Question

Two new studies suggest that modem running shoes could increase the risk of injuries to runners.

One study involved sixty-eight healthy young women and men who ran at least twenty-four kilometers a week. The runners were observed on a treadmill machine (跑步机). Sometimes they wore running shoes. Other times they ran barefoot.

Researchers from the JKM Technologies Company in Virginia, the University of Virginia and the University of Colorado did the study.

They found that running shoes create more stress that could damage knees, hips and ankle joints than running barefoot. They observed that the effect was even greater than the effect reported earlier for walking in high heels.

The study appeared in the official scientific journal of the American Academy of Physical Medicine.

The other study appeared in the journal Nature. It compared runners in the United States and Kenya. The researchers were from Harvard University in Massachusetts, Moi University in Kenya and the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

They divided the runners into three groups. One group had always run shoeless. Another group had always run with shoes. And the third group had changed to shoeless running.

Runners who wear shoes usually come down heel first. That puts great force on the back of the foot. But the study found that barefoot runners generally land on the front or middle of their foot. That way they ease into their landing and avoid striking their heel.

Harvard’s Daniel Lieberman led the study. He says the way most running shoes are designed may explain why those who wear them land on their heels. The heel of the shoe is bigger and heavier than other parts of the shoe, so it would seem more likely to come down first. Also, the heel generally has thick material under it to soften landings.

But the researchers do not suggest that runners immediately start running barefoot. They say it takes some training. And there can be risks, like running when your feet are too cold to feel if you get injured.

The study was partly supported by Vibram, which makes a kind of footwear that it says is like running barefoot. The findings have gotten a lot of attention. But the researchers say there are many problems in the way the press has reported in their paper. So they have tried to explain their findings on a Harvard Website.

1.What can we learn from the passage?

A. The way that we run by landing on the front or middle of our foot could avoid damaging our heel.

B. We should start running barefoot in no time.

C. Running in modem running shoes could have more serious effects than running in high heels.

D. We won’t be injured if we run barefoot.

2.How many organizations are involved in the two studies?

A. Three.    B. Four.

C. Five.    D. Six.

3.How did the researchers do the two studies?

A. By practising.    B. By comparing.

C. By questioning.    D. By reasoning.

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Walking in high heels could have fewer serious effects than running barefoot.

B. Two new discoveries encourage people to run in high heels.

C. Running in shoes is partly good to runners.

D. Two new studies prove running without shoes is beneficial to runners in most cases.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.D

【解析】文章主要阐述了两项研究的结果。两项新的研究显示，穿跑鞋对运动员的伤害会很大，而赤脚跑步能够减轻对膝盖、脚踝等的伤害。

1.细节理解题。根据倒数第四段“But the study found that barefoot runners generally land on the front or middle of their foot. That way they ease into their landing and avoid striking their heel.”可知，赤脚跑步的运动员，脚的前部或中部先落地，这样做会减轻落地时的冲击，不会伤到脚后跟，故选A。

2.细节理解题。由Researchers from the JKM Technologies Company in Virginia, the University of Virginia and the University of Colorado did the study.和The researchers were from Harvard University in Massachusetts, Moi University in Kenya and the University of Glasgow in Scotland.可知有六个机构参与了这两次研究，选D。

3.推理判断题。由Runners who wear shoes usually come down heel first. That puts great force on the back of the foot. But the study found that barefoot runners generally land on the front or middle of their foot. That way they ease into their landing and avoid striking their heel.可推断出研究人员通过比较进行研究，选B。

4.主旨大意题。文章主要阐述了两项研究的结果。两项新的研究显示，穿跑鞋对运动员的伤害会很大，而赤脚跑步能够减轻对膝盖、脚踝等的伤害，故选D。