1 . During the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 in 2023, one of the highlights is a 48-year-old Uzbekistan gymnast, Oksana Chusovitina (“Chuso” as she is affectionately known), who continues to compete despite numerous “retirements” .
Born in Bukhara, Uzbekistan in 1975, Chuso competed and won gold in her first Olympic Games at Barcelona 1992. After competing at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, Chuso got married in 1997 and two years later, Alisher, her son, was born. Chuso’s first “retirement” was due after competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, by which time five world championship medals had been won including three golds. But in 2002, Alisher was diagnosed with leukemia (白血病). The family moved to Germany where better treatment was available and Chuso continued to train as a way to take a break from the stresses of her son’s health.
Chuso competed at Athens 2004, gained German citizenship in 2006 and won silver on vault (跳马) at Beijing 2008 for her adopted nation — Germany, aged 33, just months after Alisher received the all-clear. At London 2012, Chuso came fifth in the vault final. And finally, in 2013, after eight years in Germany, Chuso returned to the place she calls home, Uzbekistan. Chuso switched back to competing for her home nation at Rio 2016 and at Tokyo 2020, where she just qualified for vault, but unfortunately did not make the final. In 2022, Chuso won gold on vault at the Doha World Cup on 5 March, the second of four of the 2022 FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup series.
The 48-year-old gymnast’s motto is, “I’d rather try today than regret tomorrow”. “I’m an ordinary person,” Chuso says. “I have my feelings, hardships and sometimes I’m even in a bad mood. Nothing phenomenal (非凡的) about me, just stuck in sports a little longer. If you want to achieve something, there is always a way.”
1. In which year was Chuso’s son born?| A．1997. | B．1999. | C．2000. | D．2008. |
| A．To hold German citizenship. | B．To get better treatment for Alisher. |
| C．To seek better living conditions. | D．To receive more professional training. |
| A．Six. | B．Seven. | C．Eight. | D．Nine. |
| A．Active and energetic. | B．Outgoing and generous. |
| C．Ordinary and humorous. | D．Determined and positive. |
2 . 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 |
3 . Fabiano Caruana is a very famous chess player.
Practice makes perfect
Caruana’s parents signed him up for a chess club in Brooklyn, when he was five. After his coach noticed his potential, he began taking private lessons and competing in tournaments in Manhattan. He says, “
Before every match, Caruana studies the way his opponents play. For help, he works with a chess coach, who often offers “a different view on how to approach a problem, which is really valuable.” Caruana also relies on a coach for emotional support during tournaments. “You want a coach that you click with,” he says, explaining that “it’s hard to talk about a tough chess game with friends, because they may not understand the game at such a high level, and they may not understand how tough it is for me emotionally.
Reframe your perspective
According to Caruana, the difference between the very top players in the world and everyone else doesn’t come down to ability or knowledge. “
| A．It’s a concentration thing |
| B．Depend on someone you trust |
| C．Face every competition bravely |
| D．When I need to complain or talk to someone, I talk to my coach |
| E．Sixteen years ago, he became the youngest American grandmaster, at age 14 |
| F．There are some practical skills that you get from years of playing in tournaments |
| G．In particular, he can keep his mental tools sharp enough to compete in every game |
4 . Olympic Games organizers in France presented the 2024 Olympic torch (火炬) that will light the Summer Games in the country a year from now. In the Olympic torch tradition, many people carry the torch in turn from Greece to the current location of the Games. After it has traveled thousands of kilometers. the torch will light the Olympic cauldron (火炬台) at the Opening Ceremony of the next Olympic Games.
French designer Mathieu Lehanneur created the torch. which is 70 centimeters long and made of lightweight steel. Lehanneur said its shape is inspired by the famous Seine River, which flows through Paris. He said the torch is equal from top to bottom and all around the middle, which stands for equality between athletes. The twisting shape of the torch represents peace.
The torch was made with lightweight steel. Its lower half copies the movement of the Seine, along which the opening ceremony will take place for over 500,000 viewers.
Lehanneur said he wants the torch to represent the kind of event that Paris 2024 hopes to be. “I wanted to move away from the torch appearing as an object of conquest (征服),” Lehanneur said. He also told reporters that designing the torch was much more techn1cal than he thought it would be. “The magic is not the torch itself. but the flame” Lehanneur said.
The torch will be lit up in Olympia, Grecce on April 16, 2024, followed by a nine day torch relay before sailing across the Mediterranean Sea from Athens to Marseille on May 8. It will then pass through several important places , which include Strasbourg , the Pantheon in Paris, the Mont Saint-Michel and multiple French territories.
Tony Estanguet, the Paris 2024 chief, said the torch is “very ,very beautiful”. He also said it is “...very pure, It’s perfectly balanced in the hand.”
1. Why is the torch equal from top to bottom?| A．It is easy for torch-bearers to carry. | B．It is the symbol of the Seine River. |
| C．It represents peace among nations. | D．It shows equality between players. |
| A．He wishes Paris 2024 to be the best ever. | B．The torch is more important than the flame. |
| C．Designing the torch is harder than he thinks. | D．He thinks highly of the torch’s appearance. |
| A．Twenty two days. | B．Fifteen days. | C．Nine days. | D．Eight days. |
| A．A travel brochure. | B．A sports magazine. | C．A science report. | D．A research paper. |
5 . Last Sunday, the famous Champs-Elysees street in Paris was turned into a giant outdoor classroom for a special spelling event called “The Big Dictation”. The event was a chance for people who love words to show off their listening and spelling skills in an unusual setting.
The Big Dictation of Champs-Elysees was organized by a writer named Rachid Santaki. He came up with the idea of large groups of people taking part in dictations back in 2013. Over 50,000 people asked to join the special spelling event on the Champs-Elysees, which turned one of Paris’s busiest streets into a classroom, with cars replaced by desks. In the end, around 5,000 people, aged 10 to 90, were chosen to take part.
Just like in school, a large “blackboard” was set up for the event near a famous building, the Arc de Triomphe. Several famous people were there to play the part of the teacher, and read the dictation texts out loud. After the dictation is read, the text on the screen lets people check their work.
Not everyone found it easy. Ten-year-old Samson thought the dictation was too quick and he couldn’t finish. Another young student agreed. “It was impossible!” he said. “The dictation was for adults.”
Even adults found it challenging, reporting that it caused stress and worry. One retired woman was pleased that she had only made two mistakes.
Marc-Antoine Jamet is in charge of the Champs-Elysees Committee, who brought the event to the famous street. He said the event wasn’t just about getting all the words right but also about bringing people together.
Another goal of The Big Dictation was to break the record for the largest dictation event ever. The previous record was set in 2018 at France’s national stadium, Stade de France, with 1,473 people taking part. That event was also run by Mr. Santaki.
1. How many people were chosen to take part in The Big Dictation last Sunday?| A．Around 1, 500. | B．Around 2,000. | C．Around 5,000. | D．Over 50,000. |
| A．Easy. | B．Exciting. | C．Boring. | D．Challenging. |
| A．To break the record for the dictation event. |
| B．To introduce a famous street to the world. |
| C．To reduce the learning pressure of students. |
| D．To remember the founder of the competition. |
| A．The Famous Scenic Spots of France |
| B．A Spelling Event Took Place on a Paris Street |
| C．The French Love for Spelling Competitions |
| D．An Outdoor Classroom Unique to the British |
6 . Here’s a selection of the strangest races in the world.
Surf Dog Competition
Hundreds of participants (参赛者) from all over the US come to fight for the first prize. This annual event is an official dog surfing competition taking place in Imperial Beach in August and Huntington Beach in September. The attendance to the event is free of charge, however, donations are welcome.
Bring Your Own Big Wheel Race
If you think wheel toys are designed for kids only, you’re wrong. The race was initiated by John Brumit in 2000 when he rode down Lombard Street on his plastic wheel toy. That day, he was the only participant in the race. He continued his tradition every year, but few joined him. In 2006, someone posted a video of his race and as a result, the next year’s race featured hundreds of participants though there was no prize money. Since then, the annual race has been held on Easter Sunday in San Francisco.
World’s Ugliest Dog Contest
It’s an annual event held in June in Petaluma, California. But it’s not about making fun of the ugly dogs, but about encouraging them and showing the world that such dogs can also be happy and adorable. The competition has been held since the 1970s. The winner gets a check for $1,000.
Fur Rondy
Like the famous Spanish Bullfighting Festival, Alaska has its own tradition. It’s a bit transformed. Speedy reindeer (驯鹿) run after the participants in the race. This event is held every February in Anchorage, Alaska. Participants pay a small fee to attend it; some of them wear funny dresses, which children enjoy very much.
1. What made Bring Your Own Big Wheel Race popular quickly?| A．Brumit’s strange race device. | B．A video of Brumit in the race. |
| C．The prize money of the race. | D．The joy brought by the race. |
| A．Surf Dog Competition. | B．Bring Your Own Big Wheel Race. |
| C．Fur Rondy. | D．World’s Ugliest Dog Contest. |
| A．They are free of charge. | B．They have ancient traditions. |
| C．They are held annually. | D．They are favored by children. |
7 . In every Summer Olympics since 1952, with two exceptions, the host country has won not only more golds but also more medals than it did in the previous summer games.
Japan, who hosted this year’s games, won far more medals than it got from the previous Summer Olympics in Rio in 2016. Brazil more than doubled its golds in 2016. In the 2008 games in Beijing, China harvested 37 more than it took home in 2004. Only Finland, in 1952, and the United States, in 1996, saw their medal counts drop at home.
Why?
The biggest plus to competing at home is the positive energy from a supportive crowd, according to athletes. Briana Scurry, a former goal keeper for the US women’s national soccer team, said playing in the US during the 1996 Summer Olympics helped her team beat China to win gold that year. “We had 76,000 people at the final in Athens, Georgia, all cheering for us, while China had a much smaller cheering audience,” she said.
Another factor(因素)that can hurt athletes from other countries is travel. International competitions often require long flights across multiple time zones, which can impact(影响)their sleep. Foreign athletes may also be unaccustomed to the food and training equipment available at the competition. Even the weather may throw off a competitor used to a different climate.
The host countries have additional benefits to help their athletes succeed. Competitors from host countries have to meet lower qualification(资格)standards than their foreign competitors. That may contribute to the phenomenon of host countries sending much bigger teams to their Olympics than the previous summer games when they competed abroad.
Japan got yet another benefit this year thanks to a new policy adopted by the International Olympic Committee(IOC)in 2016, which allows the host countries to add several new sporting events to their games. It meant that baseball, softball, karate, skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing-all popular sports in Japan-were Olympic events in Tokyo. And Japanese athletes have already medaled in four of the five sports.
1. Which host country got fewer medals than it did in the previous Summer Olympics?| A．Japan. | B．China. | C．Brazil. | D．The US. |
| A．Bigger supportive crowds. | B．Having shorter flights and better sleep. |
| C．Lower qualification standards. | D．Being more used to the food and climate. |
| A．The newly added sports are popular all over the world. |
| B．Host countries may unfairly benefit from the new rule. |
| C．Host countries can select any sport for the competition. |
| D．The new rule adds an additional variety to the competition. |
| A．To explain the Olympics new rules. | B．To show the problems of IOC’s policy. |
| C．To review the host countries’ performances. | D．To analyze the benefits for the host countries. |
8 . There are many ways we can enjoy sport—watching it on TV or a smartphone, attending an event at a stadium or even playing the game. Bu for those who enjoy getting competitive with their computer gaming, there are realistic-looking games to be played without leaving home. And people’s interest in this type of sport—if that’s what we can call it—has gone to a new level.
Initially, grabbing a controller and playing a game was individual activity. But around 20 years ago computers became cheaper and the Internet became faster, which made it much easier for more people to get involved with computer gaming. This led to gamers connecting with each other around the word, so they could go head-to-head online. It also became a spectator sport, with people watching others play. The whole experience has been given the name “esports”—Electronic Sports.
Now, huge esports tournaments take place all over the world in big arenas (竞技场) with large crowds. Diehard enthusiasts, who have become first-rate players, are now well-known—some play together in teams. Its top stars can earn millions of dollars a year, without even breaking into a sweat! And fans from around the world tune in to watch the action online. The global audience is now estimated at more than 200 million and growing. Annual profits from esports, currently around 650 million dollars for events, continue to rise with billions more through the video games sales.
Famous football clubs are now trying to get in on the action. England’s Football Association for example launched its first esports team this year, known as the eLions. It recruited (招募) FIFA 19 players to represent them at the FIFA eNations Cup. Mark Bullingham, the FA’s chief commercial and football development officer, said “The FA prides itself on being a modern, innovative organization that tries to engage and inspire all generations of football fans.”
But while this virtual version of football might give footballers a chance to get closer to the real game, some might argue the lack of physical activity means it shouldn’t be called a sport—and the biggest winners are the companies who promote and sell esports.
1. What contributed most to the popularity of esports?| A．The support from the public. | B．Cheaper computers and faster Internet. |
| C．The advanced sports equipment. | D．People’s preference for individual activities. |
| A．They have become a big industry. | B．They make players get rich easily. |
| C．They will replace traditional sports. | D．They have a great impact on other sports. |
| A．To explain why it has become interested in esports. |
| B．To tell readers it is taking the lead in hosting esports. |
| C．To state the officers are proud of its achievements in esports. |
| D．To show famous football clubs are getting involved in esports. |
| A．The Rise of Esports |
| B．The Advantages of Esports |
| C．Esports Teams: Famous for Star Players |
| D．Esports Tournaments: Exciting and Fantastic Events |
