Although cliff diving may bring great excitement, it’s a very dangerous sport that people should be careful about. It is completely wrong to think that the diver is cushioned by the water below—this could not be further from the truth. When jumping from a cliff that is over 70 feet high, a diver hits the water at over 46 mph (miles per hour). Such high speeds make the point of contact feel like a wall, so the diving skills are very important.
Professional divers are trained and well-prepared to make dives. However, non-professionals should never dive because a diver’s body position at the time of contacting water is very important to his or her safety. Because of the great danger, divers should always seriously think about their skills before trying any moves.
Although there is no truly safe way to jump off a cliff, non-professional divers are encouraged to pencil dive. To do a pencil dive, the jumpers leap their feet first off the cliff, keep arms at their sides with legs together and pointing downward. The diver should keep the body tight and vertical. This is safer because it makes the point of contact smaller when the diver enters the water and puts less stress on the body.
Wearing a wet suit while diving will result in less pain. So it is wise for new divers to wear wet suits. But professional divers suggest staying away from water shoes. Although wearing shoes might seem like a good idea, they actually increase the force of impact because they increase the surface area of the diver at impact. The increased force of impact puts stress on a diver’s body and can lead to broken bones. Without a doubt, diving without shoes is the safer way to go.
Besides the height, speed, water depth and body position, it is also important for divers to make wise decisions when they are thinking about diving. Cliff diving tests both a person’s physical and mental skills, so it is never a good idea to jump with a sudden idea. A person needs to be of sound mind and in good health to even think about a dive. One should never try a dive if he has drunk wine. What’s more, a person should never make someone who is not feeling 100% confident dive.

【小题1】What does “this could not be further from the truth” mean?

Although cliff diving may bring great excitement, it’s a very dangerous sport that people should be careful about. It is completely wrong to think that the diver is cushioned by the water below—this could not be further from the truth. When jumping from a cliff that is over 70 feet high, a diver hits the water at over 46 mph (miles per hour). Such high speeds make the point of contact feel like a wall, so the diving skills are very important.

Professional divers are trained and well-prepared to make dives. However, non-professionals should never dive because a diver’s body position at the time of contacting water is very important to his or her safety. Because of the great danger, divers should always seriously think about their skills before trying any moves.

Although there is no truly safe way to jump off a cliff, non-professional divers are encouraged to pencil dive. To do a pencil dive, the jumpers leap their feet first off the cliff, keep arms at their sides with legs together and pointing downward. The diver should keep the body tight and vertical. This is safer because it makes the point of contact smaller when the diver enters the water and puts less stress on the body.

Wearing a wet suit while diving will result in less pain. So it is wise for new divers to wear wet suits. But professional divers suggest staying away from water shoes. Although wearing shoes might seem like a good idea, they actually increase the force of impact because they increase the surface area of the diver at impact. The increased force of impact puts stress on a diver’s body and can lead to broken bones. Without a doubt, diving without shoes is the safer way to go.

Besides the height, speed, water depth and body position, it is also important for divers to make wise decisions when they are thinking about diving. Cliff diving tests both a person’s physical and mental skills, so it is never a good idea to jump with a sudden idea. A person needs to be of sound mind and in good health to even think about a dive. One should never try a dive if he has drunk wine. What’s more, a person should never make someone who is not feeling 100% confident dive.

1.What does “this could not be further from the truth” mean?

A. There’s no doubt that this idea is definitely true.

B. This idea is thought to be completely wrong.

C. It depends on the real situation on the spot.

D. Nobody knows whether this idea is true or not.

2.Why didn’t professional divers suggest wearing shoes?

A. Because wearing shoes can put more weight on to the diver

B. Because wearing shoes can cause the diver to feel uncomfortable

C. Because wearing shoes can make the point of contact bigger

D. Because wearing shoes can certainly lead to broken bones

3.According to the passage, a good cliff diver should be __________.

A. well-prepared and skillful B. professional and strong

C. creative and smartyD. confident and brave

Some people say, “Extreme(极限的) sports are so dangerous. Why would anyone want to do them?” But the danger is what makes them so excited. Keep reading to find out the most popular ones.

Bungee jumping: People on some South Pacific islands have been bungee jumping for hundreds of years. In 1979, some people bungee jumped off a bridge in England and made the sport popular around the world. Bungee jumping came to China in 1996.

Skateboarding: At first, this sport was called “sidewalk surfing”. Skateboarders often jump high into the air, go down steps or slide(滑行) down rails on their boards. They wear baggy trousers(宽松裤) so they can move more freely.

Skydiving: This is probably the scariest(最惊险的) extreme sport. Skydivers jump out of airplanes about four kilometers up in the sky. They usually free-fall for a while and then open a parachute to slow down for a safe landing.

Snowboarding: This became a winter Olympic sport in 1998. People tie their feet to the board with special shoes. They don’t use any ski sticks. Then, they ride down hills, jump high and do tricks.

1.What made bungee jumping popular all over the world?

A. A history of hundreds of years.

B. Jumping over a river in England.

C. Coming to China in 1996.

D. Jumping off a bridge in Britain.

2.In which sport do people jump from a plane?

A. Bungee jumping.                 B. Skydiving.

C. Skateboarding.                           D. Snowboarding.

3.Why do people wear “baggy trousers”?

A. They have many bags on them.

B. They can hold many things.

C. They make people move freely.

D. People wearing them can move fast.

4.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “parachute”?

A. 直升飞机          B. 降落伞              C. 滑板        D. 飞艇

5.Why do some people like to do the extreme sports?

A. It’s dangerous but exciting.               B. It’s exciting and safe.

C. It’s scary but safe.                D. It’s easy to learn.