Winter sports tend to be more dangerous than summer sports — they take place mostly outside at the mercy of ice or snow, involving (牵涉) metal edges, extreme speeds and crashes. Skeleton (俯视冰梭), however, stands apart as one of the most difficult and least accessible of all the winter sports. Adam Edelman, Israel’s first Olympic skeleton athlete, would like to change that.
Edelman was the 10th athlete named to the 2018 Israeli Olympic Team. Qualifying for the Olympics in any sport is impressive. But it’s more impressive if you qualify for the Olympics after only four years in the sport — and without a coach.
Edelman was first introduced to skeleton watching the game on television in late 2013. Sports have always been a part of his life. He grew up playing football and was a goalkeeper on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology football team. Ready for a new challenge, he set his sights on the Olympics.
Without a coach, Edelman learned to drive by watching endless hours of YouTube videos and taking more runs than anybody else on the track. “When everybody else would take three runs per day, I would take six to eight.” he recalled.
Succeeding in skeleton takes a large amount of athletic ability and technical skill, but there’s one more element (因素) required, one that can’t be taught. “These tracks but built in the middle of nowhere, and it’s gray and cold. You haven’t seen your family in seven months and you really just want to give up. To continue, it takes tenacity.” Edelman said.
Edelman is already looking beyond Pyeongchang. The 2022 Olympics could be in his future, but whether he continues to compete or not, he promises to stay in Israeli sports as long as possible-as instructor or as a coach.
1.What might impress people most?
A. Edelman’s gift in winter sports.
B. The challenges Edelman has met.
C. Edelman entering for the Olympics.
D. Edelman’s successful story as a skeleton athlete.
2.Which word can be used to describe Edelman?
A. Modest. B. Generous.
C. Ambitious. D. Reliable.
3.What does the underlined word “tenacity” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A. Will power. B. Extra strength.
C. Good luck. D. Financial support.
4.What might be Edelman’s plan for the future?
A. Setting up a team of his own.
B. Passing on his skills and experience.
C. Calling on more people to take up sports.
D. Ending his sports life after the Olympic Games.
Hear the Wind Blow by Mary Downing Hahn
On a cold, snowy night, 13-year-old Haswell Magruder makes an important decision. A wounded Confederate soldier appears at the family’s farm, and Haswell convinces his mother to take the man in. Unfortunately, this sets off a horrific chain of events that leaves their house burned to the ground and their farm in ruins. With no home left, Haswell sets out in search of his older brother, a Confederate soldier.
Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford
Thirteen-year-old Milo is, once again, spending the winter holidays stuck in a house full of guests who are not what they seem. There are fresh clues to uncover as friends old and new join in his search for a mysterious map. The exciting ending to the beloved book is sure to thrill both fans and newcomers.
Marge in Charge by Isla Fisher
Jemima and Jake Button don’t know what to make of their new babysitter, Marge. When she first arrives, she’s dressed like a grandma and looks very serious. But as soon as Mommy and Dad are gone, Marge lets down her hair and the adventures begin. Jemima and Jake aren’t supposed to shoot apple juice out of water guns, or throw impromptu (即兴的) concerts during music class—but with Marge here, everything’s gone messy!
Max Tilt: Fire the Depths by Peter Lerangis
When 13 year old Max Tilt finds his great-great-grandfather Jules Verne’s unfinished, unpublished manuscript (手稿), The Lost Treasures, he doesn’t realize that he’s found the answers to all his problems. He realizes that the book holds the key to something incredibly valuable. A treasure that can save his house — and maybe his entire family.
1.Why did a Confederate soldier enter the family’s farm?
A. He was injured.
B. He wanted to search for a mysterious map.
C. He desired to destroy the farm.
D. He was familiar with Haswell’s brother.
2.What might happen after Mom and Dad leave?
A. Marge becomes more cruel.
B. Marge dresses herself like a grandma.
C. Jemima and Jake will make apple juice.
D. Jemima and Jake start doing something crazy.
3.What can be learned from the last paragraph?
A. Max Tilt is fond of reading fictions.
B. Max Tilt’s family has been wealthy.
C. The unfinished book matters a lot to Max’s family.
D. Max Tilt has been hunting for some lost treasures.
One Sunday morning in August I went to local music festival. I left it early because I had an appointment 1.(late) that day. My friends walked me to the bus stop and waited with me 2. the bus arrived. I got on the bus and found a seat near the back, and then I noticed a man 3.(sit) at the front. He 4.(pretend) that a tiger toy was real and giving it a voice. He must be 5.(mental) disabled.
Behind him were other people to 6. he was trying to talk, but after some minutes 7. walked away and sat near me, looking annoyed.
I didn’t want to be laughed at for talking to him but I didn’t like leaving him 8. his own either.
After a while I rose from my seat and walked to the front of the bus. I sat next to the man and introduced myself. We had 9. amazing conversation. He got off the bus before me and I felt very happy the rest of the way home.
I’m glad I made a choice. It made 10. of us feel good.
The Internet is an amazing information resource. Students, teachers, and researchers use it as 1.investigative tool. Journalists use it 2.(find) information for stories. Doctors use it to learn more about unfamiliar diseases and the 3.(late) medical development. Ordinary people use it for shopping, banking, bill-paying, and communicating with family and friends 4.(live) far away or in different parts of a city. People all over the world use it to connect with individuals from 5.(differ) countries and cultures. 6., although there are many positive developments 7.(associate) with the Internet, there are also certain fears and concerns. One concern relates to a lack of control over 8. appears on the Internet. With television and radio there are editors to check the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of programs, and with television there are restrictions on what kinds of programs can 9.(broadcast) and at what times of the day. With the Internet, parents can not check a published guide to determine what is suitable 10. their children to see.
The story tells of a woman who during the war went to live with her husband in camp on the Mojave Desert. She 1. (simple) hated the place. The heat was almost 2. (bearable), 125 degrees in the shade. The wind 3. (blow) continually, and there was sand everywhere. At the beginning, she just tolerated it and expected to leave as early as possible.
Finally, in desperation she wrote to her parents in Ohio that she couldn’t stand 4. (live) there for another minute and was coming home.
Quickly came the reply by airmail from her father — just the two familiar lines: ＂Two men looked out from prison bars...one man saw the mud, while 5. other man saw stars.＂
The daughter did some real thinking, not only with the intelligence but also with her heart. She decided 6. (stick) to her post.
Making 7. (friend) with the natives, she learned to love the country, and eventually wrote a book 8. was based on her experiences in the country.
The desert didn’t change, 9. her attitude changed. Because she listened with her heart 10. the words her father sent, a whole new world opened up to her.
A young man in Wuhan, Hubei Province has become the latest Internet sensation after a video showing his heart-warming act on a subway train went viral on social media 1.(recent).
In the video, the man can be seen 2.(hold) his mobile phone in his hand after falling asleep on a Metro, with a message in large font on the screen which reads, “Please wake me if you need my seat.”
The video 3.(record) by a fellow passenger who posted it on Weibo, The video, 4.length was just 7 seconds, has been viewed more than 19 million times in just two days. Chinese netizens were greatly touched by the young man’s act and applauded him for his kind 5.(behave). A web user even commented, “I only needed 7 seconds to fall6.love with this young man.
The humble man 7.(refuse) an interview invitation after becoming an Internet star and said that he just did 8.he felt he should. In a Weibo post , he thanked netizens for 9.(they) love and praise. He said he would always fall asleep when he had nothing to do on the train but worried others may need the seat, so he got 10.idea of making a message on his phone screen.
