Section B: Information Matching
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
This man is running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days
[A] Michael Wardian pushed forward into the penetrating arctic wind, fighting the urge to speed up. Too much effort and he’d begin to sweat, which, he was told, would only increase the risk of hypothermia.
[B] At the 2014 North Pole Marathon, the temperature dipped to minus-22 degrees F, with a wind chill that made it feel even colder. Along the route, armed guards wandered the large sheets of floating ice to minimize the risk of polar bear attacks.
[C] “I like to do stuff that scares me,” Wardian said. With ice frozen to his beard, Wardian crossed the finish line that April afternoon in a winning time of 4 hours 7 minutes and 40 seconds, almost two hours slower than his personal best over 26.2 miles. The race for Wardian, however, was less about the result than overcoming his aversion to the cold.
[D] In a few days, Wardian will once again compete in an unfamiliar territory and below-freezing temperatures. He will line up Monday in Antarctica for the first leg of the World Marathon Challenge—joining 32 other adventure seekers on an unusual journey where participants travel through different time zones and climates to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.
[E] An elite ultra-runner, Wardian has his sights on breaking the event’s record average marathon time of 3:32:25 set last January by U.S. Marine Corps captain Daniel Cartica. Wardian, a 42-year-old Arlington resident, is a record-breaking racer, known in the ultra running community for seeking tough courses and setting world records. Last year, he ran 1,254.65 miles in 47 races. The World Marathon Challenge, like most of Wardian’s running goals, will be about pushing his limits. “I love diverse and unique challenges,” he said. “I’m definitely interested in seeing what I can handle and what my body can accept. That drives me.”
[F] Something about the way Richard Donovan carried himself appealed to Wardian. Perhaps it was the sense of adventure Donovan displayed when they first met at the 2010 50K Championships in Galway, Ireland, where Donovan was the race director. The two hit it off, and soon Wardian was participating in Donovan’s events. It was at the North Pole Marathon, a race that Donovan organizes, that Wardian first heard about the Irishman’s plan for the World Marathon Challenge—a challenge that Donovan himself completed in 2009 and 2012. “I knew that many people had a goal of running seven marathons on seven continents during any time period,” Donovan, 50, said. “I felt the natural extension to this idea would be to try to achieve it within a seven-day period.”
[G] Wardian started saving for the trip in 2014, connecting with sponsors and getting approval from his wife, Jennifer, before committing. Registration for the event costs 36,000 euros, which covers international charter flights to each of the seven marathon locations: Union Glacier (Antarctica), Punta Arenas, Chile (South America), Miami (North America), Madrid (Europe), Marrakesh, Morocco (Africa), Dubai (Asia) and Sydney (Australia). The challenge is a test of both physical strength and mental fitness. Sleeping on a crammed plane, adjusting to different time zones and finding food to eat (Wardian is a vegetarian) would make it an exhausting trip over a month, let alone a week. “The key to a race like this is getting comfortable being uncomfortable,” said last year’s women’s champion. “The highs of the race are incredibly high, and the lows incredibly low.”
[H] Since turning it into an organized event in 2015, Donovan has attracted a variety of runners. This year’s challenge will feature a far more elite field, which includes Ryan Hall, America’s fastest marathon runner. Despite his proven track record, Hall said he has no time goals and that he still suffers from the same fatigue issues that forced him to leave the professional ranks in 2015. Hall plans to run with his friend, Pastor Matthew Barnett of The Dream Center in Los Angeles—one of the six American men who will be competing. “I don’t expect to run a step with Mike, but I will be excited to see how he does,” said the 34-year-old, who began weight-lifting after retiring. “If I finish within an hour of him in each marathon, I’d be surprised.”
[I] Instead, 43-year-old Petr Vabrousek, an elite Czech Ironman champion, is expected to be Wardian’s closest challenger. To others on the trip, simply finishing will be its own reward. Sinead Kane of Ireland is aiming to become the first blind person to complete the challenge. And Beth Ann Telford, a 47-year-old federal government worker from Fairfax and the only American female in this year’s mix, is using the event as a platform to raise money for cancer research. It’s a cause with a personal connection to Telford, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2004. “Doing something like this is definitely the hardest challenge that I’ve ever done except for the chemotherapy and brain surgery,” she said. “It’s going to raise awareness… I just wanted to do something that is epic and this certainly is right up there.” Wardian, too, hopes his involvement will give him a platform to promote a cause. He recently became an ambassador for the United Nations Women’s HeForShe initiative to fight inequalities faced by women and girls worldwide.
[J] On a chilly December afternoon, Wardian wove through Washington’s crowded sidewalks on the way home from his full-time job as an international ship broker. His elastic, 6-foot frame bounced gently and efficiently off the ground with each step of the hilly six-mile trip back to Arlington. This is a daily routine during the week for Wardian, who started racing professionally in 2003 and runs seven days a week, often multiple times a day. When he travels, he prefers to explore new places on his feet.
[K] But in some ways, Wardian still has trouble thinking of himself as a runner. For the majority of his childhood, Wardian devoted his energy to becoming a Division I lacrosse player—a dream he realized when he was recruited to play at Michigan State University. “Once he decides to do something, he just works at it until he does it,” Michael’s younger sister, Mariele, said. “Once he decides to do it, it’s usually something that’s going to happen. He’s always been like that. He’s a very motivated individual.”
[L] It was only a year or so ago that Wardian realized that he had been a runner longer than a lacrosse player. It was not until he ran in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials—the first of three for Wardian—that he felt that he was a legitimate runner. Now more than 10 years and numerous ultra-marathon national titles and world records later, he embraces that identity. Wardian wants to see how far his legs can take him, one epic challenge at a time. “I want to always keep doing things that are exciting, adventurous, different and most importantly, probably things I’m not the best at,” Wardian said, “because if you’re not seeking things out that are challenging and difficult for you, then you’re not growing… So I hope maybe people see what I do, and say, ‘Okay, I want to do something different or try something new… I’m going to do something that scares me.’ That’s what I’m hoping people will take from it.”
36. Wardian regards the various extraordinary challenges as a test of his physical endurance.
37. Wardian hopes his participation in the seven-day marathon series will contribute to a worthy cause.
38. Wardian is going to join over thirty other runners in a week-long marathon series.
39. Over-exertion in extreme cold can lower one’s body temperature to a dangerous point.
40. Wardian was very much impressed by a race director’s sense of adventure.
41. Once Wardian sets his mind on something, he is determined to make it happen.
42. One top American marathoner quit his running career because of his physical condition.
43. To many of the week-long marathon participants, completing the race will be a success in itself.
44. For Wardian, the marathon in the Arctic was more about how to triumph over the extreme cold.
45. To participate in the seven-day marathon series, Wardian had to raise a lot of money and have his wife’s support.
Answers & Explanations (答案与解析)
36. E。解析：题干 Wardian regards the various extraordinary challenges as a test of his physical endurance.（沃迪安将各种非凡的挑战视为对其身体耐力的考验。）对应 [E] 段 “I’m definitely interested in seeing what I can handle and what my body can accept. That drives me.”（我确实很想看看我能应付什么，以及我的身体能承受什么。那驱动着我。）test of his physical endurance 对应 what my body can accept。
37. I。解析：题干 Wardian hopes his participation in the seven-day marathon series will contribute to a worthy cause.（沃迪安希望他参加为期七天的马拉松系列赛能为一项有价值的事业做出贡献。）对应 [I] 段倒数第二句 Wardian, too, hopes his involvement will give him a platform to promote a cause.（沃迪安也希望他的参与能给他一个平台来推进一项事业。）contribute to a worthy cause 对应 promote a cause。
38. D。解析：题干 Wardian is going to join over thirty other runners in a week-long marathon series.（沃迪安将和三十多名其他跑步者一起参加为期一周的马拉松系列赛。）对应 [D] 段 ...joining 32 other adventure seekers on an unusual journey... to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.（与另外 32 名探险者一起开启一段不寻常的旅程……在七天内跑完七大洲的七场马拉松。）over thirty other runners 对应 32 other adventure seekers，week-long 对应 in seven days。
39. A。解析：题干 Over-exertion in extreme cold can lower one’s body temperature to a dangerous point.（在极度寒冷中过度用力会使人的体温降至危险的程度。）对应 [A] 段 Too much effort and he’d begin to sweat, which, he was told, would only increase the risk of hypothermia (体温过低).（太用力他就会开始出汗，别人告诉他，这只会增加体温过低的风险。）Over-exertion 对应 Too much effort，lower one’s body temperature to a dangerous point 对应 increase the risk of hypothermia。
40. F。解析：题干 Wardian was very much impressed by a race director’s sense of adventure.（一位赛事总监的冒险意识给沃迪安留下了深刻的印象。）对应 [F] 段 Perhaps it was the sense of adventure Donovan displayed when they first met... where Donovan was the race director.（也许是当他们第一次见面时，多诺万展示出的冒险精神……多诺万是赛事总监。）very much impressed by 对应 Something... appealed to Wardian / Perhaps it was the sense of adventure...。
41. K。解析：题干 Once Wardian sets his mind on something, he is determined to make it happen.（一旦沃迪安下定决心做某事，他就决心让它发生。）对应 [K] 段 “Once he decides to do something, he just works at it until he does it... Once he decides to do it, it’s usually something that’s going to happen.（“一旦他决定做某事，他就会一直努力直到做成……一旦他决定做这件事，这件事通常就会发生。”）sets his mind on something 对应 decides to do something。
42. H。解析：题干 One top American marathoner quit his running career because of his physical condition.（一位美国顶尖马拉松运动员因为身体状况退出了他的跑步生涯。）对应 [H] 段 ...Ryan Hall, America’s fastest marathon runner... he still suffers from the same fatigue issues that forced him to leave the professional ranks in 2015.（……瑞安·霍尔，美国最快的马拉松跑步者……他仍然遭受着与迫使他在 2015 年离开职业队伍时相同的疲劳问题的困扰。）top American marathoner 对应 America’s fastest marathon runner，quit his running career 对应 leave the professional ranks，physical condition 对应 fatigue issues。
43. I。解析：题干 To many of the week-long marathon participants, completing the race will be a success in itself.（对于许多为期一周的马拉松参与者来说，完成比赛本身就是一种成功。）对应 [I] 段 To others on the trip, simply finishing will be its own reward.（对于旅途中的其他人来说，仅仅完成比赛就是对其自身的回报。）completing the race will be a success 对应 simply finishing will be its own reward。
44. C。解析：题干 For Wardian, the marathon in the Arctic was more about how to triumph over the extreme cold.（对沃迪安来说，在北极的马拉松更多的是关于如何战胜极度的寒冷。）对应 [C] 段 The race for Wardian, however, was less about the result than overcoming his aversion to the cold.（然而，对沃迪安来说，这场比赛与其说是关于结果，不如说是克服他对寒冷的反感。）more about how to triumph over 对应 was less about the result than overcoming。
45. G。解析：题干 To participate in the seven-day marathon series, Wardian had to raise a lot of money and have his wife’s support.（为了参加为期七天的马拉松系列赛，沃迪安必须筹集很多钱并得到他妻子的支持。）对应 [G] 段 Wardian started saving for the trip in 2014, connecting with sponsors and getting approval from his wife... Registration for the event costs 36,000 euros...（沃迪安从 2014 年开始为这趟旅行攒钱，联系赞助商并在承诺之前得到了他妻子珍妮弗的批准……注册费高达 36,000 欧元……）raise a lot of money 对应 saving for the trip / connecting with sponsors / 36,000 euros，have his wife’s support 对应 getting approval from his wife。
核心搭配与高分句型
【核心搭配与高频短语】
hit it off：一见如故，合得来（The two hit it off）
have one's sights on：着眼于，瞄准，志在（Wardian has his sights on breaking the event’s record）
leave the professional ranks：退役，离开职业队伍（forced him to leave the professional ranks）
let alone：更不用说（make it an exhausting trip over a month, let alone a week）
right up there：名列前茅，数一数二（this certainly is right up there）
overcome his aversion to：克服他对...的反感/厌恶（overcoming his aversion to the cold）
【亮点句型解析】
Less... than... 的比较级句型：
"The race for Wardian, however, was less about the result than overcoming his aversion to the cold."
（然而，对沃迪安来说，这场比赛与其说是关于结果，不如说是为了克服他对寒冷的反感。）`less A than B` 意为“与其说是A，不如说是B”，用于突出B的重要性，地道且高级。
"The race for Wardian, however, was less about the result than overcoming his aversion to the cold."
（然而，对沃迪安来说，这场比赛与其说是关于结果，不如说是为了克服他对寒冷的反感。）`less A than B` 意为“与其说是A，不如说是B”，用于突出B的重要性，地道且高级。
It is/was not until... that... 强调句型：
"It was not until he ran in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials... that he felt that he was a legitimate runner."
（直到他参加了2004年美国奥运会马拉松选拔赛……他才觉得自己是一名名副其实的跑步者。）经典的强调句型，将时间状语前置，极大地增强了语气的转折和情感的递进。
"It was not until he ran in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials... that he felt that he was a legitimate runner."
（直到他参加了2004年美国奥运会马拉松选拔赛……他才觉得自己是一名名副其实的跑步者。）经典的强调句型，将时间状语前置，极大地增强了语气的转折和情感的递进。