1 . The highlight of my journey was to be Paris, the city I'd always wanted to see. But now I was frightened to travel alone. I steeled myself and went anyway. I arrived at the train station in Paris panicked. Pulling my red suitcase behind me, I was pushed by sweaty travelers. On my first Metro ride, I gave a clumsy pickpocket a look, and he let go of my purse. At my stop, I carried my heavy suitcase up the steep stairs and froze in confusion. Somewhere in this confusing city my hotel was hidden, but suddenly I couldn't read my own directions. I stopped two people. Both had that Parisian face that said: "Yes, I speak English, but you'll have to struggle with your French if you want to talk to me."
When I finally found the hotel, my heart was pounding. Then I saw my room. I couldn't stay, could I? The wallpaper looked like it had been through a fire. The bathroom was down the hall, and the window looked out onto the brick wall of another building. Welcome to Paris. It was my third week away from home and my kids, and I had arrived in the most romantic city in the world alone. Alone, lonely, and very scared.
The most important thing I did in Paris happened at that moment. I knew that if I didn't go out, right then, and find a place to have dinner, I would hide in this place my entire time in Paris. So I went out. Evening in Paris was light and warm. I walked along a winding path, listening to birds sing and watching children float toy sailboats in a huge fountain. Paris was beautiful. And I was here alone but suddenly not lonely. Overcoming my fear made me feel free, not abandoned.
During my week's stay in Paris I did everything there was to do, and it was the greatest week of my European vacation. I returned home a believer in the healing power of solitary travel. Traveling alone makes up for its problems by building self-reliance and confidence. Certainly Paris became my metaphor for addressing life's challenges on my own. Now when I meet an obstacle I just say to myself: If I can go to Paris, I can go anywhere.
1. What happened to the author when she arrived in Paris?| A．Her purse was stolen on her first Metro ride. |
| B．Her suitcase fell down the steep stairs in the station. |
| C．She had great trouble finding the hotel she had booked. |
| D．The two Parisians she turned to refused to help her. |
| A．she was attracted by the unbelievable scenery |
| B．the disappointing scenery indoors increased her sense of loneliness |
| C．she started to miss her kids and called them up straight away |
| D．she felt frightened because of a terrible fire in the hotel |
| A．had a walk outside after having dinner at the hotel |
| B．didn't enjoy herself on her first night in Paris |
| C．dare not travel alone again after her visit to Paris |
| D．might have felt abandoned before she decided to explore alone |
| A．One can only rely on himself to build his own confidence. |
| B．Solitary travel teaches people how to solve problems on their own. |
| C．Traveling alone is full of obstacles and people should learn to live with them. |
| D．Paris is the most challenging place to visit alone. |
