陳曉蓉

在貝加爾湖畔舉行的馬拉松是世界上最孤獨的馬拉松。2005年以來，每年3月，來自世界各地的人紛紛報名參加貝加爾湖冰上馬拉松。他們來這里探索湖泊的美，并在不可預知的條件下挑戰(zhàn)自己，測試自己的極限。

Many of us know about Russias Lake Baikal from our textbooks， or by listening to Chinese singer Li Jians hit song， Lake Baikal. But over the past decade， the worlds deepest freshwater lake has been in the spotlight for an extreme sport.

Each March since 2005， about 150 people from around the world sign up for the Baikal Ice Marathon. They come to explore the lakes breathtaking beauty and challenge themselves in unpredictable conditions.

The 26?mile（41.84?kilometer） journey starts on the lakes eastern shore. In March， the ice is a meter thick and iron?hard. Runners cross this frozen surface， finishing on the western side of the lake.

Known as the “Blue Eye of Siberia”， Lake Baikal has exceptionally clear waters. This means its ice is almost perfectly transparent. “Seen from the above， a runner on the ice looks as if he or she were jogging through space，” The New York Times noted.

The landscape might be beautiful， but its also harsh. Strong winds blast （向……猛吹） across the lake and frostbite can occur within half an hour. Runners say the cold climate is what draws them. They want to test their limits.

“When you are in such an environment， you dont have cars around you， you dont have the noise around. I think these extreme races allow you to be alone with nature，” Alicja Barahona， a 64?year?old runner from the US， told ABC News.

The location offers some strange and unique characteristics for this marathon. The finish line is visible from the start， but the endless white offers no progress markers. The race also ends with little fanfare （號角花彩）. Tourists crowding the ice are mostly addicted to snapping selfies （自拍） and just ignore the runners.

For some runners， the absence of spectators （觀眾） makes the race more challenging， because its lonely. They must fight with themselves. “You are alone on Baikal. It is your race. You are alone with yourself. All you need to do is defeat yourself，” Veronique Messina， a French runner， told The Telegraph.

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1. What can we know about the Baikal Ice Marathon from the text？

A. It requires runners to run from the northern end to the southern end of the lake.

B. It involves extreme weather and beautiful scenery.

C. It attracts more and more participants each year.

D. It is about 26 kilometers in length.

2. What does the underlined word “harsh” in Para. 5 probably mean？

A. Interesting. B. Mysterious. C. Severe. D. Safe.

3. How does the Baikal Ice Marathon differ from other marathons？

A. Only men are allowed to run in this race.

B. The runners can see the finish line from the start.

C. The runners are often distracted by tourists.

D. There are many progress markers on the ice.

4. What is the most challenging part of the race for Messina？

A. Loneliness.

B. The long distance.

C. The cold climate.

D. Noisy surroundings.