Landfills are where most of the world’s plastics end up and a fair amount of it ends up in the world’s oceans. But a new British recycling firm wants it to end up here.
There is a great demand right now for recycled material. There’s a great deal of interest in getting recycling into the plastics industry specially, and so we are really going to further the ability to get plastic into the circular economy.
The firm called Recycling Technologies is breaking down plastic, then turning it into fuel oils or raw material to make new plastics. Basically, currently all we do is we make a hydrocarbon soup and then we take the materials out at different temperatures, so the higher temperatures, the waxes separate out, then we cool it a bit more, and the heavy oils then we call it, a bit more the light oils, and then the rest comes out. It’s naphtha, the gases that don’t condense (凝结) out. We actually use the fuel for the process. Their process is creating a heavy fuel oil that works for marine vessels (海洋船舶). We call it a clean material, because it has very little sulfur in it, in fact almost none, which certainly also fits with the new regulations for marine fill, where they’re asking for much lower sulfur around the world. So it’s a very valuable product.
Right now, the firm is recycling about 7,000 tons of plastic a year, but says it can quickly increase. We are designing to a four-day installation (装置). We will basically come in six ice-free containers which will stand on end, fixed together, and we plug in play mode and the aim is to be up and running within four days. So this is definitely not a refinery (提炼厂) concept.
This is much more a piece of stand-alone industrial equipment. The company has set the ambitious goal of selling 1300 of their recycling units around the world during the next decade, and expect they will be able to recycle 9 million tons of plastic each year.
1. From the last sentence of paragraph1 we know that the British recycling firm ______.| A．wants the plastic waste to be kept in landfill |
| B．wants the plastic waste to be poured in the ocean |
| C．thinks the plastic waste should be recycled |
| D．thinks the plastic waste should not be used any more |
| A．Plastic can break down by itself. |
| B．Temperature plays an important role in breaking down plastic. |
| C．Plastic will be broken down into three matters. |
| D．Light oil is thought to be clean because it contains little sulfur. |
| A．It is quite new and difficult to accept. |
| B．It’s complex and skeptical. |
| C．It’s helpful and promising. |
| D．It’s dangerous and unpredictable. |
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【推荐1】Millions of people around the world cook their food over smoky fire every day.It is often difficult to find wood for the fire. People who do not have wood must spend large amounts of money on cooking fuel. However, there is a much easier way to cook food using energy from the sun.
Solar cooker, or ovens, have been used for centuries. A Swiss scientist made the first solar oven in seventeen sixty-seven. Today, people are using solar cookers in many countries around the world. People use solar ovens to cook food and to heat drinking water to kill bacteria and other harmful organisms.
There are three kinds of solar ovens.The first is a box cooker. It is designed with a special wall that shines or reflects sunlight into the box. Heat gets trapped under a piece of glass or plastic covering the top of the cooker. A box oven is effective for slow cooking of large amonts of food.
The second kind of solar oven is a panel cooker. It includes several flat walls, or panels that directly reflect the sun’s light onto the food. The food is inside a separate container of plastic or glass that traps heat energy. People can build panel cookers quickly and with very few supplies. They do not cost much. In Kenya, for example, panel cookers are being manufactured for just two dollars.
The third kind of solar oven is a parabolic cooker. It has rounded walls that aim sunlight directly into the bottom of the oven. Food cooks quickly in parabolic ovens. However, these cookers are hard to make. They must be re-aimed often to follow the sun. Parabolic cookers can also cause burns and eye injuries if they are not used correctly.
You can make solar ovens from boxes or heavy paper. They will not catch fire. Paper burns at two hundred thirty-two degrees Celsius. A solar cooker never gets that hot. Solar ovens cook food at low temperatures over long periods of time. This permits people to leave food to cook while they do other things.
1. What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?| A．To tell the readers how to make solar ovens. |
| B．To advertise the solar ovens. |
| C．To give the readers brief introduction of solar ovens. |
| D．To help readers to save cost on fuel. |
| A．panel cooker is the cheapest oven of the three |
| B．panel cooker is easy to make |
| C．box cooker is easy to make |
| D．box cooker is the most effective oven |
| A．a box cooker |
| B．a panel cooker |
| C．a parabolic cooker |
| D．a paper cooker |
| A．solar cookers are dangerous to use |
| B．solar cookers don’t burn while cooking |
| C．solar cookers cost less than other cookers |
| D．Swiss often use solar cookers while cooking |
【推荐2】A spacecraft carrying Nie Haisheng,Liu Boming and Tang Hongbotouched downsafely in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia today (Sept.17) at 1:34 a.m. EDT (1:34 p.m. Beijing time) today, bringing the historic Shenzhou 12 mission to an end.
Shenzhou 12 launched on June 16 and arrived seven hours later at Tianhe ( “Harmony of the Heavens” ), the core module of China’s Earth-orbiting space station. The Shenzhou 12 crew, commanded by Nie, spent 90 days aboard Tianhe, staying aloft about three times longer than any previous Chinese crewed spaceflight.
Shenzhou 12’s return to Earth was a multiday affair. The spacecraft detached from Tianhe Wednesday (Sept.15) at 8:56 p.m. EDT, according to a statement released by the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO). Shenzhou 12 then performed a rendezvous test with Tianhe, which was complete by 1:38 a. m.EDT Thursday (Sept.16), CMSEO officials said in another update.
During their time in orbit,the Shenzhou 12 astronauts snapped some amazing photos of Earth and carried out a variety of scientific experiments. They also performed two spacewalks designed to help get the 54-foot-long (16.6 meters) Tianhe fully up and running and ready for future visits, which will be frequent over the coming months.
For example, China is expected to send the robotic Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft toward Tianhe around Sept.20. And the next crewed mission to the module, the six-month-long Shenzhou 13, is apparently scheduled to launch in mid-October. (Exact target dates are hard to come by with Chinese missions, because the nation tends not to announce many details of its spaceflight plans in advance.)
1. The underlined part “touched down” in the first paragraph probably means ________.| A．landed successfully |
| B．launched on time |
| C．took off on schedule |
| D．updated around the clock |
| A．12 hours ahead of Beijing time |
| B．8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time |
| C．12 hours later than Beijing time |
| D．8 hours later than Greenwich Mean Time |
| A．To repair the parts that went wrong. |
| B．To carry out two space walks. |
| C．To send the robotic Tianzhou 3 cargo spacecraft. |
| D．To get China’s Earth-orbiting space station ready and running. |
| A．Geography. |
| B．News. |
| C．Health. |
| D．Environment. |
【推荐3】When you’re not at home, many worries may start to crowd your mind. Did I turn the coffee maker off? Did I lock the door? Are the kids doing their homework or watching television?
A smart home is a home with a communication network. This network connects devices, such as lights and TV sets, and allows them to be controlled from far away through electrical wiring, mobile phone communication or WiFi over the Internet.
Most smart home technology and devices are wireless and can be setup with a minimum of tools, using only the guiding information. When a problem appears you can deal with it yourself without paying a professional.
Now, many scientists are excited at the future of smart home technology. Imagine being able to get fashion advice from your mirror, or receive food shopping suggestions from your refrigerator.
| A．Is there anyone else breaking into my house? |
| B．They can even feed the cat and water the plants. |
| C．With a smart home, you can quiet all of these worries. |
| D．However, for home-users, the smart home technology is far from perfect. |
| E．Therefore, many people think the smart home technology has some disadvantages. |
| F．Meanwhile, others worry those smart devices will make people lazier and lonelier. |
| G．Many people may consider owning a smart home, making life much more convenient. |
【推荐1】Slat's life began to change after a holiday trip to Greece with his family when he was 16. What he actually saw in the ocean was an awful lot or plastic waste. From that moment on, Slat dived into a project to find a solution to this alarming problem. Struck by the idea of a floating barrier that could collect plastic, he founded his company, The Ocean Cleanup, at the age of 18. Although the idea was named one of the best inventions of 2015 by TIME magazine, he received negative feedback from the specialists in environmental issues.
Slat was not discouraged and saw his mission as a race against time. It is estimated that up to 14 million tons of plastic enter the oceans from land every year. Plastic gradually breaks down into very small pieces called microplastics, which can eventually enter the food chain.
After five and a half years' hard work, the Dutch inventor launched the world's first ocean plastic cleanup system: System 001. The U-shaped pipe, about 609 meters in length, snakes its way out under the Golden Gate Bridge into the Pacific. These floating barriers will capture plastic waste as the ocean currents flow past. Ships will collect the waste and bring it to land for recycling every few months. According to Slat, if all goes to plan, an array of 60 systems could reduce the amount of plastic there by as much as 50 percent by 2025.
However, there remains a problem: What will happen to the plastic brought back to shore from Slat's systems? It's likely that lots of the waste will eventually be recycled into more single-use plastics that end up back in the oceans. That doesn't mean Slat will give up.
1. What contributes to Slat's idea of solving plastic waste in the ocean?| A．A vacation abroad. | B．Negative feedback from the experts. |
| C．Diving deep into the ocean. | D．A floating barrier to collect plastic. |
| A．It will pollute the ocean. | B．It will make the ocean too dirty to swim in. |
| C．It will make it difficult ocean currents to flow. | D．It will be contained in the foods for humans. |
| A．It's the world's best ocean plastic cleanup system. |
| B．It winds its way into the Pacific. |
| C．Ships will capture the plastic waste. |
| D．The amount of plastic will be decreased by a quarter. |
| A．To praise. | B．To warn. | C．To inform. | D．To entertain. |
【推荐2】Scientists from Imperial College London have found that using virtual reality (VR) headsets can reduce sensitivity to pain, by immersing people in icy Arctic scenery. In a study published in Pain Reports, a team from Imperial used VR video to reduce people’s sensitivity to ongoing pain and sharp shooting pain.
According to the researchers, the findings add to the growing evidence for the potential of VR technology to help patients with long-term pain. Beyond the distracting effect, they think VR may actually cause the body’s own inbuilt pain-fighting systems to start working.
Dr Sam Hughes, the first author on the paper, said, “Our work suggests that VR may be getting involved in processes in the key parts of our inbuilt pain-fighting systems and are helpful in regulating the spread of increased sensitivity to pain.”
To test their theory, researchers applied a cream containing capsaicin — the chemical that makes your mouth bum-to 15 healthy volunteers. The capsaicin makes the skin more sensitive to painful stimuli like a very small electric shock.
In the first trial, participants were then asked to rate the pain caused by the capsaicin cream on a scale of 0-100 (from ‘no pain’ to ‘worst pain possible’)while either watching a VR scene of Arctic exploration through a headset, or looking at a still image of an Arctic scene on a monitor. Under the same conditions, they were also asked to say when a stimulus applied directly to the skin area is considered as painful.
The team found that ongoing pain was reduced following VR immersion, and that sensitivity to painful stimuli was also reduced. However, the same effect was not seen in people who looked at still images of the polar environment.
They explain that while the findings made at the beginning are encouraging, the study is limited by the small number of healthy participants, without long-term pain. However, the researchers believe VR could hold a bright future to treat patients with long-term pain who have poor inbuilt pain fighting systems.
1. How can VR possibly help long-term pain sufferers?| A．By controlling the spread of pain sensitivity. | B．By slowing down their brains' reaction to pain. |
| C．By making their pain-fighting systems function. | D．By drawing their attention to fighting pain. |
| A．Applying capsaicin cream to the skin. | B．Looking at pictures on a computer screen. |
| C．Making a capsaicin cream. | D．Putting on virtual reality headsets. |
| A．Healthy people were less sensitive to VR than pain sufferers. |
| B．Capsaicin cream brought people more pain than electronic stimulus. |
| C．Still images helped to ease people's pain. |
| D．VR immersion was the key factor in pain reduction. |
| A．VR treatment can be applied in other medical fields. |
| B．The trial only has an effect on short-term pain patient. |
| C．The team feels confident about future VR treatment. |
| D．The researchers will work on the side effect of VR. |
【推荐3】French writer Frantz. Fanon once said: “To speak a language is to take on a world, a culture.” Since the world changes every day, so does our language.
More than 300 new words and phrases have recently made it into the Oxford Dictionary Online, and in one way or another they are all reflections of today’s changing world.
After a year that was politically unstable, it’s not hard to understand the fact that people’s political views are one of the main drives of our expanding vocabulary. One example is “clicktivism”, a compound of “click” and “activism”. It refers to “armchair activists— people who support a political or social cause, but only show their support from behind a computer or smart phone.
“We had all the words around Brexit (脱欧) in the last update and we are now starting to see all the words around Trump coming into the dictionary. “ Angus Stevenson, Oxford Dictionaries’ head of content development, told The Guardian.
Lifestyle is also changing our language. For example, “fitspiration” — a compound of “fit” and “inspiration” — refers to a person or thing that encourages one to exercise and stay fit and healthy. The phrase “climate refugee” — someone who is forced to leave their home due to climate change — reflects people’s concern for the environment.
According to Stevenson, social media was the main source for the new expressions “People feel much freer to create their own words these days.” he said.
But still, not all newly-invented words get the chance to make their way into a mainstream dictionary. If you want to create your own hit words, Angus Stevenson suggests that you should not only make sure that they are expressive and meaningful, but also have an attractive sound so that people will enjoy saying them out loud.
1. Why does the author mention Brexit and Trump?| A．To explain the origin of the word “clicktivism”. |
| B．To show the influences of current affairs on the English language. |
| C．To highlight two major political events that changed the world. |
| D．To explain what kind of new words can make it into a dictionary. |
| A．By giving examples. |
| B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following a timeline. |
| D．By presenting research findings. |
| A．Words that have unique meanings. |
| B．Words that reflect the changing world. |
| C．Words that are easy to remember. |
| D．Words that are meaningful, expressive and attractive. |
| A．The influence of social media on our language. |
| B．The application of new words and phrases. |
| C．New words and phrases into the Oxford Dictionary Online. |
| D．New words and phrases in polities. |
【推荐1】There are many things that we can do in our own ways which will help save the environment. What are some of these ways to save the environment? Let’s take a look at a list of them.
There won’t be enough water before we need to fight for clean and fresh water. That is why saving water and preventing water pollution becomes very important. Keep simple things in mind like turning off the tap when you are brushing teeth. Don’t often take a shower. Don’t pour oil into the drains. Don’t throw rubbish into the river.
Save paper to save trees. Make sure that you use both sides of paper before throwing it away. If you can, try not to use paper as possible as you can and do not forget to recycle paper. Also, using cloth bags instead of paper bags can save much Paper. This is one of the best ways to save our environment.
Recycling is important. It makes sure that the environment is not more polluted. Recycling does not simply include recycling paper, but things like plastic, metal and office supplies like pens, ink and more. This makes sure that they are changed into material that is reusable and also puts less pressure on the environment.
What are the ways to save energy? Turn off the lights and computers before you leave. Use cold water instead of hot water to wash clothes, use the stairs instead of the lift and keep the air conditioner on moderate setting(设置)to save energy.
In a word, try our best to do something to save our environment, and we will do something helpful to save ourselves.
1. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?| A．Saving water. | B．Saving paper. |
| C．Recycling. | D．Planting trees. |
| A．By saving water. | B．By using less paper. |
| C．By saving energy. | D．By planting trees. |
| A．it can save some money | B．there are many old things |
| C．it helps us keep healthy | D．it can save our environment |
| A．high wind | B．high temperature | C．proper | D．open |
【推荐2】In the summer of 1960. Greenberg was playing baseball at Columbia University, when his eyes "steamed up". He had to lie down until the clouds went away. Back at school that fall, Greenberg had more episodes (插曲), but he didn't take it seriously. Yet, Garfunkel, his roommate, saw that he was having trouble.
On the first morning of finals, Garfunkel accompanied (陪同) Greenberg to take exams. Greenberg started writing at 9 a.m. By 10:30, he couldn't see a thing. He handed his blue book to the teacher and said. "I can't see. sir."
The teacher laughed. "I've heard some terrific excuses, but that's the best."
That winter, doctors operated on Greenberg's eyes, but with no effect. Greenberg was going blind. he was so downhearted that he refused to see anyone from college.
"I don't want to talk," Greenberg said.
"You must talk," said Garfunkel.
Garfunkel offered to be his reader. In September 1961, Greenberg returned to campus. Garfunkel took his time out to read textbooks to Greenberg, and Greenberg ended up scoring straight A's. Still, he was afraid of getting around alone.
Then, one afternoon, Greenberg and Garfunkel went to Manhattan. When it was time for Greenberg to go back to campus, Garfunkel said he had a meeting and couldn't accompany him. Then he walked off, leaving Greenberg alone. Greenberg stumbled through the rush-hour crowd. Anyway, he managed to arrive at the Columbia University stop. At the university's gates, someone knocked into him.
"Oops, excuse me, sir."
Greenberg knew the voice. It was Garfunkel's. Greenberg's first reaction was anger, but in the next second, he realized the truth. "Garfunkel, of course, had been with me the whole way," says Greenberg.
After graduation, Greenberg got his MBA from Columbia and a PhD from Harvard. It's all because of Arthur that Greenberg sings every blessing. He's really the luckiest man in the world.
1. What did Greenberg think of his eyes in the beginning?| A．They needed to be tested. | B．They went seriously wrong. |
| C．They needed an operation. | D．They had no big problems. |
| A．He had serious eye problems. | B．He was inventing an excuse. |
| C．He wasn't satisfied with the teacher. | D．He hadn't prepared well for exams. |
| A．Ran with great speed. | B．Walked with anger. |
| C．Moved with difficulty. | D．Jumped with care. |
| A．Cold-hearted. | B．Kind-hearted. |
| C．Easy-going. | D．Out-going. |
【推荐3】One August day this past summer, Richard Phibbs was taking photos of Hollywood's hottest couple, Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. The next day,he was sprawling(趴）on the floor of a 6-by-6-foot animal-examination room at the Humane Society of New York(HSNY),photographing dozens of homeless animals for free.
For the past four years, Phibbs,famous for photographing celebrities,has photographed more than 360 rescued dogs,cats and other animals at the Humane Society in hopes of helping them find loving homes forever. Now 63 of those portraits are featured in a new book Rescue Me,detailing animal's miserable past and their new lives in New York City.
＂I was longing lo take a picture that does something more than sell clothes or sell a career, " Phibbs tells The Post. "In fashion,we're trying to make up fantasy and dreams. When I'm at the Humane Society, I use photography to speak the truth. When people look into the eyes of that animal,the spirit of that being is there. "And his photos work. The animals whose portraits are taken by Phibbs see a much higher adoption rate than others at HSNY,thanks not only to the photographs themselves but also to their high share-rate on social media.
＂Without doubt, "says Sandra Dereo, HSNY's executive director. "When we post one of his photos on Instagram or Adopt-a-Pet,it's like a flood. All of these people suddenly notice the animal. "
The photo shoots last anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes,and Phibbs will see dozens of animals in a single day. Each of his subjects is given time to adjust to his or her surroundings,so that they open up and let their personalities shine.
Whether it's a human or animal, I'm trying to get the subject to feel safe and to feel confident and comfortable with me, "the photographer says. "We're looking for that spirit,what makes them different. "While Phibbs may not spend hours with each animal,many of them still have a strong impact(影响）on him. "It's not uncommon for me to walk home,and weep the whole way. "
1. What organization is the Humane Society of New York?| A．A fashion photo studio. | B．A shelter for the homeless |
| C．An animal welfare agency. . | D．A hospital for human beings. |
| A．They contribute to animal adoptions. |
| B．They attract the celebrities 'attentions |
| C．They help dogs to find the way home. |
| D．They increase share-rate on social media. |
| A．uses them lo Tell the true story |
| B．always adjusts lo his surroundings |
| C．likes to look into the eyes of animals |
| D．emphasizes the characters of animals |
| A．He has lo walk home |
| B．He feels pity for the animals. |
| C．He has adopted too many pets. |
| D．He is uncomfortable with the animals. |
【推荐1】Health officials in the United States reported last week on what they believe could be a medical first. Officials said doctors performed what could be the first double lung transplant（移植）on a person whose lungs were severely damaged from vaping（吸电子烟）. The operation reportedly saved the life of the teenager.
The young man was admitted in early September to a Detroit-area hospital with what appeared to be a common lung infection, but was later sent to Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. On October 3, he was transported to Henry Ford Hospital, where the transplant was performed 12 days later.
Hassan Nemeh is a surgical director of thoracic（胸腔的）organ transplant at Henry Ford Hospital. He told The Associated Press（The AP）that the damage done to the teenager’s lungs from vaping was so bad that there was no possibility to totally recover. He warned parents to think about that and to tell their children as well.
More than 2,000 Americans who vape have gotten sick since March. Many of them are teenagers and young adults. At least 40 people have died.
Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a discovery into what might be causing people who vape to become sick. They identified the chemical compound vitamin E acetate（醋酸盐）as a “very strong criminal”.
Researchers found the chemical compound in fluid taken from the lungs of 29 patients. In other studies, Vitamin E acetate was found in liquid from electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices. Many who got sick said they had vaped liquids that contain THC, the part of marijuana that creates what is known as a “high”.
Dr. Lisa Allenspach is a lung specialist and medical director of Henry Ford’s Lung Transplant Program. She told The AP, “Vaping-related injuries are all too common these days. Our adolescents are faced with a crisis.” She added that vaping products should not be used in any way.
Dr. Nemeh said the 17-year-old patient’s case does not open any new moral considerations about transplants for people who severely damage their own lungs by vaping. He added, “We hope sharing this patient’s story prevents anyone else from experiencing a vaping injury that would require a transplant.”
1. What can be learned about the young man in the text?| A．He got caught in a moral dilemma. |
| B．He was the first to get sick by vaping. |
| C．He received the operation immediately. |
| D．He had a good chance to survive the lung damage. |
| A．1. | B．2. |
| C．3. | D．4. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Approving |
| C．Opposing. | D．Objective. |
| A．To discourage vaping. |
| B．To voice moral concerns for the lung transplant. |
| C．To express sympathy for his sufferings. |
| D．To disapprove of smoking. |
【推荐2】Ever since he was nine years old, Daniel Arundel has been helping his mother Elizabeth in the kitchen. He learnt to bake cakes and savouries (咸味小吃) at home. On Saturdays, he helped fill the rolls at the sandwich shop his mum ran. Now Daniel, who is only 19, has turned his enjoyment of making food into a successful business.
“I’ve always loved making things for people to eat and I realized I wasn’t too bad at it.” says Daniel, who started selling his cakes while at secondary schoo1. “For two years every Sunday, I would sell cakes I had baked at home with Mum on a market stand.”
His plan to open a bakery in his hometown impressed his teachers and they encouraged him to submit his idea to a national competition for ambitious business people. Although he didn’t win, Daniel was awarded an award of €1,000 to help his project.
Arundel Bakery opened on an industrial site in Oldham surrounded by offices full of staff looking for somewhere for their lunch. So he opened a sandwich shop at the front of the Bakery. He now employs three staff, including his mum, who make food for various customers. And they also help the community later by making fresh hot meals for the elderly.
Last year Daniel was runner-up in another competition to recognize entrepreneurial (创业的) talent. The competition was organized by the Edge Foundation, an education charity, which encourages career routes to young people who can’t be admitted by a university.
Daniel said, “I have been crazy in the past few years. I'm so busy and I don’t have much of a social life at the moment. I want to expand our range of dairy-free cakes for those who have an allergy (过敏反应) to food like me. I’ve put my heart and soul into my baking and getting where I am today. I know I'm still very young and I'm learning all the time. But I love what I'm doing and want to take every opportunity that comes to make my bakery a success.”
1. What did Daniel do on Sundays when he was at secondary school?| A．He made cakes at schoo1. |
| B．He sold food at the market. |
| C．He helped his mum run the shop. |
| D．He 1earnt to cook meals for his family. |
| A．They offered him a job. |
| B．They raised money for his project. |
| C．They encouraged him to study business. |
| D．They advised him to participate in a contest. |
| A．To start his first business. |
| B．To help the local community. |
| C．To satisfy consumers’ needs. |
| D．To learn a new cooking method. |
| A．He’ll research and develop special food. |
| B．He’ll spare more time to make friends. |
| C．He’ll enter for another competition. |
| D．He’ll go to university. |
【推荐3】Being highly successful in any field is pretty rare. It takes a combination of natural talent, luck, determination, and plenty of outside support for someone to make it big in sports, entertainment, or business. But what if competing is all that matters to you, whether you are likely to succeed or not? This was the goal of Michael Eddie the Eagle Edwards, and that he reached that goal was an amazing achievement.
Born in the U.K. in 1963, Michael was an enthusiastic downhill skier whose dream was to compete for Britain in world-class competitions. He would have liked to represent his country in the 1984 Winter Olympics, but there were a large number of downhill competitors, and Edwards didn't qualify. Seeing his chance elsewhere, he switched to ski jumping. Ski jumping didn't cost nearly as much, and there was almost no competition for a place on the Britain team.
But a number of hurdles（障碍）could have meant the end of Edwards' dream. He weighed more than most competitors, which put him at a disadvantage. He had no financial support for his training. Poor eyesight meant that he had to wear glasses under his goggles（护目镜）—not a good thing when they steamed up at high altitudes. But he couldn't let any of this discourage him. He saw himself as a true lover of the sport who simply wanted the chance to compete. Winning wasn't the point. Having the opportunity to try was all he cared about. And nothing could stop him from trying.
In the end, Edwards took 55th place in the 1987 World Championships. He then went on to the Calgary Olympics in 1988, where he finished last in both of his events. Many athletes would have been embarrassed by this result, but he is proud of his achievement to this day. His determination to fight against all the odds made him a global hero, and in 2016, the inspiring film Eddie the Eagle was made about his life.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To add some background information. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To expect an answer from readers. | D．To uncover the secret of success. |
| A．There was little competition. | B．The equipment was cheaper. |
| C．It took less skill. | D．It was easy to win the championship. |
| A．switched to film making | B．was embarrassed by his results |
| C．felt he had reached his goal | D．was glad it was over |
A．His enthusiasm for the sport. | B．His ability to overcome physical disabilities. |
| C．His attitude towards the Olympics. | D．His determination to win. |
