After ruling the tennis world for almost five years, Roger Federer is adjusting to life at NO.2. But, like any king whose throne(王冠) has been taken away, the Swiss star is already planning secretly his return to power, beginning at this week’s US Open.
The problem is, many experts think he will never do it. They blame everything from age and tough competition to his racket(球拍)and psychology.
For years Federer, 27, had enjoyed the view from the top. Competitors saw him as undefeated, and for the most part he was. However, before the 2008 season began, Federer had an illness that stole his strength and clearly affected his play on the court. Ever since, he has struggled to return to form, winning just two of his last 14 tournaments.
“Twenty-seven is an age when your body starts talking back to you.” tennis great John McEnroe told the New York Times.
Pancho Sefura, another tennis great, noted that Federer is also facing a maturing crop of young talents. “There are too many great players now,” he said, naming Britain’s Andy Murray, 21, and Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, 20.
US magazine Sports illustrated tennis columnist Jon Wertheim suggested that part of Federer’s problem could be his insistence on using a small racket. He says that the smaller head demands ball control. But we see time and again that racket makers try to get players to use a certain stick — one they would like to market to consumers and it has a negative effect on the professional game.
Sports psychologist Jim Loehr told the Times that Federer is probably feeling “a sense of doubt” after being considered as undefeated for so long. If Federer is to recover his state of being undefeated, Loehr said he must overcome his doubt. “Federer doesn’t need fame and money. But he has to get better. He has to go to a whole new level. That’s the only way he stays in the game,” he said.
As for beginning his first Grand Slam in ages as the NO.2 seed, Federer said it might be for the best. “Five years almost, I was expected to win every tournament I entered,” he said, “so maybe Rafael Nadal now feels what I had to feel for a very long time. It will be interesting to see how he handles it.”What does the underlined sentence “your body starts talking back to you” in Para.4 mean?
A.Your strength is beginning to decline. |
B.Your body often argues with you. |
C.You are more easily to have quite terrible diseases. |
D.You can do whatever you want. |
From the passage, we know the main reason why Federer’s throne was taken away is that _____.
A.he is facing a maturing crop of young talents. |
B.he insisted on using a small racket. |
C.he had an illness that stole his strength. |
D.he is becoming older and older. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A.the racket makers aim at the players’better performance in games. |
B.It is impossible for Federer to return to power. |
C.Federer has never won a Grand Slam before. |
D.Now it is Nadal who has replaced Federer as the No.1 tennis player. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Federer Hopes to Recover His Magic |
B.Federer — Always Undefeated |
C.Nadal — The No.1 Tennis Player |
D.State of Mind Plays an Important Role |
Cold weather can be hard on pets, just like it can be hard on people. Sometimes owners forget that their cats are just as used to the warm shelter (住所) as they are. Some owners will leave their animals outside for a long period of time, thinking that all animals are used to living outdoors. This can put their pets in danger of serious illness. There are things you can do to keep your animal warm and safe.
Keep your pets inside as much as you can when the weather is bad. If you have to take them out, stay outside with them. When you’re cold enough to go inside, they probably are too. If you must leave them outside for a long time, make sure they have a warm, solid shelter against the wind, thick bedding, and plenty of non-frozen water.
If left alone outside, dogs and cats can be very smart in their search for warm shelter. They can dig into snow banks or hide somewhere. Watch them closely when they are left outdoors, and provide them with shelter of good quality. Keep an eye on your pet’s water. Sometimes owners don’t realize that a water bowl has frozen and their pet can’t get anything to drink. Animals that don’t have clean and unfrozen water may drink dirty water outside, which may contain something unhealthy for them.What do we learn about pets from Paragraph 1?
A.They are often forgotten by their owners. |
B.They are used to living outdoors. |
C.They build their own shelter. |
D.They like to stay in warm places. |
Why are pet owners asked to stay with their pets when they are out in cold weather?
A.To know when to bring them inside. |
B.To keep them from eating bad food. |
C.To help them find shelters. |
D.To keep them company. |
If pets are left on their own outdoors in cold weather, they may ___.
A.run short of clean water |
B.dig deep holes for fun |
C.dirty the snow nearby |
D.get lost in the wild |
What is the purpose of this text?
A.To solve a problem. |
B.To give practical advice. |
C.To tell an interesting story. |
D.To present a research result. |
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids (孩子) to? Try some of these
places:
l Visit art museums. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids' interest. Many offer
workshops for making land-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings by children's
favorite writer, and even musical performances and other arts
l Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur(恐龙) models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.
l Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet(木偶)making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.
l Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums.If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit .
A.a Youtheater |
B.an art museum |
C.a natural history museum |
D.a hands-on science museum |
What can kids do at a Youtheater?
A.Look at rock collections. |
B.See dinosaur models. |
C.Watch puppet making. |
D.Give performances. |
What does "hands-on science" mean in the last paragraph?
A.Science games designed by kids. |
B.Learning science by doing things. |
C.A show of kids' science work. |
D.Reading science books. |
Where does this text probably come from?
A.A science textbook. |
B.A tourist map. |
C.A museum guide. |
D.A news report. |
Grown-ups are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but have never practiced ever since. A man who has not had a chance to go swimming for years can still swim as well as ever when he gets back in the water. He can get on a bicycle after many years and still ride away. He can play catch and hit a ball as well as his son. A mother who has not thought about the words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" or remember the story of Cinderella or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
One explanation is the law of overlearning, which can be stated as follows: Once we have learned something, additional learning trials(尝试) increase the length of time we will remember it.
In childhood we usually continue to practice such skills as swimming, bicycle riding, and playing baseball long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and remind ourselves of words such as "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and childhood tales such as Cinderella and Goldilocks. We not only learn but overlearn.
The multiplication tables(乘法口诀表) are an exception to the general rule that we forget rather quickly the things that we learn in school, because they are another of the things we overlearn in childhood.
The law of overlearning explains why cramming(突击学习)for an examination, though it may result in a passing grade, is not a satisfactory way to learn a college course. By cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is likely soon to forget almost everything he learned. A little overlearning, on the other hand, is really necessary for one's future development.
1. |
What is the main idea of paragraph 1?
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2. |
The author explains the law of overlearning by.
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3. |
According to the author, being able to use multiplication tables is.
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4. |
What does the word "they" in Paragraph 4 refer to?
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5. |
What is the author's opinion on cramming?
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Last night I was driving from Harrisburg to Lewisburg,distance of about eighty miles. It was late. Several times I got stuck behind a slow-moving truck on a narrow road with a solid white line on my left, and I became increasingly impatient.
At one point along an open road, I came to a crossing with a traffic light. I was alone on the road by now, but as I drove near the light, it turned red and I made a stop. I looked left, right and behind me. Nothing. Not a car, no suggestion of car lamps, but there I sat, waiting for the light to change, the only human being for at least a mile in any direction.
I started wondering why I refused to run the light I was not afraid of being caught, because there was clearly no policeman around, and there certainly would have been no danger in going through it.
Much later that night, the question of why I'd stopped for that light came back to me. I think Istopped because it's part of a contract(契约)we all have with each other. It's not only the law, but it is an agreement we have, and we trust each other to honor it: we don't go through red lights.
Trust is our first inclination(倾向).Doubting others does not seem to be natural to us. The whole construction of our society depends on mutual(相互)trust, not distrust. We do what we say we'll do; we show up when we say we'll show up; and we pay when we say we'll pay. We trust each other in these matters, and we're angry or disappointed with the person or organization that breaks the trust we have in them.
I was so proud of myself for stopping for the red light that night.
1. |
Why did the author get impatient while driving?
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2. |
What was the author's immediate action when the traffic light turned red?
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3. |
The event made the author strongly believe that.
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4. |
Why was the author proud of himself?
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About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studio(影棚)to take part in a crowd-scene. Although our "act" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.
We all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path. Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was
wheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in "snow". Two more fans were turned on, and a "strong wind" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.
The next scene was a complete contrast (对比). The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures in front taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen (幕). An actor and actress stood of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water’s edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!
Since it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film "stars"!Who is the author?
A.A cameraman. |
B.A film director. |
C.A crowd-scene actor. |
D.A workman for scene setting. |
What made the author feel cold?
A.The heavy snowfall. |
B.The man-made scene. |
C.The low temperature. |
D.The film being shown. |
What would happen in the "three minutes" mentioned in the last paragraph?
A.A new scene would be filmed. |
B.More stars would act in the film. |
C.The author would leave the studio. |
D.The next scene would be prepared. |