For a while, my neighborhood was taken over by an army of joggers．(慢跑者). They were there all the time—early morning, noon, and evening. There were little old ladies in gray sweats, young couples in Adidas shoes, middle-aged men with red faces. “Come on!” My friend Alex encouraged me to join him as he jogged by my house every evening. “You'll feel great.”
Well, I had nothing against feeling great and if Alex could jog every day, anyone could. So I took up jogging seriously and gave it a good two months of my life, and not a day more. Based on my experience, jogging is the most overvalued form of exercise around, and judging from the number of the people who left our neighborhood jogging army. I'm not alone in my opinion.
First of all, jogging is very hard on the body. Your legs and feet a real pounding (沉重的脚步) running down a road for two or three miles. I developed foot, leg, and back problems. Then I read about a nationally famous jogger who died of a heart attack while jogging, and I had something else to worry about. Jogging doesn't kill hundreds of people, but if you have any physical weaknesses, jogging will surely bring them out, as they did with me.
Secondly, I got no enjoyment out of jogging. Putting one foot in front of the other for forty-five minutes isn't my idea of fun. Jogging is also a lonely pastime. Some joggers say, “I love being out there with just my thoughts.” Well, my thoughts began to bore me, and most of them were on how much my legs hurt.
And how could I enjoy something that brought me pain? And that wasn't just the first week: it was practically every day for two months. I never got past the pain level, and pain isn't fun. What a cruel way to do it! So many other exercises, including walking, lead to almost the same results painlessly, so why jog?
I don't jog any more, and I don't think I ever will. I'm walking two miles three times a week at a fast pace, and that feels good. I bicycle to work when the weather is good. I'm getting exercise, and I'm enjoying it at the same time. I could never say the same for jogging, and I've found a lot of better ways to stay in shape.
1.From the first paragraph, we learn that in the writer's neighborhood ________.
A. jogging became very popular
B. many people were encouraged to jog
C. Alex organized an army of joggers
D. jogging provided a chance to get together
2. The underlined word “them”(Paragraph 3) most probably refers to ________.
A. heart attacks B. Back problems
C. hundreds of people D. physical weaknesses
3. From the author's experience, we can conclude that ________.
A. jogging can help people keep fit
B. many physical problems result from jogging
C. not everyone enjoys jogging
D. jogging makes people feel great
When I was young, I belonged to a club that did community sevice work．There was one specific event that was unusual for me. I spent three or four hours handing out warm dinner to the homeless out in the streets. After that I went to a homeless shelter not far from the Bay Bridge.
I was in high school and at the time my sister was too young to 36 . She wanted to help, 37 she made four or five dozen chocolate chip cookies for me to 38 and hand out to people. When getting to the homeless shelter 39 passed out the remaining meals. 40 , I began making sandwiches and 41 them with the crowd. I had the containers with my 42 cookies in them and began to 43 , offering them to anyone near me.
I 44 an old gentleman and said, “sir, would you like a cookie?” He stopped and turned around, 45 me right in the eye and said, “What did you say? Did you call me sir?” I told him I 46 , and his eyes 47 a little bit and he said, “No one has 48 called me sir.” So he 49 .
It struck me.
I explained I had been raised that 50 color and social status, everyone deserved respect. It 51 me to think that just because he was homeless, no one 52 him the honor. It broke my heart, and I 53 .I just didn’t understand 54 no one ever called him sir? I had never thought that anyon e was below me because I wasn’t raised that way. Every 55 person deserves to be treated with dignity. Years later, I still carry that memory and the lessons it taught me. Sometimes, what we take for granted can really make a difference in someone’s life.
How have you made a difference to others? How have others made a difference to you?
1.A．participate B．involve C．choose D．go
2.A．however B．but C．yet D．so
3.A．bring B．fetch C．collect D．take
4.A．I B．you C．she D．he
5.A．First B．Next C．Third D．Finally
6.A．shared B．gave C．helped D．assisted
7.A．classmate’s B．schoolmate’s C．sister’s D．family’s
8.A．walk around B．knock around C．come around D．stand around
9.A．went B．came C．approached D．met
10.A．glanced B．stared C．glared D．looked
11.A．had B．called C．would D．do
12.A．watered B．cried C．tore D．dropped
13.A．already B．ever C．still D．yet
14.A．was complet ely frightened B．was not a little confused
C．was completely taken aback D．was not a bit surprised
15.A．in spite B．regardless of C．concerned about D．for fear of
16.A．strengthened B．saddened C．frightened D．pleased
17.A．handed B．afforded C．provided D．supplied
18.A．had no choice but to cry B．couldn’t help to cry
C．had no right to cry D．couldn’t help but cry
19.A．what B．when C．whether D．why
20.A．single B．poor C．ordinary D．normal
-How are things with you?
- ．I now make enough money to pay bills and keep food on the table．
A．From bad to wrose B．Can’t complain
C．Too bad D．Too good
The writer her children so that she could concentrate on her writing, because they are too noisy．
A．sent out
B．sent for
C．send up
D．send away
—My mother always tells me to try my best many difficulties.
—I can’t agree more. you put your into work, you can overcome them.
A．beecause of;As far as B．due to;As soon as
C．in spite of; As long as D．despite of;As much as
We students are supposed to know how we should ourselves
to surewe are in the proper mental state.
A．adjust; making B．adjust;make C．adopt;making D．adopt;make
