1 . Kurt, one of Australian most respected and recognized athletes, has won over 40 marathons, including New York, Chicago and London, in his career of more than 20 years. He became the first athlete with a disability to win The Don Award-given to honor those whose achievements inspire the whole nation — in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2018.
Kurt has always been determined. Being born without the lower part of his spine (脊椎) has never held him back, from backyard games of football to crewing an attractive Sydney to Hobart ship and winning dozens of marathons around the world.
Growing up in a large and loving family in the small town of Carcoar, Kurt was encouraged to make the most of every opportunity, and he did. He took on almost every challenge presented to him, encouraged by his parents. He even managed to move himself on his elbows up and down hills at an early age.
Turning his attention to wheelchair sports in his teens, Kurt quickly became a world beater. He started his career with two silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games, before making his winning breakthrough at the 2004 Athens Paralympics with gold medals in the 5,000m and marathon races. Following the 2004 Paralympics, Kurt conquered the world, winning seven world championships and more than 30 marathons around the globe.
Kurt is a person who supports the rights of people with disabilities. He throws himself into a number of charitable activities. For example, in 2009, Kurt spent two weeks crawling (爬) the 96 kilometer Kokoda Track to raise awareness and money for people’s health charity.
While Kurt’s athletic career is over, his commitment (投入) to sports and support for people with disabilities live on in so many different forms. Kurt believes that people with disabilities should be given more opportunities.
1. What does paragraph 1 tell us about Kurt?| A．He contributed a lot to American spirit. | B．He is the most popular marathon athlete. |
| C．He is the first athlete to win the Don Award. | D．He is a disabled athlete with great achievements. |
| A．Kurt’s living conditions were poor. | B．Kurt’s parents were strict with him. |
| C．Kurt’s tough life inspired his creation. | D．Kurt’s childhood saw his determination. |
| A．A sick teenager. | B．A blind boy. | C．An injured athlete. | D．A potential champion. |
| A．Learn to walk before your run. | B．Ups and downs make one strong. |
| C．Become the light and warm others. | D．Disability is a force for great progress. |
2 . On Sunday, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia shocked the running world by breaking the women’s world record for the marathon by over two minutes. Assefa finished the Berlin Marathon in just 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 53 seconds.
But Assefa’s record was far beyond what most people expected. After all, it was only her third time running a marathon.
“I wanted to break the marathon world record,” she said, “But I couldn’t imagine that it would result in a time under 2:12.”
When Assefa was younger, she started by running short races, called sprints. Then she became a middle-distance runner, running the 800 meters (half mile) race. Her best time in the 800 meters was 1 minute and 59 seconds.
Last March, she ran her first marathon. Then last September, she entered the Berlin Marathon. She won, and set a new women’s record for the course, finishing in 2:15:37.
This year, she ran almost four minutes faster than she did last year. In both races, Assefa ran faster in the second half of the race than she did in the first half.
Her time of 2:11:53 was over two minutes faster than the old women’s record (2:14:04), which was set in Chicago in 2019 by Brigid Kosgei of Kenya.
When she finished the race, Assefa kneeled down and kissed the pavement before raising her arms in victory.
Though Assefa made it look easy, she said winning the race “…was the result of hard work.” Assefa was coached by Gemedu Dedefo, who has helped train many Ethiopian star runners.
1. What is Assefa’s latest record for the marathon?| A．2:11:53. | B．2:14:04. | C．2:15:37. | D．1:59:00. |
| A．It is what she expected. | B．It is a piece of cake for her. |
| C．It is due to great effort. | D．It is because of her coach. |
| A．Talented. | B．Friendly. | C．Humorous. | D．Warm-hearted. |
| A．Dedefo Helps to Train Many Star Runners |
| B．Kosgei Holds the Women’s Marathon Record |
| C．Assefa Sets a Good Example to Other Runners |
| D．Assefa Breaks the Women’s Marathon Record |
3 . Lionel Messi, one of the greatest football players of all time, was born on June 24th, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. From a young age, Messi showed a remarkable talent for football, and his passion for the game led him to join a local club at the age of just six.
Growing up in a working-class family, Messi faced many challenges. He suffered from a disease related to growth at a young age, and his parents could not afford the expensive treatment required. However, Messi’s talent on the field did not go unnoticed, and he was eventually offered a tryout with FC Barcelona. Messi impressed the Barcelona coaches with his exceptional skills, and they offered him a place at the club’s youth academy at the age of 13. He quickly rose through the ranks and made his first-team debut (首次亮相) in 2004 at the age of 17, becoming the youngest player to ever play for Barcelona.
Over the years, Messi has established himself as one of the best players in the world. He is known for his incredible dribbling (带球) skills, his ability to create space and his incredible speed. Messi has won a large number of awards over the course of his career, including the Ballon d’Or (an award given to the best football player in the world) seven times. In addition to his individual achievements, Messi has also enjoyed great success with FC Barcelona. He has won many domestic and international titles with the club. Messi has also been an important part of the Argentina national team, helping them reach the final of the 2014 World Cup and winning the Copa America in 2021.
Off the field, Messi is known for his charitable work. He has donated millions of dollars to charitable causes. In 2020, Messi and his foundation donated €1 million to hospitals in Catalonia to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lionel Messi’s story is an inspiration to young football players around the world, and his charitable work off the field is a testament to his character and generosity.
1. What challenge was Messi faced with on the way to success?| A．No family support. | B．Poor physical condition. |
| C．No exceptional talents. | D．The lack of good coaches. |
| A．Modest. | B．Cooperative. | C．Caring. | D．Ambitious. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．News. | C．People. | D．Entertainment. |
| A．Lionel Messi: A Superstar off the Court |
| B．Lionel Messi: A Hero Changing the World |
| C．Lionel Messi: The Return of a Football Star |
| D．Lionel Messi: The Rise of a Football Legend |
4 . Wang Shuang was just five when her parents divorced, dropped her at her uncle’s and left. Football, as it often is, became an escape.
At seven, she was spotted by coach Xu Yilong, who found Wang quick in her playful behaviour. As the only girl in the boys’ team, Wang’s performances were impressive, earning her the nickname “Iron Girl.” And soon, she sensed the sport’s power. Football allowed her to “release herself” and realize “whatever happens, football never leaves you alone.”
However, life was never smooth sailing. The constant jibes (嘲讽) from some people, who always tried to push her down and destroy her hopes, affected her so deeply that she lost confidence.” They were saying I had no talent at all. Gradually, I felt really so. “Wang once wrote. But never did she stop playing. When she was called up to the national team, aged 17,Wang thought, “Me? Are you sure?” When a world-famous club wanted to sign her, she was “excited that an excellent coach thought I was good.” It was only then that she felt confident in her abilities. “I felt recognized. Perhaps I had a bit of talent after all.”
Not any “bit of talent”; the genius is praised as China’s once-in-a-generation player.
China is a pioneer of women’s football in Asia and has won the continental championship eight times, including seven straight titles between 1986 and 1999.That was their golden age. Gradually, though, the dynasty declined. It is hoped that Wang will inspire the women’s football of the country to its former height.
Coaches are almost always hesitant to speak about individual players. But when coach Shui was asked about Wang before the match against Vietnam, she couldn’t stop mentioning her influence on the team. Unfailingly performing on the big stage, Wang did not let her team down. When they lacked a quality ball, she delivered two high assists that finally led her team into the last-four clash (交锋).
“Nobody knows how hard it was,“ declared Wang after the match. “We overcame difficulties. We also showed our strong spiritual power. I am proud of my team.”
1. What can we infer about Wang from the second paragraph?| A．She earned a living on her own. | B．She felt the power of sports. |
| C．She was laughed at by the boys. | D．She found a sense of belonging |
| A．By winning recognition. | B．By getting encouragement. |
| C．By playing in the national team. | D．By ignoring other people’s jibes. |
| A．Caring. | B．Unwilling. | C．Favorable. | D．Demanding |
| A．Wang Shuang: A Steel Rose | B．Wang Shuang: A Child Genius |
| C．Wang Shuang: A Football Pioneer | D．Wang Shuang: A Golden Age Successor· |
5 . P. T. Usha is an Indian athlete. Her success story is an inspiration to women all across the world.
She was born in a poor family in Kerala in 1964. She was unable to enjoy her childhood because of her family’s poverty. Usha was always interested in sports and took part in a variety of contests from a young age. She easily defeated the school champion, who was three years older than her, in a school race.
She received Rs. 250 scholarships from the Government of Kerala in 1976. Later coach OM Nambiar gave her an award in a match event. In an interview, he stated that he felt she had the ability to be a great short-distance runner so he began coaching Usha. She won a variety of medals in the sports contests she competed in under his guidance. Usha won six medals at the interstate meet for juniors in 1978. She won 14 medals at the Kerala State College Meet. Usha had both the best and a little tough time during the 1984 Olympics.
At the games, she established new Commonwealth marks by running 56.81 seconds in the heats and 55.54 seconds in the semi-finals, and she advanced to the final. She finished fourth in the final with a time of 55.42 seconds. She was just 0.01 second slower than the bronze model.
Usha won six medals in the 1985 Jakarta Asian Championships, five gold and one bronze. She established a record for the most gold medals won at a single event in the championships’ history. She won four gold medals in the Asian Games in 1986. She became the first woman president of Indian Olympic Association.
P. T. Usha’s sporting career and moments of glory are imprinted in the minds of many people. P. T. Usha is still an inspiration to female athletes all over the world.
1. What does the paragraph 2 mainly talk about?| A．P. T. Usha’s early life. | B．P. T. Usha’s success. |
| C．P. T. Usha’s family. | D．P. T. Usha’s education. |
| A．He was requested by her. | B．He believed her athletic talent. |
| C．He wanted to achieve his dream. | D．He wanted to help her earn money. |
| A．A person who is very interested in swimming. | B．A person who sets an example to males. |
| C．A person bringing hopes to the world. | D．A person with amazing achievements. |
| A．By space. | B．By time order. | C．By comparison. | D．By listing reasons. |
6 . Zheng Qinwen announced herself as a major new force in women’s tennis with an important French Open debut(首秀) last month. Now the Chinese teenager hopes the fighting spirit she showed at the Grand Slam (大满贯) tournament can encourage kids starting out in the sport to chase their dreams on the court with the same determination.
“If tennis is your dream, I think you always have to fight for your dream. Because we only have one life, you shouldn’t have any regrets,” Zheng said last week in an interview.
The 19-year-old showed she possesses the talent to be a contender at the very top level of tennis with a breakout campaign at French Open.
Accounting for two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep along the way, Zheng’s journey was ended in the fourth round by a three-set defeat to eventual champion Iga Swiatek. Zheng, though, gave the Polish world No. 1 a big scare, battling back from 3-0 down in the first set to force and win a tiebreak(平分决胜局).
“That was the first time I had played against the world No.1, so I really wanted to grab this chance so I could judge her level and test myself,” said Zheng. “I didn’t want to give her the match so easy like that. It was pretty difficult for me to hold on in that match because of what my body was going through, but I wanted to show her I’m not easily beaten.”
Looking back at Zheng Qinwen’s performances in this year’s French Open, there’s no doubt that she’s a true fighter. Zheng says she avoids being discouraged by higher-ranked opponents by simply focusing on the next point, one shot at a time. Supported by her team, she hopes she can one day win a Grand Slam title.
Zheng’s impressive French Open run has inevitably(不可避免地) led to comparisons with China’s solitary Grand Slam singles champion Li Na, who won the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open titles.
“When I was a kid, Li Na showed that Asian people also can do something really good in tennis. She was the first one. I will just focus on my own game and then let’s see if I can really compete at the highest level,” said Zheng.
1. What does the underlined word “contender” in paragraph 3 mean?| A．Competitor | B．Announcer. | C．Campaigner. | D．Designer. |
| A．Iga Swiatek beat Zheng easily. |
| B．Zheng lost to Iga Swiatek at last. |
| C．Zheng won the match despite her pain. |
| D．Iga Swiatek lost because of her mistakes. |
| A．To show how excellent Zheng Qinwen is. |
| B．To prove failure is the mother of success. |
| C．To explain why Li Na has achieved a lot. |
| D．To compare the difference between Zheng Qinwen and Li Na. |
| A．Optimistic and generous | B．Adventurous and realistic. |
| C．Independent and helpful | D．Struggling and determined. |
7 . Zheng Qinwen announced herself as a major new force in women’s tennis with an import French Open debut (首秀) last month. Now the Chinese teenager hopes the fighting spirit she showed at the Grand Slam (大满贯) tournament can encourage kids starting out in the sport to chase their dreams on the court with the same determination.
“If tennis is your dream, I think you always have to fight for your dream. Because we only have one life, you shouldn’t have any regrets,” Zheng said last week in an interview.
The 19-year-old showed she possesses the talent to be a contender at the very top level of tennis with a breakout campaign at French Open.
Accounting for two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep along the way, Zhengs journey was ended in the fourth round by a three-set defeat to eventual champion Iga Swiatek. Zheng, though gave the Polish world No. 1 a big scare, battling back from 3-0 down in the first set to force, and win, a tiebreak (平分决胜局)。
“That was the first time I had played the world No.1, so I really wanted to grab this chance so I could judge her level and test myself,” said Zheng. “I didn’t want to give her the match so easy like that. It was pretty difficult for me to hold on in that match because of what my body was going through, but I wanted to show her I'm not easily beaten.
Looking back at Zheng Qinwen’s performances in this year’s French Open, there’s no doubt that she’s a true fighter. Zheng says she avoids being discouraged by higher-ranked opponents by simply focusing on the next point, one shot at a time.Supported by her team, she hopes she can one day win a Grand Slam title.
Zheng’s impressive French Open run has inevitably led to comparisons with China’s solitary Grand Slam singles championLi Na, who won the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open titles.
“When I was a kid, Li Na showed that Asian people also can do something really good in tennis. She was the first one. I will just focus on my own game and then let’s see if I can really compete at the highest level,” said Zheng.
1. What does the underlined word “contender” in paragraph 3 mean?| A．Organizer. | B．Announcer. | C．Competitor. | D．Designer. |
| A．Iga Swiatek beat Zheng easily. |
| B．Zheng lost to Iga Swiatek at last. |
| C．Zheng won the match despite her pain. |
| D．Iga Swiatek lost because of her mistakes. |
| A．To explain why Li Na has achieved a lot |
| B．To prove failure is the mother of success. |
| C．To show how excellent Zheng Qinwen is. |
| D．To compare the difference between Zheng Qinwen and LI Na |
| A．Optimistic and generous. |
| B．Struggling and determined |
| C．Independent and helpful. |
| D．Adventurous and realistic. |
8 . Simone Biles was a bright, bouncy little girl. She couldn’t sit still, and her favorite place was the trampoline (蹦床) in her grandparents’, backyard, where she jumped and twisted (扭动) in the air for hours.
Simone was born in 1997. When she was 6 years old, her day-care group went on a field trip to a gym. Simone loved watching the gymnasts train and perform. She couldn’t just watch them, though-she had to try their moves. She was so good that one of the coaches sent a letter home with her, inviting Simone to take gymnastics (体操) classes.
Simone loved the classes, and she was excellent at climbing, swinging and jumping. She had a lot to learn, though. Most of the gymnasts in her class had started lessons when they began to learn to walk. At 6, Simone was the oldest child in her class. But that would change quickly.
Several times a year, the gym held exhibitions to demonstrate the gymnasts’ skills. At one of these, young gymnasts had to climb 10 feet up a rope, using just their arms and holding their legs straight in front of them. Simone was so strong that she climbed 20 feet into the air.
At 9, Simone learned why she couldn’t sit still: She had ADHD(多动症). Her brain moved fast and her body did too, which made it hard for her to concentrate in school. “The challenges we face help us become who we are, ” Simone wrote. “My challenge is also my superpower: ADHD. ” Simone’s superpower would help make her one of the most brilliant gymnasts ever seen.
At age 16, she won two gold medals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, including the all-around. She has now won 25 world medals, 19 of them gold. That’s the most in world gymnastics history. So outstanding is she that several signature moves have been named after Simone.
1. What does the underlined word “bouncy” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Confident. | B．Active. | C．Curious. | D．Gifted. |
| A．Simone liked to show off. |
| B．Simone didn’t need to learn more. |
| C．How excellently Simone performed. |
| D．Why Simone fell behind her classmates. |
| A．Simone’s superpower. |
| B．Simone’s signature moves. |
| C．Simone’s great achievements. |
| D．Simone’s experience in competitions. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Interest is the best teacher. |
| C．Talent is the key to success. |
| D．Challenges can be superpower. |
9 . Jessica Long, from Baltimore, Maryland, USA is a champion by all definitions of the word. She is one of the world’s most decorated swimmers. Jessica was the youngest athlete to win a Paralympics (残奥会) medal. But her path to becoming a champion has been anything but easy.
Jessica was born in Irkutsk, Russia with a severe and rare disease — fibular hemimelia (腓侧半肢畸形). This means that part of her leg bones was missing or abnormal. Because of that, her young mother placed her in a Russian orphanage (孤儿院), fearing she could not care for Jessica.
Fortunately, she was adopted by an American family when she was 13 months old. She required 25 different surgeries to help her leg condition. But unfortunately, both of her legs had to be removed when she was just 18 months old. Jessica learned to walk with artificial legs. As a child, she took to sports including gymnastics, cheerleading, ice skating, biking and rock climbing.
She began swimming at her grandparents’ house when she was 6. She started competitive swimming about 4 years later. She did really well in swimming. Shortly after she started competing, Jessica was selected as Maryland’s Female Swimmer of the Year with a Disability. Even though Jessica was annoyed with her physical limitations, she was encouraged to enter her first Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. She won three gold medals in swimming at 12! But she did not rest on her success.
Jessica has gone on to win 23 medals for Team USA at the Paralympics! While she began her career out of anger and annoyance, she now has a positive force on a mission to inspire the next generation of Paralympians! Her attitude and growth have been keys to her success. Jessica always believed she could do anything. As she says, “The only disability in life is a negative attitude.”
1. What happened to Jessica when she was a baby?| A．She was abandoned in the wild. | B．She had 25 operations on her leg. |
| C．She had her legs cut because of a disease. | D．She was adopted by a Russian family. |
| A．At the age of 4. | B．At the age of 6. |
| C．At the age of 10. | D．At the age of 12. |
| A．She was the youngest athlete in US history. |
| B．She has set a good example to Paralympians. |
| C．She has won 23 gold medals in Paralympics. |
| D．She took part in several sports in Paralympics. |
| A．Difficult the first time, easy the second. |
| B．Never hit a man when he is down. |
| C．A common danger causes common action. |
| D．Nothing is impossible to a determined heart. |
10 . When Su Bingtian was first added to the track and field team of his junior high school, what he did most was not training or competing, but carrying bags for his senior teammates and watching them running.
Nobody, including Su himself, would believe the small boy could one day become the first Asian man to reach the 100m final at the World Championships, running side-to-side with the fastest sprinters in the world.
Born in a rural area in China’s southeastern province of Guangdong, Su started training in athletics in 2003. After 12 years of fast progress, Su emerged from a bag-carrier to the fastest man in the world most populous country, breaking the national record after he clocked 9.99 seconds at the IAAF Diamond League Eugene leg on May 30. He is the first and only Chinese that have ever dipped under the 10-second barrier. He attributed such progress to a revolutionary technique change starting from last winter.
When Su first began to train in sprinting, he had been using his right foot to start off. But he always found his third step a little bit weak and unsteady which would affect his intermediate running and the whole rhythm. After consulting with his coach Yuan Guoqiang, China’s first national record holder, Su has changed his way to start with his left foot going forward first.
“It was like a desperate gamble, a brand new start for me. I knew if it works I would find some room to improve, otherwise it could lead to the end of my career,” Su said.
“To be honest, I am not fully prepared for such pressure and intensive media coverage. I will learn to deal with it as soon as possible. But training and competing will always be my priority,” said a determined Su. “I hope my story can encourage those young people to believe that Chinese can also run fast. I do not think I am a hero. I am just a step-stone, like my coach Yuan, a step-stone to pave the way for more youngsters to push the speed limit for China.”
1. What does the second paragraph imply?| A．Su Bingtian has a gift for sprinting. |
| B．Su Bingtian achieved success through hard work. |
| C．Su Bingtian seems not be talented in sprinting in his youth. |
| D．Su Bingtian ran the fastest in the world. |
| A．His competitive spirit | B．His family support |
| C．His training strategy | D．His experience |
| A．Determined and modest | B．Ambitious and honest |
| C．Competitive and desperate | D．Popular and tough |
| A．He hopes to inspire other young sprinters. | B．He is not ready to be a champion. |
| C．He feels regretful for the speed. | D．He enjoys training and competing. |
