1 . For the first time in the competition’s history, two athletes are sharing a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships.
The USA’s Katie Moon and Australia’s Nina Kennedy found themselves in a difficult situation during the women’s pole vault (撑竿跳) final. They both cleared 4.90 meters, but neither managed to clear 4. 95 meters on any of their three attempts.
Kennedy says she looked at Moon and said, “Hey, girl, maybe you want to share this?”
“And the relief on her face — and you could see it on my face — and it was mutual (相互的). And yeah, absolutely incredible to share a medal with Katie Moon. You know, we’ve been friends for so long, so it’s super special,” Kennedy told reporters after the final.
Thousands of fans were on their feet at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, for Date 5of the competition, which hosts almost 2,000 athletes from 192 countries. The dramatic event lasted two hours and ten minutes. Katie Moon told FloTrack that as the final progressed, it became clear that very little separated the two athletes.
As the competition was going. I kept thinking. “I don’t want this to go to a jump-off (加赛),” Moon told sports journalist Anderson Emerole. “This competition was the toughest battle I’d say that I’ve had. It was very emotionally draining (消耗), and I think that’s why both of us were feeling like. ‘We’re not really feeling the jump- off right now.’”
It was Moon’s second consecutive gold medal at the World Championships. She also w on an Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021. With a personal record of 4. 95meters. Moon appeared to be the favorite.
Kennedy, however, did not back down. Not only did she set a new personal record, but she also broke the Australian record by eight centimeters when she sailed over the 4.90-meter high bar. She held back tears after the career-defining leap.
“It was a miracle to get the gold. I think a miracle happened tonight.” Kennedy told reporters.
1. What did Nina Kennedy suggest Katie Moon do?| A．Continue the competition. | B．Take a break first. |
| C．Share the gold medal. | D．Let go of the fear. |
| A．Joyful. | B．Confused. | C．Mixed. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．They felt tired physically and mentally when competing. |
| B．They didn’t take the competition seriously. |
| C．They were looking forward to a jump-off. |
| D．They hadn’t won a gold medal before. |
| A．4.80 meters. | B．4.82 meters. | C．4.95meters. | D．4.98 meters. |
2 . You throw a flying disc (飞盘). Your friend catches it. Well done!
Flying discs are fun toys. They are becoming popular in China. On the Internet, there are more than thousands of posts about disc games, talking about things like rules and dress codes.
Flying discs are very beginner-friendly. It is easy for anyone to throw a disc almost anywhere they want to, from a field to a beach. No special skills are needed. Boys and girls can also play together, making it a good activity to socialize.
For those who want to compete, there are many choices. They can try the team disc sport called “ultimate”.
| A．It could fly farther and higher than a pie tin. |
| B．Flying discs have a history of nearly 100 years. |
| C．Unlike other games, it encourages honesty and fair play. |
| D．All these make the flying discs popular with young people today. |
| E．In fact, young people enjoyed this fun activity almost a century ago. |
| F．Social activities like attending parties will improve your communicative skills. |
3 . Imagine the perfect baguette — a kind of French bread, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Sri Lankan-origin baker Tharshan Selvarajah made one just like that. He was given the title of “king” of the baguette in Paris, winning the city’s oldest baguette competition in France in May, reported CNN.
At this year’s 30th edition of the contest, 176 bakers came from across the city to enter their tasty baguettes. They faced an 18-person group of judges, which consists of former winners, baking industry officials, food bloggers, and six local citizens.
The loaves must be “traditionally made”, not industrially made. They are judged on their appearance, smell, baking technique and flavor. However, 40 of them were eliminated early. Their baguettes were either too long, short, heavy, light or used the wrong flour, said CNN.
For Tharshan Selvarajah, winning the top prize was extra special. “I cried because we are foreigners and we came here to learn how to make traditional French bread,” Selvarajah told AFP. “I didn’t have the slightest idea that I could win the prize.”
That was not all that contributed to Selvarajah’s emotions. As the winner, he got 4,000 Euros (about 30,380 yuan) in prize money and the right to make baguette for the official home of the Frenchpresident for one year.
Selvarajah who owns a simple bakery in eastern Paris said his bakery’s secret is baking a certain amount every 20 minutes so it’s always hot and fresh, reported CNN.
The baguette is a cultural symbol in France. In November 2022, UNESCO recognized baguette as world heritage, reported AP. French bread can be found in every neighborhood in Paris. Oliver Polski, the mayoral deputy for commerce and artisanship, told CNN. “Industrial baking has pretty much disappeared in Paris.”
1. What does the underlined word “eliminated”in paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Chosen as final competitors. | B．Commented carefully. |
| C．Refused to enter the competition. | D．Given special recognition. |
| A．Shocked. | B．Confused. | C．Overjoyed. | D．Anxious. |
| A．The use of traditional French flour. | B．The freshness of bread. |
| C．The support of the local community. | D．The unique taste of fresh bread. |
| A．It is no longer popular in the city. |
| B．It has become more common recently. |
| C．It is being revived due to increased demand. |
| D．It will continue to exist with traditional bakeries. |
4 . NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon
Join us on Sunday, April 28, 2024, for the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon! Starting in North Brooklyn, the route offers stunning waterfront views and passes under the historic Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridges. Experience the vibrant streets of Brooklyn, from Fulton Street & Flatbush Avenue to the grandeur of Grand Army Plaza, and finish in Prospect Park.
Registration:
Fees for NYCRUNS members are $135 if registered by December 13th. Non-members pay $150. Register early to secure your spot in this unforgettable race! NYCRUNS members can enjoy a $10 discount on the registration fee. Additionally, up to 50% of the race fee can be covered using Race Credit.
Amenities:
NYCRUNS is known for putting on running events of the highest quality. After the race, celebrate your achievement with the official race shirt and an incredible medal with pride! When you finish, enjoy fresh Brooklyn bagels, NYS apples and more!
Awards:
Top finishers in various age groups will be recognized. Prize money will only be awarded to athletes who complete the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon in a gun time faster than the qualifying time. Athletes may be subject to drug testing to ensure a fair and equal field.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Non-profits interested in group volunteering, please contact us.
Transportation:
Public transportation recommended.
Closest stations: L train to Bedford Avenue, G train to Metropolitan Avenue.
Register today and be a part of this unforgettable Brooklyn experience!
1. What is the starting point of the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon?| A．Prospect Park. | B．North Brooklyn. |
| C．Williamsburg Bridge. | D．Manhattan Bridge. |
| A．$75. | B．$135. | C．$150. | D．$200. |
| A．A shirt and a finisher’s medal. | B．Prize money based on the age. |
| C．Free transportation services. | D．A gift from NYS Apple Stores. |
5 . Scientists from Georgia Tech have developed a new robot named ESTHER (Experimental Sport Tennis Wheelchair Robot), which can move around the court and even return human serves.
The team believes the robot could serve as a training partner (搭档) for professional players in the future, lowering the pressure of training with another human.
The robot is the brainchild of Georgia Tech’s Matthew Gombolay, professor of robotics in the School of Interactive Computing. He wanted to develop a better training challenge than a ball feeder that stays in one place, one that would act like an always on-call partner or even team up with someone in doubles matches. The result is ESTHER, an adapted wheelchair tennis chair that can race to balls at ten metres per second and probably outplay a human.
Mr Gombolay explains: “The wheelchair has the ability to rapidly move around the court and get into position (恰当位置) to hit a ground stroke (击落地球). ESTHER can move up to two metres after a ball is struck to hit a successful return, which is comparable to the longest distance moved by human players for 80 per cent of shots (击球).”
The robot was named in homage to well-known wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer, who held the world No. 1 position in women’s wheelchair tennis for almost 13 years straight.
The team placed a network of cameras around a tennis court and used computer vision algorithms (视觉算法) to help ESTHER recognise an incoming tennis ball. Using cameras from different positions, they could know where the ball is in the air and feed this information to ESTHER. The team reached a breakthrough when they successfully and continually programmed ESTHER to track the tennis ball coming toward it and to hit a return.
ESTHER will now be developed to act as a highly-skilled tennis player.
1. What is ESTHER able to do?| A．Return a shot. | B．Clean up a court. | C．Push a wheelchair. | D．Control a ball feeder. |
| A．In search of. | B．In honour of. | C．As a result of. | D．With the help of. |
| A．They improve its vision. | B．They direct it to the ball. |
| C．They help it stay in position. | D．They picture unexpected things in the air. |
| A．Athletes in wheelchairs | B．An all-purpose robot at home |
| C．Rules are changing for tennis courts | D．A robot moves around the tennis court |
6 . David Brunelli has eaten up a huge burger. He starts eating handfuls of French fries. If he eats them fast enough, he could win. The crowd shouts with excitement. Suddenly, a stream of food pours out of Brunell' s mouth. Puking (呕吐) during an eating competition means you lose. So Brunelli catches the food in his hands and pushes it back into his mouth. Welcome to the world of competitive eating.
Thousands of eating competitions take place around the world each year. To win, people like Brunelli eat huge amounts of food as quickly as possible.They eat everything from mountains of hot dogs to hundreds of chicken legs.
Some people say it is time for eating competitions to stop. One reason is that the competitions can lead to serious health problems. These include weight gain, heart disease, and stomach problems. In 2004, a woman died from choking (窒息) during a competition. Eating competitions can make overeating look attractive. This sets a bad example for fans. Also, millions of people in the world go hungry every day. That makes it seem wasteful to eat amounts of food just for fun.
Still, many people love competitive eating. They say it is a fun tradition that goes back many years. Fans point out that the group Major League Eating (MLE) runs professional eating competitions. At these competitions, injuries are uncommon. MLE always has doctors on hand.
Eating competitions allow people like Brunelli to get famous and win money. And the competitions are popular. Each July 4, more than a million people watch Nathan s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on TV. This year, will you be one of them?
1. Why does the author write the first paragraph?| A．To bring up the topic. | B．To introduce Brunelli. |
| C．To make a comparison. | D．To show some delicious food. |
| A．They have a short history. | B．They enjoy great popularity. |
| C．They are attractive to the poor | D．They introduce lots of new food. |
| A．The fun of watching eating competitions. |
| B．The health problems caused by overeating. |
| C．The difficulties in winning an eating competition. |
| D．The reasons why eating competitions should be stopped. |
| A．It trains many doctors. | B．Its prizes are unusual. |
| C．Its competitions are relatively safe. | D．It is an organizer of traditional competitions. |
7 . “The Worthington Christian defeated the Westerville North by 2—1 in an Ohio boys’ soccer game on Saturday.” That’s according to a story that appeared last month in The Columbus Dispatch. That lead was written not by a sportswriter, but by an artificial intelligence (AI) tool.
Many news organizations are now examining how AI might be used in their work. But if they begin their “experimenting” with high school sports because they are less momentous than war, peace, climate change and politics, they may miss something crucial. Nothing may be more important to the students who play high school sports, and to their families, neighborhoods, and sometimes, the whole town. That next game is what the students train for, work toward, and dream about. Someday, almost all student athletes will go on to have jobs in front of screens, in office parks, at schools, in hospitals or on construction sites. They may suffer blows and setbacks. But the high school games they played and watched, as well as their hopes and cheers, will stay vivid in their memories.
I have a small idea. If newspapers will no longer send staff reporters to cover high school games, why not hire high school student journalists? News organizations can pay students an hourly wage to cover high school games. The young reporters might learn how to be fair to all sides, write vividly, and attract readers. That’s what some celebrities in sports did, and do.
And think of the great writers who were inspired by sports: Hemingway on fishing, Bernard Malamud and Marianne Moore on baseball, Chen Zhongshi on football, and CLR James on cricket, who said, “There can be raw pain and bleeding where so many thousands see the inevitable (不可避免的) ups and downs of only a game.” A good high school writer, unlike a robot, could tell readers not just the score, but the stories of the game.
1. Why is the lead mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To introduce an original idea. | B．To show AI’s wide application. |
| C．To bring in the opinion about AI. | D．To stress AI’s importance to news. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Eye-catching. | C．Competitive. | D．Far-reaching. |
| A．Rich in contents. | B．Fair in comments. |
| C．Centered on results. | D．Targeted on readers. |
| A．News Organizations Are Abusing AI | B．High Schoolers Can Do What AI Can’t |
| C．Great Writers Are Crazy About Sports | D．AI Ruins High School Students’ Memory |
8 . Defeating Daniil Medvedev in New York on Sunday, Djokovic, one of the greatest tennis player, bagging 24 Grand Slam (大满贯) singles titles, equalized the record held by Australian Margaret Court, the same number of singles titles in the all-time count.
With the victory, Djokovic became the oldest US Open men’s singles champion in the Open Era. In total, he has 10 Australian Opens, seven Wimbledons, four US Opens and three Roland Garros titles, making him the only man to win all four majors at least three times. “When I realized that, I started to dream new dreams and set new goals. I never imagined that I would be here talking about 24 Slams,” he said afterwards.
Djokovic reached all finals in the Grand Slams in 2023, and the only loss was at Wimbledon, when Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, 20, brought home the champion after an intense battle lasting four hours and 43 minutes.
Djokovic, at 36, shows few signs of losing physical edge. He stays healthy, keeps exceptional skills and always desires to win more. Capturing his first Grand Slam in 2008, Djokovic bagged half of his 24 major titles after he turned 30.“One of the biggest lessons I have learned probably mentally throughout my career is that even if you find a formula (方案) that works, it’s not a guarantee, and actually most likely it’s not going to work the next year, so I keep reinventing myself and always trying to find better ways to win,” said Djokovic.
For Djokovic, who always gets tough when the going gets tough, 24 is just a number that he can go beyond. “I’ll continue to prioritize Grand Slams as my most important tournaments and where I want to play the best tennis. That will stay the same in the next season, or I don’t know how many more seasons I have in my legs,” he added, “So, let’s see.”
1. What does the underlined word “equalized” in the first paragraph probably mean?| A．Set. | B．Broke. | C．Levelled. | D．Approached. |
| A．He won 12 Grand Slams in his thirties. |
| B．He won all the finals in the Grand Slams in 2023. |
| C．He attached the same importance to all the matches. |
| D．He is the oldest men’s singles champion in the open era. |
| A．Losing physical edge. | B．Attending more Grand Slams. |
| C．Following a good formula. | D．Finding flexible and proper strategies. |
| A．Confident and emotional. | B．Ambitious and devoted. |
| C．Aggressive and stubborn. | D．Enthusiastic and generous. |
9 . The winning artworks from the first Young Botanical Artist Competition are appearing in an exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London. The competition was open to young people aged 16 to 25 and received more than 1, 000 entries from people in 77 countries.
Botanical art is a special type of drawing or painting that helps botanists describe plants and fungi. It brings to life the tiniest details of grasses, flowers and trees, including their colour and shape, and has been an important scientific tradition for hundreds of years. In fact, Kew Gardens, which is 264 years old and home to 50, 000 plants, has always had a botanical artist in its team.
The theme of the competition was trees, and the winner of the 16 to 18 age group was Marianna Zych (aged 17) from Poland. Her entry, Prunus Serrula, shows the delicately peeling bark of the Tibetan cherry tree, which Zych created with watercolours after just one month of painting classes. The winner of the 19 to 25 category was Khanh Ly Nguyen from Vietnam, whose watercolour, Bauhinia Variegata Leaf, reveals the clear details of an orchid tree leaf.
Both will appear in an exhibition of 50 artworks at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens. All of the featured artworks were picked for their creativity and accuracy by a panel of judges that included botanical artists from around the world. The exhibition runs until April 2024 and visitors are also being asked to vote for the People’s Choice award, which will be announced in April.
Maria Devaney, who manages galleries and exhibitions at Kew Gardens, said botanical art is about inspiring curiosity and discovering the natural world. “It’s been wonderful to see such an enthusiastic response to the competition as a whole,” she said. Dr Shirley Sherwood, a writer and botanist who collects plant pictures, said she was delighted to see first-hand the next generation of talented botanical artists.
1. What can be inferred about Marianna from the third paragraph?| A．She has formally studied painting since childhood. |
| B．She is from Poland which is full of Tibetan trees. |
| C．She has limited experience in watercolor painting. |
| D．She is famous for revealing the details of tree leaves. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Indifferent. | C．Disappointed. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．The Historical Significance of Botanical Illustration |
| B．Young Talents Blossom at the Royal Botanic Gardens |
| C．The Evolution of Botanical Art in Modern Times |
| D．Gardening Tips from the Experts at Kew Gardens |
| A．On a fashion website. | B．In a gardening magazine. |
| C．In an academic textbook. | D．In a cooking review journal. |
10 . No FIFA World Cup would be complete without “psychic(通灵的)” animals predicting the winners, and Qatar 2022 was the same. A range of animals—big and small—have tried to predict the scoreline.
It all started with Paul, the ”psychic“ octopus(章鱼). He put TV experts to shame with an unbelievable group of correct World Cup winner predictions at the Aquarium Sea Life Center in Oberhausen, Germany. He correctly predicted eight World Cup matches at South Africa’s tournament in 2010, including Spain beating the Netherlands in the World Cup final.
Paul’s successor, Rubio the octopus, did not end well. It became a star in Japan for its 100%success in predicting group-stage matches, including Japan’s win against Colombia in the 2018 World Cup held in Russia. Rubio did not get the chance to make its prediction for the Round-of-16 after it was cut into pieces and turned into seafood.
Taiyo the otter had good news for Japanese fans at the 2022 World cup in Qatar, correctly predicting Japan’s group-stage win over Germany. From his home at the Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa in Japan, Taiyo was given three buckets(桶)to choose from—Japan(blue), draw (yellow)and Germany(red)—and did not hesitate about picking up his tiny football and placing his bet on Japan. He was widely praised online for his action.
And let’s not forget another star—Marcus, the “mystic pig”. In the 2018 World Cup, Marcus predicted a World Cup victory for England after selecting apples with the England flag on British morning television. However, Marcus’ fortune-telling record was shattered when England was knocked out in the semi-final.
Nelly the elephant from Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Germany, also meant business when she had a group of 30 out of 33 matches correct predictions in the 2006 World Cup, the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euro.
Camilla the ”mystic“ camel from Melton Mowbray in England did have good news for England, however. She correctly predicted the Three Lions’ group-stage win over Iran at the Qatar World Cup. Her owners said that their camel was ”never wrong“.
1. What can we learn about Rubio?| A．It ended up being eaten. | B．It missed the 2018 World Cup. |
| C．It performed much better than Paul. | D．It became famous after the Round-of-16. |
| A．It knew Japanese players well. | B．It could recognize many colors. |
| C．It was quick at decision-making. | D．It was good at catching a football. |
| A．Updated. | B．Shared. | C．Removed. | D．Broken. |
| A．He doesn’t give his opinion. | B．He is doubtful about them. |
| C．He thinks them interesting. | D．He is supportive to them. |
