1 . Freckleton Half Marathon
Freckleton, Lancashire, 18 June

Take part in running history with this great event, held between Preston and Blackpool. It’s the oldest half marathon (马拉松) in the country and began back in 1965. You’ll have every chance of recording a great time yourself on this mostly flat road race, which starts at 2 pm.

bookitzone.com
Jersey Half Marathon
St Brelade, Jersey, 11 June

Please praise the organizers of this event for making the race friendlier to our environment. They’ve done away with free shirts (you can choose to plant a tree instead) and their medal is made of reused paper and includes wildflower seeds (种子), so you can remember your race in a beautiful corner of your garden.

runjersey.co.uk
Norn Iron Ultra 100
Ballintoy, Co. Antrim, 3-4 June

The Ulster Way spreads out for some 1,024 km in a circle around Northern Ireland. This 100-mile run covers the coastline and mountains. These hills are beautiful but also come with some painful inclines (斜坡).

werunwildni.com
Giants Head Marathon
Sydling St Nicholas, Dorset, 17 June

This is certainly one of the hardest marathons in the UK, and not just because it rises to 1,000 m above sea level (all in the form of short climbs, might we add). It also passes a quite wonderful huge chalk figure (人像) carved into a hillside near Cerne Abbas.

whitestarrunning.co.uk
1. When will the oldest half marathon be held?

A．On 3 June.	B．On 11 June.
C．On 17 June.	D．On 18 June.

2. Which of the following events is environmentally friendly?

A．Norn Iron Ultra 100.	B．Jersey Half Marathon.
C．Giants Head Marathon.	D．Freckle ton Half Marathon.

3. What do we know about Giants Head Marathon?

A．It is a flat road race.

B．It will last for two days.

C．It is unfriendly to new runners.

D．It can be read about on werunwildni.com.

2 . Hotels are full, local specialties are nearly sold out, tourists came in droves from all parts of China…Rongjiang, a small county in a remote mountainous area with a population of less than 400,000 in Southwest China, has recently gone viral for its “Village Super League”, creating a spectacular sports carnival in China.

Every week, more than 40,000 audiences flock to the stadium for the “Village Super League”. As of the end of June, 2023, the tournament has had more than 20 billion views on the Internet.

During a match in May, Wu Chuguo, a decoration worker from Liubaitang village, Rongjiang County, scored a spectacular 40-meter goal that ignited the crowd. Wu said he was influenced by elders in his village and fell in love with the sport. In the county, rural soccer matches have taken place regularly since the 1990s. When there was a lack of facilities, soccer players used barren land as a field and wooden stakes for the posts. The boundaries were marked out with lime powder. When they can’t gather enough players, they play futsal, a soccer-based game played on a smaller hard court.

In recent years, the county has focused on gymnastics, soccer, rock climbing and other sports, which has developed outstanding national and provincial-level sporting talent. What sets the Village Super League apart from other sports events are the vibrant displays of ethnic cultures and traditions at the tournament. As players of both teams walk on the field for a game, they are accompanied by their cheering squads(啦啦队)dressed in traditional ethnic costumes and carrying local specialties. The halftime break features folk songs and dance performances, while ethnic costumes are also on display.

“I hope that more and more tourists will come to Rongjiang to watch the matches, enjoy the folk customs and local cuisine, and have fun,” said Xiong Zhuqing, a melon grower who is also a cheerleader. She says she has sold over 10,000 kilograms of watermelons since the start of the tournament. As of June 27, a total of 654 new businesses were established, including 91 in the catering sector, 188 in retail, and 195 in agriculture and food processing, the local government said.

By combining tourism with sports, Rongjiang has found a creative and meaningful way to promote rural vitalization(振兴)and rural economic growth.

1. What do the underlined words “gone viral” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Won a prize.	B．Made a promise.
C．Faced great challenges.	D．Become popular instantly.

2. What can we know from paragraph 3?

A．Rural soccer matches are demanding on facilities.

B．Wu Chuguo started the sports event at Liubaitang village.

C．Rongjiang County has a deep tradition of soccer matches.

D．The small court greatly limits soccer players’ performances.

3. What is special about the Village Super League?

A．It covers players from all walks of life.

B．It combines ethnic elements with sports.

C．It aims to select athletes for national-level games.

D．It has a cheering squad consisting of football fans.

4. What do the statistics in paragraph 5 indicate?

A．The matches can help promote economic growth.

B．Rongjiang’s tourism has fueled the sports industry.

C．Selling agricultural products is key to rural vitalization.

D．Local companies have offered significant financial support to the matches.

3 . Being in the right place at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. A ____ named Zhu Keming despite the bad weather pulled six runners to ____ in a 100-kilometer cross-country race in China’s Gansu Province.

The day of the race started with mild weather. Zhu was ____ his flock (羊群) as usual. Then in the space of a few moments, everything ____. As the temperature dropped quickly and freezing rain and snow began to pound the land, Zhu took ____ in a small cave he’d been using for years to ____ emergency supplies.

It was from this point that Zhu ____ that one of the runners appeared disoriented (迷失方向的) and in pain. Zhu brought the man back to the cave to ____ him up. After lighting a fire, Zhu returned to the mountainside, ____ five additional runners to the cave. There’s little ____ that he finally saved their lives. ____ for the sudden change in the weather, most racers were wearing lightweight clothing that was no ____ for the coldness. The threat of hypothermia (体温过低) was all too real.

“I want to say how ____ I am to the man who saved me,” runner Zhang Xiaotao posted on Sina Weibo. “Without him, I would have been ____ there.” While Zhu is being praised as a hero in his homeland, the ____ shepherd doesn’t see the reason for all the fuss. He says he’s just an ordinary person who did a very ordinary thing.

1.

A．hiker

B．shepherd

C．hunter

D．runner

2.

A．challenges

B．stages

C．debate

D．safety

3.

A．tracking

B．trapping

C．tending

D．hunting

4.

A．existed

B．improved

C．worked

D．changed

5.

A．shelter

B．notes

C．charge

D．chances

6.

A．store

B．discover

C．create

D．check

7.

A．acknowledged

B．explained

C．evaluated

D．noticed

8.

A．cheer

B．warm

C．stand

D．pick

9.

A．guiding

B．attracting

C．welcoming

D．following

10.

A．contact

B．evidence

C．risk

D．doubt

11.

A．Unprepared

B．Hungry

C．Anxious

D．Sorry

12.

A．comparison

B．cause

C．match

D．need

13.

A．helpful

B．grateful

C．awful

D．regretful

14.

A．brought in

B．taken in

C．put out

D．left out

15.

A．patient

B．humble

C．generous

D．honest

4 . On Oct. 11, hundreds of runners competed in a cross-country race in Minnesota. Melanie Bailey should have _________ the course earlier than she did. Her _________ came because she was carrying a _________ across the finish line.

As reported by a local newspaper, Bailey was more than two-thirds of the way through her _________ when a runner in front of her began crying in pain. She _________ to help her fellow runner, Danielle Lenoue. Bailey took her arm to see if she could walk forward with _________. She couldn’t. Bailey then _________ to let Lenoue climb onto her back and carried her all the way to the finish line, then another 300 feet to where Lenoue could get _________ attention.

Once there, Lenoue was _________ and later taken to a hospital, where she learned that she had serious injuries in one of her knees. She would have struggled with extreme __________ to make it to that aid checkpoint without Bailey’s help.

As for Bailey, she is more __________ about why her act is considered a big __________. “She was just crying. I couldn’t __________ her,” Bailey told the reporter. “I feel like I was just doing the right thing.”

Although the two young women were strangers before the __________, they’ve since become friends. Neither won the race, but the __________ of human kindness won the day.

1.

A．designed

B．followed

C．changed

D．finished

2.

A．delay

B．chance

C．trouble

D．excuse

3.

A．judge

B．volunteer

C．classmate

D．competitor

4.

A．race

B．school

C．town

D．training

5.

A．agreed

B．returned

C．stopped

D．promised

6.

A．courage

B．aid

C．patience

D．advice

7.

A．went away

B．stood up

C．stepped aside

D．bent down

8.

A．medical

B．public

C．constant

D．equal

9.

A．interrupted

B．assessed

C．identified

D．appreciated

10.

A．hunger

B．pain

C．cold

D．tiredness

11.

A．worried

B．ashamed

C．confused

D．discouraged

12.

A．game

B．problem

C．lesson

D．deal

13.

A．leave

B．cure

C．bother

D．understand

14.

A．ride

B．test

C．meet

D．show

15.

A．secret

B．display

C．benefit

D．exchange

5 . Thrown from his horse three times and repeatedly got wet to the skin while camping in a heavy rain, Chris Walker, the farmer from Gloucestershire was, at 55, the oldest of the competitors in this year’s 1,000 km race across the steppe (大草原). Despite the hardships of his eight-day journey, Walker was delighted to finish third in the annual contest.

The Mongol Derby, described as the world’s toughest horse-riding endurance race, began in 2009 as an annual event. Competitors race between checkpoints 35 km (22 miles) apart, where they change horses to ensure the animals are healthy. They spend nights at one of 28 stations, set up their own camp or enjoy the warm welcome of friendly Mongolian families.

Walker, was an hour ahead of his competitors as the race entered its eighth day but unfortunately he faced an hour and a half penalty because during one of the regular checks his horse had a high heart rate, which is forbidden during the contest.

Walker said he had gone to Mongolia to “give it a go” but realised that he stood a chance of winning after teaming up with Patrick Heffron, a competitor from Ireland, who finished third equal alongside his companion.

“The horses are quite wild. I got thrown off three times. I fell off in a marmot (土拨鼠) hole,” he said. “You’re going along and you suddenly disappear. You have to hang on to your horse for dear life or it goes off.”

Walker said it was important to form a team, mainly because falling off alone means that there was no one to help you with your horse. “Neither of us had prior desires to win this race but we realised: ‘We’re in front.’ So we pushed,” he said.

Asked whether he was attracted to return to see if he could win, Walker replied: “Probably, though I’m getting a bit old.”

1. What do we know about Mongol Derby according to the passage?

A．It is a very challenging and boring race.

B．It has an strict limit on age for competitors.

C．It requires changing horses at certain places.

D．It is a worldwide race held every two years.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined word in Paragraph 3?

A．Punishment.

B．Advance.

C．Warning.

D．Schedule.

3. What did Walker do in the race?

A．He had a very good control of his horse.	B．He saved his horse from accidental death.
C．He valued the teamwork with a partner.	D．He was motivated by great desires to win.

4. What does the last paragraph imply?

A．Walker questioned the race result.	B．Walker wished that he were younger.
C．Walker regretted taking part in the race.	D．Walker may compete in the race next year.

6 . Wang Zhipu, 16, a high school student begins his voyage into space after class. Positioning a telescope on the balcony at home, he observes the skies, taking photos. Recently, his efforts were rewarded when he won the title of “Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year” in the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s annual astrophotography contest.

The event, jointly organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich in London and the BBC’s Sky at Night magazine, is the world’s biggest astrophotography competition. His winning entry, entitled Family Photo of the Solar System, shows seven of the eight planets lined up, with the sun on the left and moon on the right, both pictured larger in size than normal.

This year the competition attracted over 4,500 entries from 75 countries. Wang’s photo took first prize in the Young Competition category, an award for photographers aged 15 and under. He entered the competition in February. At the time, he was not yet 16. “I saw photos taken by other photographers in the Young Competition category, and some looked similar to mine, so I thought, why not try?” he said.

Wang developed an interest in astronomy after reading about the subject as a child. He taught himself astrophotography by reading books and by searching online. He used a second-hand telescope that his parents had given him. “The first time I used it, I saw the moon. It was splendid. I was thrilled!” he said. Sometimes, he would be so immersed in his observations that he wouldn’t go downstairs to fetch a coat. Other times, he stood for hours under the burning sun to get the perfect shot.

In addition to the fame, Wang’s biggest bonus is the 1,500 pound ($2,023) prize money, which will allow him to buy a new camera. “I will keep on. Astronomy will be a lifelong hobby. It would be great if I could help popularize science in the future, or become an astronomy teacher,” he said.

His passion touched the judges. Sheila Kanani said, “As a planetary scientist, I applaud the work that has gone into creating this photo.”

1. What is Wang Zhipu’s winning photo like, according to the passage?

A．Seven planets, the sun and the moon are in a straight line.

B．Seven planets line up with the sun and the moon on each side.

C．Seven planets, the sun and the moon are larger than normal.

D．Seven planets are much larger than the sun and the moon.

2. What inspired Wang Zhipu to enter the competition?

A．Popularity of the competition.

B．His desire to win the prize.

C．Other competitors’ photographs.

D．His parents’ encouragement.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined words in Paragraph 4?

A．Trapped in.

B．Absorbed in.

C．Connected with.

D．Exposed to.

4. What do you think the passage most probably is?

A．A short biography.	B．An online post.
C．A diary entry.	D．A news report.

7 . 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。

On a winter Sunday good for skiing, Sue arrived at their holiday chalet (棚屋) with joy. Sue’s skis were sticking out behind her. Mark, another skier, tripped over Sue’s skis. Before Sue could apologize, Mike shouted, “Your skis are in the way. You’ve got big smelly feet!” In view of his attitude, Sue ignored him. Mark lost face and was more angry.

The ski lift took all the skiers to the top of the mountain. The hard snow of the piste (滑雪道) was below them. Then Sue skied down the mountain. As a good skier, she didn’t fall over. Mark, along with his good friend David, was watching her with envy and anger. They were also good skiers but they didn’t know Sue very well. “She’s good,” David said. “But we’re better,” Mark responded with dissatisfaction.

The young people skied all day. They enjoyed themselves and forgot everything. On Wednesday morning, the young people were waiting for the ski lift when their teacher announced a ski race. The race would be arranged for the last day of the holiday on a long and difficult ten-kilometer piste. Everybody wanted to win! They went up the mountain, put on their skis and skied down the piste, practicing for the race. Sue skied fast, so did Mark and David. Obviously, these three became powerful opponents.

It was Saturday and the race was going to be held in the afternoon. Sue was hungry and left her skis at the side of a café. She sat down and ordered lunch. Later, David and Mark came in. They also headed to the side to put their skis there. Mark noticed Sue’s skis and aimed a kick angrily at them. Then he found a screw (螺丝) on Sue’s ski was loose, unsure whether it was caused by the force or it was like that originally. “Sue’s skis won’t work. We’re sure to win,” Mark said and pointed. They smiled knowingly at each other.

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

Finally came the time of the race and everyone was excited.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Maybe feeling guilty or nervous, Mark made a mistake and fell down when Sue approached him.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 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。

The ancient Olympic Games began in the year 776 BCE.     1    , they died out around the year 393. It was in 1896, in Athens     2     the modern Olympic Games were first held. A Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin     3     dream was that the Olympics would make it possible for people to live side by side in peace brought the Olympics back to life. Since then,     4     (motivate) by the Olympic motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger”, thousands of     5     (high) trained and talented athletes     6     (devote) themselves to achieving sporting excellence and pushing the boundaries of human achievement, such as Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Jessica Ennis-Hill and so on.

Chinese athletes have also made important     7     (contribute) to the Olympics. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, China returned to the Olympics after 32 years’     8     (absent) and Xu Haifeng won our country’s first-ever gold medal. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Liu Xiang became the first Asian     9     (win) the gold medal in the men’s 110-metre hurdles. In 2008, in addition to hosting the Olympic for the first time, China also ranked first in the medal table. The year 2022 will be another historic moment for China, as Beijing won     10     election to host the Winter Olympics.