“Do you want to come with me?” Sally asked her brother. “I’m going to meet some friends at the bike course（赛道，路线）down the block. We’re going to practice for the race next week.”

“No, thanks,” Mark replied. “Sam’s coming over to play basketball.”

Sally rode off on her bike while Mark waited for his friend. Mark was fast,   35   he usually did well in most sports. He didn’t think it would   36   if he practiced the course. It could be hilly or sandy, and Mark knew he would   37   speed along.

The race day finally arrived. “My stomach feels like I ate some butterflies,” Sally told Mark when she saw so many kids around. Then they   38   the other riders at the start line.

“Sally is always nervous,” Mark thought. “Don’t worry.   39   will do fine,” he said. As soon as the starter shouted “Go!”, Mark’s legs pumped up and down like two machines. He moved   40   to the front.

A few minutes later, there wasn’t anyone ahead of him! Mark raced along the course. He rode past some pine trees. Then the path looped(环绕)around a pond. Mark was surprised that the course was so   41  .

His tired legs felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. All at once, a flash of color caught his eyes. There was a line of bike riders on the course ahead of him! “How could this be?” Mark said to himself. “I must have taken a wrong   42   and made one more loop in the course,” he thought.

Mark pushed his achy muscles(肌肉)harder. He realized his   43   alone wouldn’t be enough this time;   44   the course was just as important. He managed to ride past a couple of bike riders, but he couldn’t   45   the riders who were in the lead.

After the race Mark saw his sister. “Wow, you must have done a good job in the race. What place did you get?” Mark asked.

“Third place!” Sally answered excitedly.

“That’s great! I came in ninth place. But I’ll do better next year because I’ll be     46   enough to practice the course with you,” Mark made a face at his sister and replied.

35. A. but                           B. as                        C. and                      D. or

36. A. help                          B. move                   C. care                     D. come

37. A. just                           B. even                     C. never                   D. still

38. A. joined                       B. passed                  C. visited                  D. invited

39. A. I                              B. You                      C. They                    D. She

40. A. quickly                     B. quietly                  C. clearly                  D. carefully

41. A. hard                         B. wide                    C. long                     D. tidy

42. A. chance                      B. turn                     C. step                     D. ride

43. A. patience                    B. spirit                    C. speed                   D. imagination

44. A. accepting                  B. changing              C. knowing               D. finishing

45. A. leave                         B. touch                   C. face                     D. reach

46. A. honest                      B. smart                   C. brave                   D. confident

[　　]

Do you have any plans for the Project Hope? Why not spend your time helping others? Don’t listen to people who say that young people today often think only of themselves. It is not true at all. More and more young people in China volunteer(志愿) to spend their school holidays working for others. And they don’t do it for money. Here are some of their stories.

Li Ping, 17

I’m going to help the Forest Center build new hiking paths(山间小路) in the mountains. I’ll spend the whole summer living in a tent(帐篷) and breathing the clean mountain air. I’m going to sleep under the stars. It will be a nice sport, and I’ll be able to do something good at the same time!

Wu Dong, 18

This summer, I’m going to take part in the Spring House Program. They build good, low-cost houses and sell them to families that are not very rich. I’ll help them and they will teach me what to do. I also have a chance to learn how to build houses.

Liu Hui, 16

I’m going to teach children who have difficulties in reading. I’ll work for a program called Reading for Life. Every day, I’m going to help children choose and read books that they like. I love children and reading, and I want to be a teacher. So this is going to be a great experience for me.

1. More and more young people in China ___________.

A. like to help others on school holiday　　　 B. want to make more money by helping others

C. only think of themselves　　　　　　　　 D. have no plans for the Project Hope

2. Li Ping’s plan for this summer holidays is to ___________.

A. living in a tent　　　　　　　　　 B. helping to build hiking paths

C. sleeping under the stars D. breathing the clean mountain air

3. Which of the following about Wu Dong is WRONG?

A. Wu Dong likes reading very much.　　 B. Wu Dong’s family isn’t very rich.

C. Wu Dong is the oldest of the three. D. Wu Dong is kind.

4. Liu Hui will work for Reading for Life because he can _____________ there.

A. play with children　　　　 B. read more books　

C. can help children read D. look after the poor children

5. Which is the best title (题目)for this passage?

A. The Forest Center　 B. Reading for Life　 C. Young Chinese Volunteer D. A Special House Program