On a bright afternoon, Jordan, Mahir and Mahir’s father gathered at the foot of a mountain. “Hey, Jordan, over here!” Jordan’s best friend, Mahir, waved his hand, pointing to a crack in the side of the mountain. “We could _______ this!”

Jordan tied his safety harness (系带) and checked his rope. He weighed one of them in his hand, determining its weight. Then he looked for _______ locations, considering the difficulty of the task. “That crack is _______ narrow. I don’t think we’d get up very high.”

“At the time of a test, a person rises or falls.” said Ghanim, Mahir’s dad. Shaking his head in _______ over the foreign proverb (谚语), Jordan examined the crack. It was nothing more than a sliver in the solid face of the cliff. He shifted in his harness as Mahir gave the proverb his own explanation: “If you’re not reaching the _______, you’re not trying hard enough.” Jordan recognized the bit of advice from a previous climbing lesson.

His own father’s voice resounded in his thoughts, as if in a half-forgotten dream. “Climb a mountain, son, and you climb the insecurity in your own life. You climb over your shadow, climb over your _______.”That was five years ago, before the automobile _______ that took his dad’s life. Jordan’s father swiftly turned his car and effectively _______ a car from going over a cliff (悬崖). The sudden move had saved the people in that car. But his father’s car went off a cliff. _______ with the difficult situation, Jordan’s dad had never hesitated before making the decision.

And now Jordan wouldn’t either. ________ on his balance, he took a deep breath and began to climb. Finally, they made it to the peak of the mountain.

One study shows that the media can play an important role in     11     (build) an image of a modern person. Some people are so interested in a “perfect” image in the media that they try     12     (they) best to become as good as that “perfect” image. Actually, that is not necessary. The truth is     13     those who think themselves less attractive should pay more attention to books rather than looks.

Running is very relaxing and beneficial. It is a great sport for beginners. You do not need any special equipment. Just a good pair of running shoes will do. Running     14     (help) you get fit and prevents you from diseases. It will give you good upper and lower body strength. It makes your heart     15     (strong) than before and allows more blood to flow around your body. It also strengthens your immune system. Besides, anybody who is feeling down can go for a run     16     (cheer) themselves up.

Tanni was born with an illness,     17     made her unable to move her muscles normally. Tanni was interested in sports, but when she was growing up she didn’t see many disabled athletes on television. Then several years later, while watching the London wheelchair marathon, she saw an athlete she knew. She dreamed that she     18     (be) on the starting line, competing in the marathon too. Finally, her dream     19     (come) true. She was not only on the starting line, but also the winner at the finish line. Tanni believes you’ll never know     20     you can do unless you try.

For some of us, the excitement of seeing a performance at a European opera house is just not enough. Fortunately, opera houses throughout Europe open their backstage doors to the public. Take advantage of these opportunities to look behind the scenes of some of the world's great opera houses.

Teatro alla Scala Opera House Tours—Milan

Discover the activities within the opera house on a backstage tour of the La Scala theater in Milan. The tour also includes an overview of the history of the theater and guides you through   the auditorium(观众席) and the theater boxes.

Paris Opera House Tours—Paris

While it is possible to walk around the public areas of the beautiful Paris Opera House on your own, guided tours are also offered and are led by an English-speaking guide. During the 90- minute tour, you will learn about the theater's history and its architecture. You will also have an opportunity to visit the grand staircase.

Royal Opera House Tours—London

It is one of the most comprehensive of the opera house tours in Europe. The guide at the Royal Opera House takes you through sections of the backstage area to the props (道具) room, where workers build the sets, the costume shop and the ballet studios. There's a chance that you will even catch the ballet dancers backstage in practice in their big ballet studio.

La Fenice Opera House Tours—Venice

Teatro La Fenice in Venice offers a couple of options for visitors. A self-guided tour of the beautiful halls and grounds with a voice guide is available at the box office. Guided tours are also available with an expert that will explain the history of the opera house from its origins to its rebuilding.