When an official at the U. S. Open Pocket Pool(台球)Championship saw a 9-year-old girl playing at one of the tournament tables, he told her that spectators(观众)were not allowed to play. But much to his surprise, the girl was actually a competitor. That was nine years ago, and today, with five U. S. Open Women’s titles behind her and a recently won world championship, no one is likely to mistake Jean Balukas for a spectator again.
It doesn’t seem too surprising that Jean became caught up in pool——her father owns a pool hall within walking distance of the family’s home in Brooklyn. When she was just tall enough to see over the table, she fell in love with the game soon. Five years later Jean was ready to enter her first U. S. Open. She still remembers the letter the officials sent her reminding her that she wouldn’t be allowed to stand on a box to play.

As Jean improved, she found it increasingly difficult to play games at her father’s pool hall. “If I’d beat one of the guys, his friends would laugh at them about losing to me,” she says. Now Jean comes to the hall only weeks before a tournament when she plays Johnny Goon, her father’s pool manager.
That Johnny can beat her shows the gap that now exists in pool — as in other sports — between the top men and women competitors. “I’m supposedly the top woman player, but I’d have a hard time beating the number 50 man,” says Jean. “If I was a boy and played pool, I’d be a nobody.”
Jean thinks that women pool players still have a long way to go because pool has been a man’s game for so long. “When they think of pool players, people have this picture in their head of gambling(赌博) and smoke,” she says.
Jean won four of the seven games in these two years. She was as surprised as anyone else at her performance, even though she was a New York City tennis champion and center for her high-school basketball team. Jean does not take full credit for her achievements, saying, “I think what I have in sports is a gift from God, and that’s why I can get out there and do so well.”
【小题1】We can learn from the first passage that Jean Balukas_____.

When an official at the U. S. Open Pocket Pool(台球)Championship saw a 9-year-old girl playing at one of the tournament tables, he told her that spectators(观众)were not allowed to play. But much to his surprise, the girl was actually a competitor. That was nine years ago, and today, with five U. S. Open Women’s titles behind her and a recently won world championship, no one is likely to mistake Jean Balukas for a spectator again.
It doesn’t seem too surprising that Jean became caught up in pool——her father owns a pool hall within walking distance of the family’s home in Brooklyn. When she was just tall enough to see over the table, she fell in love with the game soon. Five years later Jean was ready to enter her first U. S. Open. She still remembers the letter the officials sent her reminding her that she wouldn’t be allowed to stand on a box to play.

As Jean improved, she found it increasingly difficult to play games at her father’s pool hall. “If I’d beat one of the guys, his friends would laugh at them about losing to me,” she says. Now Jean comes to the hall only weeks before a tournament when she plays Johnny Goon, her father’s pool manager.
That Johnny can beat her shows the gap that now exists in pool — as in other sports — between the top men and women competitors. “I’m supposedly the top woman player, but I’d have a hard time beating the number 50 man,” says Jean. “If I was a boy and played pool, I’d be a nobody.”
Jean thinks that women pool players still have a long way to go because pool has been a man’s game for so long. “When they think of pool players, people have this picture in their head of gambling(赌博) and smoke,” she says.
Jean won four of the seven games in these two years. She was as surprised as anyone else at her performance, even though she was a New York City tennis champion and center for her high-school basketball team. Jean does not take full credit for her achievements, saying, “I think what I have in sports is a gift from God, and that’s why I can get out there and do so well.”

1. 1.

   We can learn from the first passage that Jean Balukas_____

   1. A.
      had become well-known at the age of 9
   2. B.
      had achieved great fame at the age of 18
   3. C.
      was often asked to play with men players
   4. D.
      was refused to play in the U. S. Open for her young age
2. 2.

   The letter Jean received before her first U. S. Open_____

   1. A.
      told her to arrive in time for the game
   2. B.
      showed people’s doubt about her ability
   3. C.
      told her about the basic rules of the game
   4. D.
      invited her to compete in the U. S. Open
3. 3.

   Jean Balukas believed that women pool players_____

   1. A.
      fall far behind men players
   2. B.
      aren’t suitable for a man’s game
   3. C.
      are impossible to beat any man player
   4. D.
      have a bad reputation(名声) for gambling and smoking
4. 4.

   By saying the underlined words in the last paragraph Jean meant that _____

   1. A.
      women players had a long way to go
   2. B.
      she wouldn’t stop before her great achievement
   3. C.
      she had much confidence in the game
   4. D.
      she achieved her success because of her born gift

　　China's Liu Xiang became the first Asian in history to win the men's 110m hurdles at the Olympic Games in Athens on August 27. He __1__ history for China, and for Asia too! The 21-year-old claimed the gold medal of men's 110m hurdles before a __2__ of 70 000 at the Olympic Stadium in the 28th Olympic Games in Athens. He clocked a stunning 12.91 seconds __3__ the world record set by __4__ Collin Jackson in 1993. He also broke the Olympic record of 12.95 seconds set by Allen Johnson of the United States in the Atlanta Olympic Games in __5__.

　　Chinese fans in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai __6__ into hysteria（歇斯底里）and many cried out when the national television station CCTV broadcast the event __7__, __8__ brave Liu Xiang __9__ to the line in arms and legs far ahead of his rivals. __10__, China has won over 100 gold medals from the summer Olympic Games __11__ 1984 but their male athletes __12__ only one medal from Olympics' most popular sports. That was high jumper Zhu Jianhua's bronze in the 1984 Los Angeles Games. No __13__ these men are wild with joy __14__ Liu's win!

　　“I never expected that I could run __15_ 13 seconds, and I never expected that I could break the Olympic record.” said Liu in __16__. “I am very, very __17__.” “It is an amazing __18__ being the Olympic champion.I want to thank my coach and my friends for all their help. I think today the Chinese people __19__ the world __20__ can run as fast as anybody else.”

Billy Joe Saunders is aiming for boxing gold at the Beijing Olympics but may have created history already.
As far as he knows, the 18-year-old welterweight from Hatfield is the first person from the Romany Gypsy community to qualify for an Olympic Games.
Billy Joe clinched （最终获得）his place at a qualifying event in Italy earlier this month and is one of seven boxers to make Team GB for Beijing.
Billy Joe Saunders is not the only British boxer with genuine（真的）medal prospects for Beijing, but his background has to be the most fascinating.
He comes from the Romany Gypsy community and lives on a caravan site near Hatfield in Hertfordshire.
Boxing runs deep in the Saunders family, who are immensely proud of their heritage.
His brother Tommy is a professional（职业的）, while his Dad Tom was an amateur and his great, great grandfather, the wonderfully named Absolom Beeny, now aged 96, used to make his living fighting in the old boxing booth at fairgrounds.
Billy Joe admits he has heard all the stories a hundred times, but once he and his brother had visited the local boxing club, he was hooked.
"Boxing has kept me off the streets, stops me smoking and drinking and gives me something to do", he said.
His background may be colorful, but make no mistake, Billy Joe Saunders is one very special boxer.
As a boy he wasn't the most naturally gifted, but had an inner toughness that set him apart from other fighters.
His trainer, Danny Hoy, said: "When I saw him have to dig down into his boots against much older boys, I thought this kid is not the same as anyone else. There is something with this kid".
It is that something which made Billy Joe a real prospect for London 2012, so qualification for Beijing means he is effectively four years ahead of schedule.
He remembers watching Amir Khan win silver in Athens four years ago, and wants to go one better. "I'm aiming for gold, simple as that", he said.
51．Where did Billy clinch his place as a boxer to make Team GB for Beijing.
A. At Beijing                                 B. At Romany Gypsy community     
C. In Italy                                                D. In Britain
52．The underlined word " amateur" (in Para. 3) here means ________
A. a person who takes part in boxing only for pleasure    
B. a person who takes part in boxing as his job
C. a coach who teaches boxing
D. a player who takes part in baseball
53．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Billy’s brother is a professional boxer.   
B. Absolom’s son is not a professional boxer.
C. Billy was very interested in the local boxing club.
D. Billy was the most naturally gifted when he was still a very young boy.
54．It can be inferred from the passage that________
A. His coach thought Billy was gifted to be a boxer when he saw Billy’s boots against older boys.
B. It was Boxing that has kept Billy off the streets.
C. Billy won a silver medal in Athens Olympic Games..
D. Billy will compete in Beijing Olympic Games four years ahead of his trainer’s schedule.
55．What is Billy hoping to win in Beijing Olympic Games?
A. A silver medal for boxing                      B. A gold medal for boxing  
C. A piece of gold                              D. A copper medal

Billy Joe Saunders is aiming for boxing gold at the Beijing Olympics but may have created history already.

As far as he knows, the 18-year-old welterweight from Hatfield is the first person from the Romany Gypsy community to qualify for an Olympic Games.

Billy Joe clinched （最终获得）his place at a qualifying event in Italy earlier this month and is one of seven boxers to make Team GB for Beijing.

Billy Joe Saunders is not the only British boxer with genuine（真的）medal prospects for Beijing, but his background has to be the most fascinating.

He comes from the Romany Gypsy community and lives on a caravan site near Hatfield in Hertfordshire.

Boxing runs deep in the Saunders family, who are immensely proud of their heritage.

His brother Tommy is a professional（职业的）, while his Dad Tom was an amateur and his great, great grandfather, the wonderfully named Absolom Beeny, now aged 96, used to make his living fighting in the old boxing booth at fairgrounds.

Billy Joe admits he has heard all the stories a hundred times, but once he and his brother had visited the local boxing club, he was hooked.

"Boxing has kept me off the streets, stops me smoking and drinking and gives me something to do", he said.

His background may be colorful, but make no mistake, Billy Joe Saunders is one very special boxer.

As a boy he wasn't the most naturally gifted, but had an inner toughness that set him apart from other fighters.

His trainer, Danny Hoy, said: "When I saw him have to dig down into his boots against much older boys, I thought this kid is not the same as anyone else. There is something with this kid".

It is that something which made Billy Joe a real prospect for London 2012, so qualification for Beijing means he is effectively four years ahead of schedule.

He remembers watching Amir Khan win silver in Athens four years ago, and wants to go one better. "I'm aiming for gold, simple as that", he said.

51．Where did Billy clinch his place as a boxer to make Team GB for Beijing.

A. At Beijing                                 B. At Romany Gypsy community     

C. In Italy                                                D. In Britain

52．The underlined word " amateur" (in Para. 3) here means ________

A. a person who takes part in boxing only for pleasure    

B. a person who takes part in boxing as his job

C. a coach who teaches boxing

D. a player who takes part in baseball

53．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Billy’s brother is a professional boxer.   

B. Absolom’s son is not a professional boxer.

C. Billy was very interested in the local boxing club.

D. Billy was the most naturally gifted when he was still a very young boy.

54．It can be inferred from the passage that________

A. His coach thought Billy was gifted to be a boxer when he saw Billy’s boots against older boys.

B. It was Boxing that has kept Billy off the streets.

C. Billy won a silver medal in Athens Olympic Games..

D. Billy will compete in Beijing Olympic Games four years ahead of his trainer’s schedule.

55．What is Billy hoping to win in Beijing Olympic Games?

A. A silver medal for boxing                      B. A gold medal for boxing  

C. A piece of gold                              D. A copper medal