When he first rose to stardom in the NBA, Yao Ming could not possibly have known the influence he would have on the American understanding of China.

In the eyes of many Americans, Chinese are short, bookish, and not especially athletic. Yao, 26, has turned that image on its head. A giant at 2.26 metres, he has been the most talked-about player in the league since he topped the NBA draft（选秀）in 2002.

When Yao first joined the Rockets and struggled with an American style of basketball, many were quick to label（标记）Yao “a failure”. But Yao played on. He did not let the criticism affect his performance. Even when former NBA star Charles Barkley bet that Yao could not score more than 19 points in a single game, Yao kept his self-respect. The same cannot be said for Barkley, who was forced to kiss a real donkey’s ass（屁股）when Yao passed the 19-point mark early in his first season.

For Americans, Yao’s polite and friendly personality is a welcome contrast to the rude behaviour of the NBA’s bad boys. Compared with most other NBA players, Yao Ming is a true gentleman. He respects all of his opponents（对手）, even those who are not friendly to him.

“He is so wise and humourous that he seems like a diplomat（外交家）rather than a basketball player sometimes,” said Ron Burke, an NBA TV reporter.

In addition, Yao’s witty answers have changed the opinion that Chinese people are boring. When asked what were his favourite English words, Yao told the press that the five words were “This is the last question.” Yao is winning supporters within the league as well. After a Rockets-Lakers game that Shaquille O’Neal had to sit out with an injury, O’Neal said, “You played pretty good, Yao Ming.” Yao replied, “That’s because you weren’t there.”

【小题1】What attitude do many people take with Yao Ming when he first joined the Rockets?

A．Friendly.

B．Doubtful.

C．Sincere.

D．Angry.

【小题2】Yao Ming was liked by Americans mainly because he ________.

A．proved that he was athletic	B．passed the 19-point mark early
C．showed his politeness and friendliness	D．beat former NBA star Charles Barkley

【小题3】By sharing the story between Yao Ming and O’Neal in the last paragraph, the writer shows us ____.

A．Yao Ming was respectful and smart	B．Yao Ming was boring and proud
C．Yao Ming topped the NBA draft	D．Yao Ming wasn’t a failure any more

【小题4】What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Yao Ming’s road to stardom.

B．The skills Ming showed in NBA.

C．Yao Ming’s competition with other NBA players.

D．The impact of Yao Ming on Americans’ attitudes towards Chinese.