Question

James Cleveland Owens was the son of a farmer and the grandson of black slaves. His family moved to Cleveland when he was 9. There, a school teacher asked the youth his name.

“J. C.” , he replied.  

She thought he had said “Jesse”, and he had a new name.

Owens ran his first race at age 13. After high school, he went to Ohio State University. He had to work part time so as to pay for his education. As a second-year student, in the Big Ten games in 1935, he set even more records than he would in the Olympic Games a year later.

A week before the Big Ten meet, Owens accidentally fell down a flight of stairs. His back hurt so much that he could not exercise all week, and he had to be helped in and out of the car that drove him to the meet. He refused to listen to the suggestions that he give up and said he would try, event by event. He did try, and the results are in the record book.

The stage was set for Owens’ victory at the Olympic Games in Berlin the next year, and his success would come to be regarded as not only athletic (体育的) but also political. Hitler did not congratulate any of the African-American winners.

“It was all right with me,” he said years later. “I didn’t go to Berlin to shake hands with him, anyway.”

Having returned from Berlin, he received no telephone call from the president of his own country, either. In fact, he was not honored by the United States until 1976, four years before his death.

Owens’ Olympic victories made little difference to him. He earned his living by looking after a school playground, and accepted money to race against cars, trucks, motorcycles, and dogs.

“Sure, it bothered (烦扰) me,” he said later. “But at least it was an honest living had to eat.”

In time, however, his gold medals (奖牌) changed his life. “They have kept me alive over the years,” he once said. “Time has stood still for me. That golden moment dies hard.”

Owens got his other name “Jesse” when _______.

A. he went to Ohio State University

B. his teacher made fun of him

C. his teacher took “J. C.” for “Jesse”

D. he won gold medals in the Big Ten meet

In the Big Ten meet, Owens _______.

A. hurt himself in the back             B. succeeded in setting many records

C. tried every sports event but failed     D. had to give up some events

We can infer from the text that Owens was treated unfairly in the U.S. at that time because _______.

A. he was not of the right race          B. he was the son of a poor farmer

C. he didn’t shake hands with Hitler     D. he didn’t talk to the US president on the phone

When Owens says “They have kept me alive over the years”, he means that the medals ________.

A. have been changed for money to help him live on

B. have made him famous in the U.S.

C. have encouraged him to overcome difficulties in life

D. have kept him busy with all kinds of jobs

Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A. Jesse Owens, a Great American Athlete

B. Golden Moment—a Life-time Struggle

C. Making a Living as a Sportsman

D. How to Be a Successful Athlete

Answer 1

【小题1】C

【小题2】B

【小题3】A

【小题4】C

【小题5】A

解析:

【小题1】本题考查理解文章细节信息的能力。从文章第一段最后一句“There, a school teacher asked the youth his name. “J. C.” , he replied. She thought he had said “Jesse”, and he had a new name.”可知，当Owens告诉他老师他的名字叫“J. C.”时，他的老师误以为是“Jesse”，于是他有了一个新名字。

【小题2】 本题考查对文章细节信息进行认定的能力。从第四段最后一句“As a second-year student, in the Big Ten games in 1935, he set even more records than he would in the Olympic Games a year later.”和第五段倒数第二句“He refused to listen to the suggestions that he give up and said he would try, event by event. He did try, and the results are in the record book. ” 可知，Owens 在the Big Ten meet 创造许多记录。

【小题3】 本题考查根据文中细节进行推理判断的能力。由文章第一段“James Cleveland Owens was the son of a farmer and the grandson of black slaves.”可知Owens 是一名黑人，他在以后的体育生涯中尽管取得了辉煌的成就，却遭受了种族歧视。

【小题4】本题考查根据短文某一细节对词语含义进行简单猜测的能力。从最后一段“In time, however, his gold medals (奖牌) changed his life. “They have kept me alive over the years,” he once said.”可知，奖牌鼓舞着Owens, 使他很好地生活下去。

【小题5】 本题考查归纳文章主旨大意的能力。通读全文可知，它主要讲述了一位伟大的美国体育运动员。Jesse Owens一生的奋斗历程。A项突出了人物的身份特点。