Getting to the top is hard enough but staying there is an even greater challenge. And so it could be argued that the 10th World Championship 400m victory by Tonique Williams Darling is even more remarkable than when she struck Olympic gold in 2004.
Coming off the final turn the 27-year-old from the Bahamas held off the attack of both Sanya Richards (USA) and the former World champion Ana Guevara of Mexico displaying a hunger that permanent champions must have.
"I would say that being able to pull off the Olympic title and then come back a year later and pull off the World Championship title has just been a miler coaster (过山车) experience for me," she revealed. "It's really an historical moment for me and for the Bahamas, just to be able to do something like this. And so I feel really humbled and grateful and just overjoyed right now."
"It is not an easy experience. I will tell you, definitely, that in the off-season it was just a struggle to go out there every day and practice because coming off the top races and after the Olympics experience you are just kind of worn out mentally. It's not even physical. So you just go with the season, and work through it, and by the time, like two weeks away from this competition, I was hungry again and ready to be competitive."
Williams Darling credits a support group of friends and family, her husband, Bahamian 400m runner Denis Darling, with keeping her grounded when the natural tendency would be to celebrate and then rest on one's laurels (桂冠，荣誉), Most importantly she credits her Christian faith.
"My life has changed a little bit (since winning the Olympics) but as far as the competition and training it hasn't changed that much,' she declares. "One thing I have tried to do is to train like I have never won anything before. And I think that it was achieved because I could have been lackadaisical (无精打采的) and blown off the season or whatever. I just stayed in there and knew that everybody else was coming after me. That really helped me to stay motivated this season."
46. The underlined words "credit' in paragraph 5 probably means
A. believe somebody
B. add money to the bank
C. attributes her success to those who have supported her
D. record, payment of money
47. Who won the gold medal of the 400m at the 9th World Championship?
A. Denis Darling. B. Sanya Richards.
C. Tonique Williams Darling. D. Ana Guevara.
48. According to the passage we can infer that _________.
A. the 10th World Championship was held in 2005.
B. Tonique Williams Darling's husband was her coach.
C. Denis Darling used to be a winner of the 400m of the Olympics
D. Sanya Richards only won at the .10~ World Championship
49. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Tonique Williams Darling was retired after the 10' World Championship.
B. Tonique Williams Darling believed that SomeOne would catch up with her if she' did not stay motivated and train hard enough.
C. Tonique Williams Darling got to the top because she Was hungry before a competition.
D. According to Tonique Williams Darling, the Olympic title was less important than the World Championship title.
50. Which is the most probable title of the passage?
A. The harder you work, the more you'll get.
B. An athlete's successful story.
C. The higher top you get, the greater challenge you'll meet.
D. Do your best, and you are sure to be the top.
