Twenty years is just a blink in time. But 20 years is also long enough for a man to grow up. It is always painful. For Andrew Agassi, maturing in the spotlight of international tennis competition was even harder.
On September 3, the American tennis player said a tearful goodbye to his 21-year career after a third-round defeat in the US Open. The 36-year-old tried his best, but was unable to keep up with German Benjamin Becker, more than ten years his junior.
"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn't say is what I've found," Agassi said to the fans. "I have found inspiration and you willed me to succeed." It was an emotional speech at the end of a long career.
Agassi hated tennis as a teenager as much as he loves it now. His father made him play when he was a child. He got bored, and became a rebel(叛逆). The strict training that his father pushed upon him got in the way of his wild lifestyle. He grew hair long, wore colorful clothes and spat at a judge. Over the years, he has made bad jokes during news conferences. Asked what he would say to his 17-year-old self, Agassi answered, "I would say, I understand you a lot more than I want to be you."
The turning point in Agassi's career came in 1992 when he unexpectedly won his first Grand Slam (大满贯赛事)at Wimbledon. It was the first time Agassi understood what real champions finally understand: winning is a test of courage and not just power, it's a marathon, not a sprint(短跑).
And what a marathon Agassi was about to begin. He cut his long hair, got fitter and tightened up emotionally. On the court, he ranked No. 1 for almost two years. His lowest point came in 1997 when his ranking dropped to No. 141. He didn't quit though. "I knew that I would try to get the most out of myself every day from that day forward. That was my promise," he said. "That never stopped." www.zxxk.com
1.The underlined phrase "more than ten years his junior" in the second paragraph means _________.
A. having lower ranking than Agassi for more than ten years
B. having higher ranking than Agassi for more than ten years
C. more than ten years older than Agassi
D. more than ten years younger than Agassi
2.How did Agassi feel when he was defeated in the competition?
A. He felt angry with the judge
B. He felt satisfied with the scoreboard
C. He felt regretful but encouraged
D. He felt in great desperation
3.The passage implies ______.
A. after 1997 Agassi began to take up marathon besides tennis
B. Agassi began to play tennis before he was fifteen
C. Agassi hesitated to quit his sports career
D. the reason why Agassi lost his last competition was that he lacked courage and power
4.The score of the match between Agassi and Becker is ______.
A. 0-2 B. 0-3 C. 1-3 D. 2-3
I live in Hollywood. You may think people in such an attractive, fun-filled place are _________ than others. If so, you have some ________ ideas about the nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still equate(同等看待) happiness with ________. The _______ is that fun and happiness have ______ or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is ________ we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more lasting emotion.www.zxxk.com
Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun ______ that help us relax, ________ forget our problems and maybe even ________. But they do not bring happiness, because their _______ effects end when the fun ______.
I have often thought that ______ Hollywood stars have a role to ________, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant _________ to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness”.
But celebrities reveal(揭露) the ________hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and profound loneliness.
The way people stick to the _______ that a fun-filled, pain-free life equates happiness actually _____ their chances of ever obtaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equated with happiness, then pain ______ be equated with unhappiness. But, _______, the opposite is true: More times than not, things that lead to happiness _______ some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very efforts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment, civic or charitable work, and self-improvement.www.zxxk.com
1.A. luckier B. happier C. richer D. tougher
2.A. mistaken B. right C. desperate D. shallow
3.A. wealth B. fame C. fun D. pleasure
4.A. state B. belief C. tendency D. truth
5.A. a little B. some C. little D. much
6.A. which B. that C. what D. as
7.A. activities B. occasions C. periods D. games
8.A. gradually B. temporarily C. consequently D. thoroughly
9.A. change B. enjoy C. refresh D. laugh
10.A. special B. deep C. strong D. positive
11.A. comes B. ends C. lasts D. returns
12.A. when B. as C. once D. if
13.A. play B. make C. reach D. expect
14.A. signature B. participation C. access D. appearance
15.A. secrets B. unhappiness C. presentation D. disagreement
16.A. prejudice B. sense C. theory D. belief
17.A. reduces B. robs C. consumes D. increases
18.A. may B. must C. can D. will
19.A. as usual B. as a result C. in fact D. in a word
20.A. abuse B. involve C. cause D. equal
—Is he a boring person?
—______. He is a funny guy.
A. Go ahead B. Absolutely not C. Not a little D. Heaven knows
If only I ________ driving before.
A. learn B. learned C. had learned D. would learn
It is important to have your eyes examined regularly to check for any sign of eye disease that may not have any ________.
A. shadow B. similarity C. sample D. symptom
He is opposed to such a view that it is his intelligence and good luck that have ________ his success.
A. contributed in B. led to C. come out D. resulted from
