2 . For a number of Indians who for over half a century have replayed a race again and again, Milkha Singh's 400 metres final run at the Rome Olympics should be among the greatest heartbreaks in global sporting history. In fact, they hoped it would throw up a different result.

However, continued praise for the man decades later is due to the effort by India's greatest track athlete on that September day in the Italian capital, though he still missed out on becoming India's first Olympic track medallist.

As he was growing up, he used to run barefoot daily on hot sand to school, which was situated 20 kilometres from his house. He thinks this was good training but knows it is not possible to ask children to do this today. However, he does feel that the early identification of talented athletes is also important for India's athletic teams to shine.

India has in the last few years judged success purely in terms of medals, but looking into the past reveals how a more generous generation saluted Milkha as a pioneer. Milkha is India's finest track athlete of all time. He remains the only Indian male to win an individual Commonwealth Games athletics gold—he won the 400 metres at Cardiff in 1958，the first athlete from independent India to do so.

Since retiring from athletics, the former champion athlete has set up the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust, which helps poorer families survive if an athlete in their family has died. A percentage of the profits from the film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag are going to his trust.

Finally, let's read a quote from Milkha himself: “There is no shortcut to success.” A scene in the film shows Milkha Singh running with injured feet—this actually happened. “I haven't found an alternative to hard work. You need to be patient, dedicated and true to yourself and your work.”

1. What has won Milkha Singh continued praise?

A．His early hard life experience.	B．His outstanding athletic talent.
C．His status in global sports history.	D．His effort to win an Olympic medal.

2. What does Milkha Singh think of his early training?

A．Exciting.

B．Unbearable.

C．Beneficial.

D．Useless.

3. What did Milkha Singh do after his retirement?

A．He turned into a movie actor.	B．He learned to do business.
C．He became an athletic trainer.	D．He engaged in charity work.

4. What can we learn from Milkha Singh's words?

A．Hard work leads to success.	B．Do something different.
C．Medals measure everything.	D．Stick to your dream.

3 . When he first rose to stardom in the NBA, Yao Ming could not possibly have known the influence he would have on the American understanding of China.

In the eyes of many Americans, Chinese are short, bookish, and not especially athletic. Yao, 26, has turned that image on its head. A giant at 2.26 metres, he has been the most talked-about player in the league since he topped the NBA draft（选秀）in 2002.

When Yao first joined the Rockets and struggled with an American style of basketball, many were quick to label（标记）Yao “a failure”. But Yao played on. He did not let the criticism affect his performance. Even when former NBA star Charles Barkley bet that Yao could not score more than 19 points in a single game, Yao kept his self-respect. The same cannot be said for Barkley, who was forced to kiss a real donkey’s ass（屁股）when Yao passed the 19-point mark early in his first season.

For Americans, Yao’s polite and friendly personality is a welcome contrast to the rude behaviour of the NBA’s bad boys. Compared with most other NBA players, Yao Ming is a true gentleman. He respects all of his opponents（对手）, even those who are not friendly to him.

“He is so wise and humourous that he seems like a diplomat（外交家）rather than a basketball player sometimes,” said Ron Burke, an NBA TV reporter.

In addition, Yao’s witty answers have changed the opinion that Chinese people are boring. When asked what were his favourite English words, Yao told the press that the five words were “This is the last question.” Yao is winning supporters within the league as well. After a Rockets-Lakers game that Shaquille O’Neal had to sit out with an injury, O’Neal said, “You played pretty good, Yao Ming.” Yao replied, “That’s because you weren’t there.”

1. What attitude do many people take with Yao Ming when he first joined the Rockets?

A．Friendly.

B．Doubtful.

C．Sincere.

D．Angry.

2. Yao Ming was liked by Americans mainly because he ________.

A．proved that he was athletic	B．passed the 19-point mark early
C．showed his politeness and friendliness	D．beat former NBA star Charles Barkley

3. By sharing the story between Yao Ming and O’Neal in the last paragraph, the writer shows us ____.

A．Yao Ming was respectful and smart	B．Yao Ming was boring and proud
C．Yao Ming topped the NBA draft	D．Yao Ming wasn’t a failure any more

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Yao Ming’s road to stardom.

B．The skills Ming showed in NBA.

C．Yao Ming’s competition with other NBA players.

D．The impact of Yao Ming on Americans’ attitudes towards Chinese.

4 . The next time you find an excuse to abandon your ambition, think of Chris Nikic. On November 7, 2020, 21-year-old Chris Nikic made history as the first person with Down Syndrome to attempt and complete an Ironman. Organized by the World Triathlon Corporation, it requires athletes to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run a full 26.2-mile marathon-in under 17 hours!

The event, which took place in Panama City, Florida, began early in the morning with a two-lap swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Chris, who was tied to his coach for safety, completed the course well within 2 hour, 20-minute time limit.

The 112-mile bike ride, which Chris rode alone, proved a little more challenging. Not accustomed to drinking water while riding, he was forced to make multiple stops. To make matters worse, the young athlete was attacked by an army of red ants whose nest he accidentally stepped on during a break. He also had a bleeding knee after crashing while speeding downhill. Despite these setbacks, Chris managed to complete the lap before the 5:30 pm cut-off time.

The competition's final challenge—a two-lap 26. 2-mile run along the waterfront- started smoothly. However, Chris was tired out? by the tenth mile. But, with encouragement from his coach and cheering bystanders, the youngster somehow managed to cross the finish line in 16 hours, 46 minutes, and 9 seconds-almost 15 minutes under the 17-hour time limit.

Chris is no stranger to overcoming challenges. Born with two holes in his heart, he underwent surgery at just five months old. He was too weak to walk independently until he was four. Due to his Down Syndrome, every expert his parents spoke to focused on the limitations rather than the possibilities.

To Chris, this race was more than just a finish line and celebration of victory. It's about being an example to other kids and families that face similar barriers.

1. What does the underlined part "an Ironman" in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．A competition.

B．An organization.

C．A person.

D．An artwork.

2. Which of the following best describes Chris's bike ride experience?

A．Romantic.

B．Eventful.

C．Pleasant.

D．Smooth.

3. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 5?

A．Stimulate readers' interest.	B．Introduce a new topic.
C．Summarize the previous paragraphs.	D．Add some background information.

4. What can we learn from Chris's story?

A．Winning is everything.	B．No dream is unachievable.
C．Life is full of choices.	D．Misfortune is a barrier to success.