How Much Higher? How Much Faster? — Limits To Human Sporting Performance Are Not Yet In Sight — — IELTS Reading Answers

Modern official athletic records date from about 1900.

“Since the early years of the twentieth century, when the International Athletic Federation began keeping records”

Records began 'in the early years of the twentieth century' when the International Athletic Federation started keeping them, so about 1900 is accurate.

There was little improvement in athletic performance before the twentieth century.

“Since the early years of the twentieth century, when the International Athletic Federation began keeping records, there has been a steady improvement in how fast athletes run, how high they jump and how far they are able to hurl massive objects, themselves included, through space”

The passage describes steady improvement since record-keeping began, but never assesses performance before the twentieth century.

Performance has improved most greatly in events requiring an intensive burst of energy.

“For the so-called power events – that require a relatively brief, explosive release of energy, like the 100-metre sprint and the long jump – times and distances have improved ten to twenty per cent. In the endurance events the results have been more dramatic”

Power events improved 'ten to twenty per cent', but 'in the endurance events the results have been more dramatic', so power events improved least.

Improvements in athletic performance can be fully explained by genetics.

“No one theory can explain improvements in performance, but the most important factor has been genetics”

The text says 'no one theory can explain improvements', with genetics merely 'the most important factor', so genetics alone is insufficient.

The parents of top athletes have often been successful athletes themselves.

“'The athlete must choose his parents carefully,' says Jesus Dapena, a sports scientist at Indiana University, invoking an oft-cited adage”

'The athlete must choose his parents carefully' is an adage about genetic inheritance, but no evidence about athletes' parents' own sporting success is given.

The growing international importance of athletics means that gifted athletes can be recognised at a younger age.

“with increasing global participation in athletics – and greater rewards to tempt athletes – it is more likely that individuals possessing the unique complement of genes for athletic performance can be identified early”

Increasing global participation and greater rewards make it 'more likely that individuals possessing the unique complement of genes ... can be identified early'.

“Yessis believes that U.S. runners, despite their impressive achievements, are 'running on their genetics'”

The gap needs what U.S. runners rely on: Yessis says they are 'running on their genetics', despite their achievements.

“Whereas most exercises are designed to build up strength or endurance, plyometrics focuses on increasing power – the rate at which an athlete can expend energy”

The gap needs what plyometrics increases: it focuses on 'increasing power — the rate at which an athlete can expend energy'.

“Few coaches, for instance, understand how deficiencies in trace minerals can lead to injuries”

The gap needs what trace-mineral deficiencies can cause: 'few coaches understand how deficiencies in trace minerals can lead to injuries'.

“Exactly what the limits are it's hard to say, but there will be increases even if only by hundredths of a second, as long as our training continues to improve”

Improvements will continue 'as long as our training continues to improve', so training is the limiting factor named.

Biomechanics films are proving particularly useful because they enable trainers to

1. Ahighlight areas for improvement in athletes.correct
2. Bassess the fitness levels of athletes.
3. Cselect top athletes.
4. Dpredict the success of athletes.

“A biomechanic films an athlete in action and then digitizes her performance, recording the motion of every joint and limb in three dimensions. By applying Newton's laws to these motions, 'we can say that this athlete's run is not fast enough;”

Films let biomechanics say 'this athlete's run is not fast enough' or 'not using his arms strongly enough', highlighting areas for improvement — option A.

Biomechanics specialists used theoretical models to

1. Asoften the Fosbury flop.
2. Bcreate the Fosbury flop.
3. Ccorrect the Fosbury flop.
4. Dexplain the Fosbury flop.correct

“That understanding took the later analysis of biomechanics specialists, who put their minds to comprehending something that was too complex and unorthodox ever to have been invented through their own mathematical simulations”

Biomechanics specialists applied analysis to 'comprehend' the Fosbury flop, which was too complex to have been invented through simulations — they explained it.

John S. Raglin believes our current knowledge of athletics is

1. Amistaken.
2. Bbasic.correct
3. Cdiverse.
4. Dtheoretical.

“So many variables enter into the equation, and our understanding in many cases is fundamental. We've got a long way to go”

Raglin says 'our understanding in many cases is fundamental' and 'we've got a long way to go', so knowledge is basic — option B.