Reading Smart I: Test 16

 Part I. Grammar＆Vocabulary (40％)

(   ) 1. Some people considered Mother Teresa a _____ because of all the care she gave the poor.

(A) prey                   (B) saint                    (C) tyrant                  (D) villain

(   ) 2. The orphan often _____ what life would be like with a mother and father that love him.

(A) compels              (B) prolongs             (C) visualizes            (D) nominates

(   ) 3. One good thing about jogging is that it doesn't require any special _____.

(A) equipment          (B) compartment       (C) engagement        (D) assessment

(   ) 4. Stephanie’s boss harshly _____ her for arriving late for the meeting.

(A) logged                (B) baptized              (C) witnessed           (D) criticized

 (   ) 5. This material’s superior heat _____ makes it ideal for the gear firefighters need to wear.

(A) persistence          (B) insistence            (C) resistance            (D) disturbance

(   ) 6. Although many people hope to _____ by 55, they will probably end up working past that age.

(A) wither                 (B) retire                   (C) flourish              (D) evacuate

(   ) 7. The bank will charge you a late fee as a(n) _____ if you fail to pay your credit card bills on time.

(A) hypocrite            (B) calorie                 (C) analysis              (D) penalty

(   ) 8. Al plans on _____ the way he taught so even young learners can understand the material easily.

(A) sprinkling           (B) modifying           (C) irritating             (D) trampling

(   ) 9. The arrival of the most powerful couple in Hollywood always creates a media _____.

(A) frenzy                 (B) vacancy               (C) gossip                 (D) peer

(   ) 10. The politician got _____ a scandal after his assistant was arrested and spilled the beans.

(A) hooked on        (B) known as             (C) caught up in      (D) fed up with

 

Part II. Fill-in-the-Blank (40%)

(A) preacher       (B) gymnast       (C) footsteps       (D) barrel           (E) abolished

(F) consuming    (G) disciples       (H) psyched        (I) skater             (J) meditating

(   ) 11. Excited fans threw flowers onto the rink after the figure _____ finished her routine.

(   ) 12. The religious leader taught his _____ to be generous and treat all living beings with kindness.

(   ) 13. Although slavery was _____ in the US in 1863, life for black people hasn't improved much.

(   ) 14. George doesn't want to follow in his father’s _____ and become a police officer.

(   ) 15. To get the team _____ up before the game, the coach had all the members huddle together and chant, “We’re going to win!”

(   ) 16. The _____ wowed the judges with her combination of twists and spins on the balance beam.

(   ) 17. The _____ asked the congregation in his church to donate money to an orphanage in Africa.

(   ) 18. Julia has been at peace with herself since she started _____ before going to bed every night.

(   ) 19. For the sake of his health, Roger stopped _____ junk food and sugary drinks.

(   ) 20. Cleaning the toilet isn’t a(n) _____ of laughs, but somebody's got to do it.

 

Part III. Reading Comprehension (20%)

The feeling of winning an athletic competition is like nothing else in the world. Whether it's standing on the first-place podium or holding the championship trophy up over one's head, athletes and coaches know that it wouldn't have been made possible without years of blood, sweat, and tears. Victory on the playing field comes at a price, and it starts with training.

The world's top athletes couldn’t have gotten where they are now without putting in the long, hard hours. They also train smart, taking advantage of the latest technology to analyze their movements and enhance their performance. Plus, they make sure to supply their bodies with a healthy, high-calorie diet. For example, former Olympic swimmer and multiple-medal winner Michael Phelps couldn't have achieved all that he has without taking in more than 12,000 calories a day during training. What’s more, serious athletes take mental preparation as seriously as physical readiness. Besides getting themselves pumped up before competition, many of them meditate as well as envision success. Last but not least, they know that training for hours day after day is not entirely enjoyable, so they try to have fun during it.

To really have a chance at being a top athlete, start young. How else are you going to log the tens of thousands of practice hours needed?

(   ) 21. What do we learn about Michael Phelps?

(A) He only won one Olympic medal for swimming.

(B) He put away 12,000 calories a day when he wasn’t training.

(C) He had a high-calorie intake while preparing for competition.

(D) He accomplished a lot in his career without high-tech equipment.

(   ) 22. How do athletes guarantee victory on the playing field?

(A) With lots of physical and mental preparation off the field

(B) By using performance-enhancing drugs before competition

(C) Through the use of technology like GPS devices and the Internet

(D) By studying their opponents' every movement recorded during performances

(   ) 23. What does it take to become a top athlete?

(A) Long, hard hours spent studying the basic fundamentals of movement

(B) Lots of practice, nutritious food, and a positive attitude

(C) The best equipment and coaches money can buy

(D) The blood, sweat, and tears of all your opponents

(   ) 24. What is implied in the last paragraph of the article?

(A) Training the young is the best way to learn skills.

(B) Starting the day early leads to more practice time.

(C) Thousands of hours of practice is needed to stay young.

(D) People training at a young age stand a better chance of becoming top athletes.