When I was born, my parents immediately noticed something wrong. My feet were deformed (畸形的), pointing inward and curling under. I wore casts (石膏) and foot braces (支架) in my first two years to correct the problem. Yet I learned to balance and walk in casts. Soon after the last set of casts came off，Mom enrolled me in dance classes as therapy for my feet. I, however，quickly decided to try something else. Not far from my house was an ice rink (溜冰场) in the mall. There，local skaters would perform ice shows. I wanted to try skating.

I started taking group skating lessons. Performing on ice came naturally. For me，skating has never been about beating others. It’s been about being my personal best. I progressed through various levels rapidly and gave my first ice performance at age seven. Soon I started winning local and regional competitions. That’s because being on the ice has always been the one place I can truly express my emotions. The ice is like home.

I began seriously training when I was nine years old. After graduating from girls’ high school，I moved to Canada. Saying goodbye to my family and friends made me homesick，but I knew deep down that I had to leave and train full－time to give my dreams a chance at reality.

I went to compete in the Olympic Games in 1992.I was the first of the final six skaters on the ice. My long performance started well，but I slipped while landing one of my easiest triple jumps，and my hand touched the ice. I didn’t want to make two mistakes in a row，so next I did a jump with just two spins to play it safe. As I neared the end，I had one more jump. I landed it perfectly.

When medals were awarded，I found myself on the top step，the gold hanging around my neck and America’s national anthem playing. Words can’t describe the overwhelming mixture of emotions I felt.

The author was enrolled in dance classes to________.

       A．meet her interest   

       B．improve her dancing skills

       C．help treat her feet 

       D．prepare her for skating

When the author says “The ice is like home”，she really means she________.

       A．can express herself through her performance on ice

       B．can beat others in local and regional competitions

       C．can overcome her difficulty in walking

       D．has realized her dream to perform on ice

The author moved to Canada after graduating from girls’ high school because________.

       A．she could get better treatment of her feet there

       B．she would do full－time training there

       C．that was where the Olympics would hold

       D．she wanted to have further study there

What do we learn about the author’s performance in the 1992 Olympic Games?

       A．She completed it without any mistake.

       B．She made one mistake on the final landing.

       C．She did it quite well except for one mistake.

       D．She made more than one mistake.

By her own experience，the author intends to tell us________.

       A．we can realize our dream if we have the courage to pursue it

       B．even the disabled can take part in the Olympic Games

       C．sports can help people heal both body and mind

       D．sports events are not about winning only

B
Energy-saving Finns invented the first ice skate more than 5,000 years ago, as a practical method of transport to make getting across frozen lakes less of a struggle.
The earliest skates would have been blades made from bones and are one of the oldest means of transport ever discovered —they may even have been essential survival tools.
Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University have calculated that ice skates would have saved energy by 10 percent, and suggest that they were developed for practical use and were not used for recreation, as they are today.
They think the most likely birthplace of skating is southern Finland, where there are many icy lakes.
The scientists have put their theory to the test and made replica（复制品） skates modeled after examples held at the British Museum and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
Volunteers on ice rinks in the Alps had their heart rates, oxygen intake and skating speeds measured while they skated with the replica skates. From this experiment, re-searchers were able to calculate energy consumption and the efficiency of their skating. They discovered that skating over the land in ancient Fin-land would have saved 10 percent of people’s energy. The result is based on the fact that Finland has the highest concentration of lakes in the world. The ancient Finnish people could benefit more than others from developing this tool for transport.
In a time and environment in which the balance between energy taken from food and energy required to live was crucial; the least cost of energy might have helped humans survive in extreme conditions.
45. The first ice skate invented by the Finns was used for _____.
A. recreation                           B. transportation across lakes 
C. saving energy                       D. sports
46. The birthplace of skating might be southern Finland because _____.
A. there are many icy lakes there  
B. people need more oxygen to breathe in there
C. people feel tired easily there   
D. transportation there is more difficult
47. Scientists have experimented with replica skates and found that with those skates the ancient
Finnish people would have _____.
A. crossed a lot of lakes
B. saved 10 percent of energy when crossing the lakes
C. climbed the Alps easily 
D. otherwise wasted a lot of food and energy
48. It can be inferred from the story that _____.
A. the Finnish people were clever enough to invent the practical skates
B. there were a lot of lakes in ancient Finland
C. the living conditions were very hard for the ancient Finnish people
D. it was very cold in ancient times in Finland

When many people are worried that there are no more heroes in the modern times, two university students who lost their lives to rescue drowning children have shown that heroes still exist.

According to the Inner Mongolia Morning Post, the tragedy (悲剧) occurred on the afternoon of December 14, 2002 when three school students skating on a frozen lake in Qingcheng Park in Hohhot fell through the ice into the freezing water.

More than 20 university students who happened to be near the place where it happened immediately went to the rescue of the children.

Two children were quickly rescued, but the third died. The child’s body was not found for three hours. Two of the rescuers, Liu Ye and Hao Longbiao, also died of cold and tiredness.

The body of Hao who took the lead in jumping into the lake was not found until the next day.

A student who was unwilling to tell his name said he and his classmates from the local college were taking photos at the lake. When they heard the children’s cries for help, they went to the ice hole hand in hand to rescue the children. But the ice kept breaking, causing most of them to fall into the icy water.

Local people held mourning ceremonies (祭奠仪式) at the lake.

Eight of the students were seriously affected by the freezing water and were being kept in hospital for further observation (观察), but their lives were no longer in danger.

1.The underlined word “occurred” here means “_______”.

A. raised      B. made    C. guided     D. happened

2.When the three students fell into water, the university students were___________.

A. skating on the ice 

B. taking photos at the lake 

C. having a picnic 

D. walking along the lake

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Three students died on the same day in all.

B. Hao Longbiao’s body was found on December 14, 2002.

C. The university students didn’t think it dangerous to save the drowning children in the lake.

D. Local people were not brave in face of danger.

4.It can be inferred that ___________.

A. people think little of the two university students’ death

B. the ice on the lake wasn’t strong enough to skate on

C. some students regretted for what they had done

D. heroes don’t agree with what the students do

5.The author wrote the passage to _________.

A. warn people of the danger of skating on ice

B. ask people to learn from the brave university students

C. tell us a tragedy

D. advise university students to cherish (珍惜) their lives

When many people are worried that there are no more heroes in the modern times, two university students who lost their lives to rescue drowning children have shown that heroes still exist.

According to the Inner Mongolia Morning Post, the tragedy (悲剧) occurred on the afternoon of December 14, 2002 when three school students skating on a frozen lake in Qingcheng Park in Hohhot fell through the ice into the freezing water.

More than 20 university students who happened to be near the place where it happened immediately went to the rescue of the children.

Two children were quickly rescued, but the third died. The child’s body was not found for three hours. Two of the rescuers, Liu Ye and Hao Longbiao, also died of cold and tiredness.

The body of Hao who took the lead in jumping into the lake was not found until the next day.

A student who was unwilling to tell his name said he and his classmates from the local college were taking photos at the lake. When they heard the children’s cries for help, they went to the ice hole hand in hand to rescue the children. But the ice kept breaking, causing most of them to fall into the icy water.

Local people held mourning ceremonies (祭奠仪式) at the lake.

Eight of the students were seriously affected by the freezing water and were being kept in hospital for further observation (观察), but their lives were no longer in danger.

The underlined word “occurred” here means “_______”.

A. raised      B. made    C. guided     D. happened

When the three students fell into water, the university students were___________.

A. skating on the ice 

B. taking photos at the lake 

C. having a picnic 

D. walking along the lake

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Three students died on the same day in all.

B. Hao Longbiao’s body was found on December 14, 2002.

C. The university students didn’t think it dangerous to save the drowning children in the lake.

D. Local people were not brave in face of danger.

It can be inferred that ___________.

A. people think little of the two university students’ death

B. the ice on the lake wasn’t strong enough to skate on

C. some students regretted for what they had done

D. heroes don’t agree with what the students do

The author wrote the passage to _________.

A. warn people of the danger of skating on ice

B. ask people to learn from the brave university students

C. tell us a tragedy

D. advise university students to cherish (珍惜) their lives

Winter is dangerous for drivers because it is so difficult to know what is going to happen and accidents take place easily. Bad weather can be waiting to meet you. Ice might be hiding under the snow, waiting to send you off the road. The car coming towards you might suddenly move across the road. Here are two rules for driving safely on icy roads:

Rule Number One is to drive smoothly. Irregular movements can make a car very difficult to manage. So each time you turn the wheel, touch the brake or increase your speed, you must be as gently and slow as possible. Just imagine you are driving with a full cup of hot coffee on the seat next to you. You should drive carefully enough in order that you would not get the coffee out of the cup.

Rule Number Two is to pay attention to what might happen. The more ice there is, the farther you have to look down the road. Test how long it takes to stop by gently braking. Remember that you may be driving more quickly than you think. Generally speaking, allow double your normal stopping distance when the road is wet, three times this distance on snow, and even more on ice. Try to stay in control of your car at all times, or you will get into trouble.

Which of the following can be used to explain why driving in winter is very dangerous?

   A. People drive more gently and slowly.

   B. People drive three times faster than usual.

   C. Unexpected things may often take place.

   D. Drivers usually have too much coffee.

What is the main idea of Rule Number One?

   A. To increase the driving speed.   

B. To drive smoothly on icy roads.

C. To manage your car irregularly.  

D. To drive fast on snowy roads.

Why does the writer want to take an example “a full cup of hot coffee” in Paragraph 2?

   A. Because drinks are necessary for drivers.

   B. Because he wants to remind drivers to take a rest.

   C. To enjoy the driving with a cup of coffee.

   D. To explain the importance of careful and smooth driving.

Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   A.Traffic Accidents.                      B. Careless Driving.

   C. Bad Weather.                                   D. Winter Driving.