My First Marathon (马拉松)
A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was hurt and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I decided to go ahead.
I remember back to my 7th year in school. After my first PE class, the teacher told me that I was "not athletic (运动型的)". The idea that I was "not athletic" stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a fight against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the fight against my own body and mind. A test of wills!
The night before my marathon, I dreamed that I couldn't even find the finish line.
I woke up, being helpless and nervous but ready to prove something to myself. Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe lace became untied. So I stopped to tie it. Not the start I wanted! I had been left behind others at the beginning.
At mile 3, I passed a sign: "GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!"
By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once-hurt-ankle hurt badly, but I still stayed the course, walking a bit and then running again.
As I came near to mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a. m. or questioned my expenses on running.
I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. In fact, I got the same medal as the one that the person who came in first place had. I can now call myself a "marathon winner".
1.What happened to the writer a month before his marathon?
A.He hurt his knees. B.He got hurt in one ankle.
C.He wanted to give up. D.He went back to his school.
2.According to the PE teacher in the 7th year in school, the writer________.
A.didn't train hard B.could finish the marathon
C.wasn't good at sports D.would get support from many fans
3.What does the story mainly tell us?
A.One is never too old to learn.
B.Failure is the mother of success.
C.A man can make success with the help of family.
D.A winner is the one with great effort and a strong will.
International Museum Day is celebrated on May 18 each year. Here are some special museums that you must see.
| Sweet Museum, Russia Do you love candy? Don't miss the sweet world in Russia. You can find different kinds of sweet food here. But they are just models! Look, how big the lollipops（棒棒糖) are! People can ride on them. Want to taste the ice-cream? Be careful—the ice-cream balls are lights! |
| Museum of Failure, Sweden There are more than 100 failed products in the museum. Some of them come from the world's most successful companies, like the Newton computer from Apple. Maybe success stories are similar and kind of boring, but we can find interesting stories in failures and learn something from them. |
| Cancun Underwater Museum, Mexico It's a secret garden under the sea. You can either dive (潜水) or take a glass boat into it. Down here, sea animals live around 400 sculptures (雕塑). Each sculpture tells a story and it's made of special material, which is good for the sea life. |
| Museum of Broken Relationships, Croatia Some relationships end—with lovers, with dreams and with cities. This special museum has a collection of objects from people around the world who want to lock their memories. Each of the object shares stories of their past relationships. |
1.You can find different kinds of sweet food in Sweet Museum in________.
A.Russia B.Sweden C.Mexico D.Croatia
2.If you're interested in sculptures, you may go to ________.
A.Sweet Museum B.Cancun Underwater Museum
C.Museum of Failure D.Museum of Broken Relationships
3.People can know ________ in Museum of Failure and Museum of Broken Relationships.
A.lollipops B.sea animals C.stories D.glass boats
Special Talent
Tom sat at his desk, looking out of the window for a long time. His class project had to be done tomorrow, which was that everyone in his class had to write about their own special talent.
His friends had already _______ theirs, but Tom still had a problem with what to write about.
Earlier in the week, Tom had been helping his friends with their _______. Betty came over for help and to enjoy Tom's amazing milkshakes. Tom suggested that she should write about drawing because Betty drew wonderful pictures. Betty was pretty pleased and went home _______. Tom washed the milkshake glasses.
Tom sighed (叹气). He thought about the time he had with Scott at the library a couple of days ago. Scott was worried about his project. Tom _______ him to write about swimming because he was a very good swimmer. Scott hurried home to work on his project.
Tom still couldn't _______ out what his special talent was. He thought about his friend.
Ellie, who he walked to school with last week. Ellie tap-danced (跳踢踏舞) along beside him. Suddenly, Ellie stopped because she was upset about her project. Tom told her to write about dancing. Ellie was so happy that she leaped(跳) into the air and danced the rest of the _______ .
However, Tom still couldn't decide on his special talent. Finally, he had an idea.
The next day, everyone _______ their projects, and so did Tom.
"It took me so long to decide that I started to think I didn't have one. "
"But. . . I do have a special talent. "
'I'm good at helping my friends," he said. "All of the things I do are much more fun because I do them with my friends."
The whole class clapped (鼓掌). His friends clapped louder than everyone else.
"You forgot something _______, Tom," said Betty. "You make the best milkshakes."
Scott and Ellie nodded.
"Thank you," said Tom.
1.A.finished B.produced C.caught D.forgotten
2.A.experiments B.projects C.practice D.business
3.A.angrily B.quietly C.sadly D.happily
4.A.allowed B.invited C.advised D.required
5.A.point B.find C.carry D.take
6.A.term B.class C.talk D.way
7.A.recorded B.discussed C.presented D.repeated
8.A.important B.terrible C.serious D.useful
—Tina, could you tell me ________ Beijing?
—Sure. Last Friday.
A.when Tony left B.when Tony will leave
C.when did Tony leave D.when will Tony leave
A new music club ________in our school next year.
A.starts B.is started C.will start D.will be started
—Is your mother a doctor, Peter?
—Yes, she ________ in Chaoyang Hospital for nearly 20 years.
A.worked B.is working C.has worked D.will work
