Anybody who's noticed so many sweaty Sunday-morning photos on the Internet must think that marathons have recently regained popularity.According to Running USA,an organization that tracks the sport's growth,52 percent of runners today track themselves with some sort of GPS-enabled device,like a smart phone or a fitness tracker.This statistic has likely played a role in running's growing appeal--the easily available tracking information has attracted people to the sport,and kept them going,for it's possible for anyone to see in real time how it's affecting their bodias. Today,free smart phone apps can give runners information on things like the number and length of their steps,their heart rate,even the estimated volume of oxygen they consume per minute.All this information can act as a reward and a motivator for the runner."It's one thing to hear encouragement from a coach."Bryan Boyle,editor of Runner's World magazine,explains."It's quite another,however,to appreciate-at a glance-progress made during weeks and months of running.'' But run--tracking technology doesn't just help runners train harder. It also gives them the power to train more intelligently.Recreational runners today no longer have to guess how far or how fast they've run,or what their body is doing.If they can monitor their heart rate,they can make sure they're hitting the most strategic pace on each run,which can significantly increase their chances of having a positive experience on the course during race day. No matter how much technology can promote the experience of running,though,many runners argue that the biggest benefit of the sport remains the chance to get outdoors,away from the computer,for an hour."There's so much more to experience," adds Boyle."fresh air,travel,shoot,just overall feeling better.There's no app for that." As for the experienced runners,what attracts them most is _ . A) the exciting experience technology brings them B) a chance to enjoy nature outdoors C) becoming popular on social media D) being cool with a new wearable device on the road
B
(Question)
New technology links the world as never before. Our planet has shrunk. It's now a "global village" where countries are only seconds away by fax or phone or satellite link. And, of course, our ability to benefit from this high-tech communications equipment is greatly increased by foreign language skills. Deeply involved with this new technology is a kind of modern businesspeople who have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern markets, success overseas often helps support domestic business efforts. Overseas assignments are becoming increasingly important to advancement within executive ranks. The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being "out of sight and out of mind." He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is central to the company's plan for success, and that promotions often follow or accompany an assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment overseas, superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to manage back in the United States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues are becoming more and more common. Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive communications devices with business applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into international markets. English is still the international language of business. But there is an ever-growing need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn't generally required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal. The employee posted abroad who speaks the country's language has an opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and can have the cultural insight to know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can communicate well with foreign customers over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious asset to the firm. In this passage, "out of sight and out of mind" (Line 3, Para. 3) probably means _ . A) leaving all care and worry behind B) being unable to think properly for lack of insight C) being totally out of touch with business at home D) missing opportunities for promotion when abroad
(Answer)
D
The weather across much of Europe and sections of Asia has been very cold since last week. Hundreds of people have died from the cold. It has also been a source of fun for winter sports enthusiasts and has raised doubts about global warming. Europeans were digging themselves out of heavy snow after a week-long cold snap in which the number of dead--most of them homeless--continued to rise by the day. The big freeze has caused traffic mess from Siberia to Rome, blocking roads, closing schools, shutting airports, and trapping thousands in remote mountain villages in Europe. Temperatures have fallen as low as 36 degrees below zero in Ukraine, the hardest-hit country. Serbia on Sunday declared an emergency situation, saying the extremely big snowfall has put normal life at risk. But the deep freeze has also offered opportunities for snowy fun. In Sarajevo, young people snowboarded down white streets. Others competed with videos on YouTube to show the craziest jump into the snow from second floor apartments--most of them wearing only bathing suits. In the Netherlands, Europe's deep freeze means the country's almost imaginary "Eleven Cities Tour" ice skating marathon could be staged later this month for the first time in 15 years. The race is expected to draw thousands of participants and more than a million viewers. The cold snap has also caused people to doubt global warming claims--if the Earth is getting warmer, why have recent winters been colder? Zhang Peiqun, assistant chief engineer of the National Climate Center, explained in an interview with xinhuanet. com: "Global warming refers to broad changes over a long time period, mainly in the past 100 years. It doesn't contradict with the phenomenon that some time in some places the temperature is lower than usual." He also added that it has been a long time debate whether the Earth is getting warmer or colder. "No matter which opinion is correct, a bigger question faces us: how do we deal with the resulting extreme weathers?" he said. We can learn from the passage that "Eleven Cities Tour" _ . A) will be held for the first time B) is well known in the Netherlands C) was ever held 15 years ago D) attracts over 1 million participants
C