On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12yearold boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football.Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water.The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore.But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves.
“Everything went quiet in my head，” Tim recalls(回忆)．“I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line.”
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water.Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress.“At one point, I considered turning back，” he says.“I wondered if I was putting my life at risk.” After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, “Take down the umbrella！”
Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella.Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat.He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.
“Let's aim for the pier(码头)，” Jack said.Tim turned the boat toward it.Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink.“Can you guys swim？” he cried.“A little bit，” the boys said.
Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier.Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs.Tim swam toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.
“Are we almost there？” they asked again and again.“Yes，” Tim told them each time.
After 30 minutes, they reached the pier.
小题1:Why did the two boys go to the sea?
A．To go boat rowing.
B．To get back their football.
C．To swim in the open water.
D．To test the umbrella as a sail.小题2:What does “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A．The beach.
B．The water.
C．The boat.
D．The wind.小题3:Why did Tim raise his head regularly?
A．To take in enough fresh air.
B．To consider turning back or not.
C．To check his distance from the boys.
D．To ask the boys to take down the umbrella.小题4:How did the two boys finally reach the pier?
A．They were dragged to the pier by Tim.
B．They swam to the pier all by themselves.
C．They were washed to the pier by the waves.
D．They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back.
小题1:B
小题2:D
小题3:C
小题4:A
本文为记叙文，题材为日常活动。本文讲述了两个孩子为了找一个足球驾船出海而遇到危险，最终被Tim成功救回的故事。
小题1:答案：B 细节理解题。根据文章第二段第一句Two 12yearold boys，Christian and Jack，rowed out a boat to search for a football.可知应选B项。
小题2:答案：D 词义猜测题。句意：但是他们没有能力和风抗衡，于是船失控了。所以it指风。
小题3:答案：C 细节理解题。根据文章第五段第二句Every 500 yards or so，he raised his head to judge his progress.可知他常抬起头来看看自己的进展，即距离两个孩子的距离，故选C项。
小题4:答案：A 细节理解题。根据文章倒数第三段可知两个孩子是被Tim拖到码头的，故选A项。
疑难词汇解读
1．panic (panicked，panicking) vt./vi.(使)恐慌
When you are in a tight situation，don't panic.形势危急时，不要惊慌。
n．恐慌，惊慌
get into a panic陷入恐慌
I got into a panic when I saw smoke coming out of the kitchen.看到厨房冒烟，我惊慌失措。
2．risk vt.冒险
You risked your life to save the children.
你冒着生命危险去救那些孩子。
run/take a risk冒险
He felt he had to decide on every step instead of taking risks.他觉得他必须考虑好每一步，而不能冒险。