When Thomas Panek lost his eyesight more than 25 years ago，the avid runner doubted he would ever pursue his lifelong passion again.
   Indeed，although Panek had been crazy about running since high school，the idea of running blind seemed altogether too challenging.But he did manage to keep his dream alive– with help from human guides who assisted him on each run.
   Even so，the real joy of the run - the thrill of independence that comes from conquering a course on your own terms - eluded （躲避） him. "When you're tied to another person，it's no longer your own race，" the 48-year-old said. "The independence isn't quite there."
   Then Panek found a friend - indeed，man's best friend - who would help him achieve that sense of purpose.He started running with a guide dog named Gus.Not only did Panek rediscover his love for running，but，along the way，he founded Guiding Eyes for the Blind，an organization dedicated to providing service dogs for the visually disabled.
   On March 16，Gus glided across the finish line with his human at the New York City Half Marjye.aihon.At that moment，they both breezed into the history books.Panek，who finished the course in a little more than two hours and 20 minutes，became the first blind runner to complete the race led by dogs.
   Brandishing their respective medals，Panek and Gus - who would retire after the race - shared a breathless embrace. "It's a little emotional for me because he's been there with me the whole time，" Panek said.
   But Panek was quick to point out that it wasn't just Gus who provided the wind beneath his running shoes.In all，three guide dogs helped him see his way to the finish line.Siblings Westley and Waffle picked up the early legs of the course，each running between five and eight kilometers of the 21-kilometer race.
   With retirement looming，it would be the faithful yellow lab's last race.But for Panek，the road ahead remains long and bright - not only for him，but for anyone with a disability who still hopes to run down a dream.

（1）When did Thomas become blind？

A

A

A．When he was about 23.
B．When he was 25 years old.
C．When he was in high school.
D．When he was 48 years old.
（2）Why did Panek get himself the guide dog Gus？

D

D

A．Because he didn't want to have another person with him.
B．Because he wanted to found Guiding Eyes for the Blind.
C．Because he wanted to help those with visual disability.
D．Because he wanted to enjoy the delight of running independently.
（3）What do we learn about the dog Gus from the passage？

D

D

A．It was the first dog to lead a blind runner at the Half Marathon.
B．It ran the whole course of the New York City Half Marathon.
C．It ran about eight kilometers with Thomas Panek at the race.
D．It wouldn't be working as a guide dog to Thomas Panek any more.
（4）Which of the following best shows Thomas's qualities as a runner？

B

B

A．Independent and caring.
B．Passionate and persistent.
C．Crazy and emotional.
D．Kind and helpful.