1 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
1. 你喜欢的运动项目及原因, 如有益于身心健康，增强自信等。
2. 何时喜欢上这项运动, 现在参加该运动的情况如何。
3. 询问对方的体育爱好。
注意：1. 词数：100左右。（信的开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数。）
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Harry,
I am glad to receive your letter.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
3 . When Tony took up running as a hobby he was 42 years old. Now 42 years later he’s a national champion and a world record holder.
He never imagined at the age of 84 this is where he’d be, but then he doesn’t meet many people in their 80s who are out training four times a week.
“I can see it’s a bit unusual, yes. But it’s been my life,” he told the reporter. The retired officer runs at a track near his home in Leeds.
At an event in Italy last month he set a world record in the 80 metres hurdles（跨栏）with a time of under 17 seconds. But he sees no reason to slow down and his ambition（雄心）is still to be competing when he passes a hundred.
“I probably won’t be doing a crouch start（蹲式起跑）, but it’s only 16 years away,” he joked. Like anyone his age, he’s had health problems. He’s had a string of severe heart attacks, but doctors have told him as long as it makes him feel good, he should carry on running.
“I can’t let my heart get in the way of my training. When I am sprinting I have to give it my absolute all. My heart is the last thing on my mind. ” he said.
He trains every other day, dances and plays hockey and he recently cuts down on alcohol （酒精）and chocolate. He said “ I’ve heard alcohol can lead to dementia and I don’t want that. I’ve cut down to one glass of wine every other day. I now have to stay as fit as I can be to keep up my lifestyle.”
Tony’s next birthday is next September. And the first thing he wants to do is become the world’s fastest 85-year-old.
1. What will Tony do after the competition in Italy?| A．He decides to slow down. |
| B．He decides to retire as an officer. |
| C．He plans on running until he’s 100. |
| D．He plans to compete in the 100 metres hurdles. |
| A．Continuing to run if he feels good. |
| B．Stopping running to treat his heart disease. |
| C．Trying to run as fast as he can. |
| D．Cutting down on alcohol and chocolate. |
| A．Imaginative. | B．Positive. | C．Caring. | D．Helpful. |
| A．The Fastest Man in the World. |
| B．The World’s Fastest 100-year-old. |
| C．A National Champion and a World Record Holder. |
| D．Granddad Crowned Fastest 84-year-old in the World. |
4 . New research shows that daily light walking is important for maintaining health as you age. But if you can’t hit 10,000 steps, don't worry. There's nothing magical about the number 10,000.
In fact, the idea of walking at least 10,000 steps a day for health goes back decades to a marketing campaign started in Japan to promote a pedometer(计步器).And then, it was adopted in the US as a goal to promote good health.
"The original basis of the number was not scientific." says researcher I-Min Lee of Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She was curious to know how many steps you need to take a day to maintain good health and live a long life, so she and her colleagues designed a study. It turns out that women who took about 4,000 steps per day got an increase in longevity(寿命), compared with women who took fewer steps. “It was sort of surprising,” Lee says. Another surprise: the benefits of walking maxed out at about 7,500 steps. In other words, women who walked more than 7,500 steps per day saw no additional increase in longevity.
“ I love this study. I think it’s really good news for women who may not be very active. All they have to do is walk,” says Kathleen Janz, who studies how physical activity influences health at the University of Iowa. And Janz says that’s encouraging. Another thing Janz notes is that this study only measured walking. It didn’t measure things that don’t require steps, like gardening, swimming or biking.
So, if 10,000 steps has been feeling out of reach to you, it may be time to reset those factory settings on your fitness tracker. Instead, try to hit at least 4,400 a day, along with daily activities that you enjoy. And stick to it.
1. What’s the original purpose of the idea of walking at least 10,000 steps a day?| A．To make people live longer. |
| B．To help sell a product. |
| C．To change people’s habits. |
| D．To test a pedometer |
| A．Confusing | B．Unexpected |
| C．Encouraging | D．Doubtful |
| A．People need 10,000 steps a day |
| B．Pedometer producers should change their settings. |
| C．The study should not only focus on daily walking. |
| D．Some activities that don’t demand steps also benefit health. |
| A．Jogging. | B．Swimming. | C．Basketball. |
6 . History Fair Competition
Understanding history is vital to understanding ourselves as a people and as a nation. History is much more than the study of dusty old objects and events long past. It is an essential part of who we are today and who we will become. Thornton Middle School History Fair Competition makes understanding history exciting, engaging, and fun!
This Year’s Theme
All participants must address how communication or transportation technology has promoted the quality of life for Americans throughout history. To many people, technology means computers, hand—held devices, or vehicles that travel to distant planets. However, technology is also the application of scientific knowledge to solve a problem, touching lives in countless ways.
Individuals or groups may enter one of the following categories:
Performance
Documentary
Essay Writing
Category Requirements
Performance: A dramatic presentation of the topic no more than 10 minutes long. If special clothes are used, they should truly represent a given period.
Documentary: A visual presentation ( such as a video,slide show,or computer project) no more than 10minutes long. A desktop computer,screen,projector,and loudspeakers will be available. Students must provide their presentations on CDs before Friday,March 23.
Essay Writing: An academic paper of 2,000 to 2,500 words. No illustrations(图解) are allowed. Please do not include covers. A list of references must be included.
Important Dates
January 5 Submit a topic proposal to your history teacher. The teacher may require a second proposal if the first is off—topic or unclear.
February 19 A committee of teachers will evaluate materials and give opinions. Students then have an opportunity to improve their products.
March 9 Submit a final draft of your essay.
March 15 Performance and documentary committee preview
March 24 Thornton Middle School History Fair Competition
7:00A.M—9:00 A.M Participants signing in at the gym
10: 00A.M. 6:00PM. Competition and judges' review
7: 00P.M. Awards ceremony and picnic
1. What's the main purpose of understanding history?| A．To preserve national traditions. |
| B．To prepare for a history competition. |
| C．To better know the present and future. |
| D．To further explore historical mysteries. |
| A．Technology advances science. |
| B．Science interacts with technology. |
| C．Science has made the study of history easy. |
| D．Technology has improved the life of Americans. |
| A．Make comments on the materials. |
| B．Improve the participant's second proposal. |
| C．Preview performances and documentaries. |
| D．Collect a second proposal from the participant. |
7 . I opened the hotel curtains to find dark rainy streets. After training in nearly 100-degree weather in St. Louis, I wasn't
My group
I was still energized at Mile 13, and supporters were still
At the end of Mile 25, my body was beat. As I saw that finish line in the wind, I put all my
Traveling for my first marathon will be
What will be the most impressive
| A．wasting | B．arranging | C．enjoying | D．expecting |
| A．fail | B．lose | C．matter | D．work |
| A．escaped | B．started | C．approved | D．protested |
| A．heavy | B．mild | C．slight | D．bright |
| A．touching | B．cheering | C．crying | D．trying |
| A．power | B．anger | C．pain | D．relief |
| A．practiced | B．continued | C．avoided | D．imagined |
| A．took off | B．settled in | C．broke down | D．dressed up |
| A．confusing | B．usual | C．simple | D．inspiring |
| A．energy | B．pressure | C．relaxation | D．elegance |
| A．volunteer | B．editor | C．interviewee | D．announcer |
| A．crossed | B．drew | C．swallowed | D．burned |
| A．showed | B．bought | C．handed | D．lent |
| A．mistakenly | B．strangely | C．luckily | D．truly |
| A．education | B．support | C．admiration | D．treatment |
| A．finish | B．perform | C．suffer | D．assist |
| A．brave | B．guilty | C．firm | D．anxious |
| A．wish | B．exercise | C．memory | D．judgment |
| A．suspect | B．struggle | C．cheat | D．argument |
| A．cause | B．question | C．favor | D．test |
8 . Swimming is indeed a great kind of sport. Here are the top four health benefits of swimming that you should keep in mind to keep yourself up, energetic, and active.
It burns fat and shapes bodies. Whether you are in shape or not, swimming is a relaxing way of getting fit.
Keeps away stresses in life. According to surveys, 74% of people have shared that stresses have greatly reduced after starting to swim.
It’s enjoyable and relaxed.
So, don’t hesitate.
| A．It gives healthier skin, |
| B．You don’t need to spend too much. |
| C．Just take every possible chance to go swimming. |
| D．It controls blood pressure and keeps the heart and lungs healthy. |
| E．Pleasure is the number one benefit that one gets from swimming. |
| F．In fact, some of them don’t feel the pressure when finding themselves in water. |
| G．The process of doing it regularly will surely assist you in achieving the figure you want. |
9 . Why Is Exercise Cool?
•Exercise Strengthens Muscles
Did you ever do a push-up or swing across the monkey bars at the playground?
•
Can you touch your toes easily without yelling ouch? Most kids are pretty flexible, which means that they can bend and stretch their bodies without much trouble. Being flexible is having “full range of motion”, which means you can move your arms and legs freely without feeling tightness or pain.
•Exercise Keeps the Balance
•Exercise Makes You Feel good
It feels good to have a strong, flexible body that can do all the activities you enjoy—like running, jumping and playing with your friends. It’s also fun to be good at something, like scoring a basket, hitting a home run, or perfecting a dive.
But you may not know that exercising can actually put you in a better mood.
| A．Exercise Makes You Flexible |
| B．Exercise Makes Your Heart Happy |
| C．Those are exercises that can build strength. |
| D．So you want to do some aerobic (有氧的) exercise right now? |
| E．But if you’re active, your body needs an extra measure of calories or energy. |
| F．Food gives your body fuel in the form of calories, which are a kind of energy. |
| G．When you exercise, your brain releases a chemical which may make you feel happier. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧）并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Sun Yang is known for a famous Chinese swimmer. Born in 1991, he is 1.98 meters in height and 89 kilos in weight. As swimmer, he always trains hardly. That’s why he could win two gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics, which were a great honor for our country. Although he once makes mistakes in the view of the public, but in the 2013 World Swimming Championships he made amazed achievements. Sun Yang is very brilliant that he has many fans. We should be pleased to take her as our role model.
