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IELTS Reading

Mock 03 · Read the passage and answer all questions

Passage 1
Academic Reading

The origins of the marathon

AThe marathon takes its name from a battle fought near the Greek town of Marathon in 490 BCE. According to legend, a messenger ran from the battlefield to Athens to announce a Greek victory, then collapsed and died. The distance he supposedly covered inspired the modern race.

BWhen the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, a marathon was included in his honour. For years the distance varied, but it was finally fixed at 42.195 kilometres at the 1908 London Games, reportedly so the race could finish in front of the royal box. That distance remains the standard today.

1.The marathon is named after a Greek town.

2.The marathon distance was fixed at the very first modern Olympics.

3.The standard marathon distance was set at the Games held in:

4.According to legend, a ______ ran from the battlefield to Athens.