I returned home the other night exhausted. Aches in my foot, salty with sweat. My husband asked me how my evening was. “___16___”, I told him.
I had spent 90 minutes in a gym full of 10 Ping-Pong tables and assorted players, all coaxing and smacking a little ball over the net. By 9 p.m., I was extremely excited. I had beaten two ___17___ men half my age and lost battles against worthy opponents. To a casual ___18___, the night was ordinary. To me, it was a ___19___.
I had ___20___ Ping-pong during college, and in my 30s dove in more deeply, climbing the long stairway up to a table tennis center in Westfield, N.J., where I watched Olympic hopefuls and took lessons. Arthroscopy(关节镜检查) for torn knee cartilage(软骨) soon made me ___21___. The surgeon did his best to ___22___ my crushed knee, ___23___ against afternoons of power shopping, and told me never to jog or run again.
Three months in a cast(石膏) left my foot floppy(松软) and useless. Standing was ___24___. I hunted for ___25___ that could cushion my knee and set my ___26___ on walking and climbing stairs again. Years later, I tried to play Ping-Pong and limped(跛行) for a week. I put the ___27___ out of my mind.
One day my bad leg was working slightly ___28___. The knee had not been oppressively swollen in a while. I felt a feeling of ___29___. I set out to make my own ___30___ dream a reality. I arrived at my local table tennis club cautiously, a breathtakingly out-of-shape ___31___ in a sea of men. A man with a kind face ___32___ me to hit with him. After 20 minutes I was tired, ___33___ I went home happy. My knee didn’t burst inward.
Months passed, and almost miraculously, my stamina(耐力)___34___. Players started to ___35___ my shots. Some nights I play so joyfully, that I can almost believe this sport is the fountain of youth.
16. A. Boring B. Different C. Ordinary D. Glorious
17. A. young B. kind C. tired D. poor
18. A. observer B. listener C. reader D. chatter
19. A. dream B. chance C. miracle D. challenge
20. A. taken out B. taken up C. taken over D. taken on
21. A. fail B. survive C. quit D. hesitate
22. A. repair B. research C. transplant D. bandage
23. A. fought B. advised C. pushed D. voted
24. A. awkward B. acceptable C. lonely D. painful
25. A. pants B. beds C. shoes D. sofas
26. A. dreams B. goals C. focuses D. directions
27. A. business B. idea C. sport D. message
28. A. better B. healthier C. safer D. harder
29. A. power B. hope C. belief D. confidence
30. A. football B. basketball C. tennis D. Ping-Pong
31. A. woman B. member C. athlete D. hostess
32. A. asked B. allowed C. invited D. persuaded
33. A. so B. till C. or D. but
34. A. formed B. improved C. continued D. settled
35. A. learn B. correct C. save D. praise
