It’s such a shame to lose a free throw. Playing in the court has pressure from the opponent, time, your teammates, the audience, and yourself. You have to shoot the ball despite all the pressures around. But with a free throw, you have the ball, no one will try to get it from you, and you have all the time to shoot the ball. But why is it that many players, even good shooters, miss most of their free throws? Maybe they need more practice or maybe they need to apply more ways to improve their free throw.
Improve your player or your free throwing skills by following the tips below:
Make it personal. The truth is, there is no rule on how one should handle and throw the ball in a free throw. What matters is that the player should shoot the ball from the free throw line no matter how he does it. So when trying to improve your free throw shooting, better stick to what works the best for you. Do not copy other people’s techniques. Make it your own and leave those techniques as theirs.
Formulate (公式化) a repetitive way of shooting the ball. A free throw should be personalized. But it should also be repetitive. You should be able to repeat your free throw techniques whether you are in your court or in another court, whether you are energized or tired. You can’t say you have a personal free throw technique if you can’t repeat it over and over again.
Shoot at the same position and distance for every free throw. Basketball courts may be located in different places or maybe marked with different paint colors. But all of these courts maintain the same distance from the ring to the free throw line. Familiarize your perfect position when making your free throws. That should help you do your perfect throw.Why do so many players fail to make a successful free throw?
| A．Because they don’t have any special skills. |
| B．Because they are lacking in practice and tips. |
| C．Because they are not so familiar with rules. |
| D．Because many of them are green hands. |
What can you do if you want to be a wonderful free thrower?
| A．Learn from others. |
| B．Form your own throwing skills. |
| C．Keep active in the court. |
| D．Learn to throw in different locations. |
The underlined word “ring” in the last paragraph may most probably mean “________”.
| A．sound | B．basket | C．ball | D．group |
Which of the following might serve as the best title of the above passage?
| A．How to play basketball successfully in the court. |
| B．How to improve your basketball throw skills. |
| C．How to gain more points in throwing. |
| D．How to improve your basketball free throwing. |
He was an old man who fished alone in a boat in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish．hi the first forty days a boy had been with him．But after tony days without a fish the boy's parents had told him that the old man was now definitely salao and he finally would be so．The boy had gone at their orders in another boat which caught three good fish the first week．It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or the gaff （鱼钩） and harpoon （鱼叉） and the sail that was rolled around the mast （桅杆）．The sail was patched with flour bags and, rolled, it looked like tneflag of permanent defeat．
The old man was very thin with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck．The brown blotches（斑点）of the skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks．The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords．But none of these scars were fresh．They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert．Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated．
"Santiago," the boy said to him as they climbed the bank from where the boat was pulled up．"I could go with you again．We've made some money．" The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him．
"No," the old man said．"You're with a lucky boat．Stay with them."
"But remember how you went eighty-seven days without fish and then we caught big ones every day for three weeks．"
"I remember," the old man said．"I know you did not leave me because you doubted．"
"It was papa who made me leave．I am a boy and I must obey him．"
"I know," the old man said．"It is quite normal．"
"He hasn't much faith．"
"No," the old man said．"But we have．Haven't we?"
"Yes," the boy said．"Can I offer you a beer on the Terrace and then we'll take the stuff home．"
"Why not?" said the old man, "between fishermen．"
55．The underlined word "salao" in the first paragraph probably means ____．
A．lonely B．unlucky C．selfish D．stubborn
56．The boy left the old man and went in another boat to fish because ____．
A．the old man preferred to fish alone
B．the old man was poor
C．the boy's parents ordered him to
D．the old man's sail suggested a permanent defeat
57．After reading this passage, we may safely conclude that ____．
A．the old man was insistent and not afraid of failure
B．the boy's papa had confidence in everything
C．the old man caught big fishes during eighty-seven days
D．the boy obeyed his father because he had some doubts about the old man
58．What might happen after the last paragraph?
A．The old man and the boy might go to fish with other fishermen．
B．The old man might go to have a drink with the boy．
C．The old man and the boy might go to enjoy beer at the old man's home．
D．The old man might go to tell the boy's papa about the secrets between fishermen．
第三部分阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Too often we accuse others of not listening, pretending that we ourselves are faultless, yet in our hearts we know that many of the mistakes we make come about because we haven't listened carefully enough．We get things wrong because we haven't listened carefully enough．We get things wrong because we haven't quite understood what someone meant when they were talking to us．Anyone who has ever taken the minutes of a long meeting will know how hard it is to remember—despite the benefit of notes—exactly what everyone said．But success depends on getting things right—and that means listening．
Listening is not the same thing as hearing; it is not an effort actively．It demands attention and concentration．It may mean quizzing the speaker for additional information or for clarification—it is always better to ask than to continue regardless and get things wrong．However, if you allow your mind to wander onto something else, even for a few minutes, you'll miss what the speaker is saying—probably at the very moment when he or she is saying something critical．And not having heard, you won't know you've missed anything until it's too late．
The most common bad habit we have is to start thinking of what we are going to say about the subject long before the other speaker has finished．We then stop listening．Even worse, this often addsrudeness to inattentiveness, as once you have decided what to say there is a fair chance you will interrupt to say it．Good listeners don't interrupt, hi fact it is often worth explaining the main idea of what you have just been told before going on to make your own points．Nobody is offended by this and it shows that you have listened well．
Above all, be patient and accept that many people are not very good communicators．It's helpful to remember that the ways people move and position themselves while they are speaking can reveal a great deal about what they are saying．Equally important you should put yourself in the other person's place, both intellectually and emotionally; it will help you to understand what they are getting at and form a response．But don't be too clever．Faced with a know-all, many people keep quiet because they see no point in continuing．
51．Which is the best title for this passage?
A．Don't be too clever B．Be a good listener
C．Don't miss anything critical D．Think of the speaker
52．In the last paragraph, the underlined sentence"…what they are getting at…" means ____．
A．what they imply B．what they like．
C．what they attack - D．what they achieve
53．According to the passage, which of the following is the writer's opinion?
A．If you want to be a good listener, you should be very clever and emotional．
B．Speakers won't continue talking when their listeners explain what they've heard．
C．If you don't want to get things wrong, it's important to be a good listener．
D．It's hard to be a good listener because listening tests you on your intelligence．
54．What is the lesson we can learn from this passage?
A．Don't accuse others of not listening while talking with them．
B．Don't get anything wrong if you miss what the speaker is saying．
C．Listening inattentively may cost you the loss of your success．
D．Think carefully of what you're going to say before the speaker finishes．
Napoleon, as a character in Tolstoy’s War and Peace, is more than once described as having “fat little hands.’’ Nor does he “sit well or firmly on the horse.’’ He is said to be “undersized.’’ with“short legs’’ and a “round stomach”. The issue here is not the accuracy of Tolstoy’s description — it seems not that far off from historical accounts but his choice of facts：Other things that could be said of the man are not said. We are meant to understand the difference of a warring commander in the body of a fat little Frenchman. Tolstoy’s Napoleon could be any man wandering in the streets and putting a little of powdered tobacco up his nose — and that is the point.
It is a way the novelist uses to show the moral nature of a character. And it turns out that, as Tolstoy has it, Napoleon is a crazy man. In a scene in Book Three of War and Peace, the wars having reached the critical year of 1812, Napoleon receives a representative from the Tsar(沙皇), who has come with peace terms. Napoleon is very angry：Doesn’t he have more army? He, not the Tsar, is the one to make the terms. He will destroy all of Europe if his army is stopped. “That is what you will have gained by engaging me in the war!” he shouts. And then, Tolstoy writes, Napoleon “walked silently several times up and down the room, his fat shoulders moving quickly.’’
Still later, after reviewing his army amid cheering crowds, Napoleon invites the shaken Russian to dinner. “He raised his hand to the Russian’s … face,” Tolstoy writes, and “taking him by the ear pulled it gently ….” To have one’s ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the greatest honor and mark of favor at the French court. “Well, well, why don’t you say anything?’’ said he, as if it was ridiculous in his presence to respect any one but himself, Napoleon.
Tolstoy did his research, but the composition is his own.
51. Tolstoy’s description of Napoleon in War and Peace is ____ _______ ____.
A. far from the historical facts B. based on the Russian history
C. based on his selection of facts D. not related to historical details
52. Napoleon was angry when receiving the Russian representative because _________.
A. he thought he should be the one to make the peace terms
B. the Tsar's peace terms were hard to accept
C. the Russians stopped his military movement
D. he didn’t have any more army to fight with
53. What did Napoleon expect the Russian representative to do?
A. To walk out of the room in anger. B. To show agreement with him.
C. To say something about the Tsar. D. To express his admiration.
54. Tolstoy intended to present Napoleon as a man who is _____ ______ ____.
A. ill-mannered in dealing with foreign guests
B. fond of showing off his iron will
C. determined in destroying all of Europe
D. crazy for power and respect
55. What does the last sentence of the passage imply?
A. A writer doesn’t have to be faithful to his findings.
B. A writer may write about a hero in his own way.
C. A writer may not be responsible for what he writes.
D. A writer has hardly any freedom to show his feelings.
Sometimes you’ll hear people say that you can’t love others until you love yourself. Sometimes you’ll hear people say that you can’t expect someone else to love you until you love yourself. Either way, you’ve got to love yourself first and this can be tricky. Sure we all know that we’re the apple of our parents’ eyes, and that our Grandmas think we’re great talents and our Uncle Roberts think that we will go to the Olympics. But sometimes it’s a lot harder to think such nice thoughts about ourselves. If you find that believing in yourself is a challenge, it is time you build a positive self-image and learn to love yourself.
Self-image is your own mind’s picture of yourself. This image includes the way you look, the way you act, the way you talk and the way you think. Interestingly, our self-images are often quite different from the images others hold about US. Unfortunately, most of these images are more negative than they should be. Thus changing the way you think about yourself is the key to changing your self-image and your whole world.
The best way to defeat a passive self-image is to step back and decide to stress your successes. That is, make a list if you need to, but write down all of the great things you do every day. Don’t allow doubts to occur in it.
It very well might be that you are experiencing a negative self-image because you can’t move past one flaw or weakness that you see about yourself. Well, roll up your sleeves and make a change of it as your primary task. If you think you’re silly because you aren’t good at math, find a tutor. If you think you’re weak because you can’t run a mile, get to the track and practice. If you think you’re dull because you don’t wear the latest trends, buy a few new clothes. But remember, just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true.
The best way to get rid of a negative self-image is to realize that your image is far from objective, and to actively convince yourself of your positive qualities. Changing the way you think and working on those you need to improve will go a long way towards promoting a positive self-image. When you can pat(拍) yourself on the back, you’ll know you’re well on your way. Good luck!
46. You need to build a positive self-image when you ___ _______ _ ___.
A. dare to challenge yourself B. feel it hard to change yourself
C. are unconfident about yourself D. have a high opinion of yourself
47. According to the passage, our self-images _____.
A. have positive effects B. are probably untrue
C. are often changeable D. have different functions
48. How should you change your self-image according to the passage?
A. To keep a different image of others. B. To make your life successful.
C. To understand your own world. D. To change the way you think.
49. What is the passage mainly about?
A. How to prepare for your success.
B. How to face challenges in your life.
C. How to build a positive self-image.
D. How to develop your good qualities.
50. Who are the intended readers of the passage?
A. Parents. B. Adolescents.
C. Educators. D. People in general.
Ⅲ 阅读 (共两节，满分40分)
第一节阅读理解 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，
并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Parents and kids today dress alike, listen to the same music, and are friends. Is this a good thing? Sometimes, when Mr. Ballmer and his 16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, listen to rock music together and talk about interests both enjoy, such as pop culture, he remembers his more distant relationship with his parents when he was a teenager.
“I would never have said to my mom, ‘Hey, the new Weezer album is really great. How do you like it?’” says Ballmer. “There was just a complete gap in taste.”
Music was not the only gulf. From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations, earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to move in separate orbits.
Today, the generation gap has not disappeared, but it is getting narrow in many families. Conversations on subjects such as sex and drugs would not have taken place a generation ago. Now they are comfortable and common. And parent-child activities, from shopping to sports, involve a feeling of trust and friendship that can continue int0 adulthood.
No wonder greeting cards today carry the message, “To my mother, my best friend.”
But family experts warn that the new equality can also result in less respect for parents. “There’s still a lot of strictness and authority on the part of parents out there, but there is a change happening,” says Kerrie, a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College. “In the middle of that change, there is a lot of confusion among parents.”
Family researchers offer a variety of reasons for these evolving roles and attitudes. They see the 1960s as a turning point. Great cultural changes led to more open communication and a more democratic process that encourages everyone to have a say.
“My parents were on the ‘before’ side of that change, but today’s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the ‘after’ side,” explains Mr. Ballmer. “It’s not something easily accomplished by parents these days, because life is more difficult to understand or deal with, but sharing interests does make it more fun to be a parent now.”
41. The underlined word gulf in Para.3 most probably means ___ ______.
A. interest B. Distance C. Difference D. separation
42. Which of the following shows that the generation gap is disappearing?
A. Parents help their children develop interests in more activities.
B. Parents put more trust in their children’s abilities.
C. Parents and children talk more about sex and drugs.
D. Parents share more interests with their children.
43. The change in today’s parent-child relationship is ____ _____.
A. more confusion among parents
B. new equality between parents and children
C.1ess respect for parents from children
D. more strictness and authority on the part of parents
44. By saying “today’s parents, the 40-year-olds, were on the ‘after’ side.” the author means that today’s parents ___ _____ ____ _ _ ___.
A. follow the trend of the change
B. can set a limit to the change
C. fail to take the change seriously
D. have little difficulty adjusting to the change
45. The purpose of the passage is to ____ ___ _____ ____.
A. describe the difficulties today’s parents have met with
B. discuss the development of the parent-child relationship
C. suggest the ways to handle the parent-child relationship
D. compare today’s parent-child relationship with that in the past