Most people who ran the marathon last month spent days before resting up and days after recovering. But not Jacky Hunt-Broersma. In total, she ran 104 marathons in 104 days. If it’s confirmed by Guinness World Records, that would be a new world record. And she did it all with one leg and a prosthesis (假肢).
“Someone able-bodied had done it previously. I wanted to see if I could do it on a prosthetic leg and see what would happen,” she said. “I thought it would be a great way to inspire others to push their limits because I truly believe that we’re stronger than what we think. And I’ve been so pleasantly surprised that my body’s held up, everything’s held up and I’ve made it to 104.”
She actually did not pick up the sport until after she lost the lower part of her left leg in 2001 to a type of cancer called Ewing sarcoma. Runners using a prosthetic leg can’t use a regular one. They need a running blade (刀锋式跑步义肢). Hunt-Broersma has two, but she was only able to run with one because of the swelling she experienced in her left leg that made it impossible to connect to the other blade. But even with the pain that occurred, she has been able to put up with it and continued.
All together, Hunt-Broersma ran over 4,385 kilometers. During that time she’s had a lot of time to think and has learned a few things about herself. “It’s taught me how strong one can be and how important absolute determination is. If you’re mentally strong, you can do anything,” she said. “And our bodies are just amazing. . . This whole journey was impressive and super hard, but it’s told me how strong I can be as a person and how far I can push myself.”
1. Why did Hunt-Broersma decide to run marathons?A.She wanted to set a new record. |
B.She intended to challenge herself. |
C.She was driven by her interest. |
D.She was inspired by people like her. |
A.She didn’t get professional training. |
B.She found it hard to keep her balance. |
C.She suffered discomfort in her left leg |
D.She couldn’t use regular running blades. |
A.Rome wasn’t built in a day. | B.Time works wonders. |
C.A good beginning is half the battle. | D.Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
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【推荐1】I’m racing on the 1,500-metre track (跑道) with my friend, Mary. I’m tired and my throat is giving me much pain. I want to stop but a voice repeating in my head keeps me running: “No one knows what the result will be. Everything is still possible.” Today, I have to fight with myself.
Nine years ago, when I was a 6-year-old girl, my mother took me on a trip. We went to the foot of a high mountain which she told me that we would climb. I had never done this before and the thought of it made me very happy.
At the beginning, I climbed fast. But half an hour later, when I was thirsty and tired, I just stopped and sat upon the ground , completely silent. My mom came and sat next to me.
She said, “Get up and go on!”
Almost shouting, and with tears in my eyes, I replied, “No, I don’t want to do this. It’s too tiring and I am thirsty. I don’t like it. I want to go back home now.”
Patiently she explained, “Listen, my dear. If you try your best, anything is possible. If you don’t try, your dreams will never come true. However hard the task is, we must finish it. You will never know how beautiful the scenery looks unless you reach the top of the mountain.”
Hearing her words, I stopped crying and started to climb again. Finally I made it; I did reach the top of the mountain and enjoyed the glorious view.
Today I’m on the racing track. I’m going to keep running because I know its always worthwhile (值得做的) to finish.
And in the end I managed it; I got through the finish line. Although it was really difficult and I did not win, I did make it. As former Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015) said, “Never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined (命定的) place — that is, the unique you.”
1. What event is the author taking part in?A.Jumping. | B.Running. |
C.Boxing. | D.Climbing. |
A.Sweet. | B.Simple. |
C.Beautiful. | D.Strange. |
A.Abdul Kalam. | B.Mary. |
C.Her teacher. | D.Her mother. |
A.The author won the race in the end. |
B.The author got through the finish line in the end. |
C.The author climbed the mountain with her parents. |
D.The author disliked the splendid view on the top of the mountain. |
A.No pains, no gains. | B.A small act makes a difference. |
C.Hard work is the key to success. | D.To reach our aims, never give up. |
【推荐2】Richard Browning has been attracted by flight ever since his father took him into the hills to fly gliders (滑翔机). He has certainly been an adventurer. Richard took it upon himself to develop his own jet suit and began to experiment with some of his friends. He made quick progress. In 2017, he felt confident enough to start a company called Gravity Industries that could make jet suits. It took 15 months to develop the very first one.
Five very small jet engines are built into the jet suit. These are powered by kerosene (煤油). Two engines are located on the pilot’s arms and one is placed on the back. Each engine weighs less than two kilos and can produce22 kilos of thrust(推力).
The pilot is able to control the direction and speed of the flight. He does this by small movements of the arms which require hours of practice. One wrong move and you could end up falling to the ground.
Richard is not only in charge of his company; he is also the chief test pilot. He has spent hours and hours perfecting the correct moves to create a perfect flight. He was able to enter the Guinness Book of World Records in 2017 when he became the fastest man in a jet suit and flew at 51 kilometres per hour. Since then, he has presented his jet suit at 60 events in 20 different countries around the world. More recently, he flew alongside Brighton Pier on the south coast of England at 136 kilometres per hour!
The objective of Richard’s company has been to build a suit which members of the public can buy. The first went on sale in a department store in 2018 for f 340, 000. If you want to jet around your own hometown, it’s time to start saving—or to work for Richard Browning.
1. What do we know about Richard?A.He was absorbed in flight. | B.He is no stranger to misfortune. |
C.He is slow in making up his mind. | D.He started his company with his father. |
A.It is easy to control. | B.It is quite lightweight. |
C.It consists of two engines. | D.It leads the world in its field. |
A.It’ll be much faster. | B.It’ll save more energy. |
C.It’ll reach ordinary customers soon. | D.It’ll ease his hometown’s heavy traffic. |
A.Being good is different from being great. |
B.He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. |
C.One cannot succeed without time and practice. |
D.Luck, talent and friendship help to achieve success. |
When Dan Shaw gets up from the sofa in his home, Cuddles is never far away. When he wants to go outside, he doesn’t take Cuddles out for walk—Cuddles takes him for a walk. Cuddles is clearly no ordinary family pet. It is a two-foot-high miniature horse and serves as the guiding eyes of Shaw, who is blind.
When Shaw lost his sight, his wife suggested he apply for a guide dog. Shaw, an animal lover, said he couldn’t bear to part with a dog (which usually lives about eight to ten years) and get used to a new one, perhaps several times in his life.
Then Shaw heard of a program about the tiny guide horses. He learned that the horse possess many qualities that make them an excellent choice for guiding people. They are clean friendly, smart and have great memories. They can be trained to remain calm in noisy and crowded places. Best of all, they live for 25-25years, which would enable Shaw to have the same guide companion for most or all of his life.
Shaw immediately applied to be and was accepted as the first person to receive a guide horse. The instant he met Cuddles, he knew he was making the right choice. Then he began his training.
Through training ,Shaw and Cuddles learned to find way on busy streets, step over curbs (便道沿儿) and find elevator buttons. Cuddles even demonstrated (显示)its ability to step in front of Shaw and block him, to prevent him from walking into a dangerous situation. The little horse also expertly led Shaw through busy shopping malls. They got along without any difficulties. Now Shaw is confident that Cuddles will change his life for the better.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “miniature” in Paragraph 1?(No more than 2 words)2. Why didn’t Shaw want to choose a dog as his guide? (No more than 15 words)
3. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us? (No more than 10 words)
4. How does Shaw feel about his future life with the help of Cuddles? (No more than 10 words)
5. What animal would you like to keep as a pet at home? Please give your reasons. (No more than 20 words)
They had.
“I got five A’s,” she still recalls with elation. “I almost fell on the floor!”
Warren would graduate from Suffolk University with a Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy and history at age 80. Three years later, at age 83; she would receive her second degree from Suffolk, a master’s in education.
Now, with both diplomas proudly displayed in her apartment, Warren is not finished with learning.
Warren was born Rosalie Levey on Aug.29, 1900. Two years after she entered high school, her father died. Warren had to leave school for factory work to help support her family’s 10 children. Warren describes herself as a “person who always liked school,” and she says the move “broke my heart completely because I couldn’t finish high school.”
In the end, however, “I went to school nights,” she recalls. “Any place I could find an outlet of learning and teaching, I was there.”
A short time later, her mother became ill, and Warren had to care for her, once again putting her education on hold.
Finally, in 1921, her mother, now recovered, drew from her saving to send Warren to Boston University for two years to study typing, stenography, and office procedures.
Those courses helped Warren gain several long-term office positions over the next 60 years, but her great desire “to be in the academic field” continued.
In 1924, she married Eugene Warren, and seven years later, her daughter, Corinne, was born. In 1955, by then a widow and a grandmother, Warren took a bus tour across the United States that was to last nine months. She said she wanted to see “things you never see in the West End.”
When she returned home, she took a bookkeeping position and also enrolled in courses in philosophy, sociology and Chinese history.
In 1975, when she was 75, Warren learned from a neighbor about Suffolk University’s tuition-free program for senior citizens.” I was at the registrar’s office the very next day,” she recalls. At first, she took one or two courses at a time, but encouraged by her professors, she enrolled as a degree candidate.
“I had not studied for so many years,” she says, “but I was determined.” For the next four years, Warren, who calls herself a “student of philosophy,” worked toward her degree.
Nancy Stoll, dean of students at Suffolk, says Warren is “an interesting role model for our younger students—that learning is a lifetime activity...She is genuinely enthusiastic about being here, and that permeates (散发) her activities and is contagious (传染的) to students and faculty.”
1. What does the word elation mean in the sentence “I got fives A’s”, she still recalls with elation”?
A.Great happiness. | B.Great surprise. |
C.Great pride. | D.Great honor. |
A.Because Warren needn’t pay her tuition; she went to study at Suffolk University. |
B.At first Warren had to pay for her courses at Suffolk University. |
C.Most of the students at Suffolk University are older than 65. |
D.Suffolk University encourages older people to take courses. |
A.came from a wealthy family |
B.didn’t like working in an office |
C.put her family before her education |
D.didn’t like her family very much |
A.Rosalie Warren’s family |
B.Rosalie Warren’s life |
C.Rosalie Warren’s education |
D.Rosalie Warren’s studying at Suffolk University |
【推荐2】At the age of eight, Glenn Cunningham was severely injured in a fire. He had major burns over the lower half of his body and was taken to a nearby county hospital.
From his bed, the semi-conscious(半昏迷的)little boy heard the doctor talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would surely die—which was for the best, really—for the terrible fire had destroyed the lower half of his body.
But somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did survive. The mother was told that her son was bound to spend a lifetime in a wheelchair.
But this brave little boy was determined that he would walk and even run. But unfortunately, from the waist down, Glenn had no motor ability. His thin, scarred legs just hung there, all but lifeless. Yet his courage that he would walk was as strong as ever.
One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair. Glenn worked his way to the fence, dragging his legs behind him. Then, step by step, he began dragging himself along the fence, determined that he would walk. He started to do this every day until eventually Glenn did develop the ability first to stand up , then to walk with help, then to walk by himself—and then amazingly—to run. Glenn began to run to school. He ran everywhere as fast as he could. Later in college, Glenn joined the track team where he received the nickname(绰号)the “Kansas Flyer”.
1938 witnessed this young man’s another amazing achievement. This young man, who was not expected to survive, who would surely never walk, who could never hope to run, ran the mile in 4 minutes and 4.4 seconds, the world’s fastest indoor mile! His persistence paid off.
1. What did the doctor think of Glenn’s injury?A.It would take a long time for him to fully recover. |
B.It would cost lots of money to cure him. |
C.He would be semi-conscious. |
D.He had little chance of surviving. |
A.Because he looked like the “ Kansas Flyer”. |
B.Because he once acted as the “ Kansas Flyer”. |
C.Because he could run very fast. |
D.Because he joined the track team. |
A.He survived. | B.He developed the ability to walk. |
C.He began to run to school. | D.He set a world record. |
A.The power of determination. | B.The dream for championship. |
C.The key to high performance. | D.The mistake of a doctor. |
【推荐3】When Emanuel received an email from Professor Richard English, Queen’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, encouraging him to apply for a PhD in Politics in Belfast, it was a pinch-me moment Emanuel never thought would be possible. After all, just a few short years ago, he was living on the streets couch-surfing at friends’ houses and weeding gardens to make ends meet. Now, one of the world’s leading political academics was preparing to welcome him to Queen’s University over 4,000 miles away.
Emanuel never knew who his father was and his mom was mentally ill when she gave birth to him, so the hospital took him off her and he was unofficially adopted for the first few years of his life. What followed was a childhood with uncertainty as Emanuel was passed between the adoption system and family members.
Through his high school and community college years, he moved from house to house, living with friends at times and living on the streets at others.
Determined to change all that despite his rocky start in life, Emanuel involved himself in school--doing everything he could to earn extra tuition (学费) money in his spare time. But getting accepted into university was scarcely possible because a person like him couldn’t get a regular student loan.
Fortunately, the government backed him, having created a policy allowing disadvantaged persons to access funding for higher education. He graduated from the University of the West Indies with a 1st Class Honors degree and went on to do his Masters.
Emanuel knows that his story could have been very different.
“I discovered Professor Richard English online and sent him an email honestly, not thinking he would reply and to my surprise, he did. I applied for the highly competitive Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme in order to fund my research at Queen’s. When I was told I was successful, my whole world changed.”
1. What does the underlined word “pinch-me” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Expected. | B.Unbelievable. |
C.Awkward. | D.Anxious. |
A.His father was dead. | B.He lived on the streets. |
C.He was once adopted. | D.He lived with his friends. |
A.By receiving a regular student loan. |
B.By earning the tuition all by himself. |
C.By borrowing the money from friends. |
D.By getting support from the government. |
A.Well begun is half done. | B.It’s never too old to learn. |
C.You are the master of your life. | D.Lost time is never found again. |
His friends and family have given him a lot of support. While Washington lay in a coma in hospital, friends and family filled his room during visits. They celebrated his 18th birthday in July while he was still unconscious.Two days after Thanksgiving, eight friends from high school visited Washington at his home. The friends looked through photos on Facebook, showing them all to Washington. As he sat in his wheelchair, friends asked him to recognize the people in the photos, helping him recover his brain.
Washington’s popularity doesn’t come from nowhere. He was determined to become a police officer after college and behaved like a respectable police officer at school.His high school principal (校长), Eric Markinson, said Washington was always a gentleman. “He was incredibly gracious (和善的) and incredibly helpful,”he said.
His accident has damaged Washington’s brain. It has caused his left side, from his face to his feet, to all but shut down. His personality has also changed. The serious police-officer behavior is gone. He laughs a lot and smiles when he sees children, his mom said.
Now Washington is working hard on all-day rehabilitation. So far, he has made tremendous (巨大的) improvement, said his therapist Lindsay Sims.“I try to live as independently as possible,”Washington said slowly but firmly.
1. What happened to Delvin Washington last May?
A.He started to make improvements in his speech therapy. |
B.He was seriously injured in a car accident. |
C.He graduated from high school with good grades. |
D.He suffered a heart attack and went into a coma. |
A.They helped Washington make up for the lesson s he had missed. |
B.They worked together to collect money for Washington on campus. |
C.They helped Washington realize his dream of becoming a police officer. |
D.They regularly visited Washington and helped him with his rehabilitation. |
A.strong—willed | B.energetic |
C.pessimistic | D.depressed |
A.Washington’s friendship with his friends. |
B.Washington making great efforts to achieve his dream. |
C.What makes Washington so popular at school. |
D.How Washington is recovering his brain. |
【推荐2】A teenager who was widely attacked by a shark,losing part of her left leg and two fingers,has said, “Sharks are still good and that is just the truth.They are so good and so cool.”
Paige Winter,17,has remained in hospital at Vindant Medical Center in Greenville,North Carolina,since her father carried her out of the ocean away from the grips of a shark.Now,Paige’s left leg and two fingers on her left hand have been amputated,but despite all this she is predicted to go home next week.Ahead of her leaving the hospital,the father and daughter have spoken out about the nightmare.
The terrifying incident unfolded around midday on June 2 while Mr Winter was at the beach with Paige and others.He suddenly heard “Shark.Paige.Get her.” And he turned to where Paige was and there was no Paige.Paige was underwater and there was pink on the water.He saw pink and it was moving.The shark carried her around five feet underwater before Mr Winter reached them in the water.
Mr Winter said, “I grabbed her with my left arm and pulled her up over the water and when I pulled her up a shark came up with her and it was a big shark.I immediately just started to hit it.I hit it with everything I could and it let go.”
The proud father added, “I have been a firefighter for 15 years and I’ve seen a lot of bad things.Paige was as calm as a cup of water.She never screamed or cried.She’s a tough little thing.”
After her first surgery,Paige continues to exceed all expectations,both with confronting her new physical challenges and having an amazing mental outlook on the future.She knows it is going to be a challenge,she knows that and welcomes it.
She said, “I want people to see that I’m doing alright and that I am still going to be able to do all the stuff that other people can do.” She added that she had been touched by the messages of support she had received,in particular from other survivors of shark bites and amputees.
1. The underlined word “amputated” probably means “________”.A.treated | B.replaced |
C.removed | D.decorated |
A.The incident happened around midnight on June 2 at the beach. |
B.When the incident happened,Paige was surfing with her father. |
C.Paige’s father was once attacked by a shark when he was young. |
D.Paige received a lot of support from those with similar experiences. |
A.her fast recovery |
B.her positive attitude |
C.her horror of sharks |
D.the support she got |
A.His experience as a firefighter helped save his daughter. |
B.His daughter behaved unusually calmly despite the injuries. |
C.He saved his daughter without being injured by the shark. |
D.Many people at the beach came to their rescue after hearing the scream. |
【推荐3】Nicole Latham is a 21-year-old law student from University of Leeds. When she’s not studying for her degree, Nicole competes in weightlifting competitions. She also does a good job in karate.
On top of gym and martial arts, Nicole is also in and out of the doctor’s office. She was diagnosed(诊断) with multiple sclerosis(MS),a rare disease, a year ago. The first attack happened while she was preparing for her A-Levels, a hugely stressful time for many students. And at the time, all she thought about was: stress. But it turned out to be vertigo(眩晕) and likely the first MS attack.
Nicole carried on preparing for her exams. She sat with one eye closed to improve her vision which was damaged from her vertigo experience. That was when she decided to act and head back to the doctor’s office. She took loads of medicines, but no progress was made. Feeling something might be going wrong, she immediately went to the hospital for further examinations.
Following an MRI scan, she was diagnosed with MS. After this first attack and her MS diagnosis, Nicole didn’t experience another for a few years. But in August 2021, she had another.This attack made her left hand shake for two months. Despite the obvious challenge caused by the disease in daily life, she didn’t let it get in her way. And her goal was to show other young people with disabilities that they could live their lives and still enjoy an active lifestyle.
Today, Nicole uses her page not only to spread awareness of MS, encouraging people not to miss symptoms(症状), as she did at first, but also to show people they can live a full and satisfying life with MS. She wants to show the highs as much as the lows.
1. How did Nicole react when the first attack happened?A.She went to the hospital immediately. |
B.She turned to taking more exercise. |
C.She took a break from studying. |
D.She paid no attention to it. |
A.Relieved. | B.Worried. |
C.Curious. | D.Inspired. |
A.Rome was not built in a day. |
B.Prevention is better than cure. |
C.Strength comes from a strong will. |
D.All things are difficult before they are easy. |
A.Nicole Latham: Always be Ready to Help |
B.Meet N icole Latham — a T alented Athlete |
C.Nicole Latham: Never Let Anyone Down |
D.Meet Nicole Latham — a Fighter Suffering from MS |