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第三册
Unit 1 That must be record!READING THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS In 1951, the then director of the Guinne Brewery, Sir Hugh Beaver, wanted to settle an argument about the fastest bird in Europe.After talking to his friends, he concluded that a book which answered such questions might be popular.The Guinne company hired two Englishmen to write what later became the Guinne Book of World Records.The first editions was published in 1955 and has been a best seller ever since.More than 60,000 new records are sent in to the book each year, but they cannot all be printed.Instead, the editors of the book set down the records and keep track of them in other ways.The records are put into different categories.The Guinne Book of World Records has chapters on the human body, amazing feats, the natural world, science and technology, arts and the media, modern society, travel and transport, and sports and games.You can learn that the oldest person is a woman who lived to be 122 years and 164 days, that the longest moustache reached a length of 1.6 metres and that the longest poisonous snake is 5.71 metres long.There are also strange records, like the Englishman who balanced a small car wighing 159.6 kilogrammes on his head for thirty-three seconds!There are many Chinese records.For example, Tian’anmen Square is the largest square in the world with an area of about 40 hectares.China has the greatest number of hospitals in the world and Urumqi is the most remote city from the sea—it is 2,500 kilometres from the nearest coast.A special and delicious record was set in 1997 to celebrate Hong Kong’s return to China.The world’s largest jiaozi was made, weighing an incredible 480 kilogrammes!Many of the records in the Guinne Book of World Records come from the world of sports.Among the brilliant athletic achievements, a few records stand out because of the moving life stories behind them.The Guinne world record for the fastest average speed at the Tour de France was set in 1999 by the American cyclist Lance Armstong.Impreive as the record is, it fades next to the story of Armstrong’s struggle against disease.In 1996 Armstrong, the then NO.1 cyclist in the world, was diagnosed with cancer and many thought that it meant the end of his career, maybe even his life.In 1998, however, Armstrong returned to the world of racing.He went on to set the speed record and achieve his goal of winning the Tour de France six years in a row from 1999 to 2004.Why are people so interested in world records? Part of the reason for our interest is probably the same curiosity that led Sir Hugh to write the Guinne Book of World Records in the first place.We want to know what is poible and find out just how far we can push ourselves.Clearly, we are also entertained by accounts of strange and unusual deeds and facts.Whether we are out to set a new record ourselves or simply enjoy reading about champions, the Guinne Book of World Records makes for interesting reading.Anybody can try to get a record.There are, however, some records that the book does not accept.No records that are dangerous to the person who is attempting it or to others are allowed.If you want to try to set a record, you should first contact the Guinne Book of World Records.The editors will decide if your idea is suitable and then send you rules and the form you need to apply for the record.Afterwards, if all goes well, a Guinne official will come to inspect your attempt.If you are succeful, the official will confirm the record and you will get a certificate from the Guinne Book of World Records stating that you are a world record holder!INTEGRATING SKILLS Reading ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? “Hey man, try that 360 again!” It is Saturday afternoon and a group of teenagers are trying new tricks on the park’s skating ramp.Every weekend, after finishing their homework, Lin Yong and about a dozen of his friends garb their wheels and head down to the park to hang ten.Lin Yong is seventeen and a skillful skateboarder.He and his friends decided to build the ramp three years ago after watching a skateboarding competition on TV.Together with two of his clamates, Lin Yong went to the local park and told the park administration about their plans.Two weeks after the manager had given them his permiion, the ramp was ready and the friends held a grand opening.“All of our schoolmates were here, as well as many of our parents and other kids from the neighbourhood.There were even some grandparents who came to see what it was all about.” The ramp soon became popular and the teenagers have started a skateboarding club called Fun On Wheels.Skateboards have been around since the 1970s, but they have recently become popular again.Many teenagers have discovered the skateboard as a result of TV shows, films, and competitions such as the X Games.The X Games are like the Olympic Games for sports that are le familiar to us than sports like football and basketball.A new generation of sports is capturing the hearts and minds of people who are willing to try something new.These new sports are called “extreme sports” and all centre on the “X-factor”—the pure joy of doing something that you did not think you could do and overcoming your fears.Extreme sports are different from regular sports.Instead of simply trying to defeat the other team or set a new record, many extreme sports are about beauty, harmony and thrills.In fact, some extreme sports are not really “sports” at all, because they do not have clear rules about winning or losing.The goal of a “competition” may simply be to have fun and enjoy the excitement of trying something new.Lin Yong loves the feeling he gets when he is getting ready for a ride.“It’s hard to describe the feeling.I get excited and my heart beats faster.Then my mind becomes clear and I concentrate on the way body moves in the air.”
Watching Ling Yong and his friends fly through the air makes you wonder whether the sports is too dangerous.“No,” Wang Wei, a sixteen-year-old skater says, “all the riders wear helmets and other equipment to protect themselves.We don’t let anyone try a dangerous trick unle we know that they are skilled enough to perform it safely.” One thing is clear: these enthusiastic teenage skateboarders are enjoying every minute.Everyone smiles after a good ride and there is a strong feeling of friendship among the riders.As Lin Yong says, “Once you are experienced, your life will truly change!”
