2 . The Price of a Dream

I grew up poor. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could still afford a dream. My dream was athletics.

By the time I was sixteen, I was good at baseball and football. My high school coach was Ollie Jarvis. He not only believed in me, but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction (信念).

One summer a friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket — cash for dates with girls, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother.

Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing. I was afraid of this, but my mother said, “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” 

When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as mad as I expected him to be. “Your playing days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them,” he said.

I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the words that would explain to him why I dream of buying my mom a house.

“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he demanded.

“Three point twenty-five an hour,” I replied.

“Well,” he asked, “is $3. 25 an hour the price of a dream?”

That question exposed the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball, and offered a $20, 000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $1.7 million, and bought my mother my dream house.

1. Why was the writer grateful to Coach Jarvis?

A．Because Coach Jarvis made him set a goal.

B．Because Coach Jarvis supplied him with new clothes.

C．Because Coach Jarvis gave him financial support.

D．Because Coach Jarvis helped him show conviction.

2. What did the writer want to do when he was offered a job?

A．Balance summer baseball and the work schedule.

B．Refuse the job offer for summer baseball.

C．Give up summer baseball for the job.

D．Ask his coach Jarvis for advice.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined part “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” in paragraph 4?

A．You must eat the bitter fruit of your own making.

B．Believe in yourself, but above all be patient.

C．You must rely on yourself first, then others.

D．A good beginning makes a good ending.

4. What did the writer do at the end of the story?

A．He failed to buy his mother a house.

B．He succeeded as a sportsman.

C．He became a successful businessman.

D．He made some money in the summer job.

3 . There are many weird sports that are present around the world. From each region of the world, along with the very popular common sports, there are also those really popular but very weird kinds of sports.

The Ultimate Test Between Man and Horses

This is indeed a very strange kind of sport that tests your stamina (耐力). You will learn how to be agile (灵活的) while competing against a horse. This game originated in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells. This sport really has to do with strength. You will require great agility and strength in order to take part in this. Marathon human contestants are put to compete against those mounted people. This is how the marathon testing takes place.

Love Locked Races

This is a sports event that was first introduced in Finland. This is all about a male competitor racing with a female in a certain way. There would be many obstructions and blocks on the way which would definitely bring you challenges. The person to win would have to finish the race without losing his female partner in the course of overcoming the obstacles even for once. This race takes place really fast and the obstacles are set that way.

The Toe Sport

This is yet another weird sport that welcomes you to use your toes. This is quite the same kind of sport that you used to play as a child which involved toe wrestling. This has now been turned into a major sport that even has a World Toe Wrestling Competition. It first originated in a pub of Derbyshire.

The locals took this sport with great enjoyment and then made this so popular that it soon had its own championship. The individuals who participate have only got to use their feet and then this is tougher than it may sound.

The Mud Pit Belly Flop

This is a kind of game where even the spectators (观众) get splashed with mud but in fact that is quite the fun. The very annual Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin bring about this game and bring about some of the greatest hubcap-discus throws with it. This is also a great sport to show the strength and dexterity of your feet.

1. Which sport requires couples to participate?

A．The Ultimate Test Between Man and Horses.	B．Love Locked Races.
C．The Toe Sport.	D．The Mud Pit Belly Flop.

2. Which statement shows the popularity of the Toe Sport?

A．It first originated in a pub of Derbyshire.

B．The locals took this sport with great enjoyment.

C．It has a World Toe Wrestling Competition.

D．Even kids are fond of the sport.

3. What kinds of people are likely to take part in the Ultimate Test Between Man and Horses?

A．People with agility and strength.	B．People with companions.
C．Marathon runners.	D．Horse riders.

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Sports Day was getting close in the school. All the children were very excited and were practicing for the big race. John, one of the fast runners of the school, was confident that he would win for he was not doing anything at all. “You have to work hard to come first in the race John. You are not practicing at all,” said John’s mother.

“Mom, you know how fast I am! Why should I waste my time running? Only I will win; no one else will win!”said John. “John, you may be right but talent (天赋) without hard work is not good at all. This laziness of yours will cost you greatly,” his mother warned him. John just laughed. He was so confident that he would win the trophy (奖杯) as no one else in his class was as fast as he was!.

Tim, a classmate of John, was also participating (参加) in the running race. He was not a fast runner. However, he practiced till late at night and had developed great endurance (持久力) to run the race.

There were a few days left for the Sports Day but John did not practice at all. On the other hand, Tim practiced day and night.

The Sports Day was almost around the corner but John was confident that no one could beat him and had not practiced at all. But Tim with his hard work had become a very great runner.

At last, the Sports Day arrived. All the students showed up on the ground to cheer their favorites. The coach blew the whistle (口哨) and everyone began to run toward the finishing line. It was so exciting. John and Tim left all the racers far behind. Both of them were neck to neck.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Suddenly, John went ahead of Tim.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

John’s mother came up to Tim and praised him for his hard work.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Exercise and I had never had a good relationship due to my fear of sports. From a young age, my dad _______ me into a dozen sports. I didn’t like any of them, _______.

When I entered the University of Regina, my dad _______ telling me “You have to find a way to stay _______.” or “You don’t want to get the Freshman 15, do you?” So I _______ to give swimming a shot, but I _______ managed to go to the pool twice during the fall semester (学期). Worse still, I was _______ to convince myself that’s OK.

The spring semester came. A friend of mine _______ me if I wanted to try Zumba (尊巴) with her. All I knew about Zumba was that it was basically a kind of exercise: dancing to Latin pop songs. It didn’t sound too bad, but I couldn’t be _______.

I went, and that was it. Zumba became my ________ of tea. The instructor would always say, “Don’t worry about the steps. Have fun. Do your own thing.” That removed my ________ of sports. I didn’t have to be ________. I didn’t even have to be good. I just needed to ________ the music and move. Zumba did ________ me from the Freshman 15, and it also did so much more. It let me make ________ with my unpleasant past about physical exercise, and enjoy staying healthy.

1.

A．expected

B．allowed

C．forced

D．invited

2.

A．therefore

B．though

C．instead

D．besides

3.

A．avoided

B．risked

C．regretted

D．kept

4.

A．in shape

B．for fun

C．at ease

D．on business

5.

A．refused

B．happened

C．bothered

D．decided

6.

A．hardly

B．merely

C．constantly

D．gradually

7.

A．eager

B．content

C．embarrassed

D．disappointed

8.

A．cheated

B．comforted

C．asked

D．annoyed

9.

A．happy

B．proud

C．careful

D．sure

10.

A．cup

B．part

C．share

D．mouth

11.

A．curiosity

B．passion

C．fear

D．confidence

12.

A．perfect

B．positive

C．adorable

D．official

13.

A．accept

B．feel

C．display

D．compare

14.

A．witness

B．separate

C．discourage

D．save

15.

A．trouble

B．sense

C．peace

D．contact

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman interested in now?

A．Running.

B．Jumping.

C．Swimming.

2. Who runs the fastest?

A．Amy.

B．Lily.

C．Mike.

3. What is true about Lily?

A．She swims fast.

B．She will take part in the long jump.

C．She is in the same class with Amy.

4. When did the man win first prize in the long jump?

A．Last week.

B．Last month.

C．Last year.

7 . The beach may seem like an inviting place to run on a cool summer morning, but is running on the sand good for your body? It can be, but it’s important to be aware of the challenges that some beach runners experience before you get ready.

Running on the beach can be a good thing. It’s certainly different from running on a track or a pavement. For starters, sand can be a challenge because it has an uneven(不平坦的) surface. As you push off, you’re going to lose some of your push as the sand moves. So, you’re not going to be able to push yourself forward as you would on a track or a pavement. But this unevenness has an upside: It gives your body an extra workout, forcing you to exercise muscles that don’t get as much use during runs on firm surfaces. For example, your feet, ankles and lower back might feel sorer and more tired than usual after a beach run just because the surface is constantly moving and changing step to step.

You also might feel sore afterward because beaches tend to slope (倾斜) down to the water. If you’re going for a long run on the beach, you might notice that one side of your body might feel sorer because you’re putting more pressure on it due to the slope.

Some beach runners prefer to run barefoot-- not wearing anything on feet. However, if you’re not used to barefoot running, start slowly and don’t run long distances at first. That’s because running barefoot uses more different muscles than running with shoes does, and it’s important to strengthen these muscles and adapt your feet. If you want to run barefoot and as long as you run carefully enough into it, go for it!

Running on the sand can be a smart choice for you, because running on softer ground surfaces can reduce muscle damage.

1. Why is it difficult to run on the beach for starters? ________

A．The soft surface makes people fall over easily.

B．It’s hard to keep one’s balance on its hard surface.

C．People need to run carefully on its smooth surface.

D．Running on its uneven surface takes much effort.

2. Which of the following best explains “upside” underlined in Paragraph 2? ________

A．Challenge.

B．Advantage.

C．Reason.

D．Character.

3. What’s the author’s attitude to barefoot running? ________

A．Positive.

B．Critical.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uncaring.

4. The passage can probably be found in ________.

A．a primary school textbook	B．a tourist guide
C．a sports magazine	D．a scientific report

8 . Benefits of Sports

Doing sports is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from studies and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven beneficial to overall well-being.

The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious. Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you’re involved.     1     Basketball players focus on strength training; football players work on speed while track athletes train through longer runs. The training process helps promote physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    2     Playing sports also contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, a high five from a teammate, or a handshake after a match really boosts a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise self-worth.     3     So after a game, it’s a better idea to ask “Did you enjoy the game?” rather than “Did you win?”

Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up responsibility and leadership.     4     Teamwork involves both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork breeds responsibility and challenges you to be responsible for your actions. Being part of a team gives you an opportunity to be a leader.

Discipline is another social advantage. Most organized sports require a strict training and practice schedule. As a student-athlete, you need to balance studies and athletics.     5    

There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to get involved in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!

A．It’s not just your body that benefits from sports.

B．Therefore, playing sports is going to make you more fit.

C．But remember, a child’s self-worth should not be distinguished by victory or loss.

D．If you play group sports, you’ll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach.

E．Nearly every sport requires physical activities and the competitive skills.

F．Among these, learning how to function as part of a team is the most important advantage.

G．Only with strict discipline can you be successful both in the classroom and in the sports field.

9 . Every year, the Olympic Training Centre has one extra special day just for women. This day celebrates the fact that _________ can join in any particular sport they desire, just as easily as men.

In the old days, women were told that certain sports were for men _________, and that women were forbidden to the _________. Well, eventually the women of this world decided to strike back, telling everyone else that they weren’t going to put up _________ this form of nonsense (冒失行为) any longer. _________ was then that women and men were declared equal _________ to any sports game, regardless of (不管) sex.

Tomorrow, this special day will be _________ by all Olympic Centres by offering a free tour as well as planned activities for all the _________ from the neighbouring schools. Since the Olympic Training Centre, here in San Diego, is just a few _________ from where our school is located, we received an invitation to this event as well. How wonderful, __________, and incredible! I simply can’t wait!

Our scheduled __________ are volleyball, archery(射箭), and track(田径赛). This means that we will play a game __________ two of volleyball with the US Volleyball Team champions, and __________ arrows(箭) with the Official Archery Team of the United States! We even will get to __________ the track with the US champs as well. All the instructors are __________ themselves, and all are on a championship team, representing America.

1.

A．men

B．women

C．young children

D．old people

2.

A．enough

B．just

C．ever

D．only

3.

A．trainings

B．practice

C．drills

D．games

4.

A．along

B．with

C．about

D．without

5.

A．It

B．This

C．That

D．What

6.

A．pay

B．rights

C．salary

D．jobs

7.

A．congratulated

B．separated

C．celebrated

D．divided

8.

A．students

B．teachers

C．boys

D．girls

9.

A．kilometres

B．centimetres

C．millimetres

D．metres

10.

A．moving

B．exciting

C．surprising

D．pleasing

11.

A．activities

B．films

C．plays

D．concerts

12.

A．while

B．and

C．but

D．or

13.

A．make

B．find

C．throw

D．shoot

14.

A．run

B．swim

C．jump

D．cross

15.

A．riders

B．runners

C．divers

D．athletes

10 .     1    . The legendary volleyball coach Lang Ping gave the answer in the recent documentary (纪录片) The Iron Hammer.

The documentary displays Lang’s inspiring journey from her gold medal victory as a volleyball player in the 1984 Olympics to her amazing career as a successful coach for both Team USA from 2005 to 2008 and China since 2013. She was the first person to win Olympic volleyball gold as a player and coach. Lang Ping revealed the secret to such remarkable achievements in the documentary. As she said, “    2    ”.

    3    . Troubled by severe injuries to her cervical vertebra, back, waist and knees, caused by intense exercise and hard work, the 60-year-old has undergone more than 10 surgeries. “No parts of my body function well,” she joked.

But illness is certainly not the only difficulty Lang has faced. In 2005, she struggled with balancing raising her daughter Lydia Bai Lang, who lived in the US, and her coaching career. She eventually decided to work for USA Volleyball that year.     4    “I’m proud of being Chinese”   Lang responded in an interview. Later she returned to head the Chinese women ’s volleyball team in 2013, leading the team successfully defending its World Cup crown with a perfect record of 11 straight wins last year.

There is no doubt that Lang is one of the greatest players and coaches in history. As an American athlete commented in the documentary,     5    .

A．Who is Lang Ping?

B．Lang is the hardest to defeat.

C．I believe volleyball was my life.

D．What makes one a great person?

E．Glory and challenges go hand in hand.

F．Lang Ping is like Michael Jordan in our minds.

G．This decision aroused a lot of negative comments in China.