It was the middle of July when we drove way up into the mountains and backpacked up a stream. The banks were lined with old trees. We waded (涉水) through the cold water, our backpacks balanced on our heads.

We set up camp on a sandy flat beside a pool. What a swimming hole! My brother and I swam, diving and playing in the clear water. We-hiked upstream, against little rapids. Suddenly we heard a roaring sound, and as we came around a bend, we saw what was causing it.

A huge waterfall! It rose high above us. “Wow!” I said. “Let’s climb it!” “No way,” said Dad. “End of the road.” We turned back but I couldn’t stop thinking about the waterfall and how much I’d like to climb it. Later, lying in my bag, I thought of the waterfall, wondering what was on the top... then finally I fell asleep.

The sun was hot as a bonfire. We cut leaves as wide as elephants’ ears, and tied them on our heads to keep us cool. Then we waded against the little rapids deep into the stream. I was the first one to the waterfall. “Let’s go up. I think there must be something unique out there,” I said. My brother smiled. “If you go, I will,” he said.

I found a way alongside the falls, and then we climbed like mountain goats. Mom shouted, “Be careful!” And we inched our way up and up—the tips of our toes gripping thin ledges (岩石突出部分), our fingers finding cracks. Sometimes rocks were unstable, but we clung (粘住) like glue. We had to.

The waterfall roared by our ears. “I’m scared,” said my brother. I said, “Just don’t look down.” Near the top, a tree grew out of the rock. It was just what we needed. When we stood at the top, we clapped our hands and shouted down, “Hey Mom, Dad! It’s like a whole other world up here! Come on up! You can do it!” And I did a little dance.

Mom looked at Dad and Dad looked at Mom.

“We did it!” Mom shouted, breathing hard.

5 . 语法填空

My mother insisted     1    everyone in her life treat her with respect.     2    she wasn’t wealthy     3     well educated, my mother not only understood and appreciated her value,     4     believed in it strongly.     5     she learned my father was cheating on her, she insisted that he move out of our home. Not the next day or the next week... To me, as a child,     6     she refused to take my father back seemed harsh, even cruel. As a woman, .    7    , I have come to understand it.   For my mother, putting Daddy out of the house     8     her life wasn’t about pride; it was about principle. The one had always lived by. The one     9     she believed in with all her heart: No one was going to love and respect you     10     you loved and respected yourself.

7 . 语法填空

It was barely ten o’clock at night. A policeman walked along the street as he always did. When he arrived at a store     1     “Big Joe’ Brady’s restaurant” used to stand, he saw a man standing in the doorway, who told him he was waiting for his friend because of an appointment     2     (make) two decades ago. After striking a match to light his cigar, the man moved     3     and said he believed his friend Jimmy would turn up, for Jimmy always was the truest and     4    (rely) fellow. Having heard this, the policeman sent his best wishes for     5     meeting and went away. About twenty minutes later, a tall man appeared, who called the man Bob and approached him.     6     (think) that he was his best friend, the man suspected nothing. But before he knew what happened, he     7     (arrest) by the tall man, who then handed him a note, which     8     (read) “Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you lit your cigar, I recognized you, but I also realized you were the     9     (crime) wanted in Chicago. I couldn’t arrest you     10     (I), so I got a plain­clothes man to do the job. JIMMY.”

It was barely ten o’clock at night. The policeman on the beat saw a man standing in the doorway of a store. The man, with a cigar in his mouth,    1     (wait) for his best friend Jimmy Wells because they made     2     appointment that they would meet here again     3     (exact) twenty years later in any case. They lost contact but he believed Jimmy always was     4      (rely). “Hope your friend turns up,” the policeman said and left.

About twenty minutes later, a tall man hurried towards the waiting man. They greeted each other and walked up the street. The man wanted     5     (outline) the history of his career. At a corner, with electric     6     (light), they turned to examine each other’s faces. “    7     I suspected, you’re not Jimmy Wells,” the man said, impatiently with anger. “You’ve been     8     arrest for ten minutes, ‘Silky’ Bob,” said the tall man,     9     (take) charge of the situation. Then the man was given a note from Patrolman Wells and     10     (unfold) the paper.

“Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the criminal wanted in Chicago. Anyhow I couldn’t arrest you myself, so I got a plain-clothes man to do the job. JIMMY.”

10 . It was July 2019 and Mum had taken me on a 120-km mother-and-son walking holiday as a treat for my birthday. Although I was still on my first special ________, I’d love to see some ancient civilisation.

“Why don’t we go to Egypt?” I said. “It sounds ________, but I’m not paying for it,” Mum smiled and replied.

“I’ll save up my pocket money, and get a ________,” I said. I started saving my $10-a-week pocket money and washed my parents’ car for ________ cash.

In 2020, we moved to Perth. One day, I ________ a brochure in the letter box which was advertising a job delivering catalogues (目录). I applied for the job, and ________ I got it a week later.

On a Monday, a mountain of catalogues were ________ at our house. It took me nine hours to sort through them, and then I ________ them to 430 houses. At first, I used my bike and ________ the catalogues in my backpack, but this wasn’t very ________ so I bought a trolley (手推车) which improved my speed. As time went by, people started ________ me and saying hello on my rounds.

After three and half years, I’d ________ a massive $6,500, and in January this year I flew to Egypt. I had a good time visiting the powerful pyramids at Giza, ________ local food and sailing down a river. I fully ________ that nothing can stop a person from following his ________.