After the Summer Olympics are over, when all the athletics have gone home and the television audience has switched off, another group of athletics and fans will arrive at the host city, and another competition will begin. These are the Paralympics, the games for athletes with a disability. But in Beijing in 2008, for the first time, one of the greatest Paralympics will not be taking part.
She is a British athlete by the name of Tanni Grey-Thormpson. Born with spine hifida (脊椎裂) which left her paralysed from the waist, Bown Tanni used a wheelchair from the age of 7. At first, she was not keen on sport, apart from horse-riding, which gave her a sense of freedom. But in her teens, she started taking sports more seriously. She tried swimming, basketball and tennis. Eventually she found athletics, and never looked back.
Indeed, Tanni’s athletic career took off. In 1984, when she was 15, she pulled off a surprise victory in the 100metres at the Junior National Wheelchair Games.
In 1988, Tanni went to her first Paralympic Games in Seoul. She won bronze in the 400 metres. Even greater success followed at the 1992 Barcelonn. Paralympics. Tanni won gold in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metres relay, setting two world records in the process. In the same year she achieved she first of her six London Wheelchair Marathon victories.
Tanni’s enduring success had been part motivation(动机), part preparation, “The training I do that enables me to be a good sprinter(短跑运动员) enables me to be good at a marathon too. I train 50 weeks of the year and that keeps me prepared for whatever distance I want to see…. I am still competing at a very high level, but as I get older things get harder and I want to retire before I fall apart.”
Indeed Tanni retired finally after the Visa Paralympic World Cup in 2007. Her wish is to coach young athletes for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
In spite of ups and downs, she never take her fate lying down. In her splendid life, she has won an amazing eleven gold medals, four silvers and one bronze in series of Paralympics- a top level athletic career covering two decades. She has won the London Wheelchair Marathon six times, more than any other competitor, and she has set over thirty world records.
What advice does she have for young athletes? “Work hard at your studies, and then train, train and train again.” Which of the following sports did Tanni like before thirteen?
A.Basketball | B.Swimming. |
C.Tennis. | D.Horse-riding. |
When did Tanni win her first Olympic gold medal?
A.In 1984. | B.In 1988. |
C.In 1992. | D.In 2007. |
The underlined word “that” in the 5th paragraph refers to _______.
A.fifty weeks’ training | B.being a good sprinter |
C.training almost every day | D.part motivation and part preparation |
What can we learn from Tanni’s success?
A.Union is strength. | B.Never too late to learn. |
C.Well begun is half done. | D.No pains, no gains.. |
Too many people wander through life like sleepwalkers.Each day they follow familiar routines,never asking,“What am I doing with my life?’’and they don’t know what they’re doing because they lack goals.
Goal-setting is a focusing of the will to move in a certain direction.Begin with a clear conception of what you want.Write down your goals and date them—putting them into words clarifies them.Rather than concentrating on objects to acquire and possess,focus on fulfilling your desires to do,to produce,to contribute—goal-setting that yields the true sense of satisfaction we all need.
It’s important to visualize(想象)yourself accomplishing your goal.While losers visualize the penalties(不利)of failure,winners visualize the rewards of success.I’ve seen it among athletes,statistics contrasting air and highway safety,but it made no difference.I had read too many articles describing crash scenes and imagined these scenes vividly.I had programmed myself,without realizing it,to stay off planes.
Then one summer I had the opportunity to fly on a private plane with friends to a resort;I didn’t want to miss out on a great vacation.So I spent two weeks imagining a smooth flight on a beautiful sunny day and an easy landing.
When the day arrived,I was eager to go.To everyone’s surprise,I got on the plane and I loved every minute of it,and I still use the techniques I employed that day.According to the passage,if you want to be successful,the first thing for you to do is.
A.find the right methods | B.be careful about everything |
C.know your ability | D.have a clear goal |
If you have a target,you will.
A.wander like a sleepwalker | B.know well what you are doing |
C.do the same work every day | D.put it into words |
The problem with the author before he overcame his fear of air travel is that.
A.he didn’t know air travel is safer than highway travel |
B.he couldn’t imagine himself accomplishing his goal |
C.he read too much about plane crashes and tried to avoid flying |
D.he wanted to take a private plane instead of a public one |
What would be the best title for this passage?
A.Define Your Coal |
B.Visualize Rewards of Success |
C.Overcome The Fear of Air Travel |
D.Sleepwalking Through Life |
By early Tuesday,the swine flu outbreak in Mexico had caused in 152 deaths and more than 1,600 illnesses.So far,at least 113 cases have been proved worldwide,including 64 in the United States;six in Canada;11 in New Zealand and two each in Spain the United Kingdom and Israel.None has yet resulted in death.
T'he World Health Organization on Monday raised its alert level from three to four on its six-level scale.The move means the U.N.agency has determined that the virus can transmit from human to human.
“In this age of global travel,where people move around in airplanes so quickly,there is no region to which this virus could not spread,”said Fukuda,assistant director-general of the WHO.
Governments around the world struggled to prevent further outbreak.Some,like China and Russia,banned pork imports from the United States and Mexico U.S.President Barack Obama said the outbreak was a cause for concern,not for alarm.The gov-ernment urged travelers to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico.
The latest WHO report listed only seven proved swine flu deaths in Mexico but it was not clear why there was the discrepency.
Mexico City has closed all schools until at least May 6 to help curb (contro1) the spread of swine flu and ordered 35,00 public venues to close or serve only take away meals.In addition,bars,clubs,movie theaters,pool halls,gyms,sport centers and convention halls have been told to close until May 5.Armed police officers are also guarding hospitals in Mexico City while roads and schools in the city of 20 million people are deserted.Officials also have talked about shutting down the bus and subway systems.When learning the outbreak of swine flu,the WHO was.
A.calm | B.nervous |
C.shocked | D.careful |
Fukuda’s words suggest that.
A.he likes travel by air |
B.global travel hasn’t been affected |
C.this virus can spread quickly because of global travel |
D.planes must be forbidden to take to prevent swine flu |
The last paragraph mainly tells us.
A.Mexico has taken measures to control swine flu |
B.Mexico City is too dangerous to live in |
C.the normal life in Mexico has been changed |
D.people in Mexico are badly in need of help |
Roskilde Festival(July)
The Danes love the outdoors and they love rock music;the Roskilde Festival is where they combine these passions for a weekend of drunken celebration.The four-day event is held about 30 minutes from the city completely,which means you can either go in for the full festival experience,or you can travel from the city to the festival each day.
There are also day tickets if you don’t have the power for the whole collection of facts.
Kulturnatt en(October)
For something a little more high brow there’s the Night of Culture.For one night only some 300 venues in the city stage theater performances,art exhibitions,concerts and poetry readings.
Father Christmas Congress(July)
One of the more bizarre fixtures in Copenhagen’s calendar,the event is held in July—the slow season for Santas—at the Bakken amusement park,some 20 minutes north of the city.The most interesting of the event is a procession of Santas from all over the world along Strget.Parents should be prepared for some embarrassed questions from the kids.
Tivoli Gardens(November/December)
These pleasure gardens make for a great day out any time of the year but to see them at their most attractive,visit from mid-November through December,when they are transformed into a fairy tale of lanterns and Christmas markets.There’s also outdoor skating,a Christmas entertainment and the very Danish‘Nissekbing’village,home to more than 100 mechanical fairies.If you are free in October,you can go to.
A.Roskilde Festival | B.Kulturnatten |
C.Father Christmas Congress | D.Tivoli Gardens |
Roskilde Festival is a festival.
A.where many famous singers in Denmark gather |
B.which is only held in the center of a city |
C.that lasts about half an hour per day |
D.that the Danas can enjoy |
How does the author think of the procession of Santas?
A.Astonishing | B.Funny |
C.Worth seeing | D.Full of encouragement |
The passage is probably written for.
A.guides | B.tourists |
C.businessmen | D.writers |
The next day I sat down,with almost a hundred other candidates,for the intelligence test.I must have done all right because after about half an hour’s wait I was sent into another room for a psychological test.This time there were only about fifty candidates.The interviewer sat at a desk.Candidates were signaled forward to occupy the seat opposite him when the previous occupant had been dismissed,after a greater or shorter time.Obviously the long interviews were the more successful ones.Some of the interviews were as short as five minutes.Mine was the only one that lasted a minute and a half.
I can remember the questions now:“Why did you leave your last job?”“Why did you leave your job before that?”“And the one before that?”I can’t recall my answers,except that they were short at first and grew progressively shorter.His closing statement,I thought,evealed(揭示)a lack of sensitivity which helped to explain why as a psychologist,he had risen no higher than the underground railway.“You’ve failed the psychological test and we are unable to offer you a position.”
Failing to get that job was my low point.Or so I thought,believing that the work was easy.Actually,such jobs—being a postman is another one I still desire—demand exactly the sort of elementary yet responsible awareness that the habitual dreamer is least qualified to give.But I was still far short of full self-understanding.I was also short of cash.The writer applied for the job chiefly because.
A.he wanted to work in the centre of London |
B.he could no longer afford to live without one |
C.he was not interested in any other available job |
D.he had received some suitable training |
The writer thought he was overqualified for the job because.
A.he often traveled underground |
B.he had written many poems |
C.he could deal with difficult situations |
D.he had worked in a company |
The length of his interview meant that.
A.he was not going to be offered the job |
B.he had not done well in the intelligence test |
C.he did not like the interviewer at all |
D.he had little work experience to talk about |
What does the writer realize now that he did not realize then?
A.How unpleasant ordinary jobs can be |
B.How difficult it is to be a poet |
C.How unsuitable he was for the job |
D.How badly he did in the interview |
What’s the writer’s opinion of the psychologist?
A.He was very aggressive |
B.He was unhappy with his job |
C.He was quite inefficient |
D.He was rather unsympathetic |
Back in 2003 I had a pet rabbit named Alaska.Due to the rules the landlord had set,he had to be kept in the basement(地下室).One night I went downstairs to feed him.Keep in mind I’ve always thought the basement was frightening.As I was facing his cage and putting the bowl of water inside,a big shadow appeared behind me,as if a big,tall man were standing behind me.I turned around and nobody was there,but I got the distinct(清晰的)feeling that I was being watched.I basically dropped the water bowl and ran upstairs shouting for my mom.Ever since then I can’t go down there alone.
Once I was trying to get to sleep,and I slept with the lights off.All of sudden I wanted to leave the room eagerly,but I couldn’t get out of my bed,I was too scared.The feeling of someone looking closely at me was so upset,I was physically afraid to move or breathe.I opened my curtains to let the street light in,thinking the light would help me feel better to move.That did nothing.I must have sat there on my bed for about fifteen minutes before I got up.I didn’t sleep in there that night.I’ve never felt anything so upset!
Then there are all the little things,like seeing things in the comer of my eye,hearing doors open or close when I’m home alone,and the feeling of being watched.Once when my sister wasn’t home(we share a room)I heard someone breathing from her bed and heard the sheets rustle(沙沙声).Last week,I felt someone patting me in the shoulder when I was alone in my room.Sometimes I’ll be looking something and I’ll see one or more contorted(扭曲的),angry faces.
I realize that when one is looking for something to happen they can make things happen or imagine it.These are the moments in which I know nothing was imagined,so I wanted to share them and get your opinions.Thanks so much.The writer to the text seems to.
A.tell us his strange experiences |
B.tell us what happens in his bedroom |
C.tell us an interesting story |
D.tell us what happens in his apartment |
Which of the following may be the reason why the writer is afraid to go to the basement?
A.Because his pet is dangerous. |
B.Because a big shadow may appear behind him. |
C.Because there is a big,tall man there. |
D.Because his landlord forbids him to go there. |
We can learn from the third paragraph that.
A.the writer slept with the lights on that night |
B.the street light helped the writer a lot |
C.he was too scared to get out of his bed at one time |
D.he didn’t sleep at all that night |
From the text,we can see the writer believes his experiences are .
A.real | B.not real |
C.creative | D.imaginative |