A Race Against Death
It was a cold January in 1925 in North Alaska. The town was cut off from the rest of the world due to heavy snow.
On the 20th of that month, Dr. Welch 21 a Sick boy, Billy, and knew he had diphtheria, a deadly infectious (传染的) disease mainly affecting children. The children of Nome would be 22 if it struck the town. Dr. Welch needed medicine as soon as possible to stop other kids from getting sick. 23 , the closest supply was over 1, 000 miles away, in Anchorage.
How could the medicine get to Nome? The town`s 24 was already full of ice, so it couldn`t come by ship. Cars and horses couldn`t travel on the 25 roads. Jet airplanes and big trucks didn`t exist yet.
26 January 26, Billy and three other children had died. Twenty more were 27 . Nome`s town officials came up with a(n) 28 . They would have the medicine sent by 29 from Anchorage to Nenana. From there, dogsled (狗拉雪橇)drivers—known as “mushers”—would 30 it to Nome in a relay(接力).
The race began on January 27. The first musher, Shannon, picked up the medicine from the train at Nenana and rode all night. 31 he handed the medicine to the next musher, Shannon`s face was black from the extreme cold.
On January 31， a musher named Seppala had to 32 a frozen body of water called Norton Sound . It was the most 33 part of the journey. Norton Sound was covered with ice, which could sometimes break up without warning. If that happened, Seppala might fall into the icy water below. He would 34 , and so would the sick children of Nome. But Seppala made it across. [KS5UKS5U]
A huge snowstorm hit on February 1. Amusher named Kaasen had to brave this storm. At one point, huge piles of snow blocked his 35 . He had to leave the trail (雪橇痕迹)to get around them. Conditions were so bad that it was impossible for him to 36 the trail again. The only hope was Balto, Kaasen’s lead dog, Balto put his nose to the ground, 37 to find the smell of other dogs that had traveled on the trail. If Balto failed, it would mean disaster for Nome. The minutes passed by. Suddenly, Balto began to 38 . He had found the trail
At 5:30 am on February 2, Kaasen and his dog 39 in Nome. Within minutes, Dr. Welch had the medicine. He quickly gave it to the sick children. All of them recovered.
Nome had been 40 .
21. A. examined B. warned C. interviewed D. cured
22. A. harmless B. helpless C. fearless D. careless
23. A. Moreover B. Therefore C. Otherwise D. However
24. A. airport B. station C. harbor D. border
25. A. narrow B. snowy C. busy D. dirty
26. A. From B. On C. By D. After
27. A. tired B. upset C. pale D. sick
28. A. plan B. excuse C. message D. topic
29. A. air B. rail C. sea D. road
30. A. carry B. return C. mail D. give
31. A. Though B. Since C. When D. If
32. A. enter B. move C. visit D. cross
33. A. shameful B. boring C. dangerous D. foolish
34. A. escape B. bleed C. swim D. die
35. A. memory B. exit C. way D. destination
36. A. find B. fix C. pass D. change
37. A. pretending B. trying C. asking D. learning
38. A. run B. leave C. bite D. play
39. A. gathered B. stayed C. camped D. arrived
40. A. controlled B. saved C. founded D. developed
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