A Dark Horse

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What’s the meaning of a “dark horse”? It’s someone who wins while no one expects it.

Han Xiaopeng became an Olympic “dark horse” by winning the gold medal in men’s freestyle aerial skiing (自由式滑雪空中技巧) in Turin, Italy. He made two almost perfect jumps for the highest score. Han had never won a world gold medal before, let alone (更不用说) in the Olympics!

“I never thought this would happen,” said he. “I felt like I was in a dream.” It’s China’s second gold medal at the Turin Olympics. But more important, Han’s gold was the country’s first ever in a snow sport.

In 2002, China’s Yang Yang won the gold for speed skating at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the US. Although Han’s win was unexpected, it doesn’t mean that he didn’t work hard.

Han grew up in Jiangsu Province, where he used to be an acrobat (杂技演员). He changed to aerials in 1995 when a coach found his talent. The coach, Yang Er’qi, said Han had the agility (灵活性) and courage to be a ski jumper. At that time, he was 12-year-old, and he couldn’t swim, skate or ski. But he wasn’t afraid of the high platform (跳台) and kept on training.

Han almost left the sport after breaking his knee months before the Salt Lake Games. In that Olympics he finished 24th. “I almost lost my heart at that time, but my family and the coach stood firmly (有力地) behind me, helping me through,” he recalls (回忆).

Choose the best answer according to the passage.

( )1. A “dark horse” means “ ______”.

A. the most valuable player in China

B. someone who wins the game unexpectedly

C. an ordinary horse D. the gold medal in men’s freestyle aerial skiing

( )2. Han Xiaopeng is the first player who has won the gold medal for China

______ .

A. in a snow sport at the Turin Olympics

B. at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in the USA

C. in men’s freestyle aerial skiing in Jiangsu

D. at the “dark horse” competition in Italy

( )3. Why did Han Xiaopeng change to aerials in 1995? Because he is a

person with______ .

A. talent B. ability C. courage D. all of the above

( )4. The underlined phrase “stood ... behind ...” in the last paragraph means “______ ”.

A. stood ... at ... B. stood ... for ...

C. supported D. stood ... by ...