This Sunday in London, an American running phenomenon will hit the UK for the first time — and looks set to leave a mark. The Color Run™ series, founded in 2011 by Utah resident Travis Snyder, who currently lives in Los Angeles, is a 5k with a twist: runners start in white clothing, and at each kilometer get caked in brightly colored powders (made from 100% eco-friendly and natural food-grade corn starch) thrown by volunteers.
Snyder, 35, previously organized rock climbing events but says it was having a child that inspired him to think of an event combining fitness and pleasure. So far, 600,000 people have already taken part in Snyder's fitness festivals across the world, from Sydney to Rio de Janeiro, becoming America's biggest 5k along the way.
What does Snyder think is its appeal? "I think sometimes people get tired of being so competitive," he says. "In a running event, the person next to you is the tool that you are going to compare yourself to; whether or not you run faster than them or they run faster than you. The Color Run still has running in its basis: people still get to be out and be active. But instead of it being an exclusive experience, it's an inclusive experience, where the people next to you are part of that."
The events attract a large population, including families and children, along with a higher proportion of women than most runs. For many, it is their first race and furthest distance. Synder's eight-year-old son has taken part in 20 of the races. "It's not a big deal because he doesn't think of it as 5k – he is just running and having fun."
In line with this theme of participation rather than competition, there are no praises for coming first. If runners want to get a result, they will have to track it themselves, as it is not officially timed. And, needless to say, the finish line is one big party – before the clean up begins.
1.Those ________ can join in the Color Run.
A. whose ages are more than 8 B. who wear colorful clothes
C. who are good at running D. who dress in white
2.What contributed to Travis Snyder’s founding the fitness festival?
A. Competitive society.
B. Being a father.
C. Love among families and children.
D. Having a lifestyle mentally and physically.
3.The Color Run series main aim is to ________.
A. reduce people’s stress B. find the fastest runners
C. combine health and fun D. have a big party for every family
4.Why does the author mention Snyder’s eight-year-old son in Paragraph 4?
A. To show Snyder’s love for his son.
B. To prove the son was good at running.
C. To tell us how the son covers his furthest distance.
D. To argue the activity gains popularity whatever age.
She was only about five feet tall and probably never weighed more than 110 pounds. However, Miss Bessie was a(n) ______ presence in the classroom. From 1938 to 1942, when I attended Saint Bernard's High School, she taught me a lot ______ I realized.
There was never a(n) ______ problem in Miss Bessie's classes. We didn't dare to trouble a woman who knew about the Battle of Hastings and could also play the piano and ______ Shakespeare and Milton.
Miss Bessie knew that my family couldn't afford to buy a newspaper. She knew we didn't ______ own a radio. Still, she ______ me to look out for my ______ and find some ways to ______ what's going on in the world. ______ I became a delivery boy who delivered newspapers. I ______ made a dollar a week, but I got to read a newspaper every day.
Miss Bessie noticed things that had nothing to do with schoolwork but were vital to a youngster's ______. Once a few classmates made fun of my ______ overcoat. As I was leaving school, Miss Bessie ______ me on the back of that old overcoat and said, “Carl, never worry about what you don't have. Just make the most of what you do have—a(n) ______.”
Among the things that I didn't have was ______ in the little wooden house. But because of her ______, I spent many hours beside a kerosene lamp(煤油灯) reading Shakespeare's works. Miss Bessie introduced me ______ a wonderful world of poems and stories. She led me to ______that I could write poems as well as Shakespeare.
So I read ______ Miss Bessie told me to, and tried to remember the things she insisted that I store. Years later, her encouragement finally led to that lovely day when Miss Bessie dropped me a note ______“I'm so proud to read your article in The Times.”
1.A. amusing B. towering C. interesting D. exciting
2.A. more than B. less than C. better than D. worse than
3.A. academy B. homework C. race D. discipline
4.A. make use of B. make fun of C. make sense of D. make light of
5.A. even B. still C. ever D. yet
6.A. allowed B. forced C. turned D. encouraged
7.A. happiness B. future C. family D. mistake
8.A. catch up with B. come up with C. keep up with D. put up with
9.A. So B. And C. Because D. As
10.A. always B. merely C. sometimes D. almost
11.A. appearance B. health C. development D. performance
12.A. colourful B. modern C. informal D. used
13.A. patted B. hit C. struck D. pulled
14.A. house B. overcoat C. radio D. brain
15.A. money B. electricity C. water D. gas
16.A. inspiration B. anger C. curiosity D. sponsorship
17.A. to B. in C. of D. about
18.A. imagine B. believe C. dream D. insist
19.A. whenever B. wherever C. whichever D. whatever
20.A. writing B. printing C. saying D. speaking
—Guess what！I have got A for my term paper.
—Great！You ________ read widely and put a lot of work into it.
A. must B. should
C. must have D. should have
Whether in a professional or social setting it's always ________ if you fail to introduce two people when you're their only shared acquaintance.
A. superior B. awkward
C. mysterious D. current
Looking you straight in the eye does not mean the person is telling the truth. Experienced liars often do this in a(n) ________ way，playing on people believing the myth.
A. automatic B. compulsory
C. sensitive D. deliberate
I believe we could face delays if we travel by bus，________ traffic jams.
A. thanks to B. despite
C. regardless of D. in spite of
