4 . Few people have achieved fame for coming in last place. That is why Michael Edwards, or “Eddie the Eagle”, became a rather unexpected hero. Unlike most athletes, Eddie did not come to the 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games for a medal. He came simply to compete. In doing so, he realized his dream.

At first, Eddie tried to make the British national ski team but failed. Then he chose the riskiest event, ski jumping. No British skier had ever competed in that sport, but having no competitors meant that Eddie had a better chance of qualifying (取得资格) for the 1988 Olympic Games. It also meant there was no support for him. Eddie had no coach, equipment, or financial support, but what he had was determination. Not afraid of what he lacked, Eddie set out to learn his chosen sport, training himself for nearly 2 years. And he managed to meet the qualification for Olympic ski jumping, and landed himself in the 1988 Olympic Games. Eddie was determined to compete, and while he came in last, he did manage to land his jumps, and he still holds the British record in that sport. Coming in last place actually made him the star of the Olympics and the true embodiment (化身) of the Olympic spirit.

Many of us may have experienced similar limitations during our own youth that prevented us from following our dreams. Eddie’s rejection (拒绝) from the British national ski team is a story that many of us can relate to. Rejection can be devastating, but we can struggle to find the courage to put ourselves back out there, or the creativity to find another way.

1. What was Eddie’s dream?

A．To become a hero.	B．To join the national ski team.
C．To take part in the Olympics	D．To develop his ski jumping skills.

2. Why did Eddie choose ski jumping as his event?

A．It was popular among British skiers.

B．It meant a better chance to win a medal.

C．He would get the support he needed in this event.

D．He would be more likely to be included in the Olympics.

3. What made Eddie the star of the Olympics?

A．His caring little for fame.	B．His professional performance.
C．His breaking the British record.	D．His determination to follow his dream.

4. What does the underlined word “devastating” mean in the last paragraph?

A．Unforgettable.

B．Disastrous.

C．Sudden.

D．Confusing.

5. Which is the best title for the article?

A．Bravery.	B．1998 Olympic Games.
C．An unexpected hero.	D．ski jumping.

5 . They are drawing the attention of the world. They are the ones who are going to shape our future. Who are they? They are the young generation who were born after 2000. This year, several young athletes have shone brightly at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, showing us their generation’s nature.

The young generation are brave and always want to challenge themselves. Freestyle skier Gu Ailing is a good example. After she performed well in the first two runs in the women’s freeski big air event, it was certain that she could get a medal. However, in the last run, Gu decided to attempt a difficult trick: a left-side double cork 1620—four and a half rotations (一圈) in the air before landing. “I have never done it before,” Gu told China Daily, “but I felt it was a chance to push myself to the limit.”

But for these young athletes, the sport is never just about scores, but also about having as much fun as possible. “I’m an 18-year-old girl out here living my best life. I’m having a great time,” Gu said. “It doesn’t really matter if other people are happy or not, because I feel I’m doing my best and I’m enjoying the entire process.” Gu Ailing’s good friend, snowboarder Su Yiming shares this attitude. He takes sports as a way to have fun. After he was judged to have lost the gold medal to Canadian athlete Max Parrot in the men’s slopestyle final, the 17-year-old didn’t feel upset. Instead, he was happy to have the chance to compete with his idol. “When I was hugging Max Parrot on the podium(领奖台), it felt unreal,” Su told China Daily. “All I did today was enjoy the runs and concentrate on my tricks. As long as I am on my snowboard I am happy.”

This is the young generation that dares to push the limits but also enjoys life.

1. Why did Gu Ailing want to try the difficult trick in the last run?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How did Su Yiming feel after he was judged to have lost the gold medal?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . They are the world’s fittest people. But even Olympic athletes have had their share of difficult, heart-breaking or embarrassing moments.

1904 Olympics, St Louis, USA

American Fred Lorz crossed the finish line of the Olympic marathon with a time of 3 hours and 13 minutes. He had beaten the second runner by 15 minutes. Lorz looked happy and fresh, and smiled for the photographers. Just before they gave him the gold medal, the race officials arrived and took away the medal, and Lorz was banned from races for a year. Then an official told the truth. He had travelled by car for 11 miles of the marathon!

1908 Olympics, London, England

The Italian Dorando Pietri was one of the unluckiest marathon runners. When he arrived in the stadium, he was very tired. The people were cheering, but Pietri couldn’t continue. He fell down and got up again four times. Finally, around seven metres from the finish line, he fell down again and didn’t move. Worried officials ran over and picked him up. He crossed the finish line and won the gold medal. But a few hours later the Olympic officials had to take it away from him again. They said he couldn’t be the winner because Olympic officials had helped him cross the line.

2000 Olympics, Sydney, Australia

Eric Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea became one of the most loved athletes of the 2000 games. His race was the 100-metre freestyle swim. He jumped into the pool and started swimming. After the first 50 metres he was very tired. He went more and more slowly and almost stopped in the middle of the pool. The officials worried that he was drowning. But Moussambani continued and finished the race with a time of 1 minute and 52 seconds, the slowest in the history of the Olympics. Still, Moussambani was happy. He had never swum in a pool of that size before.

1. Lorz’s gold medal was taken away at the 1904 Olympics because ______.

A．he broke the rules	B．officials made a mistake
C．officials picked him up halfway	D．he beat the second runner badly

2. What happened to Pietri at the 1908 Olympics?

A．He broke a world record.

B．B. He finally won the gold medal.

C．He fell down after finishing the race.

D．He received help as he crossed the finish line.

3. How did people look at Moussambani?

A．They felt sorry for him.	B．They admired him greatly.
C．They showed no interest in him.	D．They had mixed feelings about him.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的适当形式。

Deng Yaping, who has set     1     example to table tennis players all over the world, was born in 1973, in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. It was her addiction to the sport     2     led to her playing table tennis when she was only 5 years old. Four years later, she won her provincial junior championship. At the age of 13, she won her first     3    (nation) championship and beat other     4     (competitor) in all kinds of competitions in the following years. She had won 18 championships by the time she retired (退役) from sports at the age of 24. Deng Yaping is regarded as one of the     5     (amazing) players in the history of sport.

However, compared with other athletes, it seemed     6     (extreme) challenging for her to achieve her dream. At first, she     7     (refuse) by the Henan Provincial Team just because she wasn’t tall enough. Her path to success was filled with many other challenges,     8     none of them stopped her. She practised even harder and finally made     9     to the top. Her great determination and mental     10     (strong) have inspired thousands of people. Now, she has become a living legend in the sports field at home and abroad.

8 . 语法填空。

Lang Ping, who is loved by fans at home and abroad, not only brought honour     1     glory to China but led the China women’s volleyball team to medals at world championships and the Olympics. When the Chinese team was preparing for the 2015 World Cup, her determination     2     (test). Her team was falling     3    ， as she lost two important players. But Lang Ping did not lose heart. She     4     (face) difficulties before, and she knew that her young players could win if they worked together as a team. Two weeks later, they were world champions! Then in 2016, Lang Ping led her volleyball team to Olympic gold in Brazil.

Michael Jordan,     5     (know) as “Air Jordan”， changed basketball with his graceful moves and jumps. Jordan’s skills were impressive, but his mental     6     (strong) made him unique. In the final seconds of a game, Jordan always seemed     7     (find) a way to win. Jordan’s secret to success is learning from his     8     (failure). Losing games taught him to practise harder and never give     9    . In life, Jordan has learnt to share his success with others. The Boys and Girls Club     10     he started has been helping young people since 1996.

9 . Soccer star Carli Lloyd made history as a member of the United States women national soccer team, which won the 2015 FIFA Women World Cup. Lloyd became the first person ever to score three goals in a single game during a Women World Cup final, helping the U. S. beat Japan 5-2 in the final match. During that game, Lloyd scored two goals within the first five minutes.

Lloyd was named the most valuable player of 2015 World Cup and won the Golden Ball Trophy. In November, it was announced that Lloyd was on the short list for FIFA Puskas Award, for the season’s best single goal. The goal being considered was her third during the World Cup final, which she shot from the field’s halfway line, 50 yards from the net. She was the only woman nominated (提名) this year.

Lloyd became a force in women soccer long before the U. S. team’s World Cup won. She grew up in Delran, New Jersey, a small town near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She began playing soccer at age 5. By high school, she was a powerhouse in the sport. The Philadelphia Inquirer named her Girls’ High School Player of the Year in 1999 and 2000. She attended Rutgers University, in New Jersey and graduated as the school’s all-time leader in New Jersey, where she was a collegiate soccer star.

Lloyd has won two Olympic gold medals. She has scored winning goals in many important matches, including the finals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. In all, Lloyd has scored more than 70 goals as a member of the women national team. She has also played on several professional teams, and is currently a midfielder (中场球员) in the United States women national soccer team. Off the field, Lloyd gives back to her community by running a soccer camp for young people in New Jersey. She is a hometown hero in Delran; a local ice cream shop even named a flavor Carli’s Cake Batter Cookie Dough Kick in her honor.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．Lloyd’s influence on her team.	B．Lloyd’s progress in her career.
C．Lloyd’s goals as a soccer player.	D．Lloyd’s awards after her win.

2. Which section of a newspaper is the text probably taken from?

A．History.	B．Sports.
C．Culture.	D．Politics.

10 . Soccer star Carli Lloyd made history as a member of the United States women’s national soccer team, which won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Lloyd became the first person ever to score three goals in a single game during a Women’s World Cup final, helping the U. S. beat Japan 5 - 2 in the final match. During that game, Lloyd scored two goals within the first five minutes.

Lloyd was named the most valuable player of 2015 World Cup and won the Golden Ball Trophy. In November, it was announced that Lloyd was on the short list for FIFA’s Puskas Award, for the season’s best single goal. The goal being considered was her third during the World Cup final, which she shot from the field’s halfway line, 50 yards from the net. She was the only woman nominated (提名) this year.

Lloyd became a force in women’s soccer long before the U. S. team’s World Cup won. She grew up in Delran, New Jersey, a small town near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She began playing soccer at age 5. By high school, she was a powerhouse in the sport. The Philadelphia Inquirer named her Girls’ High School Player of the Year in 1999 and 2000. She attended Rutgers University, in New Jersey and graduated as the school’s all-time leader in New Jersey, where she was a collegiate soccer star.

Lloyd has won two Olympic gold medals. She has scored winning goals in many important matches, including the finals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. In all, Lloyd has scored more than 70 goals as a member of the women’s national team. She has also played on several professional teams, and is currently a midfielder (中场球员) in the United States women’s national soccer team. Off the field, Lloyd gives back to her community by running a soccer camp for young people in New Jersey. She is a hometown hero in Delran; a local ice cream shop even named a flavor Carli’s Cake Batter Cookie Dough Kick in her honor.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．Lloyd’s influence on her team.	B．Lloyd’s progress in her career.
C．Lloyd’s goals as a soccer player.	D．Lloyd’s awards after her win.

2. What can we know about Lloyd during college in Paragraph 3?

A．She was a soccer star.	B．She started playing soccer.
C．She failed to finish her education.	D．She joined the national soccer team.

3. Why is an ice cream shop mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．To stress Lloyd has great talent in business.

B．To describe Lloyd’s important role in the shop.

C．To show Lloyd is highly respected by people.

D．To prove Lloyd’s success as a professional player.

4. Which section of a newspaper is the text probably taken from?

A．History.	B．Sports.
C．Culture.	D．Politics.