certain style |
| D．Yoga is also well-known for helping you burn more calories |
| E．High levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, can lead to an increase in fat |
| F．Another study shows that someone in a more positive mood are less likely to overeat |
| G．Recent research shows that yoga may help to improve long-term weight loss outcomes |
10 . At an age where many of his contemporaries are winding down, Jo Schoonbroodt is somehow speeding up. On Sunday, the 71-year-old from the Netherlands, ran a marathon in 2hr 54min 19sec to become the fastest septuagenarian (70-90 年龄组) in history.
A few days later, when the Times catches up with him, his achievement is still sinking in. “I only started jogging at 36 because my doctor told me I had high cholesterol (胆固醇),” he says. “But last year I ran 7,242 kilometres, which is more than double what I did in my car.”
But the secrets of his success might surprise you。 “Most runners train too hard. I do a lot of my training with groups who run very slowly. And then I build on these basics with some faster interval training.”
Schoonbroodt often runs at 9-or 10-minute mile pace, far slower than the 6.38min / mile he ran for 26.2 miles to set his world record, but he says the crucial thing is that he listens to his body. “A lot of people follow a training plan or coach and push on even when their body is saying: ‘No, this is not a good day to do it.’ But if you go out the door and just do what you feel, it’s easier to keep running and stay injury-free.”
Being a late bloomer (大器晚成), he believes, has actually helped him because his ego (自我意识) never had to worry about chasing faster times of his youth. “Because I started so late, I missed my best years. But that’s no problem. Everything is still new to me.”
Schoonbroodt, meanwhile, has no plans to put his feet up. “My next marathon is in two and a half weeks, on an old Roman road built 2,000 years ago,” he says, the excitement obvious. It will be his third in 2023. And with that he is off. After all, the quest (追求) for another sub-three-hour marathon waits for no man. Not even one who is 71.
1. What message does Schoonbrodt’s story carry?| A．It is never too late to run. | B．More haste, less speed. |
| C．Time waits for no man. | D．An earlier bird catches the worm. |
| A．He competed with slower runners. |
| B．He made full use of the intervals. |
| C．He trained in line with his condition. |
| D．He ran faster in the races than in trainings. |
| A．He can draw lessons from other runners. |
| B．He has no youthful success to think back to. |
| C．He can equip himself with new running skills. |
| D．He has a strong desire to make up for the lost time. |
| A．He is unsure of winning it. | B．He is eager to participate in it. |
| C．He has no plan to enter for it. | D．He will not run it in three hours. |
