阅读理解
To bring the Olympic spirit to developing
nations in the late 1990s, the Olympic Committee allowed a small number of
"wild card" athletes to join the Games. But because they didn't have
to go through any qualifying rounds to compete, when they arrived, not all of
the competitors were prepared. One such athlete was a swimmer from Equatorial
Guinea named Eric Moussambani. When Moussambani arrived at the 2000 Sydney
Games, he'd only been training for the 100-meter freestyle for about eight
months. He'd also never been in an Olympic-size pool and had never raced more
than 50 meters. Regardless, he was determined to represent his country.
The three wild-card athletes
were given their own race, and Moussambani was next to the other two swimmers
from Niger and Tajikistan. When the official called the swimmers to begin the
game, both of Moussambani's competitors were disqualified for false starts.
Left to swim by himself, Moussambani dove in and dog paddled, breathing for air
and moving his arms and legs. Halfway through the race, the situation looked so
serious that the audience seriously worried he was drowning.
When Moussambani finally passed
the finish line and pulled himself from the water, the applause thundered. His
final time was 1:52.72 - more than twice that of swimmers in the previous race.
But Moussambani couldn't have been happier. He told reporters, "I' m going
to jump and dance all night long in celebration of my personal success."
Moussambani's courage and
determination made him an Olympic celebrity (名人). He kept training for the
2004 Games and even got his time down to a respectable 57 seconds.
(1)
What can we infer about "wild card" athletes?
A . They arrive late.
B . They are well-prepared.
C . They are the best athletes.
D . They are from developing countries.
(2)
How did Moussambani do in the race?
A . He lost in the race.
B . He swam unskillfully.
C . He failed at the beginning.
D . He disappointed everyone.
(3)
How did Moussambani feel after finishing the race?
A . Extremely excited.
B . Quite ashamed.
C . Very disappointed.
D . Pretty calm.
(4)
Which words can best describe Moussambani?
A . Smart and flexible.
B . Patient and careful.
C . Brave and determined.
D . Optimistic and modest.
答案: D
B
A
C