14．Thirteen can be a challenging age．Not only did I have to adapt to my changing body，I also had to deal with my parents'bitter divorce，a new family and the upsetting move from my country home to a crowded town．
When we moved，my beloved companion，a small brown pony had to be sold．I was heartbroken and terribly lonely．I couldn't eat or sleep and cried all the time．Finally，realizing how much I missed my pony，my father bought me another horse，Cowboy．
Cowboy was without doubt the ugliest horse in the world．But I didn't care．I loved him beyond all reasons．
I joined a riding club．When Cowboy and I entered the events where the horse was judged by appearance，we were quickly"shown the gate"．I knew nothing could turn Cowboy into a beauty．My only chance to compete would be in the timed speed events．I chose the jumping race．
For the whole next month we practiced running and jumping for hours in the hot sun and then I would walk Cowboy home，totally exhausted．
All of our hard work didn't make me feel confident by the time the show came．One girl named Becky rode a big brown horse in the race events．She always won the blue ribbons．I sat at the gate and sweated all out while I watched Becky and her horse charge through the court and finish in first place．
My turn finally came．At the signal，we dashed toward the first fence，jumped over it without trouble and raced on to the next one．Cowboy then flew over the second，third and fourth fences like a bird and I turned him toward the finish line．
No cheers filled the air．The end of our run was met with surprised silence．Cowboy and I had beaten Becky and her fancy horse by two seconds．
I gained much more than a blue ribbon that day．At thirteen，I realized that no matter what the odds，I'd always come out a winner if I wanted something badly enough to work for it．I can be the owner of my fate．
21．Why did the author like Cowboy so much in spite of its ugliness？B
A．Because she loved horses more than anything else．
B．Because she was sad and lonely and needed a companion．
C．Because Cowboy had a lot in common with her pony．
D．Because Cowboy was a strong and smart young horse．
22．The audience fell into silence at the end of the run probably becauseC．
A．they didn't like cowboy，for it was too ugly
B．they were unhappy that Becky was beaten in the event
C．they didn't expect Cowboy would win the event
D．they never saw a horse running as fast as Cowboy
23．After the competition，the author came to realize thatC．
A．she ought to gather the courage to solve all the problems
B．it was time to forget her pony and treat Cowboy better
C．she could be the god of her own fate if she tried hard enough
D．she needed to work harder to win more blue ribbons
24．It can be inferred from the story thatB．
A．a(chǎn)ll of their hard training was totally in vain
B．Cowboy lost in the event of being judged by appearance
C．a(chǎn) blue ribbon must be the second highest prize
D．both Becky and the author won in the jumping event．
分析 本文是一篇記敘文，講述作者失去心愛的小馬后感到痛苦、孤獨，后來父親給她買了一匹馬cowboy，它雖丑但給作者帶來許多的安慰．在一場比賽中作者明白：只要努力奮斗，每個人都可以主宰自己的命運；
解答 21．B考查推理判斷題．根據(jù)第二段When we moved，my beloved companion，a small brown pony had to be sold．I was heartbroken and terribly lonely．I couldn't eat or sleep and cried all the time．Finally，realizing how much I missed my pony，my father bought me another horse，Cowboy．可知她傷心，需要陪伴；
22．C考查推理判斷題．根據(jù)第六段One girl named Becky rode a big brown horse in the race events．She always won the blue ribbons．I sat at the gate and sweated all out while I watched Becky and her horse charge through the court and finish in first place．和第八段Cowboy and I had beaten Becky and her fancy horse by two seconds．可知人們都以為Becky會贏，沒有想到作者和Cowboy會贏，人們感到非常意外；
23．C考查細節(jié)理解題．根據(jù)最后一段At thirteen，I realized that no matter what the odds，I'd always come out a winner if I wanted something badly enough to work for it．I can be the owner of my fate．可知，作者意識到自己可以主宰自己的命運；
24．B考查推理判斷題．根據(jù)第三段Cowboy was without doubt the ugliest horse in the world．和第四段When Cowboy and I entered the events where the horse was judged by appearance，we were quickly"shown the gate"．I knew nothing could turn Cowboy into a beauty．可知在外形比賽上Cowboy輸了．
點評 本文是社會文化類閱讀理解．做這類題材閱讀理解時要求考生對文章通讀一遍，做題時結(jié)合原文和題目有針對性的找出相關語句進行仔細分析，結(jié)合選項選出正確答案．推理判斷題也是要在抓住關鍵句子的基礎上合理的分析才能得出正確答案，切忌胡亂猜測，一定要做到有理有據(jù)．
