文章大意:本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了在作者11岁的时候,他的父母购买了一个海岛巡游套餐,全家登上了一艘游船开始了新的生活。起初作者对这种生活方式感到不安和抗拒,但通过与一位同龄的男孩Glen的相识,他开始逐渐适应并享受起这种新的生活。在旅行中,男孩学习了许多新的技能,承担了责任,并被当作成年人对待,最后作者变得舍不得下船回家了。
My parents had purchased an Island Packet 445 ten months prior, and the day to board this boat had finally come. I was 11 years old and knew absolutely nothing about this cruising (海上航游) lifestyle my father had been speaking so highly of for the previous five years. The only thing I knew for sure was that I didn’t want to leave my home. My father was excited, my mother nervous, my brother disinterested, and I sullen. I was not at all eager about this change in my lifestyle.
The first three months on the boat had not been very easy. What my dad called an adjustment period I called a nightmare. But, after three months of traveling, we had a lucky break. In La Paz, there was another cruising boat with a 13-year-old boy aboard. Two weeks later, Glen and I could be seen endlessly boogie boarding (趴板冲浪) the crashing waves to the beach. After meeting Glen, cruising for me began to get better and better. At some point during these months, I decided to give this cruising idea a chance.
One year later, we continued touring through the South Pacific. I was learning new skills and learning how to work independently. I often took a five-hour watch during the dark hours of long passages. This was quite a bit of responsibility to hand over to a 13-year-old, especially considering I was in charge of adjusting sails as the conditions changed, and keeping an eye and ear out for any problems. Almost everybody in the cruising community treated me as an adult while still understanding I was a child, thereby giving me the flexibility to make childish mistakes.
As of this writing, my family has now been aboard for three years. We have plans to return to Canada in 12 months and, similar to how I opposed moving onto the boat, I am now completely opposed to moving off it. I have so much fun and learn so many things on this boat that I can’t imagine ever returning “home”, a place I hardly even remember.
4. What does the underlined word “sullen” in the first paragraph probably mean?
A.Upset. | B.Calm. | C.Confused. | D.Astonished. |
5. What made the author start to embrace the cruising idea?
A.Overcoming the fear of nightmares. |
B.Having fun with someone of his age. |
C.Learning how to work independently. |
D.Making a breakthrough in boarding skills. |
6. Which of the following words can best describe the author?
A.Stubborn but reliable. | B.Childish but adaptable. |
C.Inconsiderate but flexible. | D.Dependent but responsible. |
7. What can be the best title for the text?
A.Benefits of the Cruising Lifestyle |
B.First Day aboard Island Packet 445 |
C.What Motivates a Teenager to Change His Lifestyle |
D.How a Young Sailor Learns to Love the Cruising Life |