1 . Esports (electronic sports) are organized competitions where players—often referred to as “athletes” — face off against each other in video games. They are not just games in a sense. Actually, they are a sport that can improve the players’ thinking ability, hand-eye coordination, willpower and team spirit.
The esports industry has experienced significant growth in recent years around the world, though it’s still in the nascent stage, which means it has huge growth potential going forward.
In the 1990s, Games like the beat’em up Street Fighter II and the first-person shooter Doom added variety to the increasingly popular competitive gaming scene. In the 2010s, MOBA games like League of Legends and Dota 2 became mainstream in the world of esports. In 2022, esports were announced to be officially included in the Asian Games. There are now over 40 esports games with players competing around the world at huge events.
Esports made their first appearance as a medal event at the Asian Games from Sept 23 to Oct 8, 2023. Seven games were included: FIFA Online 4, PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version, Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, Dota 2, League of Legends, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, Street and Fighter V.
Previously, eight esports games were scheduled at the Hangzhou Asian Games. However, virtual card game Hearthstone (《炉石传说》) was removed in March. This followed the breakdown of negotiations between Hearthstone producer, Blizzard Entertainment, and NetEase, their local partner company in China, over their rights partnership.
1. What is the current state of esports?| A．They face tough challenges. | B．They come ahead of other sports. |
| C．They have great future prospect. | D．They are no more than video games. |
| A．In the 1990s. | B．In the 2010s. | C．In 2022. | D．In 2023. |
| A．Its version was outdated. | B．Its schedule was up in the air. |
| C．Its gaming scenes were full of violence. | D．Its two parties failed to reach an agreement. |
2 . My favorite activity is playing, watching, reading, and really anything to do with basketball. A basketball court (球场) is where I feel most at home.
As I see it, it’s wildly popular in the US and its athletes are extremely recognizable, because it’s the one sport where an athlete’s face is not covered up by a football helmet (头盔) or baseball hat. My favorite time and place is anywhere and anytime. I prefer indoors, although it can be played outdoors. Many people often play in a driveway at home, but the best is always against someone on a court.
I started playing basketball because of my favorite player, Shaquille O’Neal. He was a huge, unstoppable player. When I was 11 years old, I decided to go outside to the family basketball hoop (球框) and take a shot (投球). This was my first time ever shooting a basketball. I will never forget the first shot I ever took. It was perfect. It felt amazing! And I’ve been in love with this sport ever since!
I learned a long time ago that very few people are going to have the love of this game that I do. I’ve always understood that in this area, for the most part, I am alone. Especially coming from the state of Texas, where football is king.
I’m not the best of players. When I do good things on court, I know it’s because I can make up for my lack (缺乏) of athleticism by being a student of the game. I’ve never missed a training day. I don’t worry about school, family, or problems. I think about what’s in front of me, and how I can get the basketball in the hoop.
Playing, watching, and reading about basketball fills me with a sense of enjoyment that I truly do feel that very few people can match.
1. What does the author think of basketball?| A．It should be played indoors. | B．It has won popularity in the US. |
| C．It is more dangerous than other sports. | D．It has become a game for huge people. |
| A．Very nervous. | B．Truly tired. | C．Really excited. | D．Quite free. |
| A．He is happy to improve himself through hard work. |
| B．He really enjoys playing basketball alone. |
| C．He would rather be a football player. |
| D．He is on Shaquille O’Neal’s team. |
| A．Life lessons from playing basketball | B．My road to being a basketball player |
| C．Changes in my basketball dream | D．My great love of basketball |
3 . The famous magazine, Runner’s World, has chosen some of the best, most difficult and enjoyable UK races.
Top of the Wolds 10K Challenge
This 10-km countryside track in Yorkshire is all fun until you take the left turn at Nunburnholme. At this point, you enter a serious uphill part, but thankfully the uphill part only lasts for around 1.5 km. You’ll have about a kilometre to enjoy the views before the way takes you downhill again, and back to where you started in Warter—a cute little village.
Scurry2Bridges Run
This 161-km relay race (接力赛) is divided into 16 parts, so you each run 4 separate parts. Over the course of this day-long adventure, you’ll each run about marathon distance while the workers will drive around for pick-ups and drop-offs at relay exchange points between the start in Dundee and the finish in Edinburgh.
Scafell Sky Race
Here’s a trail run (越野跑) that is not suitable for beginners. With a total of 3,500 m of ascent (上坡路), this is unquestionably one of the hardest events around. Good thing is that the views are beautiful, and that there’s hot food and a bottle of apple juice waiting for you in the end.
Offa’s Dyke 15
The traditional 15-mile distance begins at the Clock Tower in Hay-on-Wye and includes a few hard climbs before finishing in Kington. This year the hard event has added a less challenging 10 km around Kington.
1. What do we know about Scurry2Bridges Run?| A．It is made up of 16 parts. |
| B．It is a 16-mile relay race. |
| C．It has a uphill part about 16 km. |
| D．It requires runners to run and drive. |
| A．Top of the Wolds 10K Challenge. | B．Scurry2Bridges Run. |
| C．Scafell Sky Race. | D．Offa’s Dyke 15. |
| A．They are rather difficult races. |
| B．They are held in the countryside. |
| C．They ask runners to take part alone. |
| D．They can provide the runners with food. |
The year 2022 will be a big year for sports in China, for China will hold not only the 24th Winter Olympics in Beijing, but also the 19th Asian Games(亚运会) in Hangzhou.
On August 6th, 2018,the official emblem(徽章) for the Hangzhou Asian Games came out. The city won the hosting right for the 2022 Asian Games in 2015. It will be the third Chinese city to host the Asian Games after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
First held in 1951, the Asian Games is the largest multi-sport event in Asia. It also means a lot to China.
The Beijing Asian Games was the first large international sports event hosted by China.To make the Games a great success, Chinese people worked hard to prepare. Beijing built a great number of roads and stadiums(体育馆),including the famous Beijing Olympic Sports Center and Asian Games Village. The Games helped the world see China and its achievements. Since then. China has improved its global image(全球形象).
For the upcoming 2022 Asian Games, Hangzhou has already started building 33 sports venues. The idea of the Hangzhou Asian Games is’green,smart.economical(节俭的)and civilized(文明的)”.All the Games’ buildings will be environmentally friendly.
1. Which city will host the 2022 Asian Games?| A．Shanghai. | B．Beijing. | C．Guangzhou. | D．Hangzhou. |
| A．hosted the Beijing and Guangzhou Asian Games. |
| B．had two cities for the international sports events. |
| C．won the hosting right for the 2022Asian Games. |
| D．showed people the emblem for the2022 Asian Games. |
| A．It was the second Asian Games held in China. |
| B．Beijing built lots of roads and stadiums for it. |
| C．It helped the world know China better. |
| D．It was China’s first large international sports event. |
| A．Hangzhou is the best place to hold the Asian Games. |
| B．A large number of tourists will visit Hangzhou in 2022. |
| C．More and more people will live and work in Hangzhou. |
| D．The 2022 Asian Games will care a lot about the environment. |
5 . Tropical nations have never won a medal at the Winter Olympics. But this has not stopped more and more countries from striving to break this fate. At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, some of these countries are “coming for gold”. Let’s check them out.
From Arabian Dunes to Ice Slopes
Fayik Abdi, 24, was Saudi Arabia’s only representative at the Winter Olympics and competed in alpine skiing. The Winter Olympics, which opened in the Chinese capital on February 4, was the first participation in Saudi Arabia’s history. In this part of Saudi Arabia, snow falling from the sky is a rarity, enough to make news all over the world.
So, how did Abdi get here? His Olympic dream had an unusual start. Abdi initially responded to an ad, like more than 100 other applicants. It was handed out by the newly established Saudi Arabian Winter Sports Federation, looking for potential candidates to join the Olympic team. Abdi learned to ski at the age of four, and when he was in college in the United States, he took to the slopes whenever he had time. And his journey, as a trend representative of more and more “snowless” countries participating in the Winter Olympics, is a perfect fit. When the first Winter Olympics were held in 1924, only 14 European countries and the United States and Canada participated. By the last Winter Olympics hosted by Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018, a record 92 countries had participated.
Jamaica Snow Team
When it comes to a “layout country participating in the Winter Olympics”, you often think of Jamaica, a Caribbean island country, mainly because Hollywood had a movie Cool Runnings in 1993. The film is based on the Jamaican four-person snow team at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics in Canada. The film not only entertained audiences all over the world, but also inspired other “snowless countries” to try it out.
Although Jamaica had participated in the two-person snowmobile event in several Winter Olympics since then, the Beijing Winter Olympics was the first time the country had participated in the men’s four-person snowmobile event since the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998.
In Beijing, the Caribbean island nation also had a men’s duo sled team, while Jazmine Fenlator-Victoria competed in the women’s sled.
1. What does the underlined word “rarity” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Something common. | B．Something rare. |
| C．Something expensive. | D．Something important. |
| A．Abdi learned to ski when he was six. |
| B．Only fourteen countries took part in the first Winter Olympics. |
| C．More and more countries participate in the Winter Olympics. |
| D．The movie Cool Runnings is based on the Jamaican four-person snow team at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics Winter Olympics. |
| A．A science fiction. | B．A novel. |
| C．A travel guide. | D．A sport magazine. |
| A．Snowless tropical nations want to fight for gold. |
| B．Jamaica Snow Team competed in Winter Olympics in Beijing. |
| C．Different Winter Olympics in history. |
| D．Beijing Winter Olympics. |
6 . The FIFA World Cup Trophy (奖杯) is arguably one of the most iconic prizes in the sporting world. So far, two different trophies have been used in the history of the FIFA World Cups.
The Jules Rimet Trophy was the first trophy awarded to the winners of the FIFA World Cups. Initially, the old trophy was originally named “Victory”. However, this trophy was renamed “the Jules Rimet Trophy” in 1946. This change was made to honor former FIFA president Jules Rimet, who voted to organize the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. French sculptor Abel Lafleur designed the trophy in 1930. The trophy was 14 inches in height and weighed 8.4 pounds. It was comprised of a winged representation of Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory and was inspired by the Nike of Samothrace statue.
Uruguay became the first champion and kept the trophy in 1930. The trophy was eventually retired when Brazil won the World Cup final for the third time in 1970. Following their success in Mexico, Brazil was allowed to keep the trophy permanently. However, the original trophy was stolen for a second time in 1983. It was never recovered, and it was claimed that it had been melted down into gold bars. Following the retirement of the Jules Rimet Trophy, FIFA needed a new cup. Eventually, Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga’s design was selected as the new World Cup trophy.
The modern FIFA World Cup trophy describes two human figures holding the earth on top of their heads. The base of the trophy has “FIFA World Cup” engraved (刻). Furthermore, following every World Cup, the name of the winning team and the winning year is also engraved at the base. The trophy weighs 13.61 pounds. Unlike the Jules Rimet Trophy, the winning nations and future winners don’t get to hold the original trophy anymore. The new regulations state that it remains in FIFA’s possession. Instead, winners are given a gold-plated bronze replica (青铜复制品) provided by FIFA. West Germany was the first nation to lift the modern World Cup trophy in 1974.
The new trophy can hold up to seventeen names and years and is likely to be retired following the 2038 World Cup.
1. Why was the first World Cup trophy renamed?| A．To remember the designer of the cup. | B．To welcome a new global soccer event. |
| C．To expand the popularity of the World Cup. | D．To show great respect for the former FIFA president. |
| A．Italy. | B．Mexico. | C．Brazil. | D．Uruguay. |
| A．It is made of gold and bronze. | B．It is owned by FIFA instead of the winners. |
| C．It bears the word “Victory” at the bottom. | D．It varies the design every seventeen years. |
| A．The rules of the World Cup. | B．The history of the World Cup trophy. |
| C．The growing trend of watching the World Cup. | D．The inspiration for creating the World Cup trophy. |
7 . The Andler Hillclimb is an annual dirt bike competition that has dirt bikers from around Europe try, to reach the top of a dangerous hillside course in Belgium. It’s been held every year for the last two decades, but so far, no one has been able to reach the top.
The so-called “impossible climb” starts out as rough gravel and then switches over to a rough uneven cliff (悬崖) face designed to throw riders off and roll them and their bikes back down to the base of the hill. It’s not the angle of the course that is the problem, according to most riders, but the sudden change of ride surface that makes keeping control of the bike and reaching the top so hard. Some fly off their bike early during the climb. While others get painfully close to the finish line, yet in the end they all succumb to the power of gravity (重力) before reaching their goal.
Despite gathering the most talented dirt bikers in Europe at the start line every year, the Andler Hillclimb has so far remained unconquered. The closest one to success was a Suzuki bike rider who once reportedly crossed the finish line with the front wheel before rolling back down the slope like the rest of the competitors. Sadly, his achievement didn’t count as a valid climb, as the entire bike and its rider must make it to the top of the hill.
With so many riders having failed to conquer the Andler Hillclimb over the last 20 years, why are people still trying every year? Why not just call the climb impossible and stop it? Well, maybe it has something to do with the bragging rights (胜者为王)? Can you imagine what it would be like to be the very first dirt biker to reach the top of this famous hill?
In case you want to try your luck, or if you simply want to see the hill make fools of dozens of daredevils (蛮干者), this year’s event is scheduled for August.
1. What makes it difficult for bikers to reach the top of the Andler Hillclimb?| A．The bikers’ poor riding skills. | B．The steep angle of the slope. |
| C．The rough gravel road surface. | D．The sudden changes in ride surface. |
| A．Give in to. | B．Break through. |
| C．Learn about. | D．Fight against. |
| A．To criticize the strict rules of the competition. |
| B．To express regret over the Suzuki bike rider’s failure. |
| C．To show how difficult it is to win the competition. |
| D．To explain why the competition is popular with bikers. |
| A．It is the most dangerous European competition. |
| B．It is expected to be held in August this year. |
| C．It is attended by the world’s best dirt bikers every year. |
| D．It aims to throw riders and their bikes back down the hill. |
8 . Zheng Qinwen announced herself as a major new force in women’s tennis with an import French Open debut (首秀) last month. Now the Chinese teenager hopes the fighting spirit she showed at the Grand Slam (大满贯) tournament can encourage kids starting out in the sport to chase their dreams on the court with the same determination.
“If tennis is your dream, I think you always have to fight for your dream. Because we only have one life, you shouldn’t have any regrets,” Zheng said last week in an interview.
The 19-year-old showed she possesses the talent to be a contender at the very top level of tennis with a breakout campaign at French Open.
Accounting for two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep along the way, Zhengs journey was ended in the fourth round by a three-set defeat to eventual champion Iga Swiatek. Zheng, though gave the Polish world No. 1 a big scare, battling back from 3-0 down in the first set to force, and win, a tiebreak (平分决胜局)。
“That was the first time I had played the world No.1, so I really wanted to grab this chance so I could judge her level and test myself,” said Zheng. “I didn’t want to give her the match so easy like that. It was pretty difficult for me to hold on in that match because of what my body was going through, but I wanted to show her I'm not easily beaten.
Looking back at Zheng Qinwen’s performances in this year’s French Open, there’s no doubt that she’s a true fighter. Zheng says she avoids being discouraged by higher-ranked opponents by simply focusing on the next point, one shot at a time.Supported by her team, she hopes she can one day win a Grand Slam title.
Zheng’s impressive French Open run has inevitably led to comparisons with China’s solitary Grand Slam singles championLi Na, who won the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open titles.
“When I was a kid, Li Na showed that Asian people also can do something really good in tennis. She was the first one. I will just focus on my own game and then let’s see if I can really compete at the highest level,” said Zheng.
1. What does the underlined word “contender” in paragraph 3 mean?| A．Organizer. | B．Announcer. | C．Competitor. | D．Designer. |
| A．Iga Swiatek beat Zheng easily. |
| B．Zheng lost to Iga Swiatek at last. |
| C．Zheng won the match despite her pain. |
| D．Iga Swiatek lost because of her mistakes. |
| A．To explain why Li Na has achieved a lot |
| B．To prove failure is the mother of success. |
| C．To show how excellent Zheng Qinwen is. |
| D．To compare the difference between Zheng Qinwen and LI Na |
| A．Optimistic and generous. |
| B．Struggling and determined |
| C．Independent and helpful. |
| D．Adventurous and realistic. |
9 . The Winter Olympic Games are not just an opportunity for athletes to win medals and honour for their countries. Every four years, the Games also offer audiences a chance to get to know more about winter sports from around the world. The Winter Olympics may not have the large crowds and huge stars of its summer sibling, but they share the same Olympic spirit.
One of the most popular sports of the Winter Olympic Games is skiing. Skiers compete in the downhill and slalom, and in the short and long cross-country ski races. Skiing was originally a sport played only in cold northern countries, but now athletes from all over the world compete in this sport, even those from countries without any snow.
Skaters compete with each other in speed races or in figure-skating events. The figure-skaters are generally considered to be the stars of the Winter Olympic Games. These ice princes and princesses are so graceful that it’s easy to forget that they are actually highly skilled athletes.
The skeleton is one of the strongest-named sports of the Winter Olympics. The skeleton is named after the shape of the metal sleds used in the 1890s, when the sport first started. The skeleton is a downhill sled race, usually on ice. This sport looks a little like the luge（无舵雪橇）, where a person sits on the back of the sled with his or her feet forward, but the skeleton is a lot more exciting and dangerous than that. In the skeleton, a person lies on his or her stomach on the sled, with his or her head pointing downhill!
1. What is the “summer sibling” of the Winter Olympics?| A．Summer ball games. | B．All kinds of summer sports. |
| C．The Summer Olympics. | D．Track and field events. |
| A．It was originally a sport played only in cold northern countries. |
| B．It’s named after the shape of the sleds used in the 1890s. |
| C．It is one of the strongest sports of the Olympics. |
| D．It can involve speed and graceful figures. |
| A．They compete in the downhill. |
| B．They are ice princes and princesses with high skills. |
| C．They sit with their feet forward. |
| D．They lie on their stomachs on the sleds. |
| A．Wrestling. | B．Weight listing. | C．Gymnastics. | D．Ice hockey. |
10 . Esports (electronic sports) are organized competitions where players — often referred to as “athletes” — face off against each other in video games. They are not just games in a sense. Actually, they are a sport that can improve the players’ thinking ability, hand-eye coordination, willpower and team spirit.
The esports industry has experienced significant growth in recent years around the world, though it’s still in the nascent stage, which means it has huge growth potential going forward.
While the assumption is that esports are only a recent phenomenon, in reality the first esports-like event was held back in 1972, when some Stanford University students competed against one another in the game Spacewar. The prize? A year-long subscription to Rolling Stone magazine.
The ’80s saw the first true videogame tournament, with over 10,000 players gathering for the Space Invaders Championship. However, most of the period saw that players focused on beating each other’s highest scores rather than competing in organized tournaments.
As gaming became more popular, the ’90s became the first decade when esports (a term which wasn’t yet coined) began to really take off, with companies such as Nintendo and Sega holding professional gaming tournaments. This is also when we began to see money becoming a factor in professional gaming. But it is the 1997 Red Annihilation Quake tournament that is considered the world’s first real esports event. Only a few weeks later, the Cyberathlete Professional League was formed — an organization which is considered a pioneer of esports.
Due to the normalization of gaming and the Internet (along with technological advances), the real surge ( 激增 ) of esports came in the recent decade. It was then that we began seeing what we now know to be modern-day esports. As streaming platforms such as YouTube took off, people began to show interest in not only playing videogames but watching them too. Popular tournaments now sell out stadiums and professional players can earn millions from prize money, advertising and salaries.
1. What does the underlined word “nascent” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Beginning. | B．Peak. |
| C．Mature. | D．Final. |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following the order of time. | D．By following the order of importance. |
| A．They spread worldwide overnight. |
| B．Prize money appeared in the 1990s. |
| C．The first real esports event was held in 1972. |
| D．The athletes in esports are programmers. |
| A．They are getting popular. |
| B．They become too commercialized. |
| C．They boost the normalization of the Internet. |
| D．Their development relies on advertising. |
