1 . For many runners, a marathon can often be a challenge — but sometimes what gets a runner through the tough 26.2 miles is looking out into the crowd and seeing his or her loved one holding up a sign and shouting words of encouragement. For one mom, though, her loved one was a bit more hands-on.
While running the REVEL Big Cottonwood Marathon in Salt Lake City, Courtney Rich, a self-taught baker and mother of two, was beginning to run out of energy just yards from the end when she was suddenly joined by her 10-year-old daughter, Avery.
The touching moment, caught on video and posted on social media, shows Avery running to her mother’s side to support her as she approached the end of the race. Rich’s face lit up when Avery joined her and helped her cross the finish line.
Rich later said in the video’s caption that being joined by her daughter to finish the race was “a moment I hope neither of us ever forget”. Rich said that her daughter could tell she was struggling after a phone call near the end of the race. “She knew I had struggled the last few miles,” Rich said. “She saw tears in my eyes when I called on mile 24.”
In the video, Rich’s facial expression changes from tiredness to a smile after seeing her daughter emerge from the crowd to join her. Then, Rich and her daughter ran hand-in-hand to the finish line. “Nothing could have prepared me for the moment my 10-year-old daughter would jump out of the crowd and run with me to the finish line,” she said. When the race was done, the two hugged each other at the finish line. The video ends with a final caption, “And then she just held me. She held me.”
In the past, the REVEL Big Cottonwood Marathon has had other memorable moments of mothers caring for their children, but perhaps not as hands-on as this one.
1. What happened to Rich when she was coming to the finish line?| A．She fell down all of a sudden. |
| B．She was far behind others. |
| C．She felt herself struggling. |
| D．She was interrupted by Avery. |
| A．She helped Rich run to the finish line. |
| B．She tried to call for help at once. |
| C．She ran the rest in place of Rich. |
| D．She shouted encouraging words to Rich. |
| A．Doubtful. |
| B．Content. |
| C．Concerned. |
| D．Expected. |
| A．A Mother Would Never Give Up On Her Marathon Dream |
| B．A Mother Encouraged Her Daughter To Pursue Her Dream |
| C．A Daughter Got Involved In Her Mother’s Race By Mistake |
| D．A Daughter Cheered For Her Mother By Joining In Her Race |
2 . Boston Marathon runners in recent years may have seen a smiling furry face around the two-mile mark. It’s Spencer, the therapy (治疗) dog, who became known as an unofficial mascot (吉祥物) for the marathon, He’s shown up on the sidelines every year since 2015—rain or shine.
One particularly rainy marathon catapulted Spencer’s fame, In 2018, his owner, Richard Powers, decided to put a bright yellow rain coat on the dog, making him stand out even more than he usually does. Photos of Spencer, who holds a “Boston Strong” flag in his mouth, went viral, and he became an inspiration to runners and onlookers alike, During the marathon, some runners stop in their tracks to take selfies with the dog-the line sometimes growing to 20 runners long.
But in 2020, Spencer was diagnosed with a tumor (肿瘤). His owner was worried, but Spencer is a fighter. He got the care he needed and survived. In 2021, he was back on the course and it was really kind of a miracle and that really hit home to a lot of people.
Unfortunately, Spencer caught another tumor—this one cancerous—and Spencer began chemotherapy. Powers didn’t think his beloved dog would make it out to the marathon of 2022. “Miraculously, he’s still here with us and an even bigger miracle, he was strong enough to go to the marathon,” he said.
After recovering, Spencer was back to work—not just at the marathon—but as a therapy dog, alongside his companion, Penny, who is also a golden therapy dog. Powers takes his two therapy dogs around to schools, hospitals and senior living centers.
“He’s a gift to us and we’re very lucky to have him. He’s too good so we want to share him with as many people as we possibly can. He does make a difference,” Powers said.
1. Why is Spencer referred to as a mascot for Boston Marathon?| A．He has a smiling furry face. | B．He appears at the event annually. |
| C．He is not recognized officially. | D．He works as a therapy dog for runners. |
| A．Motivation. | B．Satisfaction. | C．Fantasy. | D．Barrier. |
| A．A failure in the marathon. | B．Caring for his owner. | C．Fighting against a disease. | D．Going viral. |
| A．Confident, | B．Supportive. | C．Objective. | D．Negative. |
3 . FIFA Ticketing Centres
The Last-Minute over the counter sales in Doha, Qatar starts on 18 October 2022 at the FIFA Main Ticketing Centre (MTC), and from 30 October at the Ticketing Centre(TCX). Both ticketing centres will be open until the final match day of the competition on 18 December 2022.
The exact location of the FIFA Main Ticketing Centre (Doha Exhibition &. Convention Center—DECC) can be found here and the exact location of the Ticketing Centre (Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena) can be found here.
Please find below the opening hours of the FIFA Main Ticketing Centre;
Dates/Opening hours (Doha time)
18.10.2022- 17.12.2022/Sat-Thu:10:00-22:00; Fri:14:00-22:00
18.12.2022/10:00-18:00
Please find below the opening hours of the Ticketing Centre:
Dates/Opening hours (Doha time)
30.10.2022- 17.12.2022/Sat-Thu:10:00-22:00; Fri:14:00-22:00
18.12.2022/10:00-18:00
In addition to ticket sales, you may visit the FIFA Main Ticketing Centre and Ticketing
Centre for customer service enquiries and mobile ticket supports.
Please note that it is not possible to purchase tickets in the Ticketing Service Point (TSP) located in Hamad International Airport as this facility is dedicated for customers arriving in Qatar and needing information about ticketing or support on how to download the FIFA Ticketing Application and their respective tickets.
All tickets purchased over the counter at the FIFA Main Ticketing Centre as of 18 October or at the Ticketing Centre from 30 October during the Last-Minute sales phase will be delivered as paper tickets, in-person directly after completing the ticket application process and paying for tickets.
Please treat your tickets with care and keep them safe at all times as duplicate (复制) tickets will not be issued.
1. When does FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 end?| A．On 18 October 2022. | B．On 30 October 2022. |
| C．On 18 December 2022. | D．On 30 December 2022. |
| A．MTC. | B．TSP. | C．TCX. | D．DECC. |
| A．By mail. | B．By contacting agents. |
| C．By downloading digital tickets. | D．By picking up in person. |
4 . Have you heard of the following events?
Sheep shearing (修剪)
It’s a big sport in New Zealand, which proudly hosts the annual Golden Shears International Championships. Held in the town of Masterton in March, the four-day event seeks to identify the world’s fastest sheep shearer. The event is not all about shearing; live bands bring a party atmosphere to it. It’s attractive to many tourists.
Lucha libre
It’s a form of freestyle wrestling with a devoted fan base in its native Mexico. Competitors are famous for their well-made masks, which keep their identities a secret. That’s until they are defeated in the fight, which often requires losers to show their faces. Don’t forget to bring some loose change: when viewers are impressed by a victorious wrestler, they throw money at them. You may enjoy the event once a year.
Lawnmower (割草机) racing
This annual sport now has its own governing body—the British Lawn Mower Racing Association (BLRA). It has a 30-race championship that runs from May to October. Most races are part of larger rural events, such as the Cranleigh Show in Surrey, where viewers can experience other events. The BLRA remains un-commercial and donates all profits to organizations that help people who are poor, sick, or in difficulties.
Wife carrying
Every year a small town of Sonkajaervi in Finland hosts the event: the International Wife Carrying Championships. During this competition, husbands have to carry their wives along the track which is 250 m long and features several barriers on land and a 1-m deep water pool. Two couples start at the same time and run as fast as they can. The winning couple is the one that completes the course in the shortest time.
1. What are viewers advised to do while watching Lucha libre?| A．Wear a mask. | B．Cheer for the loser. |
| C．Look at the wrestler’s face. | D．Take some coins with them. |
| A．Sheep shearing. | B．Lawnmower racing. |
| C．Lucha libre. | D．Wife carrying. |
| A．They are held annually. | B．They attract many tourists. |
| C．They are international sports. | D．They are favored by the young. |
