The next time you find an excuse to abandon your ambition, think of Chris Nikic. On November 7, 2020, 21-year-old Chris Nikic made history as the first person with Down Syndrome to attempt and complete an Ironman. Organized by the World Triathlon Corporation, it requires athletes to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run a full 26.2-mile marathon-in under 17 hours!
The event, which took place in Panama City, Florida, began early in the morning with a two-lap swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Chris, who was tied to his coach for safety, completed the course well within 2 hour, 20-minute time limit.
The 112-mile bike ride, which Chris rode alone, proved a little more challenging. Not accustomed to drinking water while riding, he was forced to make multiple stops. To make matters worse, the young athlete was attacked by an army of red ants whose nest he accidentally stepped on during a break. He also had a bleeding knee after crashing while speeding downhill. Despite these setbacks, Chris managed to complete the lap before the 5:30 pm cut-off time.
The competition's final challenge—a two-lap 26. 2-mile run along the waterfront- started smoothly. However, Chris was tired out? by the tenth mile. But, with encouragement from his coach and cheering bystanders, the youngster somehow managed to cross the finish line in 16 hours, 46 minutes, and 9 seconds-almost 15 minutes under the 17-hour time limit.
Chris is no stranger to overcoming challenges. Born with two holes in his heart, he underwent surgery at just five months old. He was too weak to walk independently until he was four. Due to his Down Syndrome, every expert his parents spoke to focused on the limitations rather than the possibilities.
To Chris, this race was more than just a finish line and celebration of victory. It's about being an example to other kids and families that face similar barriers.
1. What does the underlined part "an Ironman" in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．A competition. | B．An organization. | C．A person. | D．An artwork. |
| A．Romantic. | B．Eventful. | C．Pleasant. | D．Smooth. |
| A．Stimulate readers' interest. | B．Introduce a new topic. |
| C．Summarize the previous paragraphs. | D．Add some background information. |
| A．Winning is everything. | B．No dream is unachievable. |
| C．Life is full of choices. | D．Misfortune is a barrier to success. |
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【推荐1】I stole your dog today. No, I didn’t set a foot on your house, but from the condition of your dog, I can imagine what it looks like ... the word “rubbish”comes to mind.
I found her along a road, with a heavy chain wrapped around her neck, still attached to rotten boards from her doghouse. Not only did I know that most of the town people had already ignored her, judging by where I found her, but I knew that if she had gotten into the woods, the “cross”that she dragged behind her would have wrapped around a tree until starvation(饥饿) or thirst killed her.
She has a beautiful name now. Already in the first week she has come to look more like she should. Her eyes sparkle and she has learned to wag her tail in greeting. She has stopped flinching(畏缩) when I make a sudden movement, because she knows now that I won’t beat her, in fact, she rarely leaves my side. She’s even become brave enough to bark at a cat and today I watched from the window as she attempted to play with the other dogs. No, it’s clear she does not miss you or her former life on a chain.
It’s not clear yet whether she’ll remain here or whether I’ll find her a loving home where she can count on more individual attention than I can give her, but one thing is certain, this is one bit of stolen “property” who is never returning to you. So sue me, accuse me, plead(申辩) with the courts that she is rightfully yours ... I'm convinced this is the best “crime” I've ever committed. Hardly anything has pleased me more than the day I stole your dog. I need only look into her beautiful brown eyes to know that she'd defend my decision with her life. If we have one prayer, it is that you will not replace her, and if we have one special day to celebrate together, it is the day I stole your dog and the day she stole my heart.
1. What is the author's purpose in writing the word “rubbish” in Paragraph 1?| A．To stress the importance of the theft. | B．To tell how dirty the dog was. |
| C．To show the author's anger. | D．To point out where the dog was picked up |
| A．Amused. | B．Angry. | C．Shocked. | D．Sympathetic. |
| A．the dog is not lovely |
| B．the dog tried to find a kind master |
| C．the dog was treated badly by its former master |
| D．the author will be charged with stealing a dog |
| A．playing with other dogs | B．barking at a cat |
| C．not missing her former master | D．waving her tail to make greetings |
| A．He was afraid of being punished. |
| B．He thought he had to do it. |
| C．He believed that the law would allow him to do so. |
| D．He did it with pride. |
【推荐2】It was a warm spring evening. As I often do after a long day, I went straight to my backyard and did some work in my flower garden. I had only just walked a few steps on the patio (露台) when I suddenly felt a horrifying blow to the right side of my neck. Totally confused, I reached up and, to my shock and horror, realized that I had been shot — with an arrow.
I grabbed the arrow with a death grip where it had pierced my neck and ran inside, screaming my husband’s name. Ed ran to me and called an ambulance. I lay on the couch and prayed. I didn’t know if there was any way I could survive.
The arrow had come from a young man practising with a hunting bow in his backyard. Luckily, he was using a practice arrow. An arrow for hunting would have killed me.
At the hospital, I tried hard to reassure my family and friends. I kept telling them I was fine, but the looks on their faces told me that they weren’t buying it. After a CT scan, the doctors and nurses began telling me how lucky I was. The arrow had gone between the carotid artery and the jugular vein. There was no bleeding at all. Although I didn’t realize how incredible this was, I began arguing with them that I wasn’t “lucky“, I was “blessed”. Someone told my son there was a post on the site texasbowhunter.com asking for prayers for me. It turns out a friend had posted the prayer request on that website.
The morning after my two-hour surgery to remove the arrow, the surgeon came in my room. He revealed that I had a brain tumour and the surgery had to be done. I remember going a bit numb but thinking, God works in mysterious ways. The brain surgery was successful and in less than a week I was back home.
Nothing eventful happened for a couple of years. After an MRI in 2015, I was told that there was still no sign of a tumour growing back. Had it not been for that arrow, I would have died from a brain tumour. And honestly, the arrow should have killed me. But it didn’t.
Coincidences? Luck? I think not. The gentleman who wrote the last comment on the prayer-request thread on texasbowhunter.com summed it up in just two words. He simply wrote, “Amazing grace”.
1. How did the author’ family feel when she told them she was fine at the hospital?| A．Doubtful | B．Concerned | C．Convinced | D．Reassured |
| A．It is a blessing in disguise. | B．No pleasure without pain. |
| C．One good turn deserves another. | D．What goes around comes around. |
| A．To appeal for attention. | B．To describe his reaction. |
| C．To call for others’ support. | D．To comment on the whole issue. |
| A．Health | B．Entertainment | C．Nature | D．Story |
【推荐3】On the morning of May 20, 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. took off from a muddy airfield in New York and headed for Paris. During the first fourteen hours of flying, he had had some anxious moments. Sleet had gathered on the wings of the plane and the fog was so thick that he could hardly see the tips of the wings. However, he had come across equally dangerous flying conditions before. Of course, now that he was over the ocean, his parachute(降落伞)was useless. He had only one choice: he had to go on.
Although he had waited a long time to make this trip, he did not feel strange or nervous. He was accustomed to flying alone, and he had flown this route in his imagination many times. The idea of flying across the Atlantic had occurred to him one night when he had been carrying the mail between St. Louis and Chicago. That night, he told himself that a solo non-stop flight between New York and Paris was possible. He knew that airplanes capable of making the long flight over the ocean could be built. A man of skill and endurance could make his dream come true.
As he was recalling that night, he reduced the altitude of the plane. Close to the surface of the ocean, he found that the ice on the wings began to melt and the fog disappeared. For the time being, at least, he was safe. The steady sound of the motor seemed like music in his ears. He had perfect confidence in his plane because he knew that there was not a more dependable plane than his. The Ryan Aircraft Company had constructed the plane to meet his special needs. He had worked with the chief engineer of the company, Donald Hall, to produce the airplane as rapidly as possible. Although Hall had worked with the basic design of the Ryan airplane, he had had to make many modifications. As a result, it was a very special airplane. He had named it “The Spirit of St. Louis,” in honour of the St. Louis businessmen whose financial backing had made the trip possible. Besides their money, he had invested all of his own savings, which came to two thousand dollars, in the venture.
At 12 :10 on the afternoon of May 21, Lindbergh caught sight of the coast of Ireland. Now that the flight was almost over, he began to relax a little. Finally, after thirty-four hours in the air without sleep, he arrived at Le Bourget Field, in Paris.
1. According to Paragraph 2, Lindbergh Jr. didn’t feel nervous about the flight because of the following reasons EXCEPT that _________.| A．he was used to flying alone | B．he had waited a long time for the trip |
| C．he had imagined flying the route many times | D．his plane was specially designed |
| A．The pilot listened to music as he reduced the altitude of the plane. |
| B．The trip was made possible thanks to the financial support from some businessmen. |
| C．The plane got its name in memory of a non-stop trip. |
| D．The chief engineer designed the airplane independently to meet the pilot’s needs. |
| A．beautiful decorations | B．regular repairs |
| C．small changes | D．careful arrangements |
| A．Wings Across the Atlantic |
| B．A Solo Non-stop Flight of 24 Hours |
| C．The Spirit of St. Louis |
| D．An Outstanding Pilot—Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. |
【推荐1】Simone Biles was a bright, bouncy little girl. She couldn’t sit still, and her favorite place was the trampoline (蹦床) in her grandparents’, backyard, where she jumped and twisted (扭动) in the air for hours.
Simone was born in 1997. When she was 6 years old, her day-care group went on a field trip to a gym. Simone loved watching the gymnasts train and perform. She couldn’t just watch them, though-she had to try their moves. She was so good that one of the coaches sent a letter home with her, inviting Simone to take gymnastics (体操) classes.
Simone loved the classes, and she was excellent at climbing, swinging and jumping. She had a lot to learn, though. Most of the gymnasts in her class had started lessons when they began to learn to walk. At 6, Simone was the oldest child in her class. But that would change quickly.
Several times a year, the gym held exhibitions to demonstrate the gymnasts’ skills. At one of these, young gymnasts had to climb 10 feet up a rope, using just their arms and holding their legs straight in front of them. Simone was so strong that she climbed 20 feet into the air.
At 9, Simone learned why she couldn’t sit still: She had ADHD(多动症). Her brain moved fast and her body did too, which made it hard for her to concentrate in school. “The challenges we face help us become who we are, ” Simone wrote. “My challenge is also my superpower: ADHD. ” Simone’s superpower would help make her one of the most brilliant gymnasts ever seen.
At age 16, she won two gold medals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, including the all-around. She has now won 25 world medals, 19 of them gold. That’s the most in world gymnastics history. So outstanding is she that several signature moves have been named after Simone.
1. What does the underlined word “bouncy” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Confident. | B．Active. | C．Curious. | D．Gifted. |
| A．Simone liked to show off. |
| B．Simone didn’t need to learn more. |
| C．How excellently Simone performed. |
| D．Why Simone fell behind her classmates. |
| A．Simone’s superpower. |
| B．Simone’s signature moves. |
| C．Simone’s great achievements. |
| D．Simone’s experience in competitions. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Interest is the best teacher. |
| C．Talent is the key to success. |
| D．Challenges can be superpower. |
【推荐2】Unless you are fortunate enough to know an NBA player, Ryan Martin is probably the best basketball player you'll ever meet. Unlike those who fly up and down the court (球场),however, Martin is forced to take a different approach; he doesn't have legs.
Martin, a 33-year old man, is a professional wheelchair basketball player. His achievements have taken him halfway around the world to play in Spain for the last seven years. There he made a comfortable living playing basketball and working with some of the greatest athletes in the world.
“A good wheelchair player can make $ 50,000 a year, while a star can make six figures,” said Martin. What's more, he couldn't see his family for months and European cities were unfriendly to the disabled. He also had to learn Spanish. Martin, however, overcame those drawbacks(困难).
He started by playing basketball when he was 12. It didn't take long for him to fall in love with the sport and, after graduating from Somers High, he attended Southwest Minnesota State University on a basketball scholarship. In college, he scored over 1 ,000 points in his career and set several school records.
And he works as hard—if not harder—than any other professional athlete. “He destroys me,” said Gina Navarra, who works out with Martin on occasion. “What he does amazes me.”
Martin also recognizes that, at age 33, he's in the back end of his career. With that in mind, he has been focusing more and more on his foundation.
“I have 12 brothers and sisters. College gave me a true sense of achievement. The foundation is designed to give those with disabilities the opportunity to realize the dreams that I once had,” Martin said.
“I'm not saying that out of a sense of pity,” he said. “I realize how fortunate I am to have achieved what I have. But I want to open doors for people.”
1. What was Ryan Martin's life like in Spain?| A．Free. | B．Boring. | C．Difficult. | D．Bittersweet. |
| A．He stood out in basketball. | B．He failed to make a record. |
| C．He was weak in his studies. | D．He never won a scholarship. |
| A．To help those in need. | B．To finish his basketball career. |
| C．To earn more money for his family. | D．To learn basketball skills from other players. |
| A．Honest and responsible. | B．Ambitious and sensitive. |
| C．Reliable and knowledgeable. | D．Determined and warm-hearted. |
【推荐3】The world held its breath when the scene of a car crash was broadcast on five television and the name Tiger Woods flashed across the screen. The Los Angeles Times reported the car rolled over many times and Woods was not able to get out of the car on his own. Fortunately, he was wearing his seat belt, which very likely saved his life. Woods was saved from the badly damaged car with the "jaws of life" by firefighters. Then he was immediately transported to Harbor-UCLA, the busiest hospital in Los Angeles, and was undergoing surgery for leg injuries, as recent reports said.
Thankfully, his injuries aren't life-threatening. We do have some clues in the released statements as to what injuries Woods has suffered. First, we heard about open fractures, in which the broken bones poke (露出)through the skin. Woods is said to have had a rod (杆) placed down a bone, which is one way to treat a fracture and allow the bone to heal in a better position. Given the multiplicity of fractures, Woods may have also had an external fixator, something kept outside the skin. Moving forward, he will also need to heal and strengthen his muscles, which can take a year or longer
Woods, 45, is one of the most successful professional golfers of all time. He has won 15 major championships and most recently won The Masters in 2019 after missing a good deal of lime recovering from a back injury. It is far too early to say whether he will play professional golf again, and there is no doubt his injuries are a severe obstacle to his chances of ever returning to the tour, particularly because he is in his 40s, and has suffered other career-threatening injuries.
Woods's tragedies are what makes him human, but his comebacks are what make him inspirational. Woods's legendary story has been marked by several peaks and valleys. Let’s hope this is the deepest valley before the greatest peak.
1. Which probably saved Tiger Woods life in the crash?| A．Rod placed down a bone. |
| B．Jaws of life used by firemen. |
| C．Seat belt worn by him. |
| D．An external fixator. |
| A．Woods suffered life-threatening injuries in this accident. |
| B．It will Lake Woods a year to recover. |
| C．Woods can never play professional golf again. |
| D．Woods’ injuries are career threatening. |
| A．Winning many championships. |
| B．His ear accident in the journey. |
| C．His serious injuries. |
| D．Ups and downs in his life. |
| A．He is indifferent to Woods’ accident. |
| B．He is familiar with Woods’ golf career. |
| C．He is sure about Woods’ future golf career. |
| D．He was reporting on the spot of the accident. |
