(05·湖南C篇)

Paula Radcliffe, chasing (角逐) a third London marathon title(冠軍), says she has became a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Gaines.

   Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August, said: "Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care less about criticism (批評(píng))"

   "In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I ara fioinfi to listen even more to the people around me."

   She didn't care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McCulgan, who felt Radcliffe should have rested and let her body recover after her failure in Athens.

   "Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn't spoken to me since last year and if she really eared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted (聯(lián)系) me."

   Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks after Athens.

   "In New York I wasn't in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the      Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday's race would be winning a third title and not chasing world records.

   However, RadcIiffe has not ruled out(排除) m the future chasing her "final" world record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career to produce only four or five world-class times.

   "I don't think that -- although I can't put a number on it," said. RadcLiffe. "That changes from person to person."

   Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance at some point in the future. Following a successful three-month training period in the United States, the 31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2O02 and again 12 months later.

Radcliffe clocked a time of 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kdnmetre race three years ago.

   Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later In Chicago before lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 m the 2003 London event.

63. Radcliffe's failure in Athens made her ________

     A. develop respect for Liz    B. love people around her more

     C. rest for five months       D. face criticism calmly                    

64. Which of the following is ture according to the passage?

     A. Radcliffe broke the world record in the New York City marathon.

     B. Radcliffe didn't fully recover before the New York City marathon.

     C. Radcliffe won her first narathon title in the New York City marathon.

     D. Radcliffe had a 3-month trainihg before the New York City marathon.      

65. By saythg "I can't put a number on it," Radcliffe means she's not sure _____ .

     A. if she has the ability to set a new world record

     B. if she can win another race though she has won many tunes

     C. how many times a maradion runner can set the world record

     D. if she has the ability to produce four or five world-class times           

66. According to the text, Redcliffc bas won ____ London marathon title(s).

      A. four         B. three         C. two         D. one            

67. What can we learn from Radcliffe's story?

     A. Practice makes perfect.           B. Well begun is half done.

     C. A friend in need is a fried indeed. D. Where there is a will there is a way.