共用题干
第一篇
Britain's Solo Sailor
Ellen MacArthur started sailing when she was eight,going out on sailing trips with her aunt.She loved it
so much that she saved her money for three years to buy her first small sailing boat.When she was 18,she
sailed alone around Britain and won the"Young Sailor of the Year"award.
But Ellen really became famous in 2001.Aged only 24,she was one of the only two women who entered
the Vendee Globe round the world solo race,which lasted 100 days.Despite many problems,she came second
in the race out of 24 competitors and she was given a very warm welcome when she returned.
Ambition and determination have always been a big part of Ellen's personality.When she was younger,
she lived in a kind of hut(棚屋)for three years while she was trying to get sponsorship to compete in a trans-
atlantic race.Then she took a one-way ticket to France,bought a tiny seven meter Class Mini yacht,slept
under it while she was repairing it,and then she raced it 4,000 kilometers across the Atlantic in 1997,alone
for 33 days.
Ellen has had to learn many things,because sailing single-handed means that she has to be her own cap-
tamn,electrician,sailmaker,engineer,doctor,journalist,cameraman and cook.She also has to be very ft,and
because of the dangers of sleeping for long periods of time while she's in the middle of the ocean,she has
trained herself to sleep for about 20 minutes at a time.
And she needs courage.Once,In the middle of the ocean,she had to climb the mast(桅杆)of a boat to
repair the sails一at four o'clock in the morning,with 100 kph winds blowing around her.It took her many
hours to make the repairs;Ellen says:"I was exhausted when I came down.It's hard to describe how it feels
to be up there.It's like trying to hold onto a big pole,which for me is just too big to get my arms around,with
someone kicking you all the time and trying to shake you off."
But in her diary , Ellen also describes moments which make it all worthwhile(值得的): " A beautiful
sunrise started the day,with black clouds slowly lit by the bright yellow sun.I have a very strong feeling of
pleasure,being out here on the ocean and having the chance to live this.I just feel lucky to be here."
In the Vendee Globe race,Ellen won________.
A:a gold medal
B:the"Best Woman Sailor,,award
C:the"Young Sailor of the Year“award
D:the second place