Read the article about Parkrun, an organisation that arranges running events in parks, and then answer the following questions. Parkrun organises free, timed five-kilometre runs in parks every weekend around the world. People can run, jog or even walk the route - the events aren't really about competing against others. For most people, speed is less important than taking part. While these runs clearly give people health benefits, building strong local communities is the top priority of the organisation. It all began when 13 friends in London decided to do a timed run together on 2nd October 2004. They took a stopwatch and a piece of paper to record their times. They enjoyed it so much - not just the physical exercise but the sense of doing an activity together - that it quickly became a weekly event and Parkrun, the organisation, was established. By 2006, the idea had spread to other towns and cities. In 2007, the number of runs reached nearly 25000, and Parkrun organised its first international event in Zimbabwe. There have now been over 30 million runs to date in over 1000 parks around the globe. Parkrun's simple registration process, which just involves completing a short online form, is one of the reasons the organisation has been able to grow so rapidly. Advance registration is essential if you want to get your official time after each run. You only need to do this once, then you can turn up to any run without ever needing to register again. You'll also be emailed Parkrun's weekly newsletter. You can even set up an event yourself - simply go to the Parkrun website and submit a proposal. You will then be sent a step-by-step guide with more details. Parkrun events are great for families. Children of all ages can take part and some are even carried all the way round by their parents. If children aged 4 and over want to have their time logged on the website, they must do the whole route on their own two feet. There are two-kilometre junior Parkrun events, designed specifically for children aged between 4 and 14. Children who complete this run are awarded a colourful wristband. Junior runners can run unaccompanied at these two-kilometre events, but unless they are at least 11 years old, children can only enter the main five-kilometre events if they are accompanied throughout by an adult. People who have never done a Parkun event before might expect that they have to attach a number to their running clothes or bring special equipment. This isn't the case. Whether you're planning to walk, jog or run, just remember to have some water with you. There are no strict rules - all you need to do is show the organisers the personal barcode you received when you registered online. Then, you can just turn up ready to run at any event - the organisers will take care of the rest. Parkrun events wouldn't be possible without the help of volunteers. They do everything: organising the local routes, recording the runners' times and posting the results online. The person who can give you more information about becoming a volunteer is your local Parkrun representative. To encourage more people to get involved, anyone who volunteers at 25 different events can receive a free gift and may even appear in the Parkrun newsletter. It's not only the volunteers' efforts that are recognised. Runners are given automatic membership to special clubs, for example the '10 club', on completion of 10 five-kilometre runs. Juniors are rewarded with a certificate after completing 11 two-kilometre runs. For the most devoted runners around the world who've managed to complete over 50 runs, there are limited-edition t -shirts available. 1 What is the main aim of the Parkrun organisation? 2 Where did the first Parkrun event take place? 3 When did the organisation start operating in more than one country? 4 What do people have to send to the organisation in order to arrange their own Parkrun event? 5 How must children complete a Parkrun event for their time to be officially recorded? 6 What is the minimum age for children to take part in a five-kilometre run on their own? 7 What do people need to take on the day of their run? Give two details. . 8 Who should people contact if they are interested in volunteering at a Parkrun event?

Answer:

1.(building) strong (local) communities
2.London
3.2007
4.a proposal
5.on (their) own (two) feet
6.11 (years old)
7.Award 1 mark for each detail up to a maximum 2 marks: water
(personal) barcode
8.local (Parkrun) representative

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