Aerial (空中的）performer Jennifer Bricker was born without legs, but she never let it stop her.
Wrapped in a loop (圈）of red silk hung from the ceiling, Jennifer Bricker climbs and twists to the music. Her head hangs down and her strong arms let go as she balances on her back, high above the ground — a move that is all the more daring because she has no legs.
Jennifer was a few months old when she was adopted by Sharon and Gerald Bricker. She had big brown eyes, a bright smile, and huge amounts of energy. When a doctor advised her adoptive parents to carry her around in a kind of bucket (桶)，they refused.
Jennifer soon learned to walk and run on her hands and bottom, and grew up fearlessly climbing trees and bouncing on the trampoline (蹦床）with her three older brothers.“My parents didn’t treat me differently so I didn’t grasp the concept that I was different .1 knew I didn't have legs but that wasn’t stopping me from doing the things I wanted to do.”
At the age of three she was fitted with artificial legs, but she never really took to them she moved more freely without them.
In 1996 the Olympic Games took place in Atlanta. Jennifer loved to watch the women's gymnastics team, and especially adored the 14-year-old Dominique Moceanu who competed for the US. When Moceanu and the women’s team won the gold, Jennifer decided she was going to be a gymnast, too. She took up power tumbling, which involves performing floor exercises down a runway. But Jennifer did not want any allowances to be made for her disability.
At the age of 10 she took part in the Junior Olympics and by age 11 she was the tumbling champion for the state of Illinois.
Jennifer now travels the world as an inspirational speaker and acts as an aerial performer.
1.What do we know about Jennifer Bricker?
A. She felt embarrassed without legs.
B. She was carried in a bucket as a baby.
C. She was brought up as a normal child.
D. She lost her legs when she was adopted.
2.Why did Jennifer determine to be a gymnast?
A. Because she knew that she was different from others.
B. Because she was greatly influenced by Dominique Moceanu.
C. Because she was eager to participate in the Junior Olympics.
D. Because she wanted to make allowances for her disability.
3.Which of the following can best describe Jennifer Bricker?
A. Clever. B. Cautious. C. Sensitive. D. Self-respecting.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The growing process of a disabled person.
B. The memory of an aerial performer.
C. The experiences of an adoptive family.
D. The sufferings of a gymnast.
The experience of life can show one’s “determination”. Complex challenges early in life helped the following people develop skills that got them to the top of their professions.
Sean Combs, CEO, Sean John
Combs began a generation of hip-hop talent and made a lasting influence on fashion. But his story could have turned out much differently: His drug dealer father was killed when he was 3. “It made me work even harder.” he recently said.
Howard Schultz, Executive Chairman, Starbucks Schultz grew up in public housing in Brooklyn, surrounded by poverty, and was the first in his family to go to college (on a football scholarship).After training in sales, he set up the company that would later buy Starbucks. In the course of the year I spent trying to raise money，Ispoketo242people,and217ofthemsaidno.’’hesaid.
Ursula Burns, Chairwoman, VEON; Former CEO, Xerox
Her family was so poor that her single mother traded office cleaning for health care. But Bums’ early gift for maths won her a scholarship and an internship at Xerox，where she would compete her way to the top. ‘‘ I’m a black lady from the Lower East Side,” she says, S6Not a lot scares me.”
Geisha Williams, CEO, PG&E
Her parents fled Cuba when Williams was 5. By 7, she was her parents, main translator in talks with lawyers and accountants at grocery stores they owned. The experience did help her. I went from thinking I could be a manager to thinking I could do something much bigger.55 she told Fortune.
1.How did the death of Combs5 father influence him?
A. It made him even stronger. B. He became a drug dealer.
C. It made him a failure. D. He became a hip-hopper.
2.Who did best in math at school?
A. Combs B. Williams C. Burns D. Schultz
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Cuba is a good place to do business.
B. Difficulty in life pushed Williams forward.
C. No one wanted to help Schultz at first.
D. Poor family kids can be successful easily.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What does the speaker think of his mother's performance?
A. Amazing. B. Dangerous. C. Just-so-so.
2.How old is the speaker's brother?
A. 6. B. 11. C. 14.
3.Why can the speaker’s father do a good job according to the speaker?
A. He can dance well.
B. He has a loud voice.
C. He has a good sense of balance.
4.What animal does the speaker's family have?
A. A horse. B. A dog. C. A rabbit.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the man think of the woman's father's idea?
A. Reasonable. B. Interesting. C. Unbelievable.
2.What did the woman have to do at mealtimes?
A. Sit silently. B. Speak French. C. Put her hands on the table.
3.What does the woman think was a good thing at school?
A. Learning manners. B. Studying by herself. C. Going to church before class.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where does the man have to go at 11:00?
A. To the post office. B. To his grandparents’. C. To the swimming pool.
2.What does the woman ask the man to do at the garage?
A. Wash her car. B. Pick Fiona up. C. Repair her car.
3.When is the football match?
A. At 12:30. B. At 1:30. C. At 2:00.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How much has the man paid for his driving lessons?
A. £400. B. £140. C. £40.
2.Why did the man fail his last driving test?
A. He hit something by accident. B. He didn’t park his car properly.
C. He went through the red lights.
3.What do we know about the man's teacher?
A. He is cheaper. B. He is young. C. He has a big car.
