【推荐1】Living an Adventurous Life

     Nearly ten years ago, I was told that I had a brain tumor, and this experience changed my attitude about adventure forever. I thought that I was going to die and that all my adventures were over. I did not have a brain tumor, it turned out, but rather multiple sclerosis, which meant that, although they were not over, the nature of my adventures could have to change.
     Each morning that I wake up is a fresh event, something that I might not have had. Each gesture that I make carries the weight of uncertainty and demands significant attention: buttoning my shirt, changing a light bulb, walking down stairs. I might not be able to do it this time. If I could not delight in them, they would likely drown me in anger and in self-pity.

I admire the grand adventures of others. I read about them with interest. With Peter Matthiessen I have hiked across the Himalayas to the Crystal Mountain. I have walked with Annie Dillard up, down, into, and across Tinker Creek in all Seasons. David Bain has gone with me along 110 miles of Philippine coast, and Ed Abbey has rowed me down the Colorado River. I enjoy the adventures of these courageous figures, who can strike out on difficult trips—2 miles, 250 miles, 3000 miles—ready to bear cold and tiredness—indeed not just to bear but to celebrate.

     But as for me, I can no longer walk very far from the armchair in which I read. Some days I don't even make it to the backyard. And yet I'm unwilling to give up the adventurous life, the difficulty of it, even the pain, the anxiety and fear, and the sudden brief lift of spirit that makes a hard journey more attractive.
     I refine adventure, make it smaller and smaller. And now, whether I am moving on my hands and knees across the dining room to help my cat, lying wide-eyed in the dark battling another period of sadness, gathering flowers from the garden, meeting a friend for lunch, I am always having the adventures that are mine to have.
1. What happens to the author after her illness?

A．She has a fear of medical treatments.	B．She travels to places she has dreamed.
C．She can't take care of herself any longer	D．She is not drowned in anger and self-pity.

2. Why does the author admire the people mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．Because they write popular novels.	B．Because they are great adventurers.
C．Because they are famous geographers.	D．Because they struggle with hardship in life

3. The author ends the article with a feeling of______.

A．sadness

B．sacrifice

C．security

D．satisfaction

4. What does "adventurous life" in the title mean to the author?

A．The struggles of great people against difficulties.

B．Her concern about giving up certain activities.

C．Her adapting to the situation with an illness.

D．The exciting traveling experience of others.

5. What conclusion can we draw from the passage?

A．Travel can enrich a person's life.

B．Reading is an activity that a patient enjoys most.

C．A positive attitude can improve a difficult situation.

D．A person's ability can be improved through reading.

【推荐2】At a certain time in our lives, we consider every place as the possible sites for a house. I have thus searched the country within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms, one after another, and I knew their prices.

The nearest thing that I came to actual ownership was when I bought the Hollowell place. But before the owner completed the sale with me, his wife changed her mind and wished to keep it, and he offered me additional dollars to return the farm to him. However, I let him keep the additional dollars and sold him the farm for just what I gave for it.

The real attraction of the Hollowell farm to me were its position, being about two miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, bounded on one side by the river, and separated from the highway by a wide field. The poor condition of the house and fences showed that it hadn’t been used for some time. I remembered from my earliest trip up the river that the house used to be hidden behind a forest area, and I was in a hurry to buy it before the owner finished getting out some rocks, cutting down the apples trees, and clearing away some young trees which had grown up in the fields. I wanted to buy it before he made any more of his improvements. But it turned out as I have said.

I was not really troubled by the loss. I had always had a garden, but I don’t think I was ready for a large farm. I believe that as long as possible it is better to live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference whether you own a farm or not.

1. What do we know about the author?

A．He wanted to buy the oldest farm near where he lived.

B．He made a study of many farms before buying.

C．He made money by buying and selling farms.

D．He had the money to buy the best farm in the country.

2. Why did the author decide to buy the Hollowell place?

A．It was of good market value.	B．It was next to the highway.
C．It was in a good position.	D．It was behind a nice garden.

3. Why did the author want to buy the farm in a hurry?

A．He was afraid the owner might change his mind.	B．He hoped to enlarge the forest on the farm.
C．He wanted to keep the farm as it was.	D．He was eager to become a farm owner.

4. The underlined words “the loss” in the last paragraph refer to ___.

A．the money the author lost in buying the farm	B．the sale of the garden in the Hollowell place
C．the removal of the trees around the house	D．the failure to possess the Hollowell place

5. What does the author believe as important in life?

A．To own a farm.	B．To satisfy his needs.
C．To be free from worries.	D．To live in the countryside.

【推荐3】A long time ago, there was an emperor who told his horseman that if he could ride on his horse and cover as much land area as he liked, then the emperor would give him the area of land he would have covered.

Sure enough, the horseman quickly jumped onto his horse and rode as fast as possible to cover as much land area as he could. He kept on riding and riding, whipping the horse to go as fast as possible. When he was hungry or tired, he did not stop because he wanted to cover as much as possible.

Finally, the horseman was exhausted and dying. He asked himself, “Why did I push myself so hard to cover so much land area? Now I am dying and I need only a very small area to bury myself.”

The story above is similar with the journey of our life. We push very hard everyday to make more money, to get power. We don’t pay attention to our health, time with our family and to appreciate the surrounding beauties and the hobbies we love. One day when we look back, we will realize that we don’t really need that much.

Life is not only about making money, getting power. Life is definitely not only about work! Work is only necessary to keep us living so as to enjoy the beauties and pleasures of life. Life is a balance of work and play. Happiness is also the meaning and the purpose of life.

So, take it easy! Do what you want to do and appreciate nature. Life is fragile and short.

1. What did the emperor promise to the horseman?

A．He could ride his horse.

B．He could get much land.

C．He could ride as fast as he wanted.

D．He could get as much land as he had covered on the horse.

2. What did the horseman get at the end of the story?

A．He got what he wanted.	B．He got a lot of land area.
C．He got nothing.	D．He got a very small area.

3. The passage showed that_______ .

A．We should enjoy life.

B．We only should pay attention to the work.

C．We should not only work hard but also enjoy the life.

D．We should work hard to make much money and get much power.

4. Why should we live a balanced lifestyle and enjoy life?

A．Because work is necessary.

B．Because life is fragile and short.

C．Because we couldn’t get enough power.

D．Because we couldn’t get enough money.