A Race Against Death
It was a cold January in 1925 in Nome, Alaska. The town was cut off from the rest of the world due to heavy snow.
On the 20th of that month, Dr. Welch 41 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 42 if it struck the town. Dr. Welch needed medicine as soon as possible to stop other kids from getting sick. 43 , the closest supply was over 1,000 miles away, in Anchorage.
How could the medicine get to Nome? The town’s 44 was already full of ice, so it couldn’t come by ship. Cars and horses couldn’t travel on the 45 roads. Jet airplanes and big trucks didn’t exist yet.
46 January 26, Billy and three other children had died. Twenty more were 47 . Nome’s town officials came up with a(n) 48 . They would have the medicine sent by 49 from Anchorage to Nenana. From there, dogsled(狗拉雪橇) drivers—known as “mushers”—would 50 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. 51 he handed the medicine to the next musher, Shannon’s face was black
On January 31, a musher named Seppala had to 52 a frozen body of water called Norton Sound. It was the most 53 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 54 , and so would the sick children of Nome. But Seppala made it across.
A huge snowstorm hit on February 1. A musher named Kaasen had to brave this storm. At one point, huge piles of snow blocked his 55 . 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 56 the trail again. The only hope was Balto,
At 5:30 am on February 2, Kaasen and his dog 59 in Nome. Within minutes, Dr. Welch had the medicine. He quickly gave it to the sick children. All of them recovered.
Nome had been 60 .
41. A. examined B. warned C. interviewed D. cured
42. A. harmless B. helpless C. fearless D. careless
43. A. Moreover B. Therefore C. Otherwise D. However
44. A. airport B. station C. harbor D. border
45. A. narrow B. snowy C. busy D. dirty
46. A. From B. On C. By D. After
47. A. tired B. upset C. pale D. sick
48. A. plan B. excuse C. message D. topic
49. A. air B. rail C. sea D. road
50. A. carry B. return C. mail D. give
51. A. Though B. Since C. When D. If
52. A. enter B. move C. visit D. cross
53. A. shameful B. boring C. dangerous D. foolish
54. A. escape B. bleed C. swim D. die
55. A. memory B. exit C. way D. destination
56. A. find B. fix C. pass D. change
57. A. pretending B. trying C. asking D. learning
58. A. run B. leave C. bite D. play
59. A. gathered B. stayed C. camped D. arrived
60. A. controlled B. saved C. founded D. developed