1 . Jonas Deichmann started his round-the-world triathlon (铁人三项) in September 2020. He swam 456km in 54 days along the coast of Croatia, although he admits that he isn’t a great swimmer. “The swim had its good moments, but I don’t want to do it again,” he said.
Then he hopped on his bike —he’s better at that. Last week, the German athlete finished his 10,000km cycle across Russia to Vladivostok. Overall, his self-imposed triathlon covers 40,000km. He is trying to do it with a minimal carbon footprint. Over the distance of 120 Ironmans, he will not use a support vehicle. He will make his way across any oceans on sailboats.
As usual over the 16 months for many of us, COVID-19 restrictions threw a wrench into his travel plans. He wanted to cycle across the Balkans, through Turkey, then Russia, and China. From here, he was going to sail across the Pacific to San Francisco and begin running 5,040km across the U. S. to New York. He punctually cycled through the Balkans (巴尔干山脉), a substantial way across Turkey. But when he arrived in Istanbul in mid-December, he discovered that the coronavirus (冠状病毒) had closed the border between Istanbul and Russia.
A week into Siberia, he caught food poisoning at a truck stop. “I had a delicious dish with chicken and soon realized that this was a mistake,” he said. The next morning, he felt like he was going to collapse so he spent a day recovering.
He reached Vladivostok on May 18,2021. He is now trying to source a ride across the Pacific. From there, the next stage of his route is unclear. He was going to run across America but U. S. borders remain closed. He is now considering running 5,000km across Mexico from Tijuana to Cancun.
1. What does Jonas Deichmann value most during his triathlon?| A．Diets. | B．Fame. |
| C．Environmental protection. | D．Sceneries along the way. |
| A．Ruined. | B．Adopted. | C．Stressed. | D．Reduced. |
| A．He was fooled. | B．He was disappointed. |
| C．Diet was a challenge. | D．The truck stop was unsafe. |
| A．Reached the USA. | B．Ran across Cancun. |
| C．Settled in Vladivostok. | D．Swam across the Pacific. |
The Centuries-old Chinese Go (围棋)
One might mistake the game for a complicated match of checkers (跳棋) with its alternating black and white pieces. But Go dates farther back than checkers and even chess, first
Go’s rules can
Go combines beauty and intellectual challenge. The patterns formed by the black and white stones are
3 . The marathoner Molly Seidel was the third American woman in history to win an Olympic medal in the marathon, but her road to success was not smooth. She skipped the 2016 U. S. Olympic trials to make her mental health a priority. Seidel thought her career might be over back in 2016. Treatment changed everything. She became a better athlete than ever. When she crossed the finish line at the Tokyo Olympics, she screamed with joy.
In a world that rewards constant toughness, Seidel’s breakthrough was a case study in the value of patience and self care. Despite the conventional wisdom that the career of a professional athlete should be an unbroken upward path to peak performance, Seidel stepped away to protect her health, recovered, and came back stronger.
Many of the most storied moments in Olympics history are simplified examples of athletes pushing past pain, injury and mental exhaustion to compete. Who can forget Kerri Strug who in 1996 vaulted on an injured ankle, then was carried off the mat to receive her medal? But the story of this most recent Olympics was athletes choosing to protect their health instead of sacrificing it to compete.
The gymnast Simone Biles was a typical example, when she declined to compete after experiencing a bad case of “the twisties”. Top athletes across global competitions this year spoke openly about stepping back from competition to recalibrate. The British cricketer Ben Stokes recently announced an “indefinite break” from the game to check into treatment for his mental health; the tennis star Naomi Osaka dropped out of the French Open; and the British swimmer Adam Peaty celebrated winning two gold medals in Tokyo with the announcement that he’s taking a month off to take care of himself.
Seidel’s Olympic performance proves this approach: Giving yourself time to heal and rest is not just the compassionate thing to do for your health. It can be also the smartest strategy for success. It’s a powerful lesson in how to handle the natural derailments (脱轨) of life. We’re seeing burnout. Olympians, are warning us to the problems of an overly goal-oriented society.
1. Seidel gave up the 2016 U.S. Olympic trials to ________.| A．attend the Tokyo Olympics | B．receive mental treatment |
| C．put and end to her athlete career | D．improve her performance |
| A．value patience and self care | B．take a break when necessary |
| C．keep up training until they succeed | D．protect their health instead of sacrificing it |
| A．To give advice on how to win gold medals. |
| B．To emphasize how cruel the competition is. |
| C．To show athletes caring more about their health. |
| D．To tell training stories of some successful athletes. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Cautious. | D．Unclear. |
4 . Rachael Blackmore walked along the track the evening before the Grand National. The jockey (赛马师) was determined, and she would fight to the last bit of her strength to win.
But the way for her to be a jockey was not easy. She grew up a farmer’s daughter. “Being a professional jockey was something I had never thought of,” she said. She studied science at university. But through all that time she was riding because “I just love riding. And I love winning too.” When finishing college at 25, she assumed her riding days were over because “I had to get a real job.”
However, fortune smiled on her because she was filled with talent and banging on the door. Her coach said he would turn her professional. It was harder for female to get rides and open doors, yet she did not tell her story as a victory over hardship. “Once you break down that initial barrier, then you are fine.” she said.
On the day of the Grand National, she thought her horse, Minella, would take well to the fences. But the race was dominated by Jett at first. Rachael did not give up. It was with the last two fences to jump when Jett was fading. “I was beside him and Minella seemed to grab the opportunity.”
They jumped the last with a lead. “I couldn’t hear or feel another horse behind me and Minella was still going forward for me. I tried to keep balance and we hit the line,” she said, “I definitely started crying.”
She became a history maker but she was not proud at all. “I am looking forward to next year, looking at my upcoming races. I know, my best race is certainly the next one!” she said.
1. What does “that initial barrier” in paragraph 3 refer to?| A．The financial hardship. |
| B．The improper education background. |
| C．The lack of an excellent and qualified jockey coach. |
| D．The prejudice against being a professional woman jockey. |
| A．Rachael’s difficult process of being a real jockey. |
| B．The fortunes Rachael had when growing up. |
| C．The friendship between Rachael and her coach. |
| D．The good personalities helping Rachael succeed. |
| A．She lost her chance. | B．She fell off Minella. |
| C．She was stopped by a line. | D．She won the Grand National. |
| A．Reflective. | B．Carefree. |
| C．Ambitious. | D．Practical. |
An impossible peace
Once upon a time, on a piece of land there lived giants and dragons, who had been enemies for years on end. However, after years of bloody fights, they had learned a lot. They were no longer so foolish as to wage wars with terrible battles in which thousands died. Now, every year they held bowling matches instead. A giant competed against a dragon. Whoever lost would become the winner’s slave. If a dragon won, he could use the giant’s muscles for all that heavy lifting. If a giant won, he would have free flights and fire for the whole year.
That was how they prevented their deaths and yet with the match going round and round, they hated each other more and more. Every year the winners were so cruel to the losers, in revenge (报复) for the time they had lost. The losers would be at the mercy of the winners, giants tired from lifting loads while dragons worn out from constant flying and breathing fire. There came a time when what mattered most was not winning the bowling match, but not losing.
Yonk the Giant was the best bowler, and the most afraid. He had never lost. Many dragons had been his slaves and they were dying to see him lose so they could get their revenge. This was why Yonk was terrified of losing. Especially since last year’s match, when he missed his first ever strike, he had decided that something had to change.
The following year he won again. When he arrived home, his slave dragon feared the worst but Yonk did nothing bad to him, for he had a different idea in mind.
“This year you will not be my slave. We will go bowling and I will teach you all of my techniques and secrets. But you must promise me one thing: when you win your match next year, you will not be cruel to your giant. Do the same as I am doing with you.”
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。
The dragon gladly accepted.
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Much later Yonk lost his first bowling match but he was no longer afraid of losing.
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| A．Figure skating. | B．Snowboarding. | C．Speed skating. | D．Freestyle skiing. |
7 . We are always looking for people who have the same interest to join our community. We always value an extra pair of hands and would love for you to come along and help us at the first Run Alton Towers 5k, 10k or Half Marathon on October 30th!
Not only will you be guaranteed a fabulous day out, but also receive some incredible benefits!
★A free entry into the Alton Towers Resort on either Saturday or Sunday to enjoy the rides after the event.
★ A FREE Run ThroughKit Technical T-Shirt(RRP:£22)!
On the race day, you could be:
Placed in charge of a water station, meaning that you will ensure that runners passing by can quickly grab some water on their way! You will also be cheering the runners as they pass by!
Supporting fellow runners on the course is a role like no other. You will be ensuring all runners follow the race route, assisting them with any issues they may have during the race and also cheering them on every step of the way! In this role, your smiley face can change a runner＇s race from a good run to a great run.
Lucky enough to be right in the middle of the finish line! As a finish line assistant, you will have the job of giving all our amazing runners their one-of-a-kind event medals! You may also be in charge of handing out post race goodies, including snacks and water.
1. Who are the intended readers of the text?| A．Spectators. |
| B．Sponsors. |
| C．Participants. |
| D．Volunteers. |
| A．Get a T-Shirt free of charge. |
| B．Enjoy free snacks and water. |
| C．Take free rides on weekends. |
| D．Change the route of the race. |
| A．Lead the way for the runners. |
| B．Cheer up the runners warmly. |
| C．Award runners special medals. |
| D．Assist the runners with the run. |
1. What will Finn do this weekend?
| A．Go to the theatre. | B．Travel with his parents. | C．Train for a football match. |
| A．In the 14th century. | B．In the 19th century. | C．In the 20th century. |
| A．A marketplace. | B．A company’s headquarters. | C．A place for political meetings. |
9 . Michael stands in a circle with the other boys. At the center of it is Coach Dave, a former college wrestler, now wrestling coach. “I honestly believe each kid can win every match,” Coach Dave says. “And I tell them that.”
The mental strength gained from a coach is as important as physical strength. And Michael soaked it up. As a freshman, Michael lost half of his matches, but the next year the practice began to pay off, “It finally just clicks,” Michael says. “You walk onto the mat, and you know you’re going to win. When Coach Dave tells you how you are going to beat an opponent, you just go out and do it.”
At a tournament in Reno, Michael was ranked nationally and faced a wrestler from the Midwest ranked a few spots above him. In the final seconds of the match, ahead by one point, Michael clung to the lead while his opponent clung to his ankle, trying to get a takedown. Michael was hopping his way out of the circle to gain a restart. It’s the easy way out, like a boxer ducking out of the ring to get a breather and preserve a lead.With his back to his opponent, he took one more step. The opponent grabbed the other ankle, and Michael went down, Two points. Match over.
After the match, Dave asked one question, “Are you going to run away from challenges in life or turn and face them?” Michael knew exactly what he’d done wrong-and that it could become a lifelong flaw if he didn’t correct it. All he had to do was turn into his opponent and counterattack. “You’ll beat him next time,” Coach Dave said.
Eventually Michael won the tournament and won a lot of matches that year, but the encouragement from Dave is where he learned the most. “When someone believes in you like that, you know you can do it,” Michael says, “I often hear Coach Dave when I’m in tough situations. ‘No excuses, just do it.’ That encouragement has been my guide.”
1. What does the underlined part “soaked it up” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Got a chance. | B．Fully understood it. |
| C．Ate it up. | D．Built it up. |
| A．He escaped from the match. | B．He lost the match. |
| C．He beat his opponent. | D．He gave up the match. |
| A．Believing in yourself. | B．Correcting your mistakes. |
| C．Accepting your weaknesses. | D．Taking risks and fall. |
| A．Caring. | B．Humorous. | C．Inspiring. | D．Generous. |
“David, it’s time for breakfast,” Mrs. Motangi called. “There’s a birthday present for you to open.”
David ran into the kitchen and saw a shiny new soccer ball on the table. He smiled and started jumping up and down with excitement. “Can I take the ball to school with me, please?” asked David. “Of course,” Mrs. Motangi said. “But you need to be careful with your first real soccer ball.”
At school, David immediately put his soccer ball under his desk. During the morning lessons, he kept quietly tapping the ball with his foot to make sure it was still there. Finally, it was break time. David seized the ball and quickly ran outside. He kicked the ball skillfully across the field to a group of students.
Soccer was David’s favorite sport. Since he had arrived in England and started school two months ago, he had played soccer every day during the break. Break was always his favorite time because he didn’t have to speak English, a language that was still fairly new to him. When he played soccer, he would forget that he felt like an outsider at this new school
“Look!” called David. “I got a new soccer ball. We can use it for our game today.” The other students exchanged glances and just stared at David. These were the most words David had ever spoken to them.
“We don’t need your ball,” said a tall boy, Jacob. “We already have one.” Jacob liked playing soccer but poorly. Jacob kicked David’s ball with all his strength. The ball soared over the school’s high fence, bounced once, and rolled to the back of a nearby house. “What a good kick!” screamed the other kids, jumping up and down and slapping Jacob on the back. David watched in horror as his cherished football went out of sight, tears coming to his eyes. What would his mother say?
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。Paragraph 1: He was going outside when his teacher, Mr. Bleachers, came with the ball.
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Paragraph 2: With the help of David, they got prepared for the soccer match between classes.
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