While watching the games the other night, I came across an unbelievable sight. It was not a gold medal, or a world record broken, but a show of courage.

The event was swimming and started with only three men on the blocks. For one reason or another, two of them false started, so they were disqualified. That left only one to complete. It would have been difficult enough, not having anyone to race against, even though the time on the clock is important.

I watched the man dive off the bock and knew right away that something was wrong. I’m not an expert swimmer, but I can tell a good dive from a poor one, and this was not exactly medal quality. When he resurfaced, it was evident that the man was not out for gold — his arms were waving in an attempt at freestyle. The crowd started to laugh. Clearly this man was not a medal competitor.

I listened to the crowd begin to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time. Finally he made his turn to start back. It was pitiful. He made a few desperate strokes and you could tell he was worn out.

But in those few awful strokes, the crowd had changed.

No longer were they laughing, but beginning to cheer. Some even began to stand and shout “Come on, you can do it!” and he did.

A clear minute past the average swimmer, this young man finally finished his race. The crowd went wild. You would have thought that he had won the gold, and should have. Even though he recorded one of the slowest times in Olympic history, this man gave more heart than any of the other competitors.

Just a short year ago, he had never even swum, let alone race. His country had been invited to Sydney.

In a competition where athletes remove their silver medals feeling they have somehow been cheated out of gold, or when they act so proudly in front of their competitors, it is nice to watch an underdog.

68.From the passage we can learn that the young man _______.

A. made his turn to start back pitifully    

B. was skillful in freestyle in the game

C. swam faster than the average swimmer   

D. was not capable enough to win the medal

69.   The crowd changed their attitudes because _______.

A. they felt sorry for the young man                 

B. they wanted to show their sympathy

C. they were moved by the young man              

D. they meant to please the young man

70.   According to the passage, “it is nice to watch an underdog” probably means _______.

A. it’s amusing to watch a man with awful swimming skills

B. it’s amazing to watch an ordinary man challenging himself

C. it’s cheerful for athletes to act proudly before their competitors

D. it’s brave enough for some athletes to remove the silver medals

71.   What’s the best title for the passage?

A. Go for it!                                      B. Try again!

C. Compete for Gold!                         D. Break a Record!

 

Cheerful Charlie was a very special boy. When he was still in his mother’s tummy(肚子), she had had an accident, which   36   that Charlie couldn’t walk. But that had never been a(n)   37   for him; he had always been happy. When he became older, they had started calling him Cheerful Charlie because of his joyful and   38   nature. He really brightened everything up for those around him.

    There wasn’t a postman, or a taxi driver who wasn’t   39   to see Charlie. “Cheer up, Mr Postman, that way you’ll   40   more letters today!” he would say, or “That was great, Mr Taxi Driver. You   41   that thing better than anyone else.” He also had great ideas and   42   for everything; and he shared them so   43   that, just about every day in that town, someone did a great job, or   44   something new, thanks to Charlie’s ideas.

    One day, though, he came up against a real   45  . A young boy came to town on his holidays. He was known as Waterworks and was a real crybaby. No matter what Charlie said to him, Waterworks would always find some   46    to be sad: “I don’t have many sweets…my parents didn’t buy me that toy…” Everything seemed so bad to him. But Cheerful Charlie wasn’t going to be   47  , and he kept spending more time with Waterworks,   48   trying to cheer him up, just as he did with everyone.

    Then, one day, when they were together in the street, someone   49   a pie from a window above by chance, and it landed   50   on Charlie’s head. He got such a fright that he couldn’t even move his lips. He was speechless, and   51   Waterworks was just about to cry, he   52   Charlie’s happy words so much that he finally said, “Wow, Charlie, that’s a nice clown mask (小丑面具) you just   53  !”

    On saying those words, Waterworks felt so   54   that he finally understood why Charlie was always so happy and cheerful. He realized that he was so used to Charlie’s enthusiasm that he couldn’t help but see the fun   55   of everything.

1.A. reflected          B. meant            C. told             D. predicted

2.A. problem            B. mistake          C. excuse           D. topic

3.A. sensitive          B. humorous         C. responsible      D. enthusiastic

4. A. surprised         B. moved            C. pleased          D. disappointed

5.A. send               B. write                C. print                D. find

6.A. paint              B. play             C. park             D. repair

7.A. theories           B. solutions            C. comments     D. impressions

8. A. eagerly           B. carefully            C. quickly          D. generously

9.A. cleared            B. noticed          C. enjoyed          D. invented

10.A. difficulty            B. surprise         C. risk             D. disaster

11.A. means         B. reason           C. method           D. value

12.A. let down          B. taken up         C. set free         D. driven away

13.A. hardly            B. quickly          C. constantly       D. specially

14.A. aimed             B. moved            C. threw                D. dropped

15.A. ahead             B. right                C. almost           D. even

16.A. because           B. but              C. therefore            D. although

17.A. missed            B. loved                C. envied           D. disliked

18.A. set on                B. put on           C. build up         D. make up

19.A. ordinary          B. sorry                C. good             D. curious

20.A. result                B. wonder           C. side             D. influence

 

A lesson in caring

It was a cold evening. My daughter and I were walking up Broadway. I didn’t notice a guy sitting inside a cardboard box. But Nora    36    . She wasn’t even four, but she   37    at my coat and said, “That man’s cold. Daddy, can we take him home?”

    I don’t remember my   38    . But I do remember a sudden   39    feeling inside me. I had always been delighted at how much my daughter noticed in her   40     , whether it was     41    flying or children playing. But now she was noticing   42    and beggary.

    A few days later, I saw an article in the newspaper about volunteers who picked up a food package from a nearby school on a Sunday morning and   43     it to an elderly person. It was quick and easy. I signed us up. Nora was   44    about it. She could understand the importance of food, so she could easily see how   45    our job was. When Sunday came, she was ready, but I had to    46    myself to leave the house to fetch the food package. On my way to the school, I fought an urge (强烈愿望) to turn    47    . The Sunday paper and coffee were waiting for me at home. Why do this?   48    , we phoned the elderly person we’d been appointed. She   49    us right over.

    The building was in a bad state. Facing us was a silver-haired woman in an old dress. She took the package and asked us to come in. Nora ran inside. I unwillingly followed.   50     inside, I saw that the department belonged to someone poor. Our hostess showed us some photos. Nora played and when it came time to say goodbye, we three hugged. I walked home    51    .

Professionals call such a(n)   52    “a volunteer opportunity”. They are opportunities and I’ve come to see. Where else but as volunteers do you have the opportunity to do something    53     that’s good for others as well as for yourself? Nora and I regularly serve meals to needy people and   54     clothes for the homeless. Yet, as I’ve    55     her grow over these past four years, I still wonder—which of us has benefited more?

1.A. did            B. was                           C. has              D. had

2.A. pulled    B. replaced               C. waved   D. aimed

3.A. debate        B. reply                         C. explanation D. expression

4.A. general  B. funny                          C. heavy           D. magical

5.A. web    B. dream            C. castle           D. world

6.A. insects        B. animals     C. plants   D. birds

7.A. coldness   B. illness               C. suffering  D. appearance

8.A. sent      B. returned          C. devoted  D. posted

9.A. concerned  B. sorry                C. worried       D. excited

10.A. creative  B. valuable          C. shocking  D. simple

11.A. warn    B. stop           C. allow    D. push

12.A. back    B. away              C. up     D. out

13.A. Therefore  B. But                 C. Anyhow   D. Also

14.A. requested   B. promised         C. invited    D. helped

15.A. Although         B. Once            C. Because   D. Though

16.A. in tears     B. in surprise                  C. in reality       D.in disappointment

17.A. stay                 B. visit                C. reception  D. challenge

18.A. fair                 B. famous            C. difficult   D. enjoyable

19.A. collect      B. make           C. order     D. design

20.A. let            B. made           C. watched       D. affected

 

 

                     When I recall my experiences of feeling heard and deeply understood by someone, I know how much the experiences helped me to cope with whatever I was dealing with at the time. Caring people who I have turned to in difficult times helped me the most by listening and asking about my feelings.

     During one of my volunteer jobs at a  local HIV and cancer clinic, I found the helpfulness of empathic(感情移入的) listening. As a volunteer I was providing emotional support for people with health related problems. Empathic listening really made a difference on how patients felt about their health problems. By sharing about their pain and suffering and may willingness to listen, they felt less alone.

We can make life easier for each other by becoming a better listener and encouraging each other to share our feelings. We can become a better listener by avoiding giving advice and trying to solve problems unless we are asked to do so. Pressuring others to solve their life problems--"our ways"--is not helpful. Most people intuitively(凭直觉地) know how to solve their own problems. As a listener it's important to be patient and not to interrupt the speaker. Let them know it's OK to talk about their feelings and support them in feeling their feelings.

      When one neither shares nor reaches out for support, he or she can remain a lonely mystery. Life can feel lonely when one keeps everything inside. Feeling alone with life problems can be worse than the problem itself. When we let a caring person listen to our life struggle, we will no longer feel alone with our struggle. Don't be afraid to ask your loved ones to take time to hear you out. Sometimes you have to ask for it. People cannot read your mind. Confiding in others can have a positive effect on our mood.

59.What made the author comfortable in difficult times?

   A. Persuading      B. Sharing     C. Apologizing     D. Complaining

60.According to the second paragraph, we can know that ____.

   A. The patients enjoyed listening to the author

   B. The author found empathic listening was helpless

   C. The patients didn't get on well with the author

   D. The author did a good job at a cancer clinic

61.What does the underlined part "Confiding in others" in the last paragraph mean?

   A. Telling others your secrets.      B. Reading others' mind

   C. Listening to others.        D. Leaving others alone.

62.What's the main idea of this passage?

   A. Listening and sharing can make you happier.

   B. People know how to solve their own problems.

   C. It is wrong to give advice to solve problems.

   D. You should learn to believe in other people.

 

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