1 . Wang Fang, a Suzhou native, has given her heart and soul to Kunqu Opera. Wang, who has twice won the Plum Performance Award — China’s top award for theater and opera performances-started to learn the traditional art form in 1977.
Born with a melodic voice, Wang loved to sing and dance when she was little. She performed frequently, and was recruited by the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Troupe (剧团) when she was in middle school. However, her parents refused the troupe’s invitation, insisting that she should concentrate on her studies and not drop out of school. After members of the troupe visited the parents repeatedly and showed great sincerity,Wang’s parents finally agreed.
Learning the traditional art form was never easy. She started to learn how to pronounce words, sing them lyrically and make gestures gently. As an actress playing martial artists roles at first, she had to spend extra time practicing kung fu movements. Years later, Wang used the word “unimaginable” to describe how hard the days were when she first learned Kunqu. She was soaked in sweat when practicing movements in summer, while in winter she often had chilblains (冻疮) on her hands when training in shabby classrooms with broken windows. “But I was young and determined at the time. No matter how difficult, I always got up early the next morning to practice,” Wang recalls.
Wang says she did not love Kunqu at first, but in her early 20s,when she watched the show Peony Pavilion performed by Zhang Jiqing, a master of the art form, it clicked. “I was shocked,” Wang says. “Her every movement was full of elegance and delicacy. Each of her lines and songs was perfect. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Kunqu for the first time in my life, and it has stayed with me since.” Now, Wang has herself become a master of Kunqu. Her performances have impressed generations and helped to promote the art form among young people.
1. Why did Wang’s parents turn down the troupe’s invitation at first?| A．They didn’t think Wang had artistic talent. |
| B．They saw no future in learning Kunqu Opera. |
| C．They didn’t want Wang to ignore her studies. |
| D．They regarded members of the troupe as insincere. |
| A．Wang has made great efforts to learn Kunqu well. |
| B．Artists should be given more attention and care. |
| C．Traditional culture needs to be further promoted. |
| D．Wang has played a key role in the development of Kunqu. |
| A．Winning the Plum Performance Award. |
| B．Joining the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Troupe. |
| C．Watching Zhang’s masterly performance. |
| D．Being greatly admired by the audience. |
| A．It is never too late to learn. | B．Rome was not built in a day. |
| C．Doing is better than saying. | D．Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
2 . Most people who ran the marathon last month spent days before resting up and days after recovering. But not Jacky Hunt-Broersma. In total, she ran 104 marathons in 104 days. If it’s confirmed by Guinness World Records, that would be a new world record. And she did it all with one leg and a prosthesis (假肢).
“Someone able-bodied had done it previously. I wanted to see if I could do it on a prosthetic leg and see what would happen,” she said. “I thought it would be a great way to inspire others to push their limits because I truly believe that we’re stronger than what we think. And I’ve been so pleasantly surprised that my body is held up, everything is held up and I’ve made it to 104.”
She actually did not pick up the sport until after she lost the lower part of her left leg in 2001 to a type of cancer called Ewing sarcoma. Runners using a prosthetic leg can’t use a regular one. They need a running blade (刀锋式跑步义肢). Hunt-Broersma has two, but she was only able to run with one because of the swelling she experienced in her left leg that made it impossible to connect to the other blade. But even with the pain that occurred, she has been able to put up with it and continued.
All together, Hunt-Broersma ran over 4, 385 kilometers. During that time she has had a lot of time to think and has learned a few things about herself. “It has taught me how strong one can be and how important absolute determination is. If you’re mentally strong, you can do anything,” she said. “And our bodies are just amazing ... This whole journey was impressive and super hard, but it’s told me how strong I can be as a person and how far I can push myself.”
1. Why did Hunt-Broersma decide to run marathons?| A．She wanted to set a new record. |
| B．She intended to challenge herself. |
| C．She was driven by her interest. |
| D．She was inspired by people like her. |
| A．She didn’t get professional training. |
| B．She found it hard to keep her balance. |
| C．She suffered discomfort in her left leg. |
| D．She couldn’t use regular running blades. |
| A．Rome wasn’t built in a day. |
| B．Time works wonders. |
| C．A good beginning is half the battle. |
| D．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
| A．Annoyed. | B．Sympathetic. |
| C．Admiring. | D．Humorous. |
3 . It was a dream born in fire. When Andrea Peterson was 5, she and her mother were trapped on the balcony of a burning building. “Throw the kid down!” said one of the firemen below, and little Andrea jumped into lifesaving arms and a lifelong goal. She wanted to fight fires like her rescuers did.
But in the early 1960’s, little girls weren’t even allowed to fantasize about such great dreams. She told that to the men who had saved her, and they laughed. “You’ll be a good mommy,” the firemen told her. “You’ll be a good teacher, maybe you’ll be a nurse, but you can never be a fireman.”
And then, as it tends to do, life didn’t give her a chance to realize the dream. When Peterson was studying for a degree in aviation technology (航空技术) — the only female in her class, she met her husband, Dennis, a Vietnam vet who later developed cancer. Peterson spent 31 years caring for the man she loved and, in 2007, Dennis left the world.
At 61, She earned her emergency medical technician license (执照) and responded to fire calls with the ambulance (救护车). It turned to be a life-and-death situation, and Peterson felt that long-ago childhood calling. She found that her years of caring for Dennis had prepared her for dealing with different hurts and ills.
A year later, she told her boss she wanted to be a firefighter. The fact that everyone else in her training team was between 18 and 21 didn’t discourage her. She passed the writing test and she cleared the physical difficulties and finally, that little girl’s dream became a reality.
Peterson knows that the window on her physical abilities won’t stay open forever. But when interviewed, she said, “I worry a little when I get too old ... However, I did get my dream.”
1. Why did Andrea Peterson want to be a firefighter?| A．She narrowly escaped from the fire. | B．She was once rescued by firemen. |
| C．She wanted to live an adventurous life. | D．She was encouraged by her mother. |
| A．She carefully looked after her dying husband. |
| B．She joined in the training team to be a firefighter. |
| C．She successful got a degree in aviation technology. |
| D．She helped the injured using her medical knowledge. |
| A．Determined and brave. | B．Kind and humorous. |
| C．Confident and friendly. | D．Generous and honest. |
| A．It’s never too late to change a job. | B．Where there is a will there is a way. |
| C．Time and tide wait for no man. | D．He who laughs last laughs best. |
4 . In the Northern Wei Dynasty, there
On a winter morning, the army was again recruiting(征募)new
During the next 12 years, Mulan managed to keep her identity(身份) a(n)
The story has a special meaning in the Chinese society, which shows that females, if they are determined,can also do
| A．took | B．lived | C．had | D．rented |
| A．unusual | B．narrow | C．major | D．equal |
| A．students | B．teachers | C．workers | D．boys |
| A．officials | B．soldiers | C．classmates | D．partners |
| A．younger | B．advanced | C．elder | D．formal |
| A．dress up | B．focus on | C．apply for | D．fall apart |
| A．in case of | B．other than | C．due to | D．instead of |
| A．cut | B．rescued | C．damaged | D．put |
| A．to | B．for | C．in | D．from |
| A．date | B．gap | C．secret | D．event |
| A．survived | B．destroyed | C．contacted | D．admired |
| A．emperor | B．host | C．master | D．expert |
| A．carved | B．struggled | C．refused | D．designed |
| A．recognized | B．called | C．graduated | D．hiked |
| A．graceful | B．great | C．positive | D．curious |
5 . When Han Duan started her professional career at 16, China’s national women’s football team was defeated in the final of the World Cup by the US. While she was asked to play in her first World Cup in 2003, she largely remained on the bench after the first match.
But things have changed. Now, Han is one of the most important players in China’s team. “I can’t wait to play. Life is short. You must make the most out of it,”Han always says like that.
Han wants every possible honor that a football player can get — an Asian Cup, a World Cup and an Olympic medal. She has always been good at sports, especially swimming and horizontal bars. At school, she was the fastest in the 60m and 100m.
But the reason she picked football was that she wanted to get more praises. “Football is for boys. But I feel more fulfilled when I can do better than them and win more praises,” she said. Later, when she entered a football school, the coach always asked Han to show others what to do.
However, nobody can be good at everything. Han described her singing as “howling” and the only school subject she was good at was Chinese. “I was very happy every time my essay was posted on the wall for my schoolmates to read. ”But Han still has some regrets about her school years. Her handwriting was terrible at school. She ever wanted to improve her handwriting but didn’t achieve much.
“My fans ask for my signature (签名), so I’d better practice and practice. It’s not too late,” she says.
1. What was Han Duan in the World Cup in 2003?| A．A team captain. | B．A fan of a sports star. |
| C．An unimportant player. | D．A member of the audience. |
| A．Han won’t waste any of her practicing time. |
| B．Han wants to take every chance to learn more. |
| C．Han has become ill and she will die quite soon. |
| D．Han decides to take every chance to join in matches. |
| A．She was good at sports when she was at school. |
| B．She often gets praises because of her beautiful handwriting. |
| C．She did well in singing and Chinese when she was at school. |
| D．She has won an Asian Cup, a World Cup and an Olympic medal. |
| A．Honest. | B．Imaginative. | C．Determined. | D．Independent. |
6 . Of all the stories of Olympic medalists, the most touching one is that of weight-lifting champion Oscar Figueroa.
During his athletic
In the 2004 Olympic games, Figueroa made his first
In spite of all, he’d already
No matter how hard he felt, he never gave up, serving as a
| A．work | B．job | C．career | D．story |
| A．compete | B．win | C．join | D．call |
| A．excitement | B．disappointment | C．shame | D．happiness |
| A．promise | B．appearance | C．decision | D．plan |
| A．down | B．up | C．back | D．forward |
| A．Unbelievably | B．Thankfully | C．Hopefully | D．Unfortunately |
| A．tested | B．shaken | C．injured | D．caught |
| A．spent | B．cost | C．took | D．lost |
| A．experienced | B．expected | C．prepared | D．checked |
| A．imagine | B．refuse | C．give | D．claim |
| A．put up | B．took off | C．took on | D．set aside |
| A．retire | B．benefit | C．graduate | D．suffer |
| A．special | B．powerful | C．fresh | D．different |
| A．last | B．best | C．first | D．latest |
| A．training | B．learning | C．lifting | D．playing |
7 . Cody Wilkins sat on the bench, while his soccer teammates were scoring goals on the field.
It had been a(n)
“My confidence was shot. I thought maybe I wasn’t as good as my coaches thought. So I thought maybe I should
Cody suffered once he discovered he wasn’t a good soccer player. But he
Then Cody took advantage of his
If you base your
No one is
| A．hard | B．formal | C．graceful | D．confusing |
| A．eagerly | B．responsibly | C．confidently | D．officially |
| A．legend | B．failure | C．master | D．coach |
| A．wait | B．exchange | C．cheat | D．quit |
| A．decided | B．pretended | C．described | D．hesitated |
| A．checked in | B．signed up | C．went through | D．applied for |
| A．host | B．improve | C．lose | D．survive |
| A．schedule | B．creativity | C．time | D．authority |
| A．shot | B．limited | C．replaced | D．named |
| A．selected | B．tracked | C．rescued | D．stressed |
| A．error | B．character | C．affair | D．value |
| A．adult | B．competition | C．athlete | D．surprise |
| A．outgoing | B．creative | C．unique | D．perfect |
| A．investigate | B．benefit | C．reduce | D．request |
| A．curious | B．calm | C．worthwhile | D．alarming |
8 . A 23-year-old woman just set a record for the fastest solo row across the Atlantic. Departing from the Canary Islands, Payne rowed 59 days, before arriving in Antigua. The
The challenge was described as one of the hardest ones on Earth. No
The last 8 miles was really
Payne rowed 15 hours per day alone in the Atlantic Ocean with strong winds. “In the last week, I thought I wasn’t going to break a
But finally Payne
| A．remarkable | B．artistic | C．common | D．industrial |
| A．for fun | B．for sale | C．in charge | D．in need |
| A．error | B．destination | C．support | D．profit |
| A．strong | B．tense | C．ordinary | D．generous |
| A．free | B．tough | C．smooth | D．brief |
| A．measure | B．finish | C．celebrate | D．extend |
| A．something | B．anything | C．everything | D．nothing |
| A．interrupted | B．matched | C．balanced | D．worsened |
| A．describing | B．affecting | C．imagining | D．appreciating |
| A．struggle | B．failure | C．foundation | D．tracking |
| A．container | B．commitment | C．reform | D．record |
| A．globally | B．carelessly | C．determinedly | D．instantly |
| A．disappointing | B．rewarding | C．harmless | D．formal |
| A．lost | B．deserted | C．made | D．refused |
| A．regret | B．screams | C．permission | D．complaints |
9 . Every one has a dream. As a boy, I dreamed of flying planes. When I told Dad I wanted to be a(n)
When I was 16, I signed up for flying lessons. To pay for the lessons I
Twelve years later,
Today I run a(n)
| A．waiter | B．actor | C．pilot | D．farmer |
| A．organize | B．forget | C．disagree | D．realize |
| A．spent | B．meant | C．wasted | D．followed |
| A．pull | B．feed | C．save | D．ride |
| A．sent | B．posted | C．offered | D．returned |
| A．replied | B．agreed | C．learned | D．warned |
| A．opened | B．borrowed | C．built | D．visited |
| A．friends | B．passengers | C．neighbors | D．customers |
| A．day | B．hour | C．chance | D．place |
| A．more | B．less | C．better | D．worse |
| A．car | B．bus | C．truck | D．plane |
| A．actually | B．fluently | C．gradually | D．finally |
| A．job | B．area | C．business | D．journey |
| A．grateful | B．successful | C．helpful | D．careful |
| A．guided | B．pressed | C．reminded | D．excited |
10 . A few years ago, David, a top manager, thought his life wasn’t moving forward. So he started to set himself 30-day challenges. The idea was simple: think of something you want to add to your life-or to give up-and try it every day for 30 days.
David began with easy projects like going to work by bike, not watching TV and giving up sugar. Then he tried more difficult ones, like writing a novel in 30 days. David learned that if you do something for 30 days. it can become a habit. If you stop doing something for 30 days, you can break the habit. As he did harder challenges, he got more confident. He learned that he could do something if he really wanted to do it. After doing the challenges for a few months, he had enough confidence to climb the highest mountain in Africa.
David gave an online talk about how the challenges changed his life. More than 5 million people around the world have watched his talk and the 30-day challenge quickly became very popular.
1. What was David a few years ago?| A．A doctor. | B．A manager. | C．A teacher. | D．A soldier. |
| A．Going to work by bike. | B．Not watching TV. |
| C．Writing a novel. | D．Giving up sugar. |
| A．More careful | B．More confident. |
| C．Less lucky. | D．Less comfortable. |
| A．A working report. | B．The life in Africa. |
| C．An important notice. | D．The 30-day challenge |
