12．While watching the Olympics the other night，I came across an unbelievable sight．It was not a gold medal，or a world record broken，but a show of courage．
The event was swimming and started with only three men on the blocks．For one reason or another，two of them false started，so they were disqualified．That left only one to compete．It would have been difficult enough，not having anyone to race against，even though the time on the clock is important．
I watched the man dive off the block and knew right away that something was wrong．I'm not an expert swimmer，but I can tell a good dive from a poor one，and this was not exactly medal quality．When he resurfaced，it was evident that the man was not out for gold-his arms were waving in an attempt at freestyle．The crowd started to laugh．Clearly this man was not a medal competitor．
I listened to the crowd begin to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time．Finally he made his turn to start back．It was pitiful．He made a few desperate strokes and you could tell he was worn out．But in those few awful strokes，the crowd had changed．
No longer were they laughing，but beginning to cheer．Some even began to stand and shout"Come on，you can do it!"and he did．
A clear minute past the average swimmer，this young man finally finished his race．The crowd went wild．You would have thought that he had won the gold，and he should have．Even though he recorded one of the slowest times in Olympic history，this man gave more heart than any of the other competitors．
Just a short year ago，he had never even swum，let alone race．His country had been invited to Sydney．
In a competition where athletes remove their silver medals feeling they have somehow been cheated out of gold，or when they act so proudly in front of their competitors，it is nice to watch an underdog．
21．From the passage we can learn that the young manC．
A．made his turn to start back pitifully
B．was skillful in freestyle in the game
C．was not capable enough to win the medal
D．swam faster than the average swimmer
22．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage？B
A．The event started with three men，two of whom were disqualified later．
B．The athlete，as well as the author，is an expert swimmer．
C．The crowd started to laugh at the athlete's arms waving in an attempt at freestyle．
D．The swimming event is a show of courage rather than a fierce competition．
23．According to the passage，"it is nice to watch an underdog"probably meansA．
A．it's amazing to watch an ordinary man challenging himself
B．it's amusing to watch a man with awful swimming skills
C．it's cheerful for athletes to act proudly before their competitors
D．it's brave enough for some athletes to remove the silver medals
24．What's the best title for the passage？D
A．Compete for Gold!
B．Try again!
C．Break a Record!
D．Go for it!
分析 文章讲述了奥运赛场上一个感人的场景，一个运动员虽然拿不到金牌，但因为自己的勇气感动了作者在内的观众．
解答 21．C．细节理解题：从第三段的句子：but I can tell a good dive from a poor one，and this was not exactly medal quality．When he resurfaced，it was evident that the man was not out for gold 可知这个人没能力获得奖牌．故选C．
22．B．细节理解题：从第三段的句子：I'm not an expert swimmer，but I can tell a good dive from a poor one，and this was not exactly medal quality．可知作者和运动员都不是游泳健将．故选B．
23．A．句意理解题：从最后一段的内容：在比赛中，当运动员因感觉他人作弊让自己与金牌失之交臂，而丢掉自己的银牌时；或者当他们在其他竞争者面前依然能够展现自我风采时，败亦光荣值得一看．故选A．
24．D．主旨大意题：文章讲述了奥运赛场上一个感人的场景，一个运动员虽然拿不到金牌，但因为自己的勇气感动了作者在内的观众．选去努力争取；故选D．
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
