When I started riding a bike a couple of years ago, I didn't think my involvement would ever be more serious than the occasional short ride. But as I built strength, my friends   1   me to step up my training and try some longer trips. The first one to come along was a 150-mile trip, the MS-150, an annual    2   that raises money to fight Aids.

     When I registered, the idea seemed fantastic---support a worthy cause while going for the distance---and I trained with 3   . However, as the time for the ride approached, my self-doubts   4   beyond my endurance（忍耐）. I   5  wanted to raise money for the charity, but I didn't really want to bike all those miles for two days straight.

     The ride began on a beautiful Sunday morning in the Georgia countryside, and for the first few hours I felt   6    .This was just the experience I had   7   , and my spirits were high.     8   by the end of the day, I felt tired out.

     If the body is  9   to the mind, here was evidence. Every   10    my brain pushed out seemed to travel right down to my legs. "I can't handle this" became a leg cramp （抽筋） , and "everyone else is a better rider" translated into    11   of breath. I was sure I'd have to   12   .

     As I topped the crest （顶）of a hill, the beautiful sunset kept me going for a few minutes more. Then in the distance, I saw a lone woman riding very slowly    13    the bright red sun. I    14   that the person looked different in some way, but I couldn't tell why. So I pushed myself to   15   . There she was, riding along slowly but   16   , with a slight and determined smile on her face and she had only one leg.

     My focus changed in that instant. For a whole day I'd been   17    my body. But now I knew it wasn't the body, but the    18   that would help me reach my goal.

     It rained all the second day. I never saw the one-legged biker again, but I pushed on without   19   , knowing she was out there with me somewhere. And at the end of the day, still feeling  20    , I completed the 150-mile trip.

1. A. encouraged             B. forbade                 C. forced             D. warned

2. A. accident                B. event                  C. incident            D. affair

3. A. care                  B. ease                    C. enthusiasm          D. difficulty

4. A. achieved                 B. gained               C. progressed        D. advanced

5. A. still                     B. even                C. rather              D. then

6. A. nervous                 B. disappointed         C. wonderful           D. refreshed

7. A. assumed                 B. appreciated          C. admired             D. imagined

8. A. But                     B. Therefore         C.  Meanwhile         D. Moreover

9. A. opposite                 B. connected           C. exposed                     D. equal

10. A.  cause                 B. reason             C. excuse                      D. effect

11. A.  holding               B. saving            C. catching               D. shortness

12. A.  quit                B. continue            C. insist                   D. fade

13. A.  on                   B. against                   C. down                  D. over

14. A.  observed             B. watched                  C. noticed                D. overlooked

15. A.  put up                B. look up             C.  catch up             D. take up

16. A.  steadily              B. abruptly            C. closely                D. narrowly

17. A.  trusting               B. doubting            C. cheating               D. fighting

18. A.  strength            B. honesty              C. will                   D. power

19. A.  struggling           B. arguing               C. negotiating             D. complaining

20. A.  strong             B. weak                C. healthy             D. spiritless