1 . A woman about 100 years old just proved that age means nothing by breaking three amateur(业余的) swimming world records.

On Saturday, Jan. 20, Betty Brussels _________ the Victoria Masters Swim Club Meet and beat the rivals in the 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, and 400m freestyle in the 100- to 104-year-old age _________.

Betty Brussel didn’t get into _________ swimming until she was in her 60s, and this was the first time she had been able to _________ such an achievement. She was able to break the records despite _________ a pacemaker(心脏起搏器) she received after suffering a heart attack in her 70s.

Betty finished her 50m backstroke in 1:24.91, which was almost five _________ faster than the previous record. She surpassed(超过) the _________ standing 400m freestyle record of 16:36.80 by _________ hers in 12:50.03. Betty set the first record for the 50m breaststroke with a time of 1:56.22.

“I was surprised by my own _________ yesterday,” said Betty. “I gave it my all; I never give up. It was wonderful. I was totally __________ by everybody’s support. I like to win, but __________ have never been the most important thing to me. If somebody else wins, I am __________ for them.”

Even though Betty Brussels only just __________ her own achievements, award-winning filmmakers Hannah Walsh and Emma Puchniak are already talking about a possible __________ that could be released in about a year.

“I live life every day and __________ it,” Betty told the publication. “I feel very fortunate to do what I do.”

1.

A．set aside

B．called on

C．headed for

D．engaged in

2.

A．group

B．court

C．period

D．department

3.

A．challenging

B．demanding

C．appropriate

D．competitive

4.

A．regain

B．reach

C．commit

D．recall

5.

A．building upon

B．carrying out

C．relying on

D．showing off

6.

A．minutes

B．seconds

C．moments

D．meters

7.

A．formerly

B．regularly

C．temporarily

D．interestingly

8.

A．improving

B．completing

C．raising

D．stopping

9.

A．behavior

B．function

C．restriction

D．swim

10.

A．fascinated

B．attracted

C．touched

D．affected

11.

A．records

B．dreams

C．beliefs

D．failures

12.

A．happy

B．anxious

C．sorry

D．thankful

13.

A．declined

B．proved

C．revealed

D．marked

14.

A．novel

B．advertisement

C．documentary

D．interview

15.

A．cue

B．enjoy

C．purchase

D．deserve

2 . Attention! We need to put a stop to parents doing harm to youth sports. It has gotten out of hand.

A recent study showed 26 million American children took part in non-school sports. By the age of 13, about 18.2 million quit.

No wonder kids are quitting. Many parents show no sportsmanship. They often shout happily at an injury if the injured player is on the other team. My brother Mario Widdowson got hit in the face during a soccer game. The parents from the other team were shouting gladly at his pain. All of the players were down on one knee waiting for Mario to get up, out of respect and it was the right thing to do. The kids did much better than these parents.

There are different types of parents. In the book “Parenting with Love and Logic” the authors describe two different types of parents. The first is helicopter parents, who don’t allow their kid to succeed or fail on their own. The other type is lawnmower parents, who clear anything in their child’s path to make life as easy as possible.

I have observed helicopter parents. When my brother was playing club soccer, one of his teammate’s parents shouted at their son. “Shoot the ball”. It was from about half field. He did it and the coach stopped him from playing and asked him to leave the field.

The parents are trying to coach their kids. The players on the field follow blindly and many mistakes happen. It’s not good for kids’ confidence. What is the purpose of youth sports anyway?

Problems happen in youth sports all over the United States. Parents need to behave themselves. Then the number of students who quit at the age of 13 will drop greatly.

1. What does the author want to show by using numbers in Paragraph 2?

A．American kids are sports lovers.

B．Parents can’t behave themselves.

C．Most kids give up sports half-way.

D．Non-school sports are popular among teens.

2. What did some parents do when Mario got injured?

A．They lent a helping hand.	B．They cheered at his injury.
C．They waited for him to get up.	D．They kept shouting at their kids.

3. Why was the boy asked to leave the field?

A．He made a mistake.

B．He missed his goal.

C．He turned to the coach again.

D．He didn’t want to go on with the sport.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Parents Should Respect Sports.	B．Non-school Sports Is Popular.
C．Encouragement Is Important for Kids.	D．Kids Need to Love Sports.

3 . Felicia Grimmenhag of Sweden doesn’t let anything get in her way — even a life-changing injury. After surviving a serious car accident, Felicia had to _________ getting around in a wheelchair. But it didn’t stop her from _________ her dream as a champion horseback rider and Paralympic (残奥会) hopeful.

Felicia was 17 when she was _________ by a car while riding her motorbike. Despite being legally dead for 15 minutes, she _________ pulled through. When she finally _________ three days later, she discovered her legs had disappeared. While this new reality would be a(n) _________ pill for anyone to take, Felicia focused all her energy on getting back on the horse! She’d _________ as a little girl and decided to try again. And shockingly, about 10 weeks after the _________, she was riding once again! “Horses have meant a lot to me, both _________ and also physically,” she told Great Big Story. “When I sit on a horse, I don’t feel like the __________ Felicia, but the horse-riding Felicia.”

Felicia has since taken part in competitions around the world, proving she doesn’t need __________ to win. In 2020, the 25-year-old won the silver at the Swedish Championships. Now she __________ to compete at the Paralympics! “What I have learned from all this is that you should dare to __________ yourself, and remember that it’s only you who sets your own __________,” she said.

It’s true that when you want something, all you need is the __________ and drive to achieve it.

1.

A．give up

B．worry about

C．adjust to

D．speak of

2.

A．forgetting

B．pursuing

C．losing

D．describing

3.

A．pick up

B．searched for

C．sent away

D．knocked down

4.

A．magically

B．immediately

C．logically

D．hopelessly

5.

A．rang up

B．stood up

C．woke up

D．turned up

6.

A．tough

B．additional

C．forbidden

D．acceptable

7.

A．swum

B．skated

C．cycled

D．ridden

8.

A．excuse

B．accident

C．mistake

D．conflict

9.

A．technically

B．biologically

C．mentally

D．intellectually

10.

A．disabled

B．frightened

C．disciplined

D．focused

11.

A．cars

B．motorbikes

C．horses

D．legs

12.

A．hesitates

B．fails

C．intends

D．pretends

13.

A．suspect

B．challenge

C．evaluate

D．protect

14.

A．preferences

B．schedules

C．principles

D．limits

15.

A．pressure

B．desire

C．budget

D．responsibility

4 . As China’s first ever full-time Formula One (世界一级方程式锦标赛) driver, Zhou Guanyu makes a living by doing the sort of things many people can only dream about: traveling the world and racing in a fast car.

“I think the only ______ between Formula One and a roller coaster is that you have to be ______ where you’re going, and you have to be at 100% of yourself,” Zhou told CNN.

Zhou has been putting his all into ______ since he was a young boy ______ in Shanghai. Today, Zhou is predicted to become F1’s answer to Yao Ming, who is often praised for making basketball ______ in China.

It was back in Shanghai in 2004 that-at just 5 years old-Zhou ______ Rubens Barrichello win the first ever Chinese Grand Prix on TV. The moment helped to ______ his interest in racing and has ______ with him ever since, he said.

There was a ______ of Chinese racing role models, so he ______ a path of his own. A very important moment in his racing life came at age 12, when he ______ Shanghai for Sheffield in the United Kingdom to ______ his development with the strawberry Racing Krting team. The move put him on the road to achieving his ambitions.

Zhou is often ______ to the former NBA player Yao Ming, who is also a sport star from Shanghai. “Who knows, maybe in 10 years’ time. I could have the same ______. And that is my aim ______,” he said.

1.

A．problem

B．difference

C．difficulty

D．importance

2.

A．guessing

B．controlling

C．proving

D．declaring

3.

A．reading

B．playing

C．driving

D．swimming

4.

A．growing up

B．getting up

C．going up

D．staying up

5.

A．simple

B．interesting

C．available

D．popular

6.

A．watched

B．followed

C．researched

D．examined

7.

A．lose

B．stress

C．develop

D．measure

8.

A．stayed

B．dealt

C．fought

D．taken

9.

A．way

B．lack

C．role

D．loss

10.

A．received

B．imagined

C．composed

D．created

11.

A．reached

B．chose

C．left

D．forgot

12.

A．continue

B．discover

C．consider

D．manage

13.

A．matched

B．compared

C．adapted

D．devoted

14.

A．career

B．hobby

C．influence

D．result

15.

A．normally

B．naturally

C．regularly

D．definitely

5 . It might be a shock, but video games might be added to the 2024 Olympics. The debate over this gives both sports and video game fans something to consider.

The Olympic Games were created in the 1890s with the inspiration of replicating (重现) the ancient Olympic Games which were a celebration for the ancient Greek God, Zeus. Thereafter, it changed to be a great competition to show off the athletes’ strength, physical abilities, and skills. On the other hand, video games were first made for entertaining the people. It wasn’t until 1972 that the first competitive video game was created. Afterwards, people held competitions to exhibit players’ skills: hand-eye coordination (手眼协调), quick thinking, and even teamwork. With these two types of similar events, it’s easy to see why people are considering combining the two.

With this addition to the Olympic Games, it gives the competitors more competing events, gives different types of entertainment to viewers, and allows more people to join the Olympics. Besides, allowing video games in the Olympics will not only exhibit physical strength, but also bring intelligence, reaction speed, and more teamwork to the competition.

However, every coin has two sides. One disadvantage of this extension of the Olympic Games is the increase of “Haters”. There have already been cases of people who dislike video games in their everyday lifestyle. If the two activities were to combine, the popularity of this event would be lowered.

The worst downside appears. If video games were to enter the Olympics, it would not be the competition that it was originally made to be. The Olympics were made for great athletic abilities and skills, not for pushing buttons to control something that isn’t physically real.

With both positive and negative effects, it will be a hard choice whether or not to place video games in the Olympics. Although the final decision hasn’t been made yet, we’d better keep open-minded about that.

1. Which of the following shows the structure of the text?

A．①②/③/④⑤/⑥	B．①②③/④⑤/⑥
C．①/②③④/⑤/⑥	D．①②/③④/⑤/⑥

2. According to the author, what does adding video games to the Olympics mean?

A．Some other events will be got rid of.

B．The atmosphere will be more harmonious.

C．The inclusiveness of the Olympics will increase.

D．The chance of winning in the Olympics will decrease.

3. What is the biggest disadvantage of adding video games to the Olympics?

A．Video games will become widely popular with children.

B．People will lose interest in great athletic abilities.

C．The original purpose of the Olympics will be lost.

D．The popularity of the Olympics will fade.

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A．Should the events of the Olympics be expanded?

B．Should the Olympics be encouraged to change?

C．Should video games be further encouraged?

D．Should video games be in the Olympics?

6 . “Sorry, that’s incorrect.” Never had I thought that, with the simple word “substitute”, I would meet my Waterloo in a ______ competition. With the spotlight shining straight into my eyes, I could do nothing but walk off the stage, my mind was blank.

The spelling competition is ______ the most long-awaited event of the year for many students in our school. To have a wonderful stage debut (首次亮相), I devoted myself to learning English ______ for months. I ______ rather well in the first two rounds of the competition, making it to the final as ______ However, I found that I still had a long way to go. Therefore, I spared no effort trying to ______ as many words as possible before the big day.

Eventually, the day arrived. Seated onstage, holding my pen and paper   ______, I glanced breathlessly at the hundreds of eager-looking faces out there. With the clock ticking away, I felt my heart ______ wildly.

Watching the other contestants (选手) spelling out their words, I waited for my ______. Thankfully, my first word was an easy one. After another round of waiting, it was time for my second word. “Contestant No. 43, your word is ‘substitute’.” So ______ !

I wrote down the first four letters on my ______. “S-U-B-S-I-T-U-T-E, substitute,” I said confidently. But sadly, I didn’t realize the misspelling until the judge said, “ ______.”

Making such a ______ in the competition, I did gain a deeper understanding of the ______ : He who laughs last, laughs best. This experience has taught me that overconfidence might ______ our downfall. Only when we stay humble can we “laugh last and best”.

1.

A．spelling

B．shooting

C．sports

D．beauty

2.

A．impossibly

B．frequently

C．undoubtedly

D．initially

3.

A．poetry

B．pronunciation

C．vocabulary

D．grammar

4.

A．managed

B．performed

C．functioned

D．worked

5.

A．planned

B．promised

C．ordered

D．requested

6.

A．coin

B．memorize

C．use

D．write

7.

A．casually

B．loosely

C．patiently

D．tightly

8.

A．beating

B．aching

C．wondering

D．sinking

9.

A．call

B．signal

C．turn

D．count

10.

A．attractive

B．interesting

C．complex

D．easy

11.

A．paper

B．book

C．screen

D．desk

12.

A．Congratulations

B．Sorry

C．Yes

D．No

13.

A．fortune

B．decision

C．mess

D．mistake

14.

A．song

B．saying

C．lecture

D．speech

15.

A．point out

B．insist on

C．subscribe to

D．lead to

7 . Soccer, basketball, baseball, and the like are popular all around the world, However, do you look for something a bit different? There may be some new sports that you want to try out!

One of the new sports is regball. It is a Russian sport adding basketball, wrestling (摔跤) and rugby. As in basketball, the players have a ball that they try to shoot through a hoop (篮筐) . But nobody will be calling “that’s a travel” while watching this sport, because there is no need to dribble (运球) . Players also wrestle with each other during the game.

Another kind of sport you don’t see every day is soapbox racing. Handmade vehicles are pushed down a hill, and competitors have to drive their vehicles through a course with different kinds of things in their way. Not all competitors are engineers, so the vehicles are easy to break apart. Competitors are judged for their soapbox’s creativity. Therefore, speed is not everything, and creativity plays the most important role. Competitors often design their vehicles based on themes from pop culture or history. Of course, the competitors dress up to play the role, too.

Cheese rolling race is not seen very often, but it is exciting. This is a game that is extremely funny for audience, but painful for competitors. During the game, competitors race down a very steep (陡峭的) hill, chasing after a round of Double Gloucester cheese that can weigh up to nine pounds and can travel some 70 miles per hour. Whoever gets to the bottom first wins the cheese.

1. What can we know about regball?

A．It mixes three kinds of sports.

B．Its competitors race down a hill.

C．Wrestling is not allowed during the game.

D．Its rules are exactly the same as basketball.

2. What does the underlined word “course” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．A lesson.

B．A track.

C．An action.

D．A period of time.

3. What is valued most about competitors in soapbox racing?

A．Their speed.	B．Their clothes.
C．Their creativity.	D．Their driving experiences.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A new study about sports.

B．A presentation of sports skills.

C．An introduction to three new sports.

D．The difference between traditional and new sports.

8 . What are the limits of the human body? Is there a point at which it is physically impossible to do something?

“One thing we’ve all learned in the last 30 years or so is that just about anything is humanly possible,” says Dr. Jack Wilmore, author of Physiology of Sport and Exercise. “As time goes by, I think you’ll see more records continue to fall in every sport. The talent pool is better than ever. With more and better athletes involved and competing, records will fall and new standards will be set.”

Many believed it was physically impossible for a human to run a mile in under four minutes, but Roger Bannister proved that theory wrong with a three-minute, 59-second mile in 1954. Today, sub-four-minute miles are considered routine even in high school. And Bob Beamon stretched human performance in the 1968 Olympics with his historic long jump of 8.90 metres. In an event where a record is usually broken by mere inches, he broke the previous jump record by more than 21 inches, but even his record was broken in 1991.

One factor is now becoming more understood and heavily emphasized: sports psychology. Getting inside the athlete’s head can be as effective as training and long workouts. According to Wilmore, the psychological aspect of sports has become more and more esteemed. He points out that most professional teams have hired sports psychologists for their players.

In addition, every aspect of athletics --- training, nutrition, injury treatment --- is far better than it’s ever been. “Besides, children today tend to specialize in one or two sports instead of competing in several as was common twenty-five years ago,” Wilmore says. “That means they start concentrating on a sport much earlier and more intensely, and they become much better at it.”

“There’s a lot we don’t know yet about the human body,” he adds. “And one of those   things is the full range of human potential. It would be foolish to try and put limits on what the human body can do.”

1. Which statement will Wilmore probably agree with?

A．It is preferable to set universal standards for athletes.

B．Athletes will become the most sought-after celebrities.

C．It is necessary for athletes to learn the limits of the body.

D．Athletes will continue to surprise us with their achievements.

2. Why are Roger Bannister and Bob Beamon mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．To introduce two great athletes.

B．To show some of the latest world records.

C．To prove the limits of the body can be pushed.

D．To explain what athletes can achieve under stress.

3. What does the underlined word “esteemed” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Similar.	B．Valued.
C．Complex.	D．Specialized.

4. How are today’s children different from those years ago according to Wilmore?

A．They participate in far more sports.

B．They are less likely to get injured in sports.

C．They begin playing sports at a much earlier age.

D．They become more skilful at one particular sport.

9 . 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。

Juliana Hoogland is a blind basketball player at Zeeland Public Schools. And she has joined one of the school’s     1     (program) for the Special Olympics Unified Sports.

Last week as Juliana prepared to take a free throw, over 2,000 students were     2     (complete) silent. The silence was to help her hear where the net (球网) was. At the last moment, Juliana hit that shot (投篮),     3     made the other people go wild; their cheers were loud. “It was so moving to see her hit that shot in front of so many students,” said Juliana’s mom, who thanked the students for their support. She was proud of her daughter     4     making the shot.

Juliana was also excited. “I hardly     5     (expect) I would make it at first,” she said. “I can tell people that I can also be     6     (success).” Juliana wants to change     7    common view that blind children can’t do what sighted (看得见) people do. She hopes she can encourage them to keep    8     (try) whatever their difficulties are. Her mother said Juliana practiced for a long time     9     (have) a feel for the shot. It was a memorable day for those who saw a blind girl’s efforts and the schoolmates’     10     (kind).

10 . In this post, we’ll introduce some top robotics competitions open to high schoolers. Keep reading to learn more.

Botball Educational Robotics Program

Level: Regional and national competitions available

Grades: 9th, 10th. 11th, 12th

Over a period of about seven weeks, students learn to code(编程) and develop complex strategies to use artificial intelligence. This allows them to create an autonomous robot together that competes in an annual game challenging against other teams in competitions at various levels across the country.

FIRST: Robotics Competition

Level: Local, regional and national competitions available

Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

Teams work together with professional teachers to design, assemble(装配), and test an industrial-sized robot .The robot then competes in a head-to-head field game against other teams.

Robo Games

Level: International

Grades: All ages and backgrounds

This self-claimed “Olympics of robots” and current largest open robot competition challenges participants in a wide variety of events to display various skills. Amateurs, professionals, young and old alike are invited to participate with the goal of winning prizes, expanding educational service, and recognizing robot-builders in the public eye.

Zero Robotics High School Tournament

Level: International, including the U.S. and member countries of the European Space Agency

Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

This fascinating competition begins with robots called SPHERES inside the International Space Station. The first phase of the competition is entirely online, in which competitors code the SPHERES to meet a yearly challenge. Finalists compete in person, onboard the International Space Station, conducted live in microgravity by a real astronaut!

1. What do the first and second robotics competitions have in common?

A．Teamwork is a must in competitions.

B．They have the same goals and rules.

C．The robot is tested before competitions.

D．They are completely of the same level.

2. Which of the competitions has no age limitation?

A．Bot ball Educational Robotics Program.	B．FIRST: Robotics Competition.
C．Robo Games.	D．Zero Robotics High School Tournament.

3. What can we learn about Zero Robotics High School Tournament?

A．It is held by the European Space Agency.

B．It is a local robotics competition.

C．The whole competition is conducted online.

D．The final competition is held at the International Space Station.