The mental aspect of athletics is underrated. The common expression, “athletics are 90 percent ____ and 10 percent physical,” is often used by coaches, and stresses that mindsets make a huge ____ in competitions.
“The physical aspect of the sport can only take you ____ ,” said Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Shannon Miller during an interview with the Dana Foundation. “The mental aspect has to ____ , especially when you’re talking about the best of the best. In the Olympic games, everyone is talented. Everyone ____ hard. Everyone does the work. What ____ the gold medalists from the silver medalists is simply the mental game.”
Many athletes have used the technique of mental imagery, or ____ , to perform at their best. Research on the brain patterns of ____ found that the patterns activated when a weightlifter lifted heavy weights were activated ____ when they simply imagined lifting and some studies have suggested that mental ____ can be almost as effective as physical training. One study, published in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology in 1996, found that ____ weight lifting caused ____ changes in muscle activity.
“Mental imagery ____ many cognitive (认知的) processes in the brain: motor control, attention, perception, planning, and memory,” researcher Angie LeVan wrote in Psychology Today. “So the ____ is getting trained for actual performance during visualization. It’s been found that mental practices can enhance motivation, increase confidence, improve motor performance and ____ your brain for success.”
____ visualizing is more than just thinking about an upcoming event. ____ athletes use visualization, they truly feel the event taking place in their mind’s eye.
“During visualization, she incorporates (整合) all of her ____ into the experience,” sports psychologist Dr JoAnn Dahlkoetter wrote in a blog post on The Huffington Post ____ a speed skater she works with. “She feels her forefoot pushing off the track, she hears her skating splits, and she sees herself racing ahead of the competitors. She experiences all of the elements of her race ____ before executing (完成) her performance.”
A．lucky B．intelligent C．mental D．strategic
A．difference B．importance C．improvement D．challenge
A．so long B．so far C．so much D．so high
A．turn on B．show off C．take up D．set off
A．thinks B．moves C．runs D．trains
A．breaks B．pushes C．decides D．distinguishes
A．activation B．visualization C．motivation D．perception
A．athletes B．gymnasts C．weightlifters D．skaters
A．regularly B．normally C．finally D．similarly
A．connection B．practice C．performances D．directions
A．imagining B．considering C．reviewing D．dreaming
A．few B．usual C．actual D．strange
A．impacts B．increases C．slows D．follows
A．brain B．body C．attention D．memory
A．help B．apply C．use D．prepare
A．Though B．But C．Thus D．Otherwise
A．Unless B．After C．When D．Until
A．observations B．spirit C．determination D．senses
A．to B．for C．about D．with
A．in surprise B．in detail C．on time D．for example
One evening, Mr Green was driving his car along a lonely country road. He had ___1___ $10 000 from the bank in town. Suddenly a man in rags stopped him and asked for ___2___. Mr Green told him to get on and continued his way. ___3___ he talked to the man, he ___4___ that he had just broken out of prison. Mr Green was very afraid at the ___5___ of the money. Suddenly he saw a police－car and had a ___6___ idea. He ___7___ speed and drove as quickly as possible. Then he found the police-car running ___8___ him. After a mile ___9___ the police-car passed him and ordered him to stop. A policeman came up. Mr Green had hoped to tell him about the trouble but the man put a gun to Mr Green’s ___10___.
The policeman said he wanted Mr Green’s name and ___11___ and Mr Green obeyed. The policeman wrote it down in his notebook and put it in his ___12___. “You ___13___ appear at the police station. “ He said. Then he talked to Mr Green about ___14___ driving. Mr Green started up his car again. He had ___15___ all hope of his ￡10,000, but as he reached a more lonely part, the robber said he wanted to ___16___. Mr Green stopped and the man said. “___17___. You’ve been ___18___ to me. This is what I can do in ___19___.” And he handed Mr Green the policeman’s ___20___, which was stolen while the policeman was talking to Mr Green.
1. A. taken B. held C. brought D. drawn
2. A. money B. help C. a lift D. a ride
3. A. As B. Since C. Then D. Because
4. A. recognized B. learned C. supposed D. expected
5. A. sight B. idea C. touch D. thought
6. A. fast B. bright C. strange D. bad
7. A. put on B. got on C. took on D. had on
8. A. behind B. with C. after D. beside
9. A. and so B. or so C. and so on D. or so on
10. A. head B. shoulder C. back D. neck
11. A. number B. home C. placeD. address
12. A. car B. pocket C. hand D. trousers
13. A. shall B. will C. would D. need
14. A. careful B. normal C. drunk D. dangerous
15. A. held out B. build up C. given up D. turn over
16. A. run away B. break away C. set out D. get out
17. A. I’m sorryB. You’re welcomeC. That’s all rightD. Thank you
18. A. kind B. polite C. known D. necessary
19. A. all B. fact C. return D. the end
20. A. gun B. pen C. money D. notebook
When sailors are allowed ashore after a long time at sea, they sometimes get drunk and cause trouble. For this reason, the navy ___1___ has its police in big ports. Whenever sailors cause trouble, the police come and ___2___ them.
One day, the police in a big seaport received a telephone call ___3___ a bar in the town. The barman said that a big sailor had got drunk and ___4___ the furniture in the bar. The officer in charge of the police guard that evening said that he would come immediately.
Now, officers who ___5___ and punish the sailors ___6___ drunk usually chose ___7___ policeman they could find to go with them. ___8___ this particular officer did not do this. ___9___, he chose the smallest and___10___ man he could find to go to the bar with him and ___11___ the sailor.
Another officer who___12___ there was surprised when he saw the officer of the guard chose such a small man. ___13___ he said to him, “Why ___14___ you take a big man with you? You have to fight the sailor who ___15___.”
“Yes, you are ___16___ right,” answered the officer of the guard. “That is exactly ___17___ I am taking this small man. If you see two policemen coming ___18___ you, and one is ___19___ the other, which one ___20___ you attack?”
1. A. always B. seldom C. forever D. sometimes
2. A. meet with B. deal with C. see D. judge
3. A. about B. from C. in D. of
4. A. was breaking B. was ordering C. was moving D. was dusting
5. A. would go B. might beat C. dared to fight D. had to go
6. A. slightlyB. not at all C. heavily D. much more
7. A. the biggest B. the youngest C. the bravest D. the experienced
8. A. In fact B. But C. So D. And
9. A. Instead B. Therefore C. Although D. Then
10. A. good-looking B. weakest-looking C. ugly-looking D. strongest-looking
11. A. seize B. kill C. get rid of D. catch up with
12. A. will go B. had come C. would start off D. happened to be
13. A. YetB. But C. So D. Then
14. A. don’t B. couldn’t C. can’t D. do
15. A. looks strong B. is drunk C. seems rude D. is dangerous
16. A. all B. very C. too D. quite
17. A. how B. what C. why D. that
18. A. up B. at C. before D. towards
19. A. not smaller than B. as big as C. as small as D. much smaller than
20. A. could B. willC. do D. can
On Thursday afternoon Mrs Clake locked the door and went to the women’s club as usual. It was a pleasant way of ___1___ time for an old woman who lived ___2___.
When she came home she ___3___ something unusual. Had someone got in? The back door and the windows were all locked and there was no ___4___ of forced entry(进入). Had anything been taken? She went from room to room, ___5___, and found her camera and spare watch missing.
The following Thursday she went out at her ___6___ time, but didn’t go to the club. Instead, she took a short walk in a park ___7___ and came home, letting herself in through the ___8___ door. She settled down to wait and see what would happen.
It was 4 o’clock when the front doorbell rang. Mrs Clarke was ___9___ tea at the time. The bell rang again, and the next moment she ___10___ her letter-box being pushed open. Picking up the kettle of boiling water, she moved ___11___ towards the letter-box. A piece of ___12___ appeared through the letter-box, and then a hand. The wire turned and caught around the knob(原形旋钮) on the door-lock. Mrs Clarke ___13___ the kettle and poured the water over the hand. A ___14___ cry was heard outside as the wire ___15___ to the floor and the hand was pulled ___16___, which was followed by the sound of ___17___ feet.
It wasn’t long ___18___the police caught the thief. And Mrs Clarke was greatly ___19___ at the club for her successful ___20___.
1. A. saving B. passing C. stealing D. finding
2. A. lonely B. alone C. sadly D. easily
3. A. learned B. found C. sensed D. hoped
4. A. sight B. exhibition C. note D. sign
5. A. watching B. searching C. looking D. checking
6. A. lateB. dinner C. usual D. own
7. A. faraway B. club C. nearby D. hurriedly
8. A. open B. back C. front D. broken
9. A. drinking B. making C. pouring D. planting
10. A. saw B. watched C. heard D. smelled
11. A. quietly B. loudly C. fast D. angrily
12. A. wood B. equipment C. chalk D. wire
13. A. discovered B. brought C. raised D. supported
14. A. soft B. gentle C. sharp D. loud
15. A. pushed B. put C. stuck D. fell
16. A. up B. forward C. back D. down
17. A. walking B. jumping C. running D. steady
18. A. after B. whenC. before D. until
19. A. admired B. encouraged C. instructed D. supported
20. A. self-satisfactionB. self-protection C. self-respect D. self-service
A funny story circulated recently about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Doyle clearly told of a time when he climbed into a 1 in Paris. Before he could 2 a word, the driver turned to him and asked, “Where can I 3 you, Mr. Doyle?”
Doyle was 4. He asked the driver if he had ever seen him before.
“No, sir,” the driver responded. “I have 5 seen you before.” Then he 6 : “This morning’s paper had a story about you being on 7 in Marseilles. This is the taxi stand where people who return from Marseilles always arrive. Your 8 color tells me you have been on vacation. The 9 spot on your right index finger suggests to me that you are a writer. Your clothing is very English, and not French. 10 up all those pieces of information, I 11 that you are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”
“This is truly amazing!” the writer 12 with excitement. “You are very like my 13 creation, Sherlock Holmes!”
“There’s one other thing,” the driver said.
“What’s that?”
“Your 14 is on the front of your suitcase.”
Perhaps the 15 was no master detective, but he was observant! He paid attention and paying attention is an important part of living 16.
Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of 17. A life lived to the full is lived from moment to moment, 18 from milestone to milestone. It is more of a series of days in which we truly pay attention, than a few 19 events along the way.
Pay attention to the things of life, to people, to events, to your senses, even to the ordinary. Your life will never 20 beauty. By making the most of the moments, you make the most of the years.
1. A. trainB. taxi C. bus D. plane
2. A. write B. hear C. say D. read
3. A. take B. meet C. wait D. leave
4. A. pleased B. scaredC. disappointed D. surprised
5. A. just B. never C. ever D. always
6. A. admitted B. started C. explained D. remembered
7. A. business B. duty C. holiday D. work
8. A. skin B. hair C. clothes D. shoes
9. A. blood B. dirt C. mud D. ink
10. A. Making B. Taking C. Putting D. Adding
11. A. concluded B. realized C. imagined D. expected
12. A. sighed B. screamed C. whispered D. roared
13. A. mental B. physical C. fictional D. psychological
13. A. license B. address C. resume D. name
15. A. driver B. writer C. detective D. waiter
16. A. well B. fully C. happily D. peacefully
17. A. stagesB. steps C. periods D. moments
18. A. more than B. less than C. rather than D. other than
19. A. small B. major C. personal D. social
20. A. lackB. create C. appreciate D. enjoy
Ted spent seven years as a prisoner of war. There he discovered the power of 1 . For more than half of that2 he was in isolation (隔绝). He lived for ten months in total 3 . Those ten months was the longest of his life. When they4with wooden boards the window of his little seven-by-seven foot cell, shutting out the light, he 5 if he was going to make it.
Ted spent hours a day exercising and thinking. But at times he felt he could do6but scream. Not wanting to give his 7 the satisfaction of knowing they’d 8 him, he placed clothing into his mouth to lessen the noise 9 he screamed at the top of his lungs.
One day Ted got down on the 10and crawled (爬) under his bed. He found a hole that 11 air from the outside. As he approached the hole, he saw a 12 ray of light. Ted put his eye next to the wall and discovered a small crack in the building. It allowed him to glimpse13 , though all he could see was a 14piece of grass. But when he saw this, he felt a surge of joy, excitement and 15 that he hadn’t had in years. “It represented life, growth and 16 ,” he later said. It was the small hope that helped Ted 17 this nearly unbearable experience.
The human spirit is 18 . It seems to run forever 19 nothing but a faint (微弱的) hope. Without it, you have nothing. With it, nothing else20 — even the worst conditions.
1. A. thought B. scream C. support D. hope
2. A. prison B. war C. timeD. month
3. A. happiness B. sadness C. darkness D. silence
4. A. strengthened B. fixed C. covered D. broke
5. A. reminded B. required C. wondered D. feared
6. A. something B. nothing C. everything D. anything
7. A. soldiers B. friends C. enemy D. army
8. A. wounded B. quitted C. satisfied D. broken
9. A. till B. since C. as D. after
10. A. window B. floor C. wall D. board
11. A. let in B. put out C. took inD. gave off
12. A. weak B. soft C. strong D. sharp
13. A. inside B. outside C. above D. below
14. A. very B. right C. specificD. single
15. A. gratefulness B. usefulness C. fulfillment D. establishment
16. A. courage B. perseverance C. choice D. freedom
17. A. by B. out C. over D. through
18. A. straight B. strong C. lucky D. interesting
19. A. against B. from C. on D. over
20. A. matters B. relates C. changesD. happens