题目内容

I spent my childhood walking a fine line between being an energetic young boy and avoiding contact sports to protect my eyesight. I had lost the sight in one eye at the age of five, so instead of football, I put my energy into rowing and sailing. By the time I was 22, I was working towards rowing for my country.

Then, during a training session, I noticed my vision was unclear in my remaining eye. I had an operation and spent two weeks with bandages over my eyes. Sadly, it didn’t work, and the second operation two months later was also a failure. My world came crashing down. I had been flying high---- as well as my shining rowing career, I had been about to take my finals and get a job in the city. Now, as my fellow graduates celebrated their results, I lay in my childhood bedroom, angry. I would wake up in the morning and convince myself I could see a shadow, but I felt bitterly angry when I realized I couldn’t.

Previously, I had lots of assumptions about blind people, but now I joined their ranks. I had no choice but to change my attitude. I started to realize that my challenge was not about seeing but about creating a new life for myself. The simple pleasure of just sitting in a café and watching the world go by or even making eye contact with anyone is no longer possible. I had to rethink how to engage with the world. As much as I disliked the things of blindness---- white sticks, talking computers and guide dogs---- I welcomed these as the tools that would enable me to regain my independence. I moved out of my mum’s house and got a job in entertainment. I also started seeking out projects that would help me get out and mix with people. A big part of my identity has always been about the thrill of competing---- success and failure. I am excited when I am giving it my all, so I started to compete again, first in rowing and then in extreme physical challenges such as completing six marathons in seven days in Gobi desert. Filling my life with experiences helped to sweep the blindness to one side.

It took me 10 years really to deal with losing my sight. When I walked to the South Pole in 2009, the first blind person ever to go there, standing shoulder to shoulder with sighted people, I felt “normal” again.

But two years ago, my sense of “being normal” was challenged again. I was staying at a friend’s house when I fell out of a second-floor window onto the ground below. I have no idea how it happened---- I was just going to bed but ended up waking up in hospital. I hurt my brain, and my back in three places. I discovered that I couldn’t feel my legs. Doctors said that there was a 12-week period for sensation(知觉) to return, and when this came and went with no change in my legs, I began to despair.

I was due to get married, but on the day of our wedding my fiancée(未婚妻) was sitting by my bedside as I prepared for another operation to put metalwork in my back.

I’m still in a wheelchair, but I refuse to accept that my story ends here. I have got involved with a training program, which aims to redirect the nerve pathways in my legs through training. I’m now teaching myself to use sit-skis and a hand-powered bike. I’m sure how I’d manage emotionally without a sporting goal to drive myself forward. It has saved my life in a way. I may never win a gold medal, but that doesn’t stop me trying.

1.After the second operation, the writer __________________.

A. was full of confidence

B. found a job in the city

C. lost his sight completely

D. lay in bed sleeplessly

2.The challenge mentioned in Paragraph 3 refers to ________________.

A. building a new life

B. being unable to see any more

C. replacing the things for the blind

D. making eye contact with others

3.Having fallen out of a second-floor window, the writer felt despaired because _______________.

A. his fiancée broke away from him

B. he didn’t know how it took place

C. he might be unable to walk forever

D. he had to put metalwork in his back

4.We can learn from the passage that _________________.

A. the writer is a person who never gives up

B. the blindness has made the writer lose heart

C. winning a gold medal is impossible for the writer

D. the writer has never received any training in sports

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When a tornado hit the small town of Otwell, Indiana years ago, Kathryn Martin, 32, who lived 60 miles away in Evansville, couldn’t get the news out of her mind. “I kept thinking, ‘Those poor people. Somebody’s got to help them,’” she says. She knew firsthand what they were going through.

Six months earlier, a tornado had struck her town, taking the lives of her 2-year-old son, C.J. and her mother-in-law. “It was the most terrible experience of my life,” she says. “That grief will never go away, and it broke my heart to think about what these families were going through in Otwell.”

So Kathryn loaded her car with juice boxes, snacks and toys and drove to Otwell. She gave the items to the Red Cross, and as she was leaving, she saw a couple sorting through the ruins of their home while their children were watching. So Kathryn stopped and gave a few toys to the kids and played with them for a while. “The parents couldn’t thank me enough for what I did for their children,” she says.

On the drive back to Evansville, Kathryn came up with an idea to help more kids. She talked her family, friends and neighbors into joining her and spent the next few months organizing fundraisers. Finally, in August 2007, she showed C.J.’s Bus, a 35-foot school bus that was turned into a mobile playroom.

In the following years, stocked with video games and DVDs, toys, crafts, books and more, the bus traveled to disaster-torn towns, giving the children there a safe place to play. So far, C.J.’s bus has traveled to three states affected by tornadoes or floods, cheering up more than 756 children, aged 3-13.

1.When she heard that Otwell was hit by a tornado, Kathryn Martin__________.

A. felt it was the most terrible experience of her life

B. wanted to do something for the people there

C. was afraid that a tornado would strike her home

D. was extremely worried about her family members

2.What does the underlined word “grief” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A. Sadness B. Worry

C. Disaster D. Influence

3.What do we know about C.J.’s Bus?

A. It is a school bus that can take children to travel.

B. It is a bus giving homeless children a safe place

C. It travels to a place to offer help when a disaster hits it.

D. It is aimed at raising money for places affected by disasters.

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项,选项中有两项为多余选项。

According to statistics published by the University of Scranton, about 45 percent of Americans usually make New Year’s resolutions —— and the most popular resolution is losing weight. Of those who make resolutions, a mere 8 percent achieve them.

1. Are we just setting ourselves up for failure? Learn how to make realistic resolutions and how to overcome the roadblocks along the way.

Setting a resolution to lose pounds isn’t a goal that’s achievable now. It may be a good long-term goal. 2. Registered dietitian Elisa Zied says “To be real when you make a resolution. It’s okay to shoot for the stars like making a resolution, but why not set a smaller goal and train smart?”

The same concept applies to weight loss. 3. These goals should help develop healthy habits that will finally help achieve your long-term resolution.

Notice that these goals are simple and achievable. “Instead of going from zero to 60, from never going to the gym to going four to five times a week, why not start with three days a week, get consistent and build from there,” Zied says. Set yourself up for success and map out your course by making appointments with yourself to be active. 4.

You also need to be aware of your current exercise and eating habits to make achievable goals. Keeping a diary of your food and exercise habits can help. Record everything you eat and drink for three to five days and review it. 5. For example, if you notice a tendency to snack on unhealthy fare, set a goal to eat a fruit or vegetable with each snack. Building on these smaller goals over time can help you achieve your long-term goal.

A. So why do so many of us fail to achieve our goals?

B. Once you notice your not-so-good habits, start fixing them.

C. Set one to three weekly goals that you want to achieve.

D. Resolutions usually involve a commitment to sticking to your goals.

E. However, in order to reach it, you need to take baby steps to get it down.

F. If you treat your goals like set appointment, you’re more likely to achieve them.

G. Losing weight, as well as getting a better job, is among the most popular resolutions for adults.

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。

Dear Dani,

I have two best friends and they’re always leaving me out! They never invite me to anything. What can I do?

Tom

Dani says:

Groups of three can be very difficult because one person often gets left out. Your friends may not realize how you feel. Talk to them about this and agree to plan the next outing together. With a bit of effort, a group of three can be a wonderful friendship!

Dear Dani,

I told my friend a secret, but then I found out she told it to somebody else. What can I do?

Daisy

Dani says:

We all make mistakes so give your friend another chance. But tell her that your secret is important to you and that she must not do this again. If your friend finds it hard to keep a secret, be careful what you tell her in future.

Dear Dani,

I’m friends with a boy, but some girls keep laughing at me about it. Can’t girls be friends with boys as well?

Mary

Dani says:

Of course girls can be friends with boys. Some girls laugh at this because they don’t really know any boys. Carry on enjoying your friendship. If the girls got to know this boy, they might stop teasing you. Why not invite one or two of them along next time you meet him?

1.What’s worrying Tom?

A. Her friend keeps telling lies.

B. Her friend are always leaving him out.

C. Her friend does not believe her.

D. Her friend reads her terrible stories.

2.Dani suggests that Tom _____.

A. leave his two friends

B. tell his friends his thoughts

C. go on an outing with one of his friends

D. invite another to join his group of friends

3.Whose friend has a big mouth?

A. Tom. B. Mary. C. Daisy. D. Dani

4.The underlined word “teasing” in the last paragraph probably means “_____”.

A. making fun of B. hating

C.avoiding D. taking pity on

The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights of any democracy. Yet, for too long, too many of our fellow citizens were denied that right simply because of the color of their skin.

Fifty years ago this week, President Lyndon Johnson signed a law to change that. The Voting Rights Act broke down legal barriers that stood between millions of African Americans and their constitutional right to cast ballot(投票). It was, and still is, one of the greatest victories in our country’s struggle for civil rights. But it didn’t happen overnight. Countless men and women marched and organized, sat in and stood up, for our most basic rights. For this, they were called agitators(挑拨者) and un-American; they were jailed and beaten. Some were even killed. But in the end, they reaffirmed (重申)the idea at the very heart of America: that people who love this country can change it.

Our country is a better place because of all those heroes did for us. But as one of those heroes, Congressman John Lewis, reminded us in Selma this past March, “There’s still work to be done.” Fifty years after the Voting Rights Act, there are still too many barriers to vote, and too many people trying to erect(建立) new ones. We’ve seen laws that roll back early voting, force people to jump through hoops to cast a ballot or lead to legitimate (合法的) voters being improperly purged from the rolls. Over the years, we have seen provisions (规定) specifically designed to make it harder for some of our fellow citizens to vote. In a democracy like ours, with a history like ours, that’s a disgrace. That’s why, as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, I’m calling on Congress to pass new legislation to make sure every American has equal access to the polls.

It’s why I support the organizers getting folks registered in their communities. And it’s why, no matter what party you support, my message to every American is simple: get out there and vote—not just every four years, but every chance you get, because your elected officials will only heed(留心) your voice if you make your voice heard. The promise that all of us are created equal is written into our founding documents but it’s up to us to make that promise real. Together, let’s do what Americans have always done: Let’s keep marching forward, keep perfecting our union, and keep building a better country for our kids.

[From Obama Weekly Address Aug 8th , 2015]

1.Many Americans were denied the right to vote simply because _____.

A. they were unwilling to go out and vote

B. they were agitators and un-American

C. too many people tried to erect new barriers

D. the color of their skin was different

2.What message does President Barack Obama want to convey in this speech

A. The President underlined that all people are created equal.

B. The President celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.

C. The President reaffirmed the commitment to protecting the right to vote.

D. The President called on everyone to seize every chance to elect officials.

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

How to Succeed in Science

To succeed in science, you need a lot more than luck. In my view, you have to combine intelligence with a willingness not to follow conventions when they block your path forward. Thus, these have come to be my rules for success.

1.

That might sound proud, but the fact is that you must always turn to people who are brighter than yourself. It’s like playing any game. Even as a child, I never wanted to play games with anyone who was as bad as I was. If you win, it gives you no pleasure. And in the game of science or life, the highest goal isn’t simply to win; it’s to win at something really difficult. 2.

2. Take risks

To make a huge success, a scientist has to be prepared to get into deep trouble. If you are going to make a huge jump in science, you will very likely be unqualified to succeed by definition. 3. This can be more than personally upsetting.

3. Never do anything that bores you.

My experience in science is that someone is always telling you to do things, and then leave you alone. I’m not good enough to do well in something I dislike. 4.

It’s very hard to succeed if you don’t want to be with other scientists — you have to go to key meetings where you spot key facts that would have escaped you. And you have to chat with your competitors, even if you find them objectionable.

So my final rule is: 5.

A. Meet challenges with great courage.

B. If you can’t stand to be with your real peers, get out of science.

C. Put another way, it’s to go somewhere beyond your ability and come out on top.

D. Be sure you always have someone to save you from a deep mess.

E. Avoid foolish people.

F. In fact, I find it hard to do well in something I like.

G. Besides, you even have to be prepared to disbelieve your scientific heroes.

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