Question

James Cleveland Owens was the son of a farmer and the grandson of black slaves. His family moved to Cleveland when he was 9. There, a school teacher asked the youth his name.

“J.C.”, he replied.

She thought he had said “Jesse”, and he had a new name.

Owens ran his first race at age 13. After high school, he went to Ohio State University. He had to work part-time so as to pay for his education. As a second-year student, in the Big Ten games in 1935, he set even more records than he would in the Olympic Games a year later.

A week before the Big Ten meet, Owens accidentally fell down a flight of stairs. His back hurt so much that he could not exercise all week, and he had to be helped in and out of the car that drove him to the meet. He refused to listen to the suggestions that he give up and said he would try, event by event. He did try, and the results are in the record book.

The stage was set for Owens’ victory at the Olympic Games in Berlin the next year, and his success would come to be regarded as not only athletic but also political. Hitler did not congratulate any of the African-American winners.

“It was all right with me,” he said years later. “I didn’t go to Berlin to shake hands with him, anyway.”

Having returned from Berlin, he received no telephone call from the president of his own country, either. In fact, he was not honored by the United States until 1976, four years before his death.

Owens’ Olympic victories made little difference to him. He earned his living by looking after a school playground, and accepted money to race against cars, trucks, motorcycles, and dogs.

“Sure, it bothered me,” he said later. “But at least it was an honest living. I had to eat.”

In time, however, his gold medals changed his life. “They have kept me alive over the years,” he once said. “Time has stood still for me. That golden moment dies hard.”

1.Owens got his other name “Jesse” when ________.

A. he went to Ohio State University

B. his teacher made fun of him

C. his teacher took “J.C.” for “Jesse”

D. he won gold medals in the Big Ten meet

2.In the Big Ten meet, Owens ________.

A．hurt himself in the back

B．succeeded in setting many records

C．tried every sports event but failed

D．had to give up some events

3.We can infer from the text that Owens was treated unfairly in the US at that time because ________.

A．he was not of the right race

B．he didn’t talk to the US president

C．he didn’t shake hands with Hitler

D．he was the son of a poor farmer

4.When Owens says “They have kept me alive over the years,” he means that the medals ________.

A．have been changed for money to help him live on

B．have made him famous in the US

C．have encouraged him to overcome difficulties in life

D．have kept him busy with all kinds of jobs

5.Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Jesse Owens, a Great American Athlete

B．Golden Moment — a Life-time Struggle

C．Making a Living as a Sportsman

D．How to Be a Successful Athlete?

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.A

4.C

5.A

【解析】

试题分析：这篇文章简明扼要地介绍了奥林匹克金牌得主，美国黑人运动员James Cleveland Owens辉煌而又坎坷的人生，但文章侧重介绍的是他人生的坎坷，而不是他人生的辉煌

1.从 ... a school teacher asked the youth his name, “J.C.” he replied. He thought he had said “Jesse” and he had a new name. 可以知道，老师误把他的名字当成了 “Jesse”。选C。

2.根据…the Big Ten Games in 1935, he set even more records than he would in the Olympic Games a year later. 可见他在这次 Big Ten Meet(十强运动会)上，创造了很多纪录。选B。

3.文章第一句话说他是一个黑人奴隶的孙子。可见他在美国受到的不公平待遇与他的肤色种族有关。选A。

4.细节题：In time, however, his gold medals changed his life. “They have kept me alive over the years,”可知选C。

5.主旨题：短文主要讲了 Jesse Owens 在体育方面的成就。故 A 最佳。

考点：考查人物传记类短文