de France are among the best conditioned athletes who ride a bike each day for three weeks--an average of four and a half hours per day; at an average speed of forty kilometers per hour; over mountains such as the French Alps and the French-Spanish Pyrenees. I have some information about the 1996 Tour de France: More than two hundred cyclists rode in twenty-one daily stages across five countries, totaling 3,800 kilometers.

T: Quite right. Do you know Lance Armstrong?

S: Yes. He is one of the greatest athletes in the cycling race. Few people have heard of his battle against cancer. He had cancer when he was 25 years old in 1996, but he was not defeated by cancer. He won the Tour de France many times. I think he is a brave man. You see, not everyone can face cancer, overcome it and manage to realize his dream. It will take perseverance and determination to do so.

Ask students to research on the Internet to find some more detailed information about Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France after class.

Step Ⅱ Practice

T: We are going to read an article about Lance Armstrong and know the courage of this winner. How do you think Armstrong must have felt at these times? Suppose you are a journalist and you have a chance to interview Lance Armstrong.

Have students go through this article as quickly as possible and make preparations for this for a couple of minutes.

Sample:

(S1---A journalist, S2--- Lance Armstrong)

S1: First, I congratulate you on your success in the Tour de France. Would you like to answer some of my questions?

S2: Oh, sure.

S1: I think you must be proud of your achievements in the Tour de France and I want to know how you felt when you won the Tour de France for the first time.

S2: Very excited and proud, and I believed I was the happiest man in the world. It was very wonderful.

S1: I have learned that there was something wrong with your lungs. How did you