13．I spent my childhood walking a fine line between being an energetic young boy and avoiding contact sports to protect my eyesight．I had lost the sight in one eye at the age of five，so instead of football，I put my energy into rowing and sailing．By the time I was 22，I was working towards rowing for my country．
Then，during a training session，I noticed my vision was unclear in my remaining eye．I had an operation and spent two weeks with bandages over my eyes．Sadly，it didn't work，and the second operation two months later was also a failure．My world came crashing down．I had been flying high----as well as my shining rowing career，I had been about to take my finals and get a job in the city．Now，as my fellow graduates celebrated their results，I lay in my childhood bedroom，angry．I would wake up in the morning and convince myself I could see a shadow，but I felt bitterly angry when I realized I couldn't．
Previously，I had lots of assumptions about blind people，but now I joined their ranks．I had no choice but to change my attitude．I started to realize that my challenge was not about seeing but about creating a new life for myself．The simple pleasure of just sitting in a café and watching the world go by or even making eye contact with anyone is no longer possible．I had to rethink how to engage with the world．As much as I disliked the things of blindness----white sticks，talking computers and guide dogs----I welcomed these as the tools that would enable me to regain my independence．I moved out of my mum's house and got a job in entertainment．I also started seeking out projects that would help me get out and mix with people．A big part of my identity has always been about the thrill of competing----success and failure．I am excited when I am giving it my all，so I started to compete again，first in rowing and then in extreme physical challenges such as completing six marathons in seven days in Gobi desert．Filling my life with experiences helped to sweep the blindness to one side．
It took me 10years really to deal with losing my sight．When I walked to the South Pole in 2009，the first blind person ever to go there，standing shoulder to shoulder with sighted people，I felt"normal"again．
But two years ago，my sense of"being normal"was challenged again．I was staying at a friend's house when I fell out of a second-floor window onto the ground below．I have no idea how it happened----I was just going to bed but ended up waking up in hospital．I hurt my brain，and my back in three places．I discovered that I couldn't feel my legs．Doctors said that there was a 12-week period for sensation（知覺） to return，and when this came and went with no change in my legs，I began to despair．
I was due to get married，but on the day of our wedding my fiancée（未婚妻） was sitting by my bedside as I prepared for another operation to put metalwork in my back．
I'm still in a wheelchair，but I refuse to accept that my story ends here．I have got involved with a training program，which aims to redirect the nerve pathways in my legs through training．I'm now teaching myself to use sit-skis and a hand-powered bike．I'm sure how I'd manage emotionally without a sporting goal to drive myself forward．It has saved my life in a way．I may never win a gold medal，but that doesn't stop me trying．
55．Though the writer was a sports lover，he might be rarely involved inD．
A．running B．skiing C．biking D．boxing
56．After the second operation，the writerC．
A．was full of confidence B．found a job in the city
C．lost his sight completely D．lay in bed sleeplessly
57．The challenge mentioned in Paragraph 3refers toA．
A．building a new life B．being unable to see any more
C．using the things for the blind D．making eye contact with others
58．As a blind person，the writer was the first toB．
A．win a gold medal B．get to the South Pole
C．finish six marathons in seven days D．compete in extreme physical challenges
59．Having fallen out of a second-floor window，the writer felt despaired becauseC．
A．his fiancée broke away from him B．he didn't know how it took place
C．he might be unable to walk forever D．he had to put metalwork in his back
60．We can learn from the passage thatA．
A．the writer is a person who never gives up
B．the blindness has made the writer lose heart
C．winning a gold medal is impossible for the writer
D．the writer has never received any training in sports．
分析 這是一篇"勵志"記敘文．講述了作者在雙目失明的情況下，成為了踏上南極的第一位盲人；不幸的是，又從樓梯上摔下來，可能癱瘓，但他還是樂觀的等待手術(shù)治療，并且無論手術(shù)結(jié)果如何，他都會堅強(qiáng)地走下去．
解答 DCABCA
55 D 細(xì)節(jié)題．根據(jù)第一段I spent my childhood walking a fine line 和so instead of football，I put my energy into rowing and sailing．可知作者喜歡散步，滑冰等不劇烈的運動，因此選D拳擊．
56 C 細(xì)節(jié)題．根據(jù)第二段"and the second operation two months later was also a failure．"可知第二次眼睛手術(shù)之后，他完全失明了，故選C．
57 A 猜測詞義題．根據(jù)第三段"I started to realize that my challenge was not about seeing but about creating a new life for myself．"可知這次的挑戰(zhàn)是開始新生活，故選A．
58 B 細(xì)節(jié)題．根據(jù)第三段When I walked to the South Pole in 2009，the first blind person ever to go there可知作者是第一個走著到南極的盲人，故選B．
59 C 細(xì)節(jié)題．根據(jù)第三段"Doctors said that there was a 12-week period for sensation（知覺） to return，and when this came and went with no change in my legs"可知作者的腿可能失去知覺，從而癱瘓，所以感到絕望（despaired），故選C．
60 A 細(xì)節(jié)題．根據(jù)最后一段最后一句"I may never win a gold medal，but that doesn't stop me trying．"可知作者會一直堅強(qiáng)地走下去，不言放棄，故答案是A．
點評 做閱讀理解時要快速的瀏覽全文，把握文章主旨大意，帶著問題回到原文，尋找細(xì)節(jié)或概括相應(yīng)的答案，最后要理清作者寫作思路．
