I am anything but an athletic person. So when my boyfriend suggested that I should run the London marathon, I laughed. He laughed too. 1 he laughed too long and too loud. That made me think. I 2 that he didn't believe that I could do it. That made me angry, but 3; I had to show him that I could.

    On the day of the race, I 4 up with about 30,000 other runners. The faster runners were at the 5, while slower runners like me were 6 further back. In that way, the professional(职业的) runners and club runners were not 7 down by the amateurs(业余爱好者).

    At first, there were so many 8 close together that we were almost falling 9 each other. We could 10 run very slowly but that was a good thing because it meant that we didn't rush off too quickly. Gradually the runners 11 out and there was more space. There were thousands of people watching us along the route and they 12 and clapped everyone, even the slowest runner. It was wonderful.

    For the first10km I felt very happy and my legs felt very 13. However, at 15km, I got a pain in my 14 and running became difficult, but I kept going and the pain disappeared. At the 30km 15, I felt extremely tired, and wanted to stop, but I kept on going. I 16 another 3 km and then I began to feel better again.

    When I finished 35 km, I knew I was going to get to the end of the course. 17, that confidence made me feel lighter and faster and it seemed as if my legs 18 over the last few kilometers. Finally I came round the last 19 and saw the finishing line. I finished the race in just under four hours. The winner had completed the race in 2 hours and 10 minutes, but I didn't  20! I had run 42km and completed my first marathon!

    The back door of the ambulance was suddenly shut and the driver ran to the front, jumped into the seat, and started the engine. Inside were the1 parents, Mr. and Mrs. Green, the mother holding their baby daughter, Ally. The little girl had some food stuck in her 2 and could hardly3.

    The driver, Mr. White, 4 his siren (警报器) and flashing light, and started speeding toward the5 hospital, fighting against 6. The cars ahead of him pulled out of their way 7he drove through the busy traffic. From the back of the ambulance the parents were shouting at him to 8, since Ally almost stopped breathing. In front of him he saw some traffic 9, with the red “stop” light shining. Mr. White knew he had no time to lose, so he drove straight past, 10 to his left and right as he did so.

    Coming towards him from his right was a11. The driver had the windows 12, as the air-conditioner was working and he was playing his radio as well. He was not aware of the ambulance.

    The lights were 13, so he drove 14 on into the path of the ambulance. Mr. White tried to stop his ambulance, but it was too late. It hit the taxi. Everyone was shaken but luckily no one was hurt. Mr. White looked back to see 15 little Ally was. He was 16to see relief instead of fear in the face of the parents.

    “Look!” cried Mrs. Green. “She is17 again.”

    “It must have been the crash (撞击),” said her husband. “It 18 the food out of her throat.” The baby's color was turning 19, and she was crying in a loud but healthy voice.

    They were all joyful, and quite forgot about the 20, the taxi, and the lines of cars all around them.

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B, C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

    On a warm Monday, Jenny Neilson bought a sandwich and parked her car under some trees. Rolling down the windows to 1 in fresh air, she settled back to enjoy her lunch. Suddenly she2 a big bald（秃顶的）man running through the parking lot. Before she came to 3 what would happen, the man was there, shouting through her window, “Get out!”

    Neilson 4.

    Pulling open her door, the man seized her 5 the neck and hair, and threw her out of the car onto the ground. She screamed, 6 her purse and the keys.

    Two reporters of the local newspaper, Robert Bruce and Jeff Jackson, just outside their office building on a7, heard the screams and began running.

    When they 8 Neilson's car, the attacker had jumped into the driver's seat and was 9 searching for the keys. Bruce opened the door, and he and Jackson dragged the man out. The attacker 10 back. But even in his cornered panic, he was no11 for the two athletic men.

    Reggie Miller, a worker of the local newspaper, heard the screams, too. He rushed back to the office to 12 the police, and then ran back with some plastic ropes—used to tie up newspapers.

    With his arms13 tight behind him, the prisoner looked up and said 14, “I hope you guys feel good about yourselves—you just caught one of the most wanted men.” They 15 him and waited for the police.

    Later, Bruce and Jackson were shocked to learn the man was the 16 carjacker（劫车者）and suspected murderer, whose 17—but with a full head of hair—had been recently printed in their own newspaper.

    Neilson considers herself lucky 18 she suffered injuries. She believes the story might have had a19 ending if those good people had not come to her aid. “Unfortunately,” she said, “many people would20 have done what they did, and that's the real truth.”

    When I settled in Chicago, my new city seemed so big and unfriendly. Then I had a 1problem and had to go to hospital for a2examination.

    It seemed a small3compared to the one I was about to face ,but things started to go4right from the beginning.Not having a car or5the city, I was depending on a couple of buses to get me from A  to B. 6I'd left myself plenty of time, soon it was7I was going to be late, as I had mistakenly boarded a bus that was taking me in the8direction.

    I9the bus and stood on the pavement not knowing what to do. I looked into the eyes of a 10, who was trying to get past me11, instead of moving on,she stopped to ask if I was12. After I explained my13 to her, she pointed to a bus stop across the street, where a bus would take me back into the city to my14. Sitting there waiting, I felt15that someone had been willing to help.16, hearing a horn (喇叭) nearby, I looked up to see a car with my new friend17at me to get in. She had returned to offer me a18to the hospital.

    Such unexpected19from a passer-by was a lovely gift to receive. As I climbed out of the car at the hospital and turned to thank her, she smiled and told me not to lose20, for all things are possible.

    George Springer helped his team Houston Astros win the World Series in 2017. He was awarded the Most Valuable Player1 his struggle is mostly hidden. His 2 is not in trying to hit a fastball, but in 3it. He stutters(口吃).

    Growing up in Connecticut, Springer was the kid who would 4 raise his hand in school, the kid 5 every time he opened his mouth.

    “I was the guy who didn't talk,'' he said. “I would6 speaking at all costs.''

    He was often 7 Sometimes he was bullied(欺侮). The phone was suffering to him.8were worse. If he wanted a dish that he knew would be tough to say, he would 9 If he was with his family, his sister Nicole would10 for him.

    He remembers a couple of attempts at speech therapy(治疗), but he said he was 11 with encouraging parents, an ability to 12 himself in sports, and a small group of friends who 13

    “If therapy works for you14But for me, I also developed my own 15 to handle it,'' he said. “Besides, when I was around all my friends, it didn't really seem to 16them. If I did it, they would17until I was done, then finish the conversation.''

    To help other kids 18 the same issue, Springer frequently appeared in interviews and even agreed to wear a microphone 19 during the 2017 All-Star Game. He then added "I can't let anything in life I can't20 slow me down or stop me from being who I want to be." These 22 words proved it.

    Many families usually take their children to travel during school breaks. But Julie and Tim Rivenbark planned a(n) 1 vacation with their two children―a one-year trip around the world. They plan to 2 30 countries in all.

    Right now, the four travellers are about halfway through their 3. Ms. Rivenbark says they are trying to see as much of the 4 as they can.

    Mr. Rivenbark says the family has 5 on ostrich (鸵鸟) birds, elephants, and camels. But, he says, one of the most 6 experiences of the trip has been meeting new people.

    “People have been 7 friendly and welcoming and love our kids and it's lovely to see them interacting (互动) with new people and their 8 to see our kids enjoying themselves in their country.”

    Eleven-year-old Tyler says he has enjoyed 9 about the people they have met. “I learned in Africa that people have very 10 lifestyles to those in America.” His sister Kara 11 that she liked Thai food.

    Ms. Rivenbark says that the trip is 12 the children a lot more than short visits would have. “I think that the longer we travel, the more 13 it has on how they see the world. I can see them 14 more than they can see themselves,” she said.

    It took the family a year to 15 for the trip. They had to sell their house and cars. Ms. Rivenbark 16 her job and her husband is using unpaid leave. They carry small bags 17lightweight clothing and whatever else they need. Ms. Rivenbark says she 18 being able to carry everything she needs on her back.

    Tyler and Kara each have iPads so they can communicate with teachers to stay 19 with their schoolwork. Tyler is also 20 a 365-day video blog.