When I was at school, I played some football and rugby (橄榄球). I hated rugby because I couldn’t catch the ball, but I enjoyed football. I started out being a terrible player and nobody wanted me to be on their team. But I started to improve (提高) slowly and, after a few years, the other kids in the school accepted me as a player, not a fantastic one, but one who wouldn’t do anything stupid.
    When I was at university, I stopped playing sports altogether. I was working too hard, started eating too much, and, worst of all, I started smoking. By the time I was thirty, I was overweight and unfit.
Then one day, I was sitting in the park, smoking a cigarette (香烟). I was watching these guys running. They looked slim, fit and healthy, and some of them were much older than me. When I got home, I looked in the bathroom mirror (镜子) and, well, I suppose I just didn’t like what I saw. At that moment, I decided to stop smoking and change my life. That evening I went running around the park — for ten minutes! Physically, I felt terrible. Everything was hurting: my legs, my chest. But inside, I did feel good about it.
The next evening, I went again. I still only did ten minutes, but I didn’t feel as bad as I did the day before. Within a week, I was running for fifteen minutes, then twenty, and after three weeks I ran for thirty minutes without stopping. Quite soon, I was running longer distances. After six months, I was a runner!
I now run eight kilometres six times a week and love it. My proudest moment was last year, when I ran my first marathon and finished in under three hours. I’m so glad that I went to sit in the park that day five years ago.
24. What did the author think of rugby when he was young?
A. It was a really stupid game.
B. It was as interesting as football.
C. It was too violent for school kids.
D. It was hard for him to catch the ball.
25. What did the author do when he was at university?
A. He gave up smoking.
B. He tried to lose weight.
C. He led an unhealthy lifestyle.
D. He joined a running club.
26. Why did the author feel good about the physical pain?
A. He didn’t feel tired at all.
B. It was a good way to relax.
C. It was a good start towards getting fit.
D. He found the true meaning of running.
27. When did the author start running?
A. One year ago.
B. Five years ago.
C. Six months ago.
D. Thirteen years ago. 主题语境：人与自我——生活
本文是记叙文。作者介绍了他改变不健康生活方式并爱上跑步的过程。
24. D。细节理解题。由第一段中的I hated rugby because I couldn’t catch the ball可知，作者不喜欢橄榄球是因为他总接不到球。
25. C。细节理解题。由第二段可知，上大学后，作者什么运动都不做，虽然学习很勤奋，但却吃得多，还染上抽烟的恶习。因此那时的他，生活方式很不健康。
26. C。推理判断题。由第三段中的I just didn’t like what I saw和I decided to stop smoking and change my life可知，看到镜子里肥胖难看的样子，作者决定改变自己的生活方式。当晚只跑了十分钟就浑身酸痛，但他却感觉不错，因为这是进行健身的一个良好的开始。
27. B。细节理解题。由第三段中的I was sitting in the park ... watching these guys running ... decided to ... change my life和最后一段作者描述跑步对他的改变以及I’m so glad that I went to sit in the park that day five years ago可知，他是在五年前开始跑步的。