A Leap(跳跃)to Honor
Leaping on a narrow balance beam(平衡木) is not easy.But Lola Walter, a 13－year－old gymnast, is an expert at it.
To perfect her skills, Lola ____ for four hours a day, five days a week.At the state championships in March, she finished seventh out of 16 girls.
That's especially impressive，____she is legally blind, born with a rare condition that causes her eyes to shift(移动)constantly.She often sees double and can't ____ how far away things are.
When she was little, her mom ____ that even though she couldn't see ____ , she was fearless.So her mom signed her up for gymnastics when she was three.She loved the ____ right away and gymnastics became her favorite.
Though learning gymnastics has been more ___ for her than for some of her teammates, she has never quit.She doesn't let her ____ stop her from doing anything that she wants to.
She likes the determination it takes to do the sport.Her biggest ____ is the balance beam.Because she has double vision, she often sees two beams.She must use her sense of touch to help her during her routine.Sometimes she even closes her eyes.“You have to ____ your mind that it'll take you where you want to go，” says Lola.
To be a top－level gymnast, one must be brave.The beam is probably the most ____ for anyone because it's four inches wide.At the state competition, Lola didn't fall ___ the beam.In fact, she got an 8.1 out of 10——her highest score yet.
Lola doesn't want to be ____ differently from the other girls on her team.At competitions, the judges don't know about her vision ____.She doesn't tell them, because she doesn't think they need to know.Her mom is amazed by her ____ attitude.
Lola never thinks about ____.She is presently at level 7 while the highest is level 10 in gymnastics.Her ____ is to reach level 9.She says she wants to be a gymnastics coach to pass down what she's learned to other kids ____ she grows up.
Lola is____of all her hard work and success.She says it's helped her overcome problems in her life outside gymnastics too.Her ___ for others is “just believe in yourself”．
A．runs B．teaches C．trains D．dances
A．since B．unless C．after D．though
A．tell B．guess C．assume D．predict
A．suspected B．remembered C．imagined D．noticed
A．deeply B．well C．ahead D．closely
A．task B．sport C．event D．show
A．boring B．enjoyable C．difficult D．satisfactory
A．talent B．quality C．nature D．condition
A．doubt B．advantage C．challenge D．progress
A．examine B．express C．open D．trust
A．fearful B．harmful C．unfair D．inconvenient
A．to B．on C．off D．against
A．greeted B．treated C．served D．paid
A．pains B．stresses C．injuries D．problems
A．positive B．friendly C．flexible D．cautious
A．defending B．quitting C．winning D．bargaining
A．standard B．range C．view D．goal
A．until B．as C．when D．before
A．proud B．tired C．ashamed D．confident
A．plan B．advice C．reward D．responsibility
It was a bitter, cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man was waiting for a ride across the 36 . The wait seemed 37 .
At last he heard the slight, steady rhythm of approaching hooves (马蹄) coming along the frozen path. Anxiously, he 38 as several horsemen came around the bend (转角处). He let the first one 39 . Then another, and another. Finally, as the 40 rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue, the old man 41 the rider’s eye and said, “
Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn’t appear to be a passage way by 42 .”
The rider replied, “Sure.” Seeing the old man was unable to 43 his half-froz
en body from the ground, the horseman got down and helped the old man onto the h
orse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination.
As they neared the tiny but cozy (舒适的) cottage, the horseman’s 44 caused him to ask, “Sir, I notice that you let several other riders go by without making a(n) 45 to get a ride. Then I came up and you 46 asked me for a ride. I’m curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. 47 I had refused and left you there?”
The old man replied, “I’ve been 48 here for some time. I think I know people pretty good.” He continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no 49 for my situation. But when I looked into your eyes, 50 was evident. I knew, 51 , that your gentle spirit would 52 the opportunity to give me help in my time of 53 .”
Those heartwarming comments 54 the horseman deeply.
“I’m most grateful for what you have said,” he told the old man. “May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I 55 to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”
With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
| A．town | B．river | C．country | D．island |
| A．meaningless | B．useless | C．careless | D．endless |
| A．watched | B．asked | C．waved | D．approached |
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Some myths are stories told since ancient times to explain the causes for natural happenings. The Greek myth that explains why there are changes of 21 is about Demeter, the goddess of
the harvest. She had a daughter, Persephone, whom she loved very much. Hades, god of the underworld, fell in love with Persephone, and he asked Zeus, the22 of the gods, to give Persephone to him as his23 . Zeus did not want either to disappoint Hades or to upset Demeter, so he said he w
ould not agree to the marriage, but neither would he24 it. Hades, therefore, decided to take the girl without25 . When Persephone was picking flowers in the garden, he seized her and took her to the underworld. When Demeter26 what happened to Persephone, she became so27 that she caused all plants to28 . People were in 29 of starving. But Demeter was determined not to let crops grow30 her daughter
, Persephone, was returned to her.31 , still not wanting to disappoint Hades, decided upon a condition for Persephone's32 . She could go back to her mother if she had not 33 anything while she was in the underworld. Demeter34 it because she did not know that Persephone had eaten several pomegranate (石榴) seeds in the underworld. When Zeus35 this, he agreed that Persephone could spend part of the year with her36 , but he added that since she had eaten the seeds, she must spend part of the year in the underworld. And so it37 that when Persephone is in the underworld, Demeter is sad and therefore38 not let the crops grow. That is39 we have winter when plants do not grow. When Persephone returns, Demeter is40 , it is spring, and plants begin to grow again.
A．periods B．time C．seasons D．age
A．winner B．ruler C．advisor D．fighter
A．wife B．lover C．partner D．daughter
A．accept B．forgive C．admit D．forbid
A．arrangement B．warning C．permission D．reason
A．let out B．worked out C．thought out D．found out
A．excited B．angry C．tired D．serious
A．danger B．hope C．turn D．case
A．since B．until C．after D．when
A．Persephone B．Zeus C．Demeter D．Hades
A．return B．change C．marriage D．journey
A．stolen B．found C．eaten
A．understood B．refused C．doubted D．accepted
A．discovered B．studied C．forgot D．prepared
A．daughter B．mother C．god D．ruler
A．works B．remains C．happens D．starts
A．should B．can C．dare D．will
A．where B．because C．why D．how
A．happy B．friendly C．fresh D．nice
Elizabeth Clay decided to go home and spend the holiday with her parents．The next day she drove her old car home along the road． 36 she found she got a flat．The 22-year-old student 37 to stop her car by the side of the road in the winter night and opened the trunk．No 38 tyre （轮胎）.
At this time, a car 39 ．Paul and Diane told Clay to 40 them to a service station near their 41 ．They arrived to see that it had no suitable tyres to 42 with her car．“Follow us home,” said Paul.
The couple called around to find a tyre．No 43 ．They decided to let her use their own car．“Here,” Paul said, handing Clay a 44 of keys, “Take our car．We 45 be using it over the holiday.”
Clay was 46 ．“But I’m going all the way to South Carolina, and I’ll be gone for two weeks,” she 47 them.
“We know,” Paul said．“We’ll be 48 when you get back, so it’s easy for you to find us．Here’s our 49 if you need to get in touch with us.”
Unable to believe her eyes, Clay watched as the 50 put her luggage into their car and then sent her off．Two weeks later she 51 to find her old car cleaned inside and out with three new tyres and the radio 52 .
“Thank you so much,” she said．“How much do I 53 you?” “Oh, no,” Paul said, “we don’t want any money．It’s our 54 .” Clay realized that 55 it might have been their pleasure, it was now her duty to pass on their “do unto others” spirit.
A．Suddenly B．Finally C．Immediately D．Fortunately
A．afforded B．wanted C．allowed D．managed
A．spare B．free C．full D．empty
A．passed B．stopped C．paused D．started
A．help B．push C．take D．follow
A．garage B．house C．shop D．hotel
A．compare B．match C．go D．deal
A．way B．message C．money D．luck
A．set B．number C．pair D．chain
A．can’t B．shouldn’t C．mustn’t D．won’t
A．satisfied B．worried C．astonished D．disturbed
A．persuaded B．advised C．reminded D．promised
A．happy B．here C．away D．busy
A．number B．name C．notice D．visa
A．repairmen B．cleaners C．friends D．couple
A．shocked B．happened C．returned D．came
A．produced B．fixed C．tied D．rebuilt
A．owe B．lend C．give D．offer
A．wish B．job C．duty D．pleasure
A．until B．unless C．since D．while
There was a boy who was sent by his parents to a boarding school (寄宿学校). 36 being sent away, this boy was the 37 student in his class. He was at the top in every 38 always with high marks.
But the boy changed after 39 home and attending the boarding school. His grades started 40 . He hated being in a 41 . He was lonely all the time. And there were especially dark times when he 42 committing suicide (自杀). All of this was because he felt 43 and no one loved him.
His parents started 44 about the boy. But they even did not know what was 45with him. So his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and 46 him.
They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him some casual questions about his classes, teachers and 47 . After some time his dad said, “Do you know, son, why I am here today?”
The boy answered back, “To 48 my grades?”
“No, no,” his dad replied. “I am here to tell you that you are the most 49 person for me. I want to see you 50 . I don’t care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE.”
These words 51 the boy’s eyes to be filled with tears. He 52 his dad. They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time.
Now the boy had 53 he wanted. He knew there was someone on this earth who cared for him deeply. He 54 the world to someone. And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him 55 !
A．After B．Before C．When D．While
A．hardest B．naughtiest C．brightest D．dullest
A．exam B．activity C．game D．class
A．coming B．returning C．leaving D．reaching
A．rising B．increasing C．reducing D．dropping
A．group B．term C．company D．party
A．led to B．felt like C．thought back D．looked for
A．worthless B．careless C．concerned D．annoyed
A．caring B．turning C．worrying D．speaking
A．crazy B．true C．possible D．wrong
A．talk with B．listen to C．tell to D．care about
A．family B．friends C．study D．grades
A．realize B．analyze C．check D．test
A．outstanding B．important C．famous D．familiar
A．happy B．excellent C．interested D．satisfied
A．caused B．wanted C．encouraged D．forced
A．answered B．ignored C．hated D．hugged
A．nothing B．something C．everything D．anything
A．showed B．meant C．intended D．expressed
A．sad B．angry C．pleasant D．joyful
Learning experiences happen to us throughout our lives. Not long ago, I had one that I would like to __16__.
I was going to Marblehead with my sailboat team. The team was racing down the highway at 85 mph __17_ we realized we were __18_. Luckily, we saw a rest area ahead. I had a brand-new $20 bill. I was so __19_ because I had never had that kind of cash before. But spending it on __20__ seemed like throwing it away. We all rushed into the pizza line. __21__ I got a pizza and a drink, and walked to my table. About halfway through the meal, I __22_ I had not actually handed any money to the cashier. I had just __23__ out, and nobody had noticed. I felt terrible.
My conscience (良心) opened its mouth and swallowed me in one big bite. I couldn’t __24__ over it. I just couldn’t go back to the cashier and __25__ for my stolen pizza. I was so upset that I __26__ to give myself the pleasure of an ice cream for __27__ that someone would say, “Hey, Jeff, why not you use the change __28__ the pizza instead of that nice, new $20 bill?” I was not so __29__ of my cash now. For the next two years, whenever I was __30__ of the “pizza incident”, I would say to myself, “Don’t think about it…”
I have learned two things from this __31__. Maybe I was a fool for __32__ in to my conscience, and being too stupid to appreciate a __33__ pizza. But the real lesson is that even if you get away with what you have done, your conscience will __34__ up with you.
This reflects the saying, “Coward (懦夫) dies a thousand deaths, a hero dies one.” I was a coward and have felt terrible about that incident at least a thousand times. If I had been a “__35__” and gone back to pay for the pizza, I would have felt a little uncomfortable about it only one, or maybe twice.
A．say B．talk C．share D．explain
A．as B．while C．then D．when
A．lost B．tired C．hungry D．angry
A．excited B．eager C．glad D．anxious
A．rest B．food C．travel D．drink
A．Luckily B．Finally C．Immediately D．Actually
A．thought B．recognized C．noticed D．realized
A．walked B．left C．worked D．found
A．look B．get C．turn D．think
A．ask B．pay C．apologize D．send
A．refused B．wanted C．hoped D．meant
A．hope B．surprise C．anger D．fear
A．into B．with C．for D．from
A．sure B．upset C．proud D．pleased
A．warned B．reminded C．thought D．told
A．experience B．experiment C．story D．talking
A．turning B．talking C．handing D．giving
A．free B．cheap C．plain D．delicious
A．make B．wake C．catch D．put
A．coward B．fool C．loser D．hero