“ Hooray ! ” shouted the crowd . It was the loudest 41 I had ever heard at a meet . The first-place runner was two laps（圈）ahead of me when she crossed the finish line .
“ Maybe I should 42 , ” I thought as I moved on . 43 , I decided to keep going . During the last two laps , I ran 44 and decided not to 45 in track next year . It wouldn’t be worth it , 46 my foot did heal .
When I finished , I heard a cheer— 47 than the one I’d heard earlier . I turned around and 48 , the boys were preparing for their race . “ They must be cheering for the boys . ”
I was leaving 49 several girls came up to me . “ Wow , you’ve got courage ! ” one of them told me .
“ Courage ? I just 50 a race ! ” I thought .
“ I would have given up on the first lap , ” said another girl . “ We were cheering for you . Did you hear us ? ”
Suddenly I regained 51 . I decided to 52 track next year . I realized strength and courage aren’t always 53 in medals and victories , but in the 54 we overcome（战胜）. The strongest people are not always the people who win , 55 the people who don’t give up when they lose .
36. A. slighter B. worse C. earlier D. heavier
37. A. expected B. supposed C. imagined D. doubted
38. A. late B. eager C. ready D. thirsty
39. A. from behind B. ahead of C. next to D. close to
40. A. ashamed B. astonished C. excited D. frightened
41. A. cheer B. shout C. cry D. noise
42. A. slow down B. drop out C. go on D. speed up
43. A. Therefore B. Otherwise C. Besides D. However
44. A. with delight B. with fear C. in pain D. in advance
45. A. play B. arrive C. race D. attend
46. A. even if B. only if C. unless D. until
47. A. weaker B. longer C. lower D. louder
48. A. well enough B. sure enough C. surprisingly enough D. strangely enough
49. A. while B. when C. as D. since
50. A. finished B. won C. passed D. lost
51. A. cheer B. hope C. interest D. experience
52. A. hold on B. turn to C. begin with D. stick with
53. A. measured B. praised C. tested D. increased
54. A. sadness B. struggles C. diseases D. tiredness
55. A. or B. nor C. and D. but

第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Monarch butterflies（黑脉金斑蝶）are a common summer sight in the northern United States and Canada . These large orange and black insects（昆虫）brighten parks and gardens as they fly lightly among the flowers . What makes monarchs particularly interesting is that they migrate（迁飞）—all the way to California or Mexico and back . They are thought to be the only insect that does this .
Every year in the late summer monarchs begin their journey to the south . Those heading for Mexico go first for the Louisiana-Mississippi area , then fly across the Gulf of Mexico into Texas . Once in Mexico , they settle themselves in one of about fifteen places in a mountain forest filled with fir trees . Each place provides a winter home for millions of monarchs . The butterflies are so many that they often cover entire trees . When spring comes , they begin their long journey north .