河南省许昌市禹州市第三高级中学2025-2026学年高二上学期9月月考英语试题

菁华校区高二第一次阶段性考试英语试题 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分） 第一节（共5小题：每小题1.5分，满分7.5分） 听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。 1. What does the woman ask the man to do? A. Move to a new room. B. Present his ID card. C. Tell her his room number. 2. What will Shelly do next? A. Finish a report. B. Help Ted with his work. C. Work on a presentation. 3. Where are the speakers? A. At a furniture store. B. At a paint store. C. At their house. 4. How does Mr. Williams feel about Susan? A. Worried. B. Angry. C. Confused. 5. What are the speakers mainly talking about? A. A teacher. B. A website. C. Their homework. 第二节（共15小题：每小题1.5分，满分22.5分） 听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。 听下面一段对话，回答第6和第7题。 6. What might the woman do? A Visit an open-air market. B. Enjoy some displays of ballet. C. Leave the town center for the festival. 7. When can the woman attend the event at the earliest? A. At 5p. m. B. At 3 p. m. C. At 2p. m. 听下面一段对话，回答第8、9题。 8. What do we know about the mid-week trip? A. It is only in August. B. It is very popular. C. It is canceled in July. 9. What does the man suggest the woman do in the end? A. Wait for availability. B. Change her travel dates. C. Consider another tourist city. 听下面一段对话，回答第10至第12题。 10. What has David been busy doing? A. Completing a project. B. Setting up a website. C. Designing a brand name. 11. What does David think of his current working hours? A. Flexible. B. Fixed. C. Long. 12. What will David do at the end of this month? A. Have a rest. B. Look for a job. C. Settle conflicts. 听下面一段对话，回答第13至第16题。 13. What inspired Rebecca to develop the new range of clothing? A. The busy city lifestyle. B. One of her dreams. C. A type of exercise. 14. How does Rebecca describe the new range of clothing? A. It is designed for young people B. It is made of dark-colored material. C. It is bright with reflective stickers. 15. Who helped with the promotion of the clothing? A. A sports star. B. A local press. C. A night jogger. 16. What does Rebecca plan to do in the future? A. Win the support from China. B. Expand the business globally. C. Develop a new style of clothing. 听下面一段独白，回答第17至第20题。 17. How long will the event last? A. Two and a half hours. B. Three and a half hours. C. Five and a half hours. 18. What is the main aim of the event? A. Connecting people from various backgrounds. B. Developing policies for better communities. C. Improving understanding of environmental issues. 19. What is special about the event? A. Participants need to speak English. B. Scientists and artists are involved. C. It offers a chance to make friends. 20. What is arranged as the second activity? A. Expert reports. B. Tea break. C. Round-table discussion. 第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分50分） 第一节（共15小题：每小题2.5分，满分37.5分） 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳答案。 A Zero Robotics: Coding for Space Exploration What Is Zero Robotics? Founded in 2009 by MIT’s Space Systems Laboratory and astronaut Greg Chamitoff, Zero Robotics is a free-of-charge coding (编程) competition. Students get the extraordinary chance to program SPHERES satellites aboard the ISS. Teams start by taking on annual challenges in virtual simulations. The best teams then enter a thrilling live final on the ISS, with an astronaut in charge of the action. Tournament tracks at a Glance Tournament Grades/Age Duration Team Size Key Feature High School 9-12 (14-20 yrs) Sept-Dec 5-20 students Final on the ISS Middle School 5th-9th graders 5 weeks (Jun 24-Aug 2) 7-20 students Free training for beginners How to Participate Qualification (资格): High school students (not in college yet) from the US, Russia, ESA member states, and Australia can join the high school tournament. Middle school students are qualified for the middle school summer program. Team Setup: Each team must have a mentor, usually a teacher or staff member. For high school, typically one team per school (exception with permission), and for middle school, teams register before the set deadline. All students need to create their own accounts on the Zero Robotics platform. Participants can gain hands-on coding experience with real NASA satellites. It helps in developing teamwork skills, as teams cooperate closely. Exposure to space technology can stir up interest in STEM careers. Moreover, it’s a great addition to college applications, showing your commitment and skills in STEM fields. And the excitement of seeing your code run in the microgravity of the ISS is truly unmatched. 1. What is the difference between the minimum team sizes of the two tournaments? A. 2. B. 5. C. 7. D. 12. 2. Who is qualified for the High School Tournament? A. College students under 20. B. Middle schoolers in Russia. C. 9-12th graders from ESA states. D. Grade 8 students from Australia. 3. How does the competition benefit the participants? A. It ensures their university admission. B. It increases their STEM career interest. C. It helps them get NASA jobs quickly. D. It improves their coding skills significantly. B As Wang Xueru packed her bag, sharp cramps twisting her stomach, a student silently approached. The girl placed two things into Wang’s hand: a small, folded note and a warm heat patch. Wang unfolded (打开) the paper: “If the sky is cloudy, I will be your sunshine.” In that instant, the classroom walls of Mengla No. 1 High School seemed to glow. The pain and weariness didn’t vanish, but something warmer — a shared kindness — rose to meet it. This quiet moment defined Wang’s year as a volunteer teacher in rural Yunnan. Wang, 22, graduated from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing with degrees in Chinese literature and international economics. Yet her true passion was service. Guided by her motto — “When poor, cultivate yourself; when successful, help the world” — she led campus volunteer groups and launched online literacy projects. When she applied for the competitive “Go West” Postgraduate Education Supporting Program (only 21 chosen yearly from 50 applicants), her experience shone. She earned her place. Now, far from her coastal hometown of Quanzhou, Wang teaches in mountainous Mengla County. Her classroom holds not just textbooks, but trust. The student’s note wasn’t just comfort; it was a reflection of the connection Wang builds daily. “People might imagine rural teaching means just giving lessons,” Wang might say. “But it’s more. It’s showing up, even when it’s hard. It’s seeing their struggles, and letting them see yours. That note? That was sunshine returned.” Wang understands her role transcends (超越) academics. In Mengla, she cultivates hope — one warm patch, one quiet word of sunshine at a time. 4. Why did the girl give Wang Xueru two things? A. To thank her for excellent teaching. B. To return classroom items she lost. C. To comfort her during physical pain. D. To remind her about the weather. 5. Why was Wang Xueru selected for the “Go West” program? A. She had rich volunteer experience. B. She had top grades in economics. C. She created new teaching methods. D. She could bear difficult conditions. 6. Which of the following best describes Wang Xueru? A. Ambitious and strict. B. Caring and committed. C. Intelligent and quiet. D. Brave and self-reliant. 7. What does Wang Xueru understand rural teaching involves? A. Following school rules strictly. B. Adapting to local weather challenges. C. Focusing on personal achievements. D. More than academic lessons. C In Portugal, near the town of Alqueva, lies Europe’s largest artificial lake, home to an innovative floating solar-power plant developed by EDP, a leading renewable energy company. Despite initial skepticism about the high costs and potential issues of floating solar technology, this project represents the sector’s maturation and readiness for expansion. In this first phase of the project at Alqueva, engineers have stationed some 12,000 PV modules (光伏组件) on floating platforms made from partially recycled plastic and locally sourced soft wood. These are connected to an energy-storage system combining batteries and are integrated with the hydroelectric dam’s power station. Floating solar projects do face plenty of challenges. The kit has to be water-, wave-, wind- and storm-resistant, which adds complexity and cost. The fish in lakes attract plenty of birds, whose droppings can block the sun. To deal with this, engineers for the project at Alqueva have developed remote-controlled cleaning robots and are working on autonomous ones. Yet floating solar projects also enjoy several advantages. When located at existing hydroelectric dams they do not require any additional land and can be connected to the grid (电网) without the multi-year wait common for solar projects. The cooling effect of being on water boosts the efficiency of the modules, with studies suggesting gains of between 5% and 15%over land-based PV, while the shade they produce slows the water loss of the lake. EDP views floating solar as a cornerstone of its renewable energy strategy. The initial 5megawatt s (MW, 兆瓦) capacity at Alqueva may seem modest, but it’s just the beginning. The company is planning a second phase, which will see an additional 70MW capacity by 2025. According to Wood Mackenzie, a leading consultancy, floating solar technology could deliver up to 60,000MW of renewable energy globally by 2031. “This may pale in comparison to the 1,600,000MW of solar capacity installed as of last year. But every bit counts,” he added. 8. Which of the following best describes the EDP project? A. It went unquestioned. B. It can be costly but eco-friendly. C. It has already expanded. D. It is separated from the power station. 9. What can be learned about floating solar projects? A. Engineers have developed auto cleaning robots. B. Floating solar projects demand less time for grid access. C. Land-based PV modules are more productive than floating ones. D. The PV modules decrease the water level of the lake. 10. What might EDP agree with according to the last paragraph? A. The project at Alqueva is an instant success. B. By 2025 the project at Alqueva will provide 70MW capacity. C. The project will generate the majority of global renewable power. D. The floating solar technology has a promising future. 11. What is a suitable title for the text? A. Floating Solar Ready to Shine B. Solar Power or Hydro Power C. The Dawn of Renewable Energy D. A Glimpse into Global Floating Solar Farms D David Strayer, an expert in attention at the University of Utah never texts or talks on a phone when he is driving. His research shows that, when driving, using a phone can be as dangerous as drinking alcohol. Despite many warnings, multitasking is increasingly common. It is found that people in the United States switch tasks on their computers 566 times a day. However, when people spend hours on digital devices constantly switching between activities, the overall productivity decreases. Too much multitasking reduces the ability to think clearly and creatively and to remember information. This, in turn, can result in stress. What is the best cure for the overstressed minds? David Strayer says the answer is simple: Spend some time in nature. When people are in natural environments, the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s control center) relaxes. Studies show that when people can see trees and grass, they are calmer and do better in school. In a study at Chiba University in Japan, 84 subjects went for a 15-minute walk in seven different forests. The same number of people walked around different city centers. Researchers then took blood from each person. The forest walkers had a 16 percent decrease in the stress hormone cortisol. In addition, they had a 2 percent drop in blood pressure and a 4 percent drop in heart rate. All did better than the city walkers. Lead researcher Yoshifumi Miyazaki has an explanation for these results. Our bodies relax in pleasant natural surroundings, he says. Humans evolved in that environment, not in places with tall buildings and lots of traffic. Strayer says it is the visual details in nature — sunsets, streams, butterflies that reduce stress and mental tiredness. People enjoy them without having to concentrate on them, which allows the brains to rest and recover from the stresses of modern life. “Imagine a therapy (疗法) that was readily available, and could improve the cognitive (认知的) functioning at zero cost,” Strayer says. “It exists: it’s called ‘interacting with nature.’” 12. What is the second paragraph mainly about? A. The cure for the reduction of creativity. B. The harmful effects caused by multitasking. C. The common use of multitasking in the USA. D. The reason for the popularity of multitasking. 13. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a likely benefit of seeing nature? A. Faster reaction speeds. B. Better school performance. C. Improved mental function. D. Feelings of calm and relaxation. 14. How did the researchers get the result of their study? A By doing surveys. B. By analyzing cause and effect. C. By making comparisons. D. By explaining the phenomenon. 15. What does Strayer think about “interacting with nature”? A. It requires a lot of concentration to be effective. B. It only works for people who enjoy natural views. C. It is a free and accessible treatment to reduce stress. D. It is an expensive therapy that improves brain function. 第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。 Visiting a science museum is a highly underrated leisure activity. Many people believe that museums are where you go to see the remains of dinosaurs and learn more about the evolution of man. However, this is merely the tip of the iceberg. ____16____ Below are some benefits of making a trip to a science museum Get access to learning resources. ____17____ At any science museum, you can find tons of materials. They’re offered to promote science literacy (科学素养) of people of various ages, education levels and backgrounds. Kids can even get involved in lessons to gain scientific knowledge. Take professional development courses. If you think science museums aren’t for you because you’re not a child, you are mistaken. ____18____ Teacher training is such a course whereby educators can be given a more insightful tour of a city’s culture, history, arts, and science. This makes them better educators. Attend fun-filled summer camps. Most people don’t know this, but some science museums have summer camp programs for kids of all ages. ____19____ Kids can not only acquire some useful life skills but also make new friends there. Meanwhile, abilities like independence can be developed. ____20____ It’s very likely that you will engage in some interactive programs and exhibitions when you visit a science museum. Exhibition halls like planetariums (天文馆) show explorers the wonders of science and the universe. Some other halls also encourage visitors to actively participate in the exploration of scientific concepts and phenomena by permitting them to touch, handle, and experiment with various objects and exhibits. A. Go on field trips in large groups. B. Experience plenty of hands-on exhibits. C. A science museum is an educational center D. They gave you the freedom to explore a topic in depth. E. Science museums can offer more educational and fun activities. F. They also offer a number of development courses for specialists. G. They have always been a great way for kids to learn new things while socializing. 第三部分 语言知识运用（共两节，满分30分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。 Last week, I went to meet Dr Dean Nicolle, who has planted about 10,000 eucalypt (桉树) trees and mallees (桉树灌丛) since 1993. ___21___ Dean, we now have the Currency Creek Arboretum (金钱溪植物园), bringing Australia’s eucalypt species together for ___22___. When I visited, I was ___23___ by the dry, brown landscape. South Australia is facing its ___24___ drought in 40 years, and Dean is studying how drought affects the trees. About a third of his trees have died or are ___25___. Even though I work in climate media and often read bad news, seeing the dried, brown trees with cracked bark (皲裂的树皮) ___26___ much worse. Deep inside, I feel a ___27___: If the trees cannot survive, neither can we. Eucalypts are strong ___28___. They have lived through ice ages, bushfires, and other changes over millions of years. But today, with more heatwaves, droughts and land clearing caused by humans, even eucalypts are ___29___. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says 25 percent of eucalypt species are now at risk of ____30____. At lunch after my visit, Dean and I talked about ____31____ sadness over losing trees and nature. Dean tries to focus on his research and I find that sometimes swearing (说脏话) ____32____ helps. Still, the real ____33____ is doing more to protect trees and ____34____ in research. As I drove back to Sydney, looking at the bag of gumnuts (桉树果) Dean gave me, they seemed like little ____35____. I hope more people will learn to love eucalypts so we can protect them for the future. 21. A. Prior to B. Instead of C. Thanks to D. Contrary to 22. A. research B. recreation C. commerce D. exhibition 23. A. confused B. convinced C. amused D. shocked 24. A. seasonal B. regional C. mildest D. worst 25. A. suffering B. ceasing C. swinging D. recovering 26. A. sounds B. feels C. looks D. smells 27. A. tendency B. preference C. warning D. promise 28. A. survivors B. creators C. predictors D. operators 29. A. adapting B. struggling C. expanding D. growing 30. A. extinction B. injury C. failure D. conflict 31. A. weighing up B. tearing down C. coping with D. bringing up 32. A. legally B. randomly C. hardly D. literally 33. A. problem B. mystery C. solution D. challenge 34. A. believe B. invest C. consist D. specialize 35 A. burdens B. treasures C. obstacles D. labels 第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。 Have you ever heard of “city bu city”(literally meaning city or not city)? It’s an internet buzzword ____36____ (coin) by a foreign blogger named Baobaoxiong during his visit to the Great Wall in Beijing. The phrase questions ____37____ a place has the fashionable atmosphere of a big city. Millions of foreigners, like Baobaoxiong, are now exploring China, and their travel vlogs ____38____ (go) viral online recently. This trend is partly due to the 72-and 144-hour visa-free transit (过境) policy, ____39____ allows travelers from 54 countries to explore China for up to six days without needing a visa if they have a valid travel document ____40____ a connecting ticket for departure within 72 or 144 hours. ____41____ (aim) for high-level opening-up, this policy has helped boost tourism in China. When the visa-free transit policy was first introduced in 2013, it only applied ____42____ seven big cities like Beijing and Shanghai and allowed just 72 hours of stay. Now, it covers 41 exit-entry ports across 19 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities (直辖市), expanding to 144hours. China has also made it ____43____ (easy) for foreign visitors by improving mobile payment accessibility and the visa application process. Seeing is believing. The policy not only brings convenience for foreign travelers but also invites them ____44____ (experience) everyday life in China. It’s a great chance for them to rethink Western media’ s stereotypical (刻板的) _____45_____ (describe) of China. 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分） 第一节（满分15分） 46. 班级将举办“Conservation Measures”主题讨论会，你需发言阐述“减少污染”（reducing pollution）与“修复已破坏环境”（repairing damaged environments）哪个更重要。请写一篇发言稿，内容包括： 1. 你的选择； 2. 主要理由 注意：（1）写作词数应为80左右； （2）可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 第二节（满分25分） 47. 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。 I had been swimming competitively for five years but after such a long time, I was ready to quit. I was often the only African American at the swimming competitions and our team couldn’t afford good uniforms. However, my number-one reason for wanting to quit was that I kept receiving “Honorable mentions” (安慰奖). Any athlete knows that you don’t want to have a bookshelf full of “Honorable Mentions”, which you get just because you showed up. One summer day, the day before a big swim meet, I decided to break the news to my grandma that I was quitting the swim team. When I told her, she looked me in the eye and said, “Baby, remember these words: ‘Quitters never win and winners never quit.’ Your grandmother didn’t raise losers or quitters. You go to that swim meet tomorrow, and you swim like you are a grandchild of mine, you hear?” I was too afraid to say anything but “Yes, ma’am.” The next day we arrived at the swim meet late, missing my group of swimmers in the 15/16 age group. My coach insisted that I be allowed to swim with the older group. I knew that she was including me in the race so that our journey to the meet would not be wasted, and she had no expectations whatsoever that I would come in anything but eighth place and only that, because there weren’t nine lanes. As I was mounting the board, all the other girls looked at me. I quickly noticed that these girls were here to do one thing—beat me! All of a sudden, my grandma’s words rang in my head. “Quitters never win and winners never quit. You swim like you are a grandchild of mine. Quitters never win and winners never quit.” “Yes, Grandma, I will swim like I am a grandchild of yours,” I said to myself. 注意： 1. 续写词数应为150左右; 2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。 SPLASH! I swam harder than I’d ever swum before. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ It was then that I heard the claps and cheers around me. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 菁华校区高二第一次阶段性考试英语试题 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分） 第一节（共5小题：每小题1.5分，满分7.5分） 听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。 1. What does the woman ask the man to do? A. Move to a new room. B. Present his ID card. C. Tell her his room number. 2. What will Shelly do next? A. Finish a report. B. Help Ted with his work. C. Work on a presentation. 3. Where are the speakers? A. At a furniture store. B. At a paint store. C. At their house. 4. How does Mr. Williams feel about Susan? A. Worried. B. Angry. C. Confused. 5. What are the speakers mainly talking about? A. A teacher. B. A website. C. Their homework. 第二节（共15小题：每小题1.5分，满分22.5分） 听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。 听下面一段对话，回答第6和第7题。 6. What might the woman do? A. Visit an open-air market. B. Enjoy some displays of ballet. C. Leave the town center for the festival. 7. When can the woman attend the event at the earliest? A. At 5p. m. B. At 3 p. m. C. At 2p. m. 听下面一段对话，回答第8、9题。 8. What do we know about the mid-week trip? A. It is only in August. B. It is very popular. C. It is canceled in July. 9. What does the man suggest the woman do in the end? A. Wait for availability. B. Change her travel dates. C. Consider another tourist city. 听下面一段对话，回答第10至第12题。 10. What has David been busy doing? A. Completing a project. B. Setting up a website. C. Designing a brand name. 11. What does David think of his current working hours? A. Flexible. B. Fixed. C. Long. 12. What will David do at the end of this month? A. Have a rest. B. Look for a job. C. Settle conflicts. 听下面一段对话，回答第13至第16题。 13. What inspired Rebecca to develop the new range of clothing? A. The busy city lifestyle. B. One of her dreams. C. A type of exercise. 14. How does Rebecca describe the new range of clothing? A. It is designed for young people B. It is made of dark-colored material. C. It is bright with reflective stickers. 15. Who helped with the promotion of the clothing? A. A sports star. B. A local press. C. A night jogger. 16. What does Rebecca plan to do in the future? A. Win the support from China. B. Expand the business globally. C. Develop a new style of clothing. 听下面一段独白，回答第17至第20题。 17. How long will the event last? A. Two and a half hours. B. Three and a half hours. C. Five and a half hours. 18. What is the main aim of the event? A. Connecting people from various backgrounds. B. Developing policies for better communities. C. Improving understanding of environmental issues. 19. What is special about the event? A. Participants need to speak English. B. Scientists and artists are involved. C. It offers a chance to make friends. 20. What is arranged as the second activity? A Expert reports. B. Tea break. C. Round-table discussion. 第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分50分） 第一节（共15小题：每小题2.5分，满分37.5分） 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳答案。 A 【1~3题答案】 【答案】1. A 2. C 3. B B 【4~7题答案】 【答案】4 C 5. A 6. B 7. D C 【8~11题答案】 【答案】8. B 9. B 10. D 11. A D 【12~15题答案】 【答案】12. B 13. A 14. C 15. C 第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。 【16~20题答案】 【答案】16. E 17. C 18. F 19. G 20. B 第三部分 语言知识运用（共两节，满分30分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。 【21~35题答案】 【答案】21. C 22. A 23. D 24. D 25. A 26. B 27. C 28. A 29. B 30. A 31. C 32. D 33. C 34. B 35. B 第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分） 【36~45题答案】 【答案】36. coined 37. whether##if 38. have gone##have been going 39. which 40. and 41. Aiming 42. to 43. easier 44. to experience 45. description## descriptions 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分） 第一节（满分15分） 【46题答案】 【答案】Ladies and gentlemen, I firmly believe that reducing pollution is more crucial than repairing damaged environments. My reasons are as follows: Firstly, prevention is better than cure. Stopping pollution at its source protects ecosystems before they are harmed, while repair often comes too late. Secondly, reducing pollution saves resources. Cleaning up existing damage is costly and time-consuming, whereas preventing emissions is more efficient. Finally, ongoing pollution can undo repair efforts, making reduction the sustainable choice. Let’s prioritize stopping pollution now for a healthier planet! 第二节（满分25分） 【47题答案】 【答案】One Possible Version: SPLASH! I swam harder than I’d ever swum before. As I drew my right arm back, I noticed I was tied with one person. I assumed we were battling for eighth place and I refused to finish dead last, so I added more kick on the last 200 yards. I hit the wall and looked to the left and to the right for the swimmers who had beat me, but no one was there. They must have gotten out of the water already. It was then that I heard the claps and cheers around me. I raised my head to see my coach screaming hysterically. My eyes followed her pointing finger and I couldn’t believe what I saw. The other swimmers had just reached the halfway point of the pool! That day, at age 15, I broke the national 17/18-year-old 400-freestyle record. I hung up my honorable mentions and replaced them with a huge trophy. “Yes, grandma, you’re right. Quitters never win and winners never quit.” 第1页/共1页 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $