The sun had just risen. The ammual marathon in my town is tally held during
My job was to follow the runners in an ambulance to render medical attention. The driver Deeg dim
air-conditioned ambulance behind approximately one hundred athletes waiting for the race to Wem
supposed to stay behind the last runner, so drive slowly." I said to the driver, Doug, as we began to gp fun
"Let's just hope the last runner is fast" He laughed. As they began to pace them, the
runners were running way ahead. It was then that my eyes were drawn to a woman in blue ning shoes and
haggy white T-shirt. She clenched her fists tightly. She pushed her self forward, ready to begin the race Dee
look!" We knew we were already watching our last runner." Her feet were turned in, yet her left leg wstred
out. Her legs were so crippled and bent that it seemed impossible for her to be able to walk, let alone mn *
marathon
Doug and I watched in silence as she slowly moved forward. We did not unter a word. We
would move forward slightly, then stop and wait for her to gain some distance. Then we would slowly move a
little more. As I watched her struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself cheering for her and
urging her forward. I wanted her to stop, and at the same time, I prayed that she would not. Finally she was the
only runner left in sight. Tears streamed down my face as 1 sat on the edge of my seat and watched with swe,
amazement and even reverence as she pushed forward with sheer determination through the last miles. When the
finish line came into sight, trash lay everywhere and the cheering crowds had long gone home.
Yet, standing straight and ever so proud waited a lone man. He was bokling one end of a
ribbon of crepe paper tied to a post. She slowly crossed through leaving both ends of the paper Muttering behind
her. There was a look of triumph in her before she collapsed and lay limp on the ground. Hurray! She made.
Without a moment's delay, I dashed forward and rendered aid to my furst and only casualty for the day.
I do not know this woman's name, but that day she became part of my life - a part I often
depend on. For her, it wasn't about beating the other runners, or winning a trophy, it was about finishing what she
had set out to do, no matter what. When I think things are too difficult or too time consuming, or I get those 1-just-
can't-do-it feeling, I always think of the last runner. Then I would realize how easy the task before me really is.
Answer the following questions:
88
1. From paragraph 1, quote a two-word phrase which indicates clearly that the marathon was held on a very box
day.
2. Why tears streamed down the writer's face?
3. What was the posture of the woman who was ready to begin the race?
4. Where were the writer and Doug throughout the race?
5. In the second last paragraph, what does "it" refer to?
6. Find the synonyms of the phrases given below from the passage.
(a) to provide (para I)
(b) An unpleasant feeling of fear (para 2)
7. Give a suitable title for the above passage.
Answers
were running way ahead. It was then that my eyes were drawn to a woman in blue ning shoes and
haggy white T-shirt. She clenched her fists tightly. She pushed her self forward, ready to begin the race Dee
look!" We knew we were already watching our last runner." Her feet were turned in, yet her left leg wstred
out. Her legs were so crippled and bent that it seemed impossible for her to be able to walk, let alone mn *
marathon
Doug and I watched in silence as she slowly moved forward. We did not unter a word. We
would move forward slightly, then stop and wait for her to gain some distance. Then we would slowly move a
little more. As I watched her struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself cheering for her and
urging her forward. I wanted her to stop, and at the same time, I prayed that she would not. Finally she was the
only runner left in sight. Tears streamed down my face as 1 sat on the edge of my seat and watched with swe,
amazement and even reverence as she pushed forward with sheer determination through the last miles. When the
finish line came into sight, trash lay everywhere and the cheering crowds had long gone home.
Yet, standing straight and ever so proud waited a lone man. He was bokling one end of a
ribbon of crepe paper tied to a post. She slowly crossed through leaving both ends of the paper Muttering behind
her. There was a look of triumph in her before she collapsed and lay limp on the ground. Hurray! She made.
Without a moment's delay, I dashed forward and rendered aid to my furst and only casualty for the day.
I do not know this woman's name, but that day she became part of my life - a part I often
depend on. For her, it wasn't about beating the other runners, or winning a trophy, it was about finishing what she
had set out to do, no matter what. When I think things are too difficult or too time consuming, or I get those 1-just-
can't-do-it feeling, I always think of the last runner. Then I would realize how easy the task before me really is.
Answer the following questions:
88
1. From paragraph 1, quote a two-word phrase which indicates clearly that the marathon was held on a very box
day.
2. Why tears streamed down the writer's face?
3. What was the posture of the woman who was ready to begin the race?
4. Where were the writer and Doug throughout the race?
5. In the second last paragraph, what does "it" refer to?
6. Find the synonyms of the phrases given below from the passage.
(a) to provide (para I)
(b) An unpleasant feeling of fear (para 2)
7. Give a suitable title for the above passage.