When I was a teenager, I volunteered to give out water at a marathon. Watching the different runners who passed by and grabbed a cup was 36 . The next year I signed up for the race. I did little preparation and my only goal was to finish. On the day of the race, it was 37  hot. I remember struggling at about the 5^th mile, thinking, “I am never doing this again!”

Have you ever felt that way about something? You eagerly choose a goal 38     soon realize it is 39 to achieve than you imagined it would be. That first 10 km race was quite an experience. I jogged, I walked, I jogged and I walked. Then 40 a decisive moment. Near the end, a 70-year-old man ran past me. I felt 41  that I was younger than him but I couldn’t keep up with him. I felt defeated for a second but then I realized 42 . He was running his race and I was running mine. He had different experience, training and goals and I had mine. 43  in life do we 44  ourselves with others and feel disappointed in ourselves when we really shouldn’t? I decided, then, that one day I would be one of those 70-year-olds who were still running. 45  I crossed the finish line, I was proud of my achievement. Since then I have run several races and run purely for fun.

In life we all 46  compare ourselves with others, which is only natural. But don’t let them weaken you. 47 , you should use them to inspire you and show you what is possible. Then you are a true winner.

1.                A．pleasing        B．interesting      C．inspiring  D．amazing

 

2.                A．extremely       B．strangely        C．sadly D．certainly

 

3.                A．and            B．but            C．while D．or

 

4.                A．easier          B．harder         C．better    D．worse

 

5.                A．went           B．flew           C．happened D．came

 

6.                A．exhausted      B．disappointed     C．embarrassed   D．annoyed

 

7.                A．something      B．anything        C．everything D．nothing

 

8.                A．How many      B．How much       C．How often D．How old

 

9.                A．cooperate      B．compare        C．combine  D．compromise

 

10.               A．When          B．Because        C．Since D．Until

 

11.               A．hardly         B．sometimes      C．always D．never

 

12.               A．Furthermore    B．Therefore       C．Meanwhile D．Instead