“You need a guide,” says Mike May, 68, who was blinded at the age of 3. May started skiing at 27, on a beginner track, holding onto a guide’s poles — in what he calls “horse and buggy style.” Within days, he was unattached and following his guide’s voice down the hill. “It was extremely liberating.” says May, who went on to win multiple medals in the world competitions now known as the Paralympics, and hit 65 miles per hour to set the world record for speed skiing by a completely blind skier.
May suggests using only guides who lead rather than follow you. You want a skilled skier with a loud voice. Once on the track, keep 4 to 15 feet between you and your guide. A good guide will use rhythm to indicate spatial directions; a long turn might sound like “Tuuuuurn left. Gooo, gooo.” Listen for other noises too: A blip (哔哔声) in you guide’s voice might mean a bump ahead; if their skis start scraping (刮擦), prepare for ice; sudden quiet indicates powder.
Always wear a brightly colored vest that identifies you as a blind skier clearly. Still, don’t assume others will take in its meaning; May thinks that fewer than 50 percent do. The biggest barrier for blind skiers is often transportation to the mountain. In college, May sometimes hitchhiked (搭便车) to the Sierra Nevads, hours away. He doesn’t recommend it. “Hitch-hiking with a seeing-eye dog and your ski equipment is not a simple task,” he says.
Ski lifts can be tricky, but you can always ask the operator to slow the lift down if you feel nervous. At the top of the run, ask your guide to give you a play-by-play so you know what’s coming. “I always like to take the same run over and over again,” May says. “That way I get a mental picture and can start to relax and really open up to the experience.”
1. What do we know about Mike May from paragraph 1?| A．He trained alone. | B．He was born blind. |
| C．He fell in love with horse riding. | D．He broke world record. |
| A．The sound of sudden silence. | B．The sound of scraping. |
| C．A blip in the guide’s voice. | D．A dragging sound like “gooo”. |
| A．The colorful dressing. |
| B．The ignorance of others. |
| C．The identification of blind skiers. |
| D．The transportation to the skiing spot. |
| A．Out of sight, out of mind. |
| B．Storms make trees take deeper roots. |
| C．An honest man’s word is as good as his bond. |
| D．From the father comes honour, from the mother, comfort. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Dragon boating is a team sport that has its root in ancient China. The boats are decorated with a dragon head and tail. In recent years, cancer survivor groups have got involved in the sport to help make friends and help rebuild their lives.
On a recent Saturday morning, a group of 20 women were on a boat in the Anacostia River in Washington DC. They moved their paddles(船桨)in rhythm to the call of a coach. The women belong to the dragon boat team GoPink! DC, which trains weekly. It also races against other breast cancer survivor teams in dragon boat festivals. As a result, GoPink! DC won medals in this Washington dragon boat festival.
Lydia Collins joined five years ago after finding out she had breast cancer. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was demoralized because of my illness - I lost all interest in life and wouldn't even get out of bed to eat. But now I love the team spirit. I just love everything about it. It is like a floating support group on the water.”
The paddles are breast cancer survivors and their supporters. Annette Rothemel helped establish(建立)the group in 2006. She is a researcher with the National Institutes of Health as well as a breast cancer survivor. “It is sort of an easy entry sport because on the same boat people at different levels can be doing the same sport.” But Ms Rothemel says dragon boating can be physically demanding, especially for someone who is sick and getting treatment for cancer.
“It’s hard but I think you have to challenge yourself in life. This is something I look forward to. I get to be out here with my sisters and supporters that understand what I’m going through and help motivate me. So it makes me stronger and it makes me feel better,” another cancer survivor Rhonda Hartzel said.
Annette Rothemel says the cancer survivors feel a sense of sisterhood and share good times when they paddle together. She says both feelings are treasured by the team.
1. What do the underline words demoralized In para.3 probably mean?| A．depressed | B．anxious | C．astonished | D．awkward |
| A．she helps establish Go Pink !DC |
| B．she tries to find a cure for the cancer |
| C．she benefits from the dragon boat race |
| D．she gives up hope because of her illness |
| A．forget their tough experiences |
| B．recover physically and mentally |
| C．get rid of the pains of their cancer |
| D．enjoy their rest life without sufferings |
| A．she is an expert in studying the cause of the cancer |
| B．she helps the cancer survivors in financial difficulties |
| C．she believes there is a healthful result from the dragon boat race |
| D．she thinks it unwise for the patient to join in the dragon boat race |
【推荐2】Now, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has approved two drugs that may slow the cognitive decline destroying the lives of millions of Alzheimer’s patients.
But both approvals are highly controversial. They were only based on the drugs’ ability to remove plaques (斑块), which were thought to be the underlying cause of the disease. Also, the drugs are expensive, can cause adverse side effects, and may have modest benefits. Some experts argue that the treatment benefits don’t clearly outweigh the risks.
For years, getting rid of plaques has been the primary focus of researches and drug development. But the approvals have aroused a debate over whether this is the best way to attack the disease. Many scientists note that the result so far is just two drugs with limited efficiency, and they have called for far more funding to look for other theories.
The drug the FDA approved last week, known as Lecanemab, is the first to show evidence of slowing cognitive decline in clinical trials. The other drug, known as Aducanumab, was shown to remove plaques, but was not proven to arrest the loss of cognitive ability. But Lecanemab’s promise has been clouded by the death of three patients in an extension of the study.
Matthew Schrag, a neurologist, thinks that the benefits are modest at best. The researchers used an 18-point clinical dementia rating scale to assess a patient’s memory and problem solving skills among other aspects of cognitive and functional performance; the higher the score, the worse the dementia. Those on Lecanemab scored 1.21 whereas those taking the placebo(安慰剂) averaged 1.66, which shows that those taking the drug experienced 27 percent less cognitive decline.
“The question is whether the average patient in a clinic would notice that benefit,” Schrag says. “I don’t think they would.” More importantly, it’s the drug’s safety that concerns him. “I think we’re just beginning to see the tip of the iceberg with the risks.” Schrag and others are not convinced they are central to delaying or arresting disease progression.
1. What can make the approvals controversial?| A．The drugs’ low price. |
| B．The drugs’ benefits of improving cognition. |
| C．The drugs’ effects. |
| D．The drugs’ ability to cause plaques. |
| A．Lecanemab’s future is promising. |
| B．The two drugs are beneficial to Alzheimer. |
| C．Few money are needed to seek alternative theories. |
| D．Aducanumab can arrest the loss of cognitive ability. |
| A．A large quantity of risks is waiting for us to explore. |
| B．Average patients can notice the benefits unquestionably. |
| C．Scientists are central to delaying the disease progression. |
| D．Patients receiving Lecanemab lost 27 percent of their cognitive ability. |
| A．The limited efficiency of two new drugs. |
| B．Researches conducted to test two new drugs. |
| C．The potential dangers Alzheimer’s patients face. |
| D．Matthew Schrag’s distinctive insight of the Alzheimer. |
【推荐3】Want to stay away from colds? Put on a happy face.
Compared to unhappy people, those who are cheerful and relaxed are less likely to suffer from（遭受）colds, according to a new study. It’s possible that being happy helps the body fight illnesses, say the researchers from New York University.
“It seems that positive（积极的）feelings may reduce the danger of illness,” said the study’s chief researcher Sheldon Cohen.
In an earlier study, Cohen found that people who were cheerful and lively caught cough sand colds less often. People who showed feelings were also less likely to tell their doctors that they felt ill.
In this study, Cohen’s interviewed 193 adults every day for two weeks. During the interviews, the people told researchers about the happy or sad feelings they had that day. After the two weeks, the people were given colds by doctors and had to stay alone in a room for six days.
The results showed that everyone in the study was equally likely to get ill. But for people who said they felt happy during the research period, their illness are less serious and lasted for a shorter time.
Cohen believes that when people experience positive feelings, their body may produce a chemical that helps fight illness and disease. So if you are worried about your health, look on the bright side more often.
1. Which of the following was NOT a part of the study?| A．People talked about their feelings every day. |
| B．People were kept alone for six days. |
| C．People were given colds by doctors. |
| D．People were made to feel unhappy. |
| A．People who felt happy never got ill. |
| B．People’s feelings didn’t influence their health. |
| C．People with good feelings became ill more easily. |
| D．People with positive feelings had less serious illnesses. |
| A．advertisement | B．report | C．story | D．scientist’s diary |
【推荐1】Muhammad Ali was raised in a small home in Louisville, Kentucky. From those humble beginnings neither he nor any observer at that time could have forecast the path he would carve through life. He was a Golden Gloves champion at age 17, an Olympic gold medalist at age 18, and an undefeated heavyweight champion at age 22.
His fighting career began when, spurred by the theft of his prized new bicycle, he was out to get the person responsible. Ali was releasing his anger at the local gym, when the sharp-sighted policeman Joe Martin suggested, “You'd better learn to box first.” And he did. And before his career in the ring ended, the world would know his name as the man crowned heavyweight champion three times--- the greatest.
Outside of athletics, too, Ali never gave up standing up for what he believed in the 1960s, he took his conviction for draft evasion(拒服兵役) all the way to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971. He used his words as well as his fists, recording two spoken-word album and an R&B song and earning two Grammy nominations(提名奖); writing two autobiographies; and acting in several films and a Broadway musical.
Eventually, his greatest fight was not in the ring. After being the world’s toughest human opponents, it was Parkinson’s disease that would prove to be his final enemy. In true Ali style, he met this challenge head on. Instead of shrinking from this difficulty, he stepped onto the world stage once more as a champion. His tireless work raising money to fight this terrible disease inspired thousands and endeared him to a new generation of admirers around the world even beyond his death in 2016. As he was in the ring, he remains in our eyes---- the greatest.
1. Why are the age mentioned three times in the first paragraph?| A．To show Ali’s talent in boxing. | B．To list Ali’s great titles. |
| C．To tell Ali’s humble beginnings. | D．To prove observer’s foresight. |
① athlete ② civil rights activist ③ film director ④ Grammy award winner
| A．①②③④ | B．①②④ | C．①②③ | D．①② |
| A．Giving in to obstacles. | B．Solving problems by fist. |
| C．Facing challenges directly. | D．Working tirelessly to raise money. |
| A．His Biggest Fight Yet Isn’t in the Ring |
| B．The Greatest Boxer in American History |
| C．From a Poor Boy to a World Champion |
| D．A Fearless Warrior Against Parkinson |
A young man whose good looks and innocent smile have turned him into an internet celebrity has brought a surge in interest in his hometown among tourists.
Ctrip, an online travel agency, said that after a video of Tamdrin, a 20-year-old ethnic Tibetan man from Litang county in Sichuan province's Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, became popular online recently, the number of searches for Litang increased quickly.
Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, featured Tamdrin in three tweets in a row on her Twitter account on Monday. “The channel of Sicfiuan TV has a new ‘anchor’, Tamdrin, who broadcasts news in his native Tibetan language as a guest,” she wrote. “Tamdrin recently became a social media star after a photo of his bright, sunny and innocent smile had become popular.” She also posted a short clip of Tamdrin riding a horse and introducing himself in subtitling: “They call me ‘prince on a horse’. The happiest thing for me is to race horses with my brothers. Tm really good at horse racing and often rank first in our village. ”
Tamdrin has now been hired by Litang Culture Tourism and Sport Investment Development Co. to promote tourism for the county. Du Dongdong, the company’s general manager, told China Central Television he hoped the young man could grow and develop alongside local tourism, which has just started to take off.
Tamdrin said in a CCTV interview that he didn’t know why he had become so well-known, but he was happy that so many people knew of him, and he was excited to help people learn more about his hometown. He added that he planned to learn many things and hoped he would do well in his work for the company. "At the same time, I still want to race horses and continue to be a champion,” he said in Tibetan.
1. What does the underlined word “surge” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Rise. | B．Flow. | C．Decrease | D．Movement. |
| A．Sichuan TV is in urgent need of a Tibetan broadcaster now. |
| B．A social media star should look good with innocent smiles. |
| C．Hua Chunying supports the positive energy Tamdrin shows. |
| D．A short clip of Tamdrin riding a horse makes him popular. |
| A．promote the culture of horse racing. | B．set an example for Internet celebrities. |
| C．speak for the tourism of his hometown. | D．act as an image ambassador of the company. |
| A．Confident. | B．Nervous. | C．Proud. | D．Cheerful. |
【推荐3】It was May 23,2016. Arnot, the 32-year-old mountain guide, reached the top of Qomolangma without the use of oxygen (O2) equipment. It was achieved after seven years, three previous attempts, and fourteen straight hours of climbing.
After 15 minutes at the top, Arnot began her descent (下坡). Eight hours later, she reached the camp at 7, 600 meters and became the first American woman—and only the seventh woman ever—to successfully reach Mount Qomolangma without oxygen equipment.
“There are so many reasons for her impressive achievement, especially the physical and emotional efforts that she’s put forth over the years to make this happen,” says the professional climber and photographer Richards. “The mental courage that it requires is something very few people have.”
Arnot didn’t start climbing until she was 19 years old. Money was tight in her family, and climbing mountains never occurred in her mind. After graduating from college, Arnot was invited by her friend to climb a mountain. “It totally changed my life,” says Arnot. “I always know that if you want something, you can achieve it, but knowing what you want is a whole different thing,” she says. “I am athletic but not competitive. After my first climbing, I knew immediately that mountains are what I want — as that is where I felt home for the first time in my life.”
After that first climb, she devoted herself to learning how to climb and move through mountain. It was during her second trip to Qomolangma in 2009 that she first set her sights on a no-oxygen attempt. However, while hiking into Qomolangma Base Camp that year, she hurt her leg and wasn’t able to climb without oxygen. In 2013 she nearly made it to the top, but was forced to take oxygen at 8, 504 meters while helping another climber.
When Arnot finally stood atop Qomolangma, she called her best friend, “I reached the top and I’m not using any oxygen.” Then, tears began to stream down from her eyes. So much of Arnot’s life has been about pushing the limits of her abilities, and in this case, she’s also pushed up against the outer limits of the human spirit.
1. On May 23, 2016, Arnot ________.| A．spent 8 straight hours climbing |
| B．stayed at the top for 50 minutes |
| C．made her first attempt to climb Qomolangma |
| D．reached the top without oxygen equipment |
| A．money was no longer a problem to her |
| B．mountains gave her the feeling of comfort |
| C．she tried to be more athletic and competitive |
| D．she wanted to build up her body through climbing |
| A．She took up climbing when she was 19 years old. |
| B．She has always been a good climber since her childhood. |
| C．She climbed Qomolangma with her family during her first trip. |
| D．She hurt her leg badly while helping another climber in 2009. |
| A．Determined and brave. |
| B．Cautious and honest. |
| C．Caring and open-minded. |
| D．Confident and creative. |
【推荐1】A junior at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, Adam Faze,16, decided in October to organize a film festival. "I want to go to a film school and work in the industry, but Loyola has nothing like that, which is strange because we're right here in LA (a part of the city is Hollywood where films are made)," he said." So instead of sitting around and feeling unhappy, I decided to do something.”
The school was unenthusiastic. "Every year, students approach me with many projects that are really difficult to carry out," said Lance Ochsner, Adam's adviser. "I thought it wouldn't happen, but I gave him the go—ahead anyway."
Adam sent letters and made cold calls, and got no response. By January, he had little more than a single participant: Jordan Roberts, the father of a friend and a writer—director. (Mr. Roberts had' agreed to serve as a festival judge.)
Then Adam looked through a catalog for Loyola's annual money—raising event and noticed that someone had donated two tickets to a Sony movie premiere (the first public performance of a movie). That person turned out to be an Oscar campaigner. By working the connection, he managed to line up a festival speaker: Michael De Luca, a three—time Oscar nominee (someone who has been officially suggested for the prize of Oscar) for producing films like “The Social Network"
“Adam's energy, enthusiasm and fearlessness are influential,” Mr. De Luca wrote in an email. “I wish I had done this at my high school!” Adam got a local newspaper 'to write an article about Mr. De Luca's involvement(参与), and that started a sponsorship and submission (费助和作品提交) wildfire.
The Loyola Film Festival is set for Saturday and advertised as “the best in student filmmaking". It will feature 72 films in four categories.
But Adam is already focused on his next plan. In an email to a reporter, he wrote, “Could you mention that I'm still looking for a summer internship(实习)?”
1. Adam hoped that his high school could .| A．make some new films | B．encourage students to watch films |
| C．get involved in film activities | D．allow students to enter film festivals |
| A．Curious. | B．Doubtful. | C．Surprised. | D．Encouraged. |
| A．From a donation list of Loyola's. | B．From the father of a friend. |
| C．From a telephone call. | D．From a letter. |
| A．The personal life of a 16-year-old teen. | B．Why the Loyola Film Festival is held. |
| C．A special high school in Los Angeles. | D．How a teen organized a film festival. |
【推荐2】I’d moved to U.S.to live with my uncle,and one year after that, I lost my vision. I had since learned to get about with a cane, and now I craved getting back to pursue my dream of being a broadcaster.
But my aunt and uncle said it was much too dangerous for me to go out on my own. What if I got hit by a car? I must stay in the house. I was dogged. I rejected their guesses. I believed I could regain my way if I lost it. I told my aunt and uncle I would pay close attention, I would listen and be very careful when crossing streets.
A public library was offering a tuition-free course on how to use a computer with screen reading software designed for blind people. This was an important opportunity for me, My aunt and uncle reluctantly agreed.
I knew that the American singer Ray Charles, who was also blind, got around on his own without a cane. If he could do it without a cane, I reasoned, surely I could do it with one. Ray’ s secret was to count steps. But I couldn’t seem lo do that the way he had. Instead I captured the layout (布局) of places I visited by taking note of landmarks in my mind. I’d imagine the mental map I’d drawn and use that in order to navigate. Today, I do this automatically.
But that doesn’t mean I didn’t lose my way many times in the process of acquiring this skill. Sometimes I’d be so discouraged that I’d consider giving up. Maybe I should stay home and wait until someone could help me. On those days when I lost my way, I’d go to bed feeling down. And because I didn’t want my uncle to worry about me, I kept that to myself.
Since that time, I’ve pursued my education. I’ve earned three academic degrees, including a master’s, in face-to-face classrooms.Today, I’m a published journalist and audio producer. Now, surprised at my progress, my uncle screams to my aunt,“That boy can see!”
1. What does the underlined word “dogged” mean in the second paragraph?| A．Determined. | B．Depressed. |
| C．Ashamed. | D．Frightened. |
| A．Depending on a walking cane. |
| B．Employing the power of imagination. |
| C．Drawing a detailed map himself. |
| D．Counting every pace while walking. |
| A．His firm trust in his uncle. | B．His desire for some help. |
| C．His losing his way sometimes. | D．His feeling sleepy at bed. |
| A．A blessing. | B．A relief. |
| C．A surprise. | D．A praise. |
【推荐3】Caroline Tegeret comes from a small village in the remote area of Kenya. Her academic journey began like many others though filled with tremendous difficulties. The biggest challenges Tegeret had to face was the financial one since seeking law as a career is expensive. Coming from a community where girls barely get past high school doesn’t lighten the load in any way either.
Upon graduating in 2017, she joined Kenya School of Law in 2018. After college, she qualified herself as a lawyer of the High Court of Kenya on July 2. 2020. “My dream to pursue a career in law began way back in high school when I developed an interest in law,” she said. What was her driving force? For Tegeret, it was the fact that in terms of development, her community was, and still is, far behind.
Her community has high illiteracy levels where plenty of girls have no opportunity to attend school. Terrible cultural practices like early marriage are still very common, robbing the youth of the opportunities to be educated. She knew quite early that for her to be able to bring change to the community, she needed to be equipped with the right tools through education and knowledge of the law.
As she burned the midnight oil, studying piles of history books and law cases, the memory of her father further inspired her. Her father’s determination gave her strength and motivation to pursue her dream. Coming from a humble background, he stood out for her as an example of life’s possibilities as he was able to succeed in his teaching career.
Tegeret wants to work with NGOs and government agencies to promote the rights of the minority. Her desire grows stronger when she finds many people can’t speak for themselves. She wants to raise their voice and make them heard by the authorities.
Her remarkable achievement is a source of encouragement to many young girls whose dreams look too big compared to their life’s circumstances. She wants to let them know they, too, have rights to choose their intended life.
1. What problem did Caroline Tegeret have in pursuing her dream?| A．Her poor financial condition. | B．Her early marriage engagement. |
| C．The remote location of her family. | D．High illiteracy levels of the community. |
| A．To pursue her dream of law career. | B．To live up to her father’s expectation. |
| C．To entitle herself with lots of rights. | D．To change her community for the better. |
| A．Humble and consistent. | B．Hardworking and ambitious. |
| C．Enterprising and humorous. | D．Considerate and helpful. |
| A．Pursue a law career | B．Be a community reformer |
| C．Meet a female lawyer | D．Struggle for female rights |
