Question

It’s 10:00 on a beautiful Sunday morning in California. To my left is some of the most beautiful coastline. I’m walking along a road ordinarily packed with cars on days like this, but today, thanks in part to my $135 entry fee, it is closed to traffic.

There’s only one problem: I should be running, not walking. Over the past year, I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on running gear(设备) and race entry fees. I’ve jogged than 1,600 miles training for this event.

Dozens of runners pass me on either side, each of them experiencing varying degrees of sadness similar to my own. Most of them, like me, have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to get here, spending $500, $1,000 or more to participate in this event.

Actually I’m by no means a competitive athlete. My best finish ever was fourth place, in a 5-kftometer race with only 74 participants, many of whom were walking the entire course.

Last year, over 500,000 runners completed a marathon in the U.S. alone. Nearly all of these runners had absolutely no chance of victory. The PR-personal record-is everyone’s definition of a “good race,” whether he finishes in first or 301st.

I should buy a new watch that not only tracks my location by GPS, but also by counting steps. This can more accurate and much more expensive. Finally, I have reached the finish line. I know that the official race photographers will be taking photos as I cross the line, so I raise my arms in “victory” I finish, in a time of 3:37:55, good for 354th place.

A few days after the race, the race organizers email me a link to a site where I can preview my official photos 一 and download them, for a fee, of course.

I wish I could say the feeling was unique; it’s probably not Indeed probably a feeling most runners get in most marathons. Running a lot of marathons 9 in fact, may not even be good for your health.

In America, marathoning is a rich person’s sport.

1.Which of the following is free of charge for the marathoners according the passage?

A. Race entry.

B. Coastal scenery.

C. Running gear.

D. Official photos.

2.What was the author sure of before entering for the marathon?

A. His winning the victory.

B. His improvement of speed.

C. His falling behind many others.

D. His setting up a new record.

3.How did other runners feel while running on the coastline road according to the author?

A. Happy B. Unhappy.

C. Unique. D. Excited.

4.What would the author agree with?

A. Marathons are not worth it.

B. Marathon can improve our PR.

C. Marathons are based on attitudes.

D. Marathons are good for our health.

Answer 1