题目内容
Although he will always be remembered for starring “Superman,” the greatest role of actor Christopher Reeve’s life was as a champion of sufferers of spinal cord (脊椎) injuries and an supporter of stem cell (干细胞) research.
Unlike the man of steel, he wasn’t faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than an engine and he couldn’t leap tall buildings in a single bound. But the courage and determination Reeve showeed in trying to overcome his paralysis (瘫痪) from a 1995 horse-riding accident went beyond any of the achievements of the comic book hero.
“He became a real-life Superman. His heroism, his courage was extraordinary,” Colin Blakemore, the chief executive of Britain’s Medical Research Council said. “Like many people who suffer some terrible injuries, Christopher Reeve was totally changed by that experience and brought the kind of energy and enthusiasm that made him successful as a film star to an entirely different issue, with huge effect.”
Reeve, 52, died of heart failure on October 10, 2004 after having treatment for an infected pressure wound without realizing his dream of walking again. But in the nine years since his accident, he made personal progress to regain respect and admiration, founded the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, a non-profit research organization, and used his fame to raise millions of dollars for research into spinal cord injuries.
He also provided hope and inspiration to other patients and made speeches to support scientists to be allowed to conduct stem cell research in the hopes of eventually curing paralysis and other illnesses such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
“He has been our champion. If you think of spinal injuries, you automatically recall a picture of Christopher Reeve,” said Paul Smith, executive director of the Spinal Injuries Association in England. It is because of Reeve that spinal cord injuries and stem cell research are so widely discussed, according to Smith. The fact that it happened to Reeve showed it can affect anyone, even Superman.
Reeve did not live long enough to see whether stem cell research could help restore movement to the paralyzed. The research is still in its early days and no one knows what advances it may bring.
1.Which of the following words can best describe the characteristics of Reeve?
A. strong-willed and caring
B. tough and persuasive
C. caring and reliable
D. sympathetic and considerate
2.The purpose of paragraph 2 is to show us that ______.
A. Reeve was not as capable as the image he acted in his film
B. the image of Superman created by Reeve will always be remembered
C. Reeve is no more than an ordinary person when he was faced with paralysis
D. the inspiring image in Reeve’s real life was even greater than that in his film
3.Reeve made the following contributions to the scientific research except______.
A. setting up a non-profit research organization
B. winning public respect and admiration by overcoming obstacles
C. influencing the world by making speeches on stem cell research
D. struggling for the permission to conduct stem cell research
4.It can be implied from the passage that ______.
A. Reeve remained optimistic after suffering from paralysis
B. stem cell research has long been a controversial subject
C. paralysis can happen to anyone no matter how strong he seems
D. some presently incurable illnesses are to be cured in the near future
5.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A. A Fighter of Spinal Cord Injuries
B. A Real Hero in Film
C. A Forever Superman
D. A Struggling Life