课文挖空背诵

课文挖空背诵

Unit 21 Human Biology

Lesson 1 Super Athletes

100 metres in 8 seconds?

Many contemporary amateur athletes would＿＿＿＿＿＿world records if they ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿the first Olympic Games. Since then, records ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿track and field ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿as athletic performances ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿.

If records fall, it is usually ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿better equipment, training and diet, but recently, improvements have begun to ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿. At the 2000 Olympics, only three runners achieved Olympic bests ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿. Some experts predict ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿many events, such as 9.5 seconds for the 100 metres – Maurice Greene's current record is 9.79 seconds. However, past predictions ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿.

When ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿breaking records, we come ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿the issue of performance-enhancing drugs. These drugs are originally developed to help people with illnesses, but ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿, they create supreme athletes making them faster and stronger than is normal for human beings. Taking these drugs ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿―doping‖ and although they enhance performance, they also cause serious health problems in later life for ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿abuse them.

The sports world does not ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿as it is a fundamental form of cheating. Ben Johnson would still be the 100 metres world record holder if he ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿taking drugs in the 1988 Olympics. Other records remain doubtful, like Florence Griffith's 100 metres record back in 1988.

Did she take drugs? If American athlete Marion Jones ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿drugs, would she have ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿the Olympics at all?

Doping is not only a problem in athletics, it is part of every sport where athletes seek to achieve ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿and are prepared to cheat to do so. In 2006 cycling fans worldwide were shocked when the winner of the annual cycling race, the Tour de France, was ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿. Floyd Landis made several lame excuses blaming medicine he had been taking for an injury but these were ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿. He failed two drug tests.

Unfortunately, it is not easy to ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿illegal drugs. It is compulsory for winners to be tested but other participants are only tested ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿. New drugs are developed all the time and drug tests for sporting events are often ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿.

However, doping is not the only thing we need to worry about. Unless we are careful, ―gene-therapy‖ will be the next big threat. For medical

purposes, scientists have already found ways to build muscle and increase strength by ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿. Gene-therapy is very controversial and many people oppose further research ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿it. If gene-therapy ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿now, it would be almost impossible to find out. In the future, athletes who have their genes changed might be able to do the 100 metres dash in just 8 seconds or the marathon in less than two hours. However, if a generation of sports stars with enhanced genes were created, it would contradict ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿.

The Olympic spirit — the spirit of competition which emphasises ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿— has been violated by the desire to succeed ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿. In today's world, winners are celebrated and treated as heroes, but if doping and gene-therapy continue to affect the outcomes of major sporting events, the word ―hero‖ will have lost all meaning.