Think back to a time in your life when you tried something new.
When I was a teenager I volunteered to pass out water at a local race. I was so excited to see all the different runners who passed by and quickly took a cup of water. Some ran past，some walked past and a few wheeled past.
I saw so many types of people doing it. I thought maybe I could do it too! The next year I decided to run for the race，but I had little running practice. I just wanted to finish.
On the day of the race，it was terribly hot. After running for about 5 miles，I was thinking，“I must be crazy. Why did I do this? What was I thinking？” And at one moment，I said to myself，“I am never doing this again！”
That first 10 km race was quite an experience. I jogged (慢跑)，I walked，I jogged and walked. At times，I didn’t know if I could finish.
Near the end，a 70­year­old man ran past me，very fast，and I felt a little embarrassed (尴尬的) that I was more than 50 years younger than he and I couldn’t even keep up with him. But then I realized something. He was running his race and I was running mine. How often in life do we compare(比较) ourselves to others when we really shouldn’t? I decided that I would not give up on running races，and that one day I would be one of those 70­year­olds who were still running.
As I crossed the finishing line，I was proud of myself. I didn’t regret (后悔) having such an experience.
【小题1】What did the writer do at a local race as a volunteer?

Think back to a time in your life when you tried something new.

When I was a teenager I volunteered to pass out water at a local race. I was so excited to see all the different runners who passed by and quickly took a cup of water. Some ran past，some walked past and a few wheeled past.

I saw so many types of people doing it. I thought maybe I could do it too! The next year I decided to run for the race，but I had little running practice. I just wanted to finish.

On the day of the race，it was terribly hot. After running for about 5 miles，I was thinking，“I must be crazy. Why did I do this? What was I thinking？” And at one moment，I said to myself，“I am never doing this again！”

That first 10 km race was quite an experience. I jogged (慢跑)，I walked，I jogged and walked. At times，I didn’t know if I could finish.

Near the end，a 70­year­old man ran past me，very fast，and I felt a little embarrassed (尴尬的) that I was more than 50 years younger than he and I couldn’t even keep up with him. But then I realized something. He was running his race and I was running mine. How often in life do we compare(比较) ourselves to others when we really shouldn’t? I decided that I would not give up on running races，and that one day I would be one of those 70­year­olds who were still running.

As I crossed the finishing line，I was proud of myself. I didn’t regret (后悔) having such an experience.

1.What did the writer do at a local race as a volunteer?

A. He helped old runners.            

B. He cheered up the runners.

C. He passed out water to the runners.  

D. He took back the cups from the runners.

2.Why did the writer join the race?

A. He just wanted to experience.        B. He was crazy about running.

C. He had practiced running very hard.   D. He wanted very much to win a prize.

3.How did the writer’s feeling change after running about 5 miles?

①He regretted.

②He encouraged himself.

③He felt a little embarrassed.

A. ①—②—③       B. ②—①—③       C. ①—③—②     D. ②—③—①

4. What is the best title (标题) of the passage?

A. To be No.1.                         B. Let’s compare.

C. A volunteering job.                 D. Running your own race.

Nick went to see his grandmother with his father. In the train, Nick often put his head out of the window. His father said, “Nick, keep silent! Don’t put your head out of the window!” But Nick went on putting his head out of the window.

Then his father took Nick’s cap quietly, hid it behind his back and said, “You see, your cap has flown away.” Nick began to cry. He wanted to have his cap back.

His father said, “well, whistle (吹口哨) once! Perhaps your cap will come back.” Nick came up to the window and whistled. Nick’s father quickly put the cap back on Nick’s head.

“Oh! It was wonderful!” Nick laughed. He was pleased. He quickly took his father’s cap and threw it out of the window. “Now, it’s your turn to whistle, Dad!” he said happily.

根据短文内容，回答下列问题。

1．Who did Nick go to see his grandmother with?

2．How did they go to see Nick’s grandmother?

3．What did Nick often do in the train?

4．What did Nick’s father tell him to do to get his cap back?

5．Do you think Nick is a lovely and clever boy?

A young soldier was looking for someone in a hospital. Then in front of a room, a nurse saw him and said, “Oh, your father is right here.” And  31  the young man could say anything, she quickly took him to an old man in bed. “Your son is here,” she said. She had to 32 many times before the old man’s eyes opened.

    The old man was too sick to see the young man  33 . He reached out his hand. The young man held his hand. He wanted to let the old man feel his  34  .

    The nurse brought a chair so that the young man could   35  beside the bed. All through the night, the young man sat there and held the old man’s hand. She found him very tired, so she asked him to  36  ,but he didn’t. Sometimes, the nurse heard the young man say a few words. The old man said nothing. He only held the young man’s hand the whole night.

    When morning came, the old man died. The nurse said, “I’m sorry about that.” “But 37 was that man?” “He was your father,” she answered  38 . “No, he wasn’t.” the young man said. “I never saw him before in my life.” “Then why didn’t you say anything when I took you to him?” “I knew at once that there must be something wrong. But I also knew he   39  his son, and his son just wasn’t here. When I found he was too sick to tell whether l was his son or not, I knew how much he needed me. So I  40  .”

(   )31. A. before           B. when     C. after             D. since

(   )32. A. report            B. remove           C. repeat    D. recommend

(   )33. A. correctly         B. clearly    C. happily           D. closely

(   )34. A. happiness         B. energy           C. power    D. love

(   )35. A. stand            B. lie               C. walk     D. sit

(   )36. A. take a seat   B. have a rest     C. take a look   D. have a talk

(   )37. A. what             B. how             C. who            D. where

(   )38. A. in surprise B. in fear    C. in trouble    D. in danger

(   )39. A. believed     B. understood       C. remembered      D. needed

(   )40. A. returned          B. arrived           C. stayed    D. left