1 . 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 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 uncover the secret of success.

C．To expect an answer from readers.

D．To introduce the topic.

2. Why did Michael Edwards choose ski jumping?

A．It took less skill.

B．The equipment was cheaper.

C．There was little competition.

D．It was easy to win the championship.

3. After the Calgary Olympics, Edwards _________.

A．felt he had reached his goal

B．was embarrassed by his results

C．switched to film making

D．was glad it was over

4. What made Michael Edwards outstanding?

A．His determination to win.

B．His enthusiasm for the sport.

C．His attitude towards the Olympics.

D．His ability to overcome physical disabilities.

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Life is often a matter of waiting for the right moment to act. Sun Yang was the first Chinese man     1     (win) an Olympic gold medal in swimming. That moment     2     (come) last month, when he won the men’s 200-meter freestyle event at the Asian Games.

Sun has accomplished a Golden Grand Slam, having won the 200, 400 and 1, 500-meter freestyle events at the Asian Games, World Championships and Olympic Games. His     3     (patient) and persistence have paid off. The 26-year-old swimmer told Xinhua News Agency, “Not many swimmers could have waited for eight years over three Asian Games like me. My dream has     4     (final) come true.”

While Sun stood on a podium (领奖台)     5     (listen) to the Chinese national anthem (国歌) along with the silver and bronze medal winners, a technical problem caused the medalists’ flags to drop to the ground. Sun jumped off the podium, walked over to the officials and demanded that the flags again.     6     the end, the officials held the flags up themselves as China’s national anthem played a second time.

Many Chinese Internet users thought Suns reaction to the incident to be an act of patriotism (爱国主义). “    7     is great to win the championship, but    8    (see) our national flag go up again is also very important. Winning the title is an achievement     9     will be remembered, but raising the flag again is also of great     10     (important).”