Short and shy,Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports teams.“Football,tennis,cricket—anything with a round ball,I was useless.” he says now with a laugh.But back then he was the object of jokes in school gym classes in England’s rural Devonshire.

It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him.At first the teen went biking alone in a nearby forest.Then he began to cycle along with a runner friend.Gradually,Saunders set his mind on building up his body,increasing his speed,strength and endurance.At age 18,he ran his first marathon.

The following year,he met John Ridgway,who became famous in the 1960s for rowing an open boat across the Atlantic Ocean.Saunders was hired as an instructor at Ridgway’s School of Adventure in Scotland,where he learned about the old man’s cold­water exploits (成就).Intrigued,Saunders read all he could about Arctic explorers and North Pole expeditions,then decided that this would be his future.

Journeys to the Pole aren’t the usual holidays for British country boys,and many people dismissed his dream as fantasy.“John Ridgway was one of the few who didn’t say,‘You’re completely crazy’,” Saunders says.

In 2001,after becoming a skilled skier,Saunders started his first long­distance expedition toward the North Pole.He suffered frostbite,had a close encounter (遭遇) with a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit.

Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole,and he’s skied more of the Arctic by himself than any other Briton.His old playmates would not believe the transformation.

This October,Saunders,27,heads south to explore from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back,a 1,800­mile journey that has never been completed on skis.

51.The turning point in Saunders’life came when________.

A.he started to play ball games

B.he got a mountain bike at age 15

C.he ran his first marathon at age 18

D.he started to receive Ridgway’s training

52.We can learn from the text that Ridgway________.

A.dismissed Saunders’dream as fantasy

B.built up his body together with Saunders

C.hired Saunders for his cold­water experience

D.won his fame for his voyage across the Atlantic

53.What do we know about Saunders?

A.He once worked at a school in Scotland.

B.He followed Ridgway to explore the North Pole.

C.He was the first Briton to ski alone to the North Pole.

D.He was the first Briton to ski to the North Pole.

54.The underlined word “Intrigued” in the third paragraph probably means________.

A.excited                                               B.convinced

C.delighted                                            D.fascinated

55.It can be inferred that Saunders’journey to the North Pole________.

A.was accompanied by his old playmates

B.set a record in the North Pole expedition

C.was supported by other Arctic explorers

D.made him well­known in the 1960s

A hobby (嗜好) can be almost anything a person likes to do in his spare time.Hobbyists raise pets,build model ships,weave baskets,watch birds,hunt animals,climb mountains,raise flowers,fish,ski,skate,and swim.Hobbyists also paint pictures,attend concerts and plays,and perform on musical instruments.They collect everything from books to butterflies,and from shells to stamps.

People take up hobbies because these activities offer enjoyment,friendship,knowledge and relaxation.Sometimes they even yield financial profit.Hobbies help people relax after periods of hard work,and provide a balance between work and play.Hobbies also offer interesting activities for persons who have retired.Anyone,rich or poor,old or young,sick or well,can follow a satisfying hobby,regardless of his age,position,or income.

Hobbies can help a person’s mental and physical health.Doctors have found that hobbies are valuable in helping patients recover_from physical or mental illness.Hobbies give bedridden or wheel­chair patients something to do,and provide interests that keep them from thinking about themselves.Many hospitals treat patients by having them take up interesting hobbies or pastimes.

In early times,most people were too busy making a living to have many hobbies.But some persons who had leisure did enjoy hobbies.The ancient Egyptians played games with balls made of wood or pottery.

People today have more time than ever before for hobbies.Machines have reduced the amount of time they must spend on their jobs.Hobbies provide variety for workers who do the same monotonous (单调的) tasks all day long.More people are retiring than ever before,and at an earlier age.Those who have developed hobbies never need to worry about what to do with their newly found leisure hours.

Sir William Osler,a famous Canadian doctor,expressed the value of hobbies by saying,“No man is really happy or safe without a hobby.”

46.Which of the following is right?

A.Hobby is one’s regular activity in his office.

B.Hobby is one’s regular activity in his spare time.

C.Hobby is a kind of activity only for old people.

D.Hobby is a kind of activity only for young people.

47.It seems that people who________ may spend more time enjoying their hobbies.

A.have little money

B.have much money

C.have retired from their work

D.have left school

48. The phrase “recover from” in the third paragraph means________.

A.get back                                             B.become healthy again

C.become calm                                      D.supply with a new cover

49.In early times,most people spent less time on their hobbies,because________.

A.they were brave and hard­working

B.the living conditions were poor

C.they were engaged in making a living

D.B and C

50.What’s the writer’s opinion about hobbies?

A.People all over the world have the same hobby.

B.Machines also have their hobbies.

C.Hobbies are popular among people in Egypt.

D.People should have hobbies in their spare time.

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