湖北十堰市房縣第二中學(xué) 張 科

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難詞探意

1. undeterred /,?nd?'tз?d/ adj. 頑強的；不屈不撓的

2. embodiment /?m'b?dim?nt/ n. （體現(xiàn)一種思想或品質(zhì)的）典型；化身

Few people have achieved fame for coming in last place. That is why Michael Edwards, or “Eddie the Eagle”, became a rather unexpected hero. Unlike most athletes, Eddie did not come to the 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games hoping to win a medal, he came simply to compete. In doing so,he accomplished his dream.

Eddie had a dream to compete in the Olympics. Unable to make the British Ski Squad, Eddie chose the riskiest of options, ski jumping. No British skier had ever competed in that sport, but lacking competitors meant that Eddie had a better chance of qualifying for the 1988 Olympic Games. It also meant there was no support in place for him. Eddie lacked a coach,equipment, and sponsorship, but what he had in abundance was determination.Undeterredby what he lacked, Eddie set out to learn his chosen sport, funding and training himself for nearly two years. And he managed to meet the qualifications for Olympic ski jumping, landing himself in the 1988 Olympic Games. Eddie was determined to compete, and while he came in last by a long shot, he did manage to land his jumps, and he still holds the British record in that sport. Coming in last place actually made him the star of the Olympics and the trueembodimentof the Olympic spirit.

Many of us may have experienced similar limitations during our own youth that prevented us from pursuing our dreams. Furthermore, if the barriers to following our dreams were removed we may have been told that it was too late for us to start. Eddie's rejection from the British Ski Squad is another aspect of his story that many of us can relate to. Rejection can be devastating, whether it is personal,hobby, or career related, and we may struggle to find the courage to put ourselves back out there, or the creativity to find another way.

Another reason why many of us can relate to Eddie is that we may also lack support in pursuing our goals, especially if others do not believe in us. However, Eddie did not stop believing himself, and his determination to pursue his dream won him the adoration of many fans, even if it did not win him an Olympic medal. His jumps may not be remarkable, but he still continues to inspire a new generation.

Reading

Check

1. Why did Eddie go to the 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games?

A. To win a medal.

B. To become a hero.

C. To watch ski games.

D. To compete in the Olympics.

2. What can we know about ski jumping according to the text?

A. It is relatively risky.

B. No skier had ever competed in it.

C. Eddie gained lots of support for choosing it.

D. It was chosen by Eddie for it's challenging.

3. What made Eddie the star of the Olympics?

A. The difficulty of ski jumping.

B. Eddie's professional performance.

C. Eddie's strong determination to compete.

D. There were few competitors in ski jumping.

4. What does the underlined word “devastating” mean in paragraph 3?

A. Impressive. B. Disastrous.

C. Shocking. D. Powerful.