When we found him, he was a sorry sight. His clothes were torn, his hands bleeding. Before we reached him, we saw him fall. He lay a moment. Then he pulled himself to his feet, walked unsteadily (摇摆地) a few yards through the woods and fell again. After we got him out, we went back to find the gun that he had thrown down. His tracks showed that for two days he had circled in the forest, within 200 yards of the road. His senses were so dulled by fear and tiredness that he did not hear the cars going by or see the lights at night. We found him just in time.

This man, like others before him, had simply been frightened when he knew he was lost. What had been a near disaster might have turned out as only a pleasant walk, if he had made a few preparations before he stepped from the highway or off a known path (小径).

Whatever sense of direction that a man may have, it’s still largely a question of observation. A skilled woodsman always keeps an eye on his surroundings. He notes the shape of a mountain, the direction water flows through a swamp (沼泽), and the way a tree leans across a path. With these in mind, he is still likely to turn around many times, but he is seldom lost.

There are exceptions, of course, and once in a while a man does come across some strange problem that puts him into the “lost” situation. A rainstorm may catch him without a compass in his pocket. Darkness may find him in a rough area, where travel is dangerous without a light.

When this happens, the normal first reaction is the fear of being laughed at as a result of his poor knowledge in the woods. He may also be concerned about the inconvenience that he will cause his friends when he doesn’t show up. This false pride may lead him to keep on the move in a false effort to find his way against all difficulties.

The person who thinks ahead is seldom in great danger. He’ll be safe if he observes carefully, thinks ahead, and remains calm.

    20    The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio did the study. It was published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. The study found a sixty-three percent increase in the number of people treated for rock climbing injuries in American hospitals. The study said forty thousand people were treated in emergency rooms.    21    The ankle was the most common body part to be injured.    22    The average age was twenty-six. Fifty-six percent of the injuries were to people twenty to thirty-nine years old. Women made up twenty-nine percent of the injured population. That is more than that in past rock climbing studies.    23    But many people think it is worth it. John Bachar said rock climbing felt like being on another planet. Dean Fidelman says it is a continual challenge and a beautiful form of movement. And, for Sarah Bowman, she has just started her way up the rocks.Dean Fidelman said that he believes a climber’s ego(自我价值感) can be his worst enemy on a rock.    24    

As a young man of both passion and endurance, Perce Blackhorow had long been dreaming of decent adventure. So he didn’t give up when Sir Ernest Shackleton turned down his request to join the expedition. Perce     25     (secret) hid himself in a cupboard, only     26     (find) three days after they set off. He felt fortunate and happy when he     27     (assign) as a steward instead of being sent back home.

It turned     28     to be a tough journey. The ship got     29     (stick) in the ice as they approached Antarctica and they had to abandon the ship.     30     the guidance of Sir Ernest, they     31     (throw) away nearly everything except necessities and a banjo,     32     kept their spirits up during the journey. Survival was not easy and things went from bad to worse. Finally Sir Ernest left for South Georgia Island in order to find help. The desperate situation made young Perce Blackborow feel down and become bad-tempered. It was the genuine     33     (encourage) and concern from Bless Frank Wild that cheered him up. Frank and Ernest’s resolve and perseverance filled him with hope. Realizing that he shouldn’t become selfish just because of     34     adversity they were faced with, he learned to be optimistic and determined.