The legendary gymnast Oksana Chusovitina, aged 48, made
Chusovitina’s Olympic journey
In a sport known for its youthful
“Now I have made
At nine years of age, she took
Years
3 . American gymnast Simone Biles flies through the air as though she was made for it. She has won more World Championship gold medals than any other female gymnast in history. She is also the first women gymnast to win three World all-around titles in a row. A complicated flip (翻转动作) she introduced in the 2013 World Championships is one of four skills that are named after her, and some consider her the greatest of all time.
Athletes are under pressure, and a small mistake can result in serious injury. At the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Biles experienced something gymnast call “the twisties,” which is when a gymnast has no idea where his or her body is in the air. Instead of putting herself and her team at risk, Biles gave up the competition. However, she worked out in a private gym and was able to compete in the last-scheduled individual event: the balance beam, winning the bronze medal.
When she was young, Biles was raised by her grandfather Ron, and was introduced to gymnastics at the age of 6 on a school field trip to a gym. She saw some gymnasts practicing, began copying their moves and insisted that her parents send her for gymnastics lessons. A coach at the gym also recognized her talent and sent a letter home asking her parents to send her for lessons.
Throughout her career, Biles has kept her passion for the sport, which can be seen clearly in the huge smile she often wears while competing. But she also wants people to know the importance of putting mental health first and not ignoring how stress can influence them.
In Biles’ 2016 memoir (回忆录), titled Courage to Soar, the book tells in her words “how my faith and my family made my wildest dreams come true. And how embracing a dream can give you courage to soar.” Biles’ ability to perform at the highest level has inspired new generations of athletes, but her willingness to be honest about her struggles inspires everyone.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly tell us about Biles?| A．Her high spirit. | B．Her wide fame. |
| C．Her great achievements. | D．Her wonderful skills. |
| A．She was seriously injured. | B．She had a hard time. |
| C．She got a gold medal. | D．She put her team at risk. |
| A．She has got the most gold medals in history. |
| B．Four skills were named after her in 2013. |
| C．She showed her talent for gymnastics at an early age. |
| D．Her grandfather insisted that she take gymnastics lessons. |
| A．Strong-willed and talented. | B．Confident and warm-hearted. |
| C．Determined and generous. | D．Hard-working and curious. |
4 . Very often, it seems that the athletes we watch on TV effortlessly win the game. However, it’s
Maya Moore was a member of the U.S. women’s basketball team that won gold at the Olympics in 2012, “My team was playing at the national championships when I was 13. I could not hit a
Swimmer Natalie Coughlin has ever won 12 Olympic gold medals. “By the time I was 16, I had already worked for years to
| A．natural | B．hard | C．foolish | D．free |
| A．injured | B．proud | C．lost | D．puzzled |
| A．look | B．bounce | C．run | D．hold |
| A．suffered | B．chose | C．heard | D．learned |
| A．ball | B．person | C．basket | D．shot |
| A．expected | B．focused | C．lost | D．improved |
| A．innocent | B．greedy | C．guilty | D．tired |
| A．medal | B．performance | C．intention | D．conclusion |
| A．matters | B．works | C．varies | D．judges |
| A．trying | B．waste | C．vital | D．happy |
| A．fight | B．compete | C．pay | D．qualify |
| A．Suddenly | B．Occasionally | C．Unfortunately | D．Constantly |
| A．achieve | B．set | C．get rid of | D．give up |
| A．live | B．continue | C．react | D．depart |
| A．encouraged | B．forced | C．informed | D．guided |
5 . Thomas Panek has completed 20 marathons, however, he made history on Sunday at the New York City Half Marathon.
While visually impaired（视觉障碍）runners usually use human guides, Mr Panek became the first person to complete the race supported by guide dogs. A trio of Labradors - Westley, Waffle and Gus - each accompanied (陪伴) him for a third of the race. The team finished in two hours and 21 minutes.
Mr Panek, who lost his sight in his early 20s, showed that while he appreciated the support of human volunteers, he missed the feeling of independence. In 2015, Mr Panek established the Running Guides programme which trains dogs to support runners.
When selecting his companions for the race, Mr Panek chose siblings Waffle and Westley to join Gus, who is his full-time guide dog. “The relationship is really important. You can’t just pick up the harness (挽带) and go for a run with these dogs,” Mr Panek said. “You’re training with a team no matter what kind of athlete you are, and you want to spend time together in that training camp.”
Each dogs sets its own pace — Westley runs an eight minute mile, while his sister Waffle can cover the same distance in six minutes—and helps Mr Panek avoid obstacles such as kerbs（路缘）and cones (锥体). Each dog wears a special harness and set of running boots, to protect their paws.
Gus was chosen to run the final leg of the race and cross the finish line with Mr Panek. He retired from his duties as a guide dog at the end of the race.
According to Mr Panek, guide dogs give visually impaired people the freedom to “do whatever it is a sighted person does, and sometimes, even run a little faster than them”.
1. In which way did Thomas Panek make history?| A．He set a new record of time in running the half marathon. |
| B．He is the first blind person who take part in the marathon. |
| C．He finished the competition with help of human volunteers. |
| D．He is the first blind person finishing half marathon with guide dogs. |
| A．He stopped running after he lost sight. |
| B．He enjoyed running with human volunteers. |
| C．He is the founder of the Running Guides programme. |
| D．He got the gold medal at the New York City Half Marathon. |
| A．They didn’t get training before the race. |
| B．Westley runs faster than Waffle. |
| C．Gus is Panek’s full-time guide dog. |
| D．Westley retired after the race. |
| A．an essay | B．a news report | C．a biography | D．a review |
Chinese tennis legend Li Na will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
“I have loved seeing the sport grow in China,” Li said in
