英语阅读理解限时练习(二).docVIP

高三英语阅读理解限时20分钟练习(二) 一 A In 1883, an imaginative engineer named John Roebling decided to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was a pipe dream. It was not practical. It had never been done before. But Roebling refused to listen to them. He thought about the bridge day and night and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. After much discussion and persuasion he convinced his son Washington, who was a promising engineer himself, that the bridge in fact could be built. Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished. With great excitement, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge. The project started well, but several months after it began, a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was so seriously injured that he was never able to walk, talk or even move again. We told them so, Crazy men and their crazy dreams, Its foolish to chase wild visions, the critics said and most thought the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge cd be built. In spite of his handicap Washington still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. Washingtons wife tried to inspire and pass on her husbands enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay in his hospital room, an idea suddenly hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this finger and tapping it on his wifes arm, he slowly developed a code to communicate with her. Then he used this method to tell his wife what the engineers should do. It seemed crazy but the project was under way again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wifes arm, until the bridge was finally completed. qToday the spectacular