1 . Courage involves the balance between fear and bravery. Without fear, we’ll do foolish things. And without courage, we’ll never step into the _________ . The balance of the two is where the _________ lies, and it’s a balance we all deal with every day.

It was frightening news when I was first diagnosed because I had no _________ with chronic (慢性的) illness or disabilities. And I had no idea how the disease might _________ . But I continued to _________ my dream of working all over the world. And then my work brought me to the United States. And even as the disease progressed significantly and I needed leg braces (支架) and a walker to_________, I still longed for adventure. And this time, I started dreaming of a grand outdoor adventure.

Sitting eight feet above the ground, riding a horse, I got the impression of the Grand Canyon—one of shock and terror. But there was no _________. In the first hour, disaster struck. Going down an oversized step, I was_________ forward and hit my face on the back of the horse’s head. There was panic. My head hurt fiercely, but the path was too narrow for me to_________ the horse.

Now that the trip is over, I know that I would never do horseback-riding again. The__________ , all that planning and the trip itself showed me a level of fear I had never experienced before. But more importantly, it showed me how boldly __________ I can be.

In facing my fears and finding the courage to __________ them, I swear my life has been__________. So live big and try to let your courage __________ your fear. You never know where it might __________you.

2 . In December 2013, photojournalist Wood set out to become the first person to walk the length of the Nile River.

Wood’s journey began in Rwanda, took nine months and ______ 3,750 miles. It was necessary to make the trip on foot, he says, because “______ is the only way you can really get under the skin of a country.”

Wood acknowledges that his ______ was often dependent on the hospitality (好客) of local villagers. The people of the Sudan, he says, were probably the most ______ of all. Even sharing water, he says, ______ an incredible act of kindness.

“The biggest challenge was the sun ______ down. Most of the day I had to be ______ to the sun,” he recalls, “My guide had a catapult (弹弓). He would shoot pigeons. Other times we’d eat with villagers. The local ______ could vary, from grasshoppers to rats.”

The journey wasn’t without danger. Civil War in South Sudan ______ shortly after his arrival. He made it halfway through the country, to Bor—the front line of the war. It was there that he was arrested and ______ before an army commander, who told him he was not ______, and threatened to kill him if he crossed the border. He was evacuated to the capital, and flew to North Sudan.

“I ______ out 400 miles of the journey,” he regretted.

Had he made the trip ______, he would ______ have achieved a Guinness World Record. But he says it doesn’t matter.

“It was never about breaking records, it was about taking the biggest ______ in my life, and it was certainly that.”

3 . As a child I once read an article about the Pacific Crest Trail (太平洋屋脊步道) in National Geographic. It was a _________ of two men who walked 2, 650 miles from Mexico to Canada with huge packs. It caught my eye, as I, too, _________ adventures in the wilderness. I’ve always remembered that story, but never believed I would actually _________ it. It was too far out of my comfort zone.

But then, at the age of 42, I hiked the 88 Temples Trail through Japan. There, I experienced how _________ it could be to hike alone. What _________ me most were the fantastic mountains, grand temples and generous local people. And to my _________, I managed to complete the trail in six weeks without any severe injuries. For the first time, I _________ that I could achieve my dream of travelling around America one day.

When I shared my plan with friends and colleagues, the news was welcomed with _________ reactions. From some I got enthusiastic _________. But from others there were frowns and question marks. Half a year away from my family was a __________ for me. Yet it wouldn’t defeat me. After all, six months is __________ a short period in a lifetime. After having worked hard for 20 years in shiny office buildings, I felt the need for more __________ in my life. I hoped to __________ and look within, as well as explore the unfamiliar things. I understood that I needed them both. __________ John Muir once put it, “Keep close to __________... and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”

4 . Adventure is in my blood. And I had been considering how I was going to celebrate my high school graduation. I didn’t just want a small_________in the backyard. I started thinking about doing a solo_________somewhere out of the ordinary. I took out the map and drew a 1,500-mile_________along which I would be_________from the northernmost point in Norway to the southernmost section of Sweden. When I_________ my plan with my dad, he_________as I thought he would. Because I get my adventurous_________from him, he was all for it.

I had only been away from my home for three days, but there was an inner_________going on. Part of me was homesick and doubting whether I really could_________ it. The other part of me was ready to__________to myself and my family that I could do it by myself.

On the road, I met another bicyclist who was quite a bit older than I was. He started his journey alone by bike at the southern part of Norway and last finished. I could tell he had a great sense of__________. It encouraged me not to__________.

As I listened to my favourite artists on my MP4 player, I pedaled with my feet. There was nobody around me for miles.____________, that wasn’t entirely true. There were mosquitoes, millions of them. My arms were so dotted with__________ that they looked like a topographical (地形的) map. But however__________it would be, nothing could stop my advance on the destination. As you know, adventure is in my blood.

6 . Four girls. Two tents. No cellphones. A thunderstorm. One hundred and thirty hours of nonstop togetherness. This was what Julia Ruelle just________.

“It was really ________,” said Julia Ruelle of her recent weeklong adventure to the Boundary WatersCanoe Area Wilderness with three childhood friends.

Earlier this year, Julia, having completed a ________for a brain tumor(肿瘤) in April, won a writing contest and was________ a free five-day camping adventure with up to three friends. Its aim is to get kids away from technology. She struggled to________ the final three — Anna Wander, Madeline Wilson and Julianna Torelli. No________were allowed, so getting their agreement was a bit ________. Having a satellite phone and promising to check in twice during the week finally won their agreement.

The four girls arrived in Ely on June 10 for training. They ________ the next day at 7 :00 a. m. , and quickly fit many things into their ________— getting up early every morning, going boating ________, then having lunch at the campsites, followed by swinging, reading, talking, and napping.

“I love how you are separated from everything in your life, especially ________,”Anna said. Without her phone, she said, “I’m less ________ about things.” “We got along pretty well,” said Madeline. “We were always talking before bed, about specific things and thoughts.” “But we might sometimes have had ________,” Julianna added. No one was even hungry or homesick, but they were ________ nervous one night as they waited out a thunderstorm.

After the adventure, Julia will continue to take physical examination every three months to make sure the tumor is gone. “Mental health can be ________ so much in the Boundary Waters. It really helps to reconnect with yourself,” said Julia.