阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
At the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, the favorite team in the four-man canoe race was the United States team. One member of that team was a young man by the name of Bill Havens.
As the time for the Olympics 36 it became clear that Bill’s wife would give birth to their first child about the time that the U.S. team would be 37 in the Paris games. In 1924 there were no jet airliners from Paris to the United States, only 38 ocean-going ships. And so Bill found himself in a 39 . Should he go to Paris and 40 not being at his wife’s side when their baby was born? Or should he 41 from the team and remain with his family?
Bill’s wife 42 that he go to Paris. 43 , competing in the Olympics was his life long 44 . But Bill felt 45 and, after much 46 searching decided to withdraw from the competition and remain home, where he could 47 his wife when the child arrived.
As it 48 , the United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal in Paris. And Bill’s wife was 49 in giving birth to their child. She was so late, 50 , that Bill could have competed in the event and returned home in time to be with her when she gave birth.
People said, “What a shame.” But Bill said he had no 51 . For the rest of his life, he believed he had made the 52 decision. Bill Havens knew what was most 53 to him. Not everybody figures that out. And he acted on what he believed was best. 54 everybody has the strength of character to say no to something he or she truly wants in order to say yes to something that truly 55 . But for Bill, it was the only way to peace; the only way to no regrets.
A．neared B．started C．ended D．narrowed
A．practising B．competing C．entering D．trying
A．expensive B．heavy C．large D．slow
A．hurry B．puzzle C．dilemma D．trouble
A．avoid B．risk C．bear D．missed
A．break B．keep C．wander D．withdraw
A．complained B．preferred C．insisted D．promised
A．After all B．Above all C．In all D．At all
A．purpose B．struggle C．opportunity D．dream
A．disappointed B．conflicted C．confused D．encouraged
A．memory B．decision C．soul D．peace
A．support B．watch C．comfort D．raise
A．fed back B．pointed out C．came out D．turned out
A．effortless B．sorry C．late D．hard
A．at last B．in fact C．without doubt D．in brief
A．pains B．sufferings C．defeats D．regrets
A．better B．bigger C．worse D．more
A．obvious B．true C．important D．close
A．Almost B．Certainly C．Surely D．Not
A．1asts B．matters C．works D．rewards
There is a story told about how Neil set about winning over one particular boy. The boy was always causing trouble and clearly regarded all teachers a hostile eye. On one occasion, Neil, out taking a
had just rounded a comer when he came across the boy playing on his own. The boy, not noticing he was no longer
，picked up a stone and threw it through one of the school windows. Turning, he saw Neil. Instead of finding himself
at angrily as he expected, the boy was
to see Neil bend down, pick up a stone and hurl it at another window. The boy had to
—to get the window repaired, so did Neil.
he thought this a small price to pay for
a bond between himself and the boy, whose
improved afterwards，
Neil was a remarkable character who knew just when to beand just when to adopt a lighter touch when handling children. Not everyone is so
. Willie Russell, the
，likes to talk about the time when he had freshly
from teacher training college and had just begun to work as a teacher. On his first day at the school he was left to do playground duty on his own, rather a( n)
experience for one so new to the job. Surrounded by children at morning break, he turned to see one of the children thro-wing a stone at a school window. When the boy saw that he had been
by a teacher, his face fell.
for this boy, Russell remembered the story about Neil. Stooping down he picked up a stone and propelled(投掷）it through another window. Turning to smile proudly at the boy, his satisfaction was suddenly shattered by the sound of dozens of windows being
by flying stones.
Unfortunately he had failed to take into account the difference between his and the one which Neil had faced, namely that he and the boy were not alone. It was at this point in his career that Russell decided that perhaps he was not quite cut out to be a teacher. Deciding after this that he was not suited to teaching he left to
playwriting. Most of his plays are very imaginative and
. A bit like this story,in fact.
A. by B. in C. with D. through
A. rest B. exam C. walk D. trip
A, seen B. alone C. lonely D. heard
A. shouted B. stared C. pointed D. come
A. excited B. surprised C. satisfied D. frightened
A. punishB. pay C. agree D. propose
A. As B.While C. Even if D. But
A. breaking B. making C. establishing D. showing
A. character B. behavior C. condition D. grades
A. still B. kind C. calm D. firm
A. humorous B. strange C. successful D. clever
A. student B. headmaster C, playwright D. teacher
A. graduated B. walked C. studied D. dismissed
A. exciting B. challenging C. surprising D. interesting
A. blamed B. stopped C. met D. spotted
A. Generally B. Fortunately C. Obviously D. Usually
A. hit B. knocked C. cleaned D. brushed
A. condition B. position C. situation D. occupation
A. pick up B. take up C. make up D. put up
A. funny B. serious C. realistic D. critical
You have probably heard of homing pigeons, which usually appeared in wars. From 3000 B. C. to the present, homing pigeons have as postmen. They have been especially useful for carrying messages
wars. The telegraph is not
to carry about. Sometimes only the little pigeon can take a message where it ought to go.
In 1870，when the Prussians surrounded the city of Paris, the city was cut off from all the means of communication. The people
many different ways of sending news. One way was to let go small balloons carrying mail.
of course, they only drifted (漂）
the wind carried them. Often they landed inside the enemy's lines. Even balloons large enough to carry a pilot could hardly be
controlled.
It was pigeons that in the end solved the . Homing pigeons were brought into the city. Soon they were carrying letters far and wide. The enemy brought
to catch pigeons, but the little postmen could fly faster than their
Strangely enough, pigeons played an important
during the war.
During the First World War every army unit had a group of pigeons . Many of them were
. Among them was an American pigeon with a French name Cher A mi, which meant " dear friend". A group of US soldiers were surrounded by the enemy. They had no food and no bullets. They nearly died of
. There was little hope for them. Cher Ami made his way
the bullets and succeeded. At once planes
to drop food and ammunition(军火）to them. With their strength
，the soldiers fought back to their own army and eot saved.
can pigeons carry the message? There were various methods. Usually the message is put into a little glass tube. The tube is tied to the leg or hidden under
or hung around the neck.
A. consideredB. servedC. regardedD. made
A. in favour of B. in need of C. duringD. in time of
A. easyB. difficultC. necessary D. important
A. presentB. pastC. usualD. ordinary
A. usedB. didC. triedD. managed
A. AndB. ThoughC. SinceD. But
A. whichB. thatC. to whichD. where
A. wellB. ratherC. onlyD. just
A. questionsB. situation C. problemD. thing
A. dogsB. soldiersC. planesD. hawks
A. enemiesB. postmenC. balloonsD. bullets
A. actionB. partC. ballD. game
A. trainedB. taughtC. boughtD. fed
A. killedB. soldC. honouredD. sent
A. the enemyB. hungerC. angerD. war
A. forB. toC. inD. through
A. landedB. found out C. set outD. set about
A. recoveredB. arrivedC. lostD. missing
A. WhyB. HowC. WhenD. Where
A. the headB. the bodyC. the footD. a wing
Once there was a very brilliant, creative and educated man. He gained much while traveling throughout the world. Unfortunately he lost his legs and left arm in a tragic accident, leaving only a finger and thumb on his right hand. He became so
that he was afraid he would spend his life
and would no longer be able to use his life in a(n)
way.
One day, he remembered how he had always loved getting He realized that he still had partial
of his right hand and could write with
. Then, he had an idea，"Why not write to other people who need encouragement?"
He where he could find those who could be encouraged if they read his letters. He thought of people in
. Many of them had hope of regaining their
Others would keep feeling depressed and remain putting away for the rest of their lives. He decided that he must try to
them. So he wrote to a prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied that writing to the prisoners would be
. However, it would be against prison rules for the prisoners to write back.
with the intention, the man began sending
messages of God's love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the
. He poured his heart and soul into his words，
his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith.
It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of any . Frequently, he felt discouraged, wondering if anyone
read his letters. However, this was his
chance, so he determined to continue.
At last, he received a letter from the prison officer, which said，“ Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell (小牢房)to cell until they almost fall to ！”We all have unique experiences, abilities and talents. We can discover ways to reach others in need of encouragement and strength.
A, wealth B. faith C. experience D. confidence
A. depressed B. embarrassed C. ashamed D. thrilled
A. writing B. suffering C. weeping D. wandering
A. abnormal B. regular C. comfortable D. meaningful
A. presents B. e-mails C. letters D. prizes
A. sense B. strength C. shape D. function
A. affection B. caution C. difficulty D. confidence
A. estimated B. doubted C, assumed D. wondered
A. hospitals B. churches C. prisons D. charities
A. families B. letters C. freedom D. conscience
A. release B. reach C. defend D. know
A. acceptable B. reasonable C. prohibited D. considerate
A. Faced B. Filled C. Satisfied D. Impressed
A. holy B. daily C. one-way D. round-way
A. point B. worst C. degree D. limit
A. sharing B, learning C. gaining D. enriching
A. success B. reply C. help D. progress
A. curiously B. patiently C. carefully D. actually
A. only B. better C. extra D. lost
A. ruin B. pieces C. the ground D. the bottom
My wife and I had just finished the 150-mile trip home from our daughter's college. It was the first time in our lives that we would for any length of time. We wondered how other people had it.
Later in bed, I the time I started college. My father had driven me, too. My mother had to stay home to keep the from getting into the crops, I，the fourth in a line of brothers, was the first to college.
The truck was slow, and I was glad. I didn't want to get to the city I shook hands with my father in the truck and he didn't say a word. But I knew he was going to make a little . He finally said，“ I never went to college and of your brothers did. I can't say don't do this or that, because everything is （9） and I don't know what is going to come up, but I think things will . When you get a job, be sure to be honest and work hard". I knew that soon I would be （11） in the big town and I would be the life home.
Then my father the Bible that he had read so often. I knew that he would miss it but I must it. He just said，" This can help you you will let it. "
When I finished school I took the Bible to my father. But he said he wanted me to it.
Now, too late, I remember, it would have been so to give it to my daughter when she got out of the car. But I didn't. My father could give me only a Bible, but I don't really believe now that I gave her half as as my father gave me. So the next morning I up the book and sent it to her. I wrote a note. "This can help you，" I said，" if you will let it，"
A．worry B．separate C．stay D．travel
A．left B．stood C．enjoyed D．tried
A．wasted B．spent C．remembered D．killed
A．policemen B．workers C．cattle D．them
A．graduate from B．go away to C．be dismissed from D．set up
A．very late B．far away C．too soon D．once again
A．speech B．living C．promise D．progress
A．some B．one C．none D．all
A．impossible B．different C．difficult D．favorite
A．work out B．die out C．hold out D．break out
A．happy B．alone C．free D．lost
A．losing B．spending C．missing D．living
A．brought about B．brought out C．brought up D．brought down
A．refuse B．mark C．follow D．take
A．if B．unless C．but D．though
A．down B．up C．back D．away
A．much B．many C．far D．good
A．set B．turned C．gave D．wrapped
While on a family canoe trip on the Fox River a few years ago, Grant and Colton Shepard were disturbed by what they saw in the water. " We were there to enjoy the ，" says Grant，11，"
—we saw a lot of litter (垃圾）. "
The brothers, who live in Riverside, Illinois, went home and took action. They the Illinois Department of Natural Re-sources，
to monitor local rivers and streams carefully. They
training workshops to become familiar with the organisms(微生物）that are found in local
.
Ever since, the two boys have been taking weekly from two rivers. They study them to make certain that the underwater ecosystem is
. Sometimes they find strange things. "We
discovered a big picnic table that had
underwater ！ " says Grant.
It's not just rivers that these kid volunteers . They have devoted themselves to keeping their environment
12balanced. "In the future, we're going to need more resources.
we protect them now, they won't be there for us. "says Colton，14.
Every year，their campaign for a cleaner world, the brothers
at least 100 days without using a car. Their purpose is to cut down on the
gases that cars give off into the air. The brothers have also been active in helping
Illinois' precious grassland. For the past two years, they have spent
one Saturday a month clearing away non-native plants from a100-acre rare oak (橡木)grassland. " The plants and bushes
our heritage because they prevent the old oaks from growing
，" says Grant.
A. gardenB. grassC. beautyD. trip
A. becauseB. soC. thoughD. but
A. contactedB. reminded C. informedD. interviewed
A. preparingB. offering C. advisingD. agreeing
A. producedB. provided C. attendedD. held
A. forestsB, lakesC. watersD. schools
A. wastesB. samples C. pollutersD. liquids
A. in orderB. in place C. in dangerD. in balance
A. neverB. oftenC. onceD. seldom
A. putB. deserted C. sunkD. left
A. pick outB. care about C. look outD. take over
A. slightlyB. regularly C. totallyD. finally
A. Even ifB. As long as C. BeforeD. Unless
A. for the purpose of B. as a result of
C. as part of D. as well as
A. walkB. runC. chooseD. go
A. extraB. harmfulC. uselessD. various
A. decorateB. ploughC. designD. restore
A. at leastB. in turnC. as usualD. at most
A. destroyB. threaten C. changeD. replace
A. rightlyB. nicelyC. properlyD. separately