A Leap(跳跃) to Honor
Leaping on a narrow balance beam(平衡木) is not easy. But Lola Walter, a 13yearold 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 toplevel 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 other 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
“Mum, can I invite my classmate Brett over to stay tomorrow night, please? It’s Friday, and we don’t have any ___.Can I, please?” Mum was sitting at the kitchen table. Dad was ___next to her, resting his head on his arms. Mum could ___that James wanted so badly to have his friend over.
“I’m so sorry, James,” she said.
“I’m never allowed to have friends come to the house? Why, Mum?” James asked sadly, almost in ___.
“I know it’s ___ for you,” Mum said softly. “But I’m just worried other people might think we’re a little… strange. And then they would make fun of you.”
“No, they wouldn’t, Mum,” James protested. “We’re not ___ at all. We’re just ordinary people.”
Mum sighed heavily. “To tell you the truth, James, my neck has been so painful that it’s given me a heavy ___. And your poor father –he doesn’t feel ___. He really needs a rest.”
“I can help, Mum!” James said. “___ I can make you and Dad feel better, can Brett come over? Please?”
“Well…”Mum began.
“Great! Thanks Mum!” James almost shouted. “Just sit there, don’t move.” He rushed over to the kitchen drawer and ___ what he needed –two spanners. “Hang on, Mum,” he said. “This won’t take a second.” After some ___, James was finished. With a smile of ___ on his face he said, “There! How does that feel?” “Oh, James,” Mum said. “That’s a much better! How did you do it?”
“Easy,” James said ___.” Dad had tightened your neck bolts (螺栓) too much! I just___ them slightly! I learned that in robotic science at school.”
“What about you father? Can you ___ him?” asked Mum.
“I’ll try,” James replied. He ___ up Dad’s hair at the back of his neck. and plugged the electric wire into Dad’s head. Then he turned the ___on. Dad opened his eyes and ___ immediately. “He just let his ___run too low, that’s all,” James said, “Shall I tell Brett to come over straight after school tomorrow?”
“I guess so,” replied Mum. “Your friends will just have to ___ that we are a very unusual family. Thanks, son!”
A．chance B．message C．homework D．difficulty
A．asleep B．reading C．alone D．standing
A．explain B．see C．agree D．doubt
A．terror B．tears C．surprise D．silence
A．fair B．easy C．good D．hard
A．strange B．normal C．popular D．anxious
A．headache B．loss C．task D．day
A．ill B．funny C．sorry D．well
A．As B．If C．Since D．Before
A．kept B．controlled C．found D．returned
A．requests B．thoughts C．repairs D．instructions
A．sympathy B．satisfaction C．bitterness D．politeness
A．embarrassedly B．gratefully C．impatiently D．proudly
A．adjusted B．collected C．produced D．covered
A．greet B．accompany C．help D．ask
A．lifted B．caught C．gave D．filled
A．television B．power C．light D．gas
A．grew up B．lay down C．broke down D．sat up
A．food B．temperature C．battery D．blood
A．prove B．expect C．suspect D．accept
Dale Carnegie rose from the unknown of a Missouri farm to international fame because he found a way to fill a universal human need.
It was a need that he firstback in 1906 when young Dale was a junior at State Teachers College in Warrensburg. To get an, he was struggling against many difficulties. His family was poor. His Dad couldn't afford theat college, so Dale had to ride horseback 12 miles to attend classes. Study had to be donehis farm-work routines. He withdrew from many school activitieshe didn't have the time or the. He had only one good suit. He triedthe football team, but the coach turned him down for being too. During this period Dale was slowlyan inferiority complex (自卑感), which his mother knew couldhim from achieving his real potential. Shethat Dale join the debating team, believing thatin speaking could give him the confidence and recognition that he needed.
Dale took his mother's advice, tried desperately and after several attemptsmade it. This proved to be apoint in his life. Speaking before groups did help him gain thehe needed. By the time Dale was a senior, he had won every top honor in. Now other students were coming to him for coaching and they,, were winning contests.
Out of this early struggle tohis feelings of inferiority, Dale came to understand that the ability toan idea to an audience builds a person's confidence. And,it, Dale knew he could do anything he wanted to do-and so could others.
| 1． |
|
| 2． |
|
| 3． |
|
| 4． |
|
| 5． |
|
| 6． |
|
| 7． |
|
| 8． |
|
| 9． |
|
| 10． |
|
| 11． |
|
| 12． |
|
| 13． |
|
| 14． |
|
| 15． |
|
| 16． |
|
| 17． |
|
| 18． |
|
| 19． |
|
| 20． |
|
The summer before I went off to college, Mom stood me in her usual spot behind the ironing board (烫衣板)and said, "Pay attention: I'm going to teach you to iron."
Mom clearly explained her1for this lesson. I was going to be2and needed to learn this vital skill. Also, I would be meeting new people, and properly ironed clothes would help me make a good3."Learn to iron a shirt," Mom said, "and you can iron anything."
But ironing shirts was not4work. It didn't make use of long muscles we used to throw a baseball，and it wasn't a5operation like ice-skating. Ironing was like driving a car on a street that has a stop sign every 10 feet, Moreover, an iron produced steam and it carried an element of6.If you touched the wrong part of it, you'd get burnt. If you forgot to turn it off when you7,you might bum down the house.
As for technique, Mom8me to begin with the flat spaces outward, always pushing the iron forward into wrinkled (有褶皱的）parts. Collars had to be done right. Mom said they were close to your face, where everyone would9them.
Over the years, I've learned to iron shirts skillfully, which gives me a sense of10Whatever failures I suffer in my life, an ironed shirt tells me I am good at something.11,through ironing I've learned the method for solving even the most troublesome problems. "12wrinkles one at a time," as Mom might have said, "and before long everything will get ironed out."
| 1． |
|
| 2． |
|
| 3． |
|
| 4． |
|
| 5． |
|
| 6． |
|
| 7． |
|
| 8． |
|
| 9． |
|
| 10． |
|
| 11． |
|
| 12． |
|
When our restaurant business failed，we headed north in a camping truck to Texas，hoping to have a "fresh start".
At the1of Palo Duro Canyon (峡谷）State Park，I2a job advertisement hiring park hosts. The position offered a3，permanent campsite in the park, and4,the hosts served as a link between the park's guests and the rangers (护林人). It was the perfect solution: a rent-free place to reorganize our lives. We entered the park and I made an5for the following day.
The park was6, so it took us some time to find an available site. That evening, as we finished our dinner, my wife saw two large skunks (臭鼠由）walking toward our table. We7climbed onto the table and, for the next four hours, waited for them to8our camp.
Having survived that night, we were9that everything else would be all right. The next day we met with the people who ran the park. They explained our10and gave us a beautiful campsite.
That evening,11, we learned about the canyon12. They were strong and cold, rocking our little camping truck violently，and we lay13in the dark until the winds died away.
14the weeks that followed, we learned to survive in our truck and15the little money my wife16by substitute teaching. Building a successful business and then losing it had left very little time for building a successful17For a time after our business18I thought I might lose my family as well.
Living in the tiny19with no television, we sat close together reading and talking. One evening, standing under a jeweled sky，I found myself20for all the hardships. We had walked the trails and climbed the canyon walls. We had become a family!
| 1． |
|
| 2． |
|
| 3． |
|
| 4． |
|
| 5． |
|
| 6． |
|
| 7． |
|
| 8． |
|
| 9． |
|
| 10． |
|
| 11． |
|
| 12． |
|
| 13． |
|
| 14． |
|
| 15． |
|
| 16． |
|
| 17． |
|
| 18． |
|
| 19． |
|
| 20． |
|
Joe Simpson and Simon Yates were the first people to climb the West Face of the Siula Grande in the Andes mountains. They reached the top1, but on their way back conditions were very2. Joe fell and broke his leg. They both knew that if Simon3alone, he would probably get back4. But Simon decided to risk his5and try to lower Joe down the mountain on a rope（绳）.
As they6down, the weather got worse. Then another7occurred. They couldn't see or hear each other and,8, Simon lowered his friend over the edge of a precipice（峭壁）. It was9for Joe to climb back or for Simon to pull him up. Joe's10was pulling Simon slowly towards the precipice.11, after more than an hour in the dark and the icy cold, Simon had to12. In tears, he cut the rope. Joe13into a large crevasse（裂缝）in the ice below. He had no food or water and he was in terrible pain. He couldn't walk, but he14to get out of the crevasse and started to15towards their camp, nearly ten kilometers16.
Simon had17the camp at the foot of the mountain. He thought that Joe must be18, but he didn't want to leave19. Three days later, in the middle of the night, he heard Joe's voice. He couldn't20it. Joe was there, a few meters from their tent, still alive.
| 1． |
|
| 2． |
|
| 3． |
|
| 4． |
|
| 5． |
|
| 6． |
|
| 7． |
|
| 8． |
|
| 9． |
|
| 10． |
|
| 11． |
|
| 12． |
|
| 13． |
|
| 14． |
|
| 15． |
|
| 16． |
|
| 17． |
|
| 18． |
|
| 19． |
|
| 20． |
|