After battling hard times and danger for over nine months, British teenager Mike Perham made history last month as the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The 17-year-old made the record after he cleared the Panama Canal and then sailed through the Caribbean and got home across the Atlantic. Mike is only three months younger than Zac Sunderland, the 17-year-old American boy who had taken the crown as the youngest solo around-the-world sailor in July. The two youngsters met in Cape Town in South Africa as they crossed the globe in different directions. Mike insisted they were not rivals . "No. It's two teenagers going out there, living their dream and having the adventure of a lifetime," he said. Mike may be young, but he is no stranger to sailing adventures. He picked up the hobby at the age of 6 when his father took him out in a small boat on a local lake. Father and son sailed separate boats across the Atlantic when Mike was 14, making him the youngest person to cross that ocean solo. That record gave him the taste for this even greater challenge. On the recent journey, the scariest moment for Mike came when his sailboat was hit by storms in the southern Indian Ocean. "We were picked up by what felt like a 60-foot wave and threw down on our side at 90 degrees," he said. "It felt like I was going right over. Stuff was flying around and I just thought 'Oh no'." At other times, he had to dive into the Pacific and fix problems. He tied himself to the boat, jumped into the water and went to work with a knife in 30-second dives underneath the boat to cut a rope away. Mike said he felt proud that he made his dream come true. "You've got to have confidence in yourself that you will make it," he said. What did Mike believe in? A) Having confidence in yourself will make you successful. B) Braveness is important in sailing. C) One should pick up a hobby as a child. D) Pride goes before a fall.
A
Connecting with Patients Dr. Paris often treats several generations of a family over many years. "He's seen us through two births, one operation, multiple earaches, a broken wrist and a recovery from a serious traffic crash," says Jill Farrow, a 43-year-old lawyer whose first visit to Dr. Paris was as a teenager. During the birth of her younger son, Farrow began bleeding badly. Dr. Paris managed to solve the problem in a delicate procedure. "Twenty years ago, she probably would have died," he says. Today, when he performs school sports physical examinations for the Farrow boys, 10 and 11, he is always reminded that lives are changed forever by doctors just doing their jobs. To be a mix of country doc and somewhat adventurer, the 55-year-old family physician moved to Hailey after completing his residency . He hoped to practice medicine there and ski at nearby Sun Valley. Unfortunately, the only job opening was for an emergency-room doctor in Missoula, Montana, 300 miles away. Dr. Paris took it. "I'd ski all day and then drive all night to be in Missoula for a 48-hour shift," he recalls. "I'm lucky to be alive." Knowing he couldn't keep up with his eight-hour commute , he began taking flying lessons. In 1981, Dr. Paris joined a small medical practice in Hailey, a former mining town with a population at the time of 2,109. As Hailey grew in the shadow of Sun Valley's booming popularity, Dr. Paris's own practice expanded to seven physicians, including his wife, Kathryn Woods, who is also a family doctor. They met in 1986 at a certification exam in Denver when, in a room full of men in stodgy suits, Woods arrived wearing a Lycra biking outfit and carrying the front wheel of her bicycle (which she couldn't lock up outside). Dr. Paris asked her out on the spot. In 1989, they married. We can infer the doctor got married probably at the age of _ . A) 27. B) 37. C) 17. D) 47.
B
Q: First aid is emergency care for a victim of sudden illness or injury until more skillful medical treatment is available. It may save a life or improve certain vital signs including pulse, temperature, a clear airway, and breathing. In minor emergencies, first aid may prevent a victim's condition from turning worse and provide relief from pain. First aid must be done as quickly as possible. In the case of the seriously injured, a few minutes can make the difference between complete recovery and loss of life. First-aid measures depend upon a victim's needs and the provider's level of knowledge and skill. Knowing what not to do in an emergency is as important as knowing what to do. Improperly moving a person with a neck injury, for example, can lead to permanent spinal injury and paralysis . Despite the variety of injuries possible, several principles of first aid apply to all emergencies. The first step is to call for professional medical help. The victim, if conscious, should be reassured that medical aid has been requested, and asked for permission to provide any first aid. Next, assess the scene, asking other people or the injured person's family or friends about details of the injury or illness, any care that may have already been given, and pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or heart trouble. The victim should be checked for a medical card that describes special medical conditions. Unless the accident scene becomes unsafe or the victim may suffer further injury, do not move the victim. First aid requires rapid assessment of victims to determine whether life-threatening conditions exist. One method for evaluating a victim's condition is known by the acronym ABC, which stands for: A---Airway: is it open and clear? B---Breathing: is the person breathing? Look, listen, and feel for breathing. C---Circulation: is there a pulse? Is the person bleeding extremely? Check skin color and temperature for additional indications of circulation problems. The purpose of the passage is to tell the reader _ . A) the importance of protecting the accident scene B) some basic facts about first aid C) what professional medical help is D) who can offer first aid
A: B
This is the VOA Special English News Report. Single - handed Zhou Yang, 18, China Against three strong Republic of Korea competitors, Zhou single - handed took the 1,500 - meter short speed skating gold to become Chinas' youngest winter Olympics gold medallist. According to coach Li Yan, Zhou, who is usually a gentle girl, took some risks and skated fiercely to take the gold. This is the third gold the Chinese have won at the Vancouver Olympics. Unobtrusive Liu Xiang, 26, China The Olympic gold medallist said on Friday that he's not the same old him, after setting his worst record in years - 8.08 seconds for 60 - meter hurdles. Liu said he still had some way to go before he's back to his best. Many fans have been expecting his taking - off in the 2010 Doha, but Liu said unobtrusively "Robles is still the best in the 60 - meter and 110 - meter hurdles. I'm no match now". He added the performances of Terrence Trammell (US) and Robles would be the highlight of the Doha meet. Coveted Michael Jackson, 1958 - 2009, US Thanks to a whopping $ 350,000 bid, Michael Jackson's rhinestone - encrusted glove has gone to a Macao company. Jackson wore the sparking glove when he did his first "moonwalk" dance in 1983, so it was a really coveted piece of equipment. The pre - auction estimate put its value at $ 40, 000 - 60,000 , _ . The glove and nine other items from the auction will be on display in a Macao hotel. From the first news we can learn that Zhou Yang _ . A) likes taking chances in the competitions. B) won three gold medals at the Olympics. C) is not a gentle but a fleece girl D) is a hard working and strong minded girl
A