Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
Legend tells of a strange event in one Japanese town’s history. It says that around 250 years ago, a Japanese lord gave the village leader of Shirone a giant kite. Over time, it became the custom of the villagers to settle 5 by flying kites. If one villager could snag the other kite and force it to the ground, then the villager would win the argument. Eventually, this tradition of kite battling 6 a festival that takes place every June and has created a town full of people who are so passionate about kite flying that they have been 7 “kite crazy.”
For most of the year, the people of Shirone are hardworking, sensible farmers. Once the spring planting is done, though, thoughts turn toward the sky and the kites that will soon 8 it. Before the flying occurs, though, kite construction is on everyone’s mind. Shirone becomes a giant kite factory, and all 9 surfaces seem covered by kite making materials. All of these kites are made by hand in a traditional manner that requires 10 and teamwork. When the festival comes and kites are in the sky, each team’s goal is to capture the other team’s kite by wrapping its rope around the rival’s rope. Once the initial maneuvering is done, brute strength 11 and it becomes a tug of war. The team whose rope snaps or kite drops loses the battling. The team whose rope stays 12 wins the game, but both kites usually end up destroyed.
To many, it is insane for an athlete to do a backflip while driving a 450-pound snowmobile. But for Caleb Moore and other freestyle snowmobilers, it's just another trick. Moore performed his failed stunt during the Winter X Games on January 24, 2013 and died a week later. The stunt was difficult but apparently doable. He had done it many times before. So what do we make of this?
By definition, “extreme" sports are difficult or dangerous, performed in a hazardous environment. The very essence of these sports is to push things as far as possible and then try to take them farther. Part of their massive appeal is that these sports constantly walk on the thin edge between brilliance and disaster. The fans, corporate sponsors, and especially the athletes know this. It's just a part of what they do, but the death of a 25-year-old isn't supposed to be the result of a sporting contest for our entertainment. In the 18-year history of ESPN's X Games, Moore was the first to die in competition.But why is my initial reaction, "Geez, I can't believe there have not been more.” I mean, really, who thinks someone can survive attempting a backflip on a 450-pound snowmobile? But one person does it, then another and the one after that until it ultimately becomes a routine trick. And then it is time to develop the next one that will be even more insane. I am not saying that the people involved with extreme sports trying to perform some seemly impossible stunt are not concerned with the utmost in safety standards. Maybe it's because these extreme sports haven't yet reached their final frontier of possibility. However, I can't help wondering if they ever set the limit: How far should they push the envelope?
So I say it's insane when I see some teenager shoot 30 feet into the air out of a halfpipe to do twists and flips on a skateboard or a snowboard, or when I see some free climber risk a fatal drop just to reach a summit. And when they have turned what I had previously considered the impossible into the probable, I ask myself: “What will they try next? And how far will they go before somebody kills himself?”
What is most likely the purpose of this passage?
(A)
To voice the concern about the safety of extreme sports athletes.
(B)
To report on the death of the extreme sports athlete Caleb Moore.
(C)
To point out the edge between brilliance and disaster in extreme sports.
(D)
To question about the roles of extreme sports fans and corporate sponsors.
Beth and Tony are a couple who like to go mountain hiking. One day, they decided to do it again on a sunny day. But by the time they started the hike, it was already in the afternoon. Enjoying themselves all the way through, they both reached the top of the mountain before the sunset. Yet, instead of taking the same route, Beth suggested to take another trail down, and it turned out to be an unexplored one. The trail was rather hidden by the grass and trees. Not being able to see the road ahead most of the time, they slipped a couple of times.
They became nervous when it started to get dark, and had to hold on to each other tightly. Walking totally in the dark, they carefully watched over every step they made and moved even slower than they did before. Suddenly seeing a light, they began to walk faster. Eventually, they found their car in the lot. After driving back home safely, they made up their mind not to make any attempt for something unknown or uncertain.
What is the main reason for the delay when they went down the mountain?
(A)
They stayed too long watching the beautiful scenery.