Question

The cowboy has become the hero of many movies. He is, even today, believed to have courage and adventure(冒险). But what was the life of a cowboy really like?

The cowboy’s job is clear from the word “cowboy”. A cowboy, according to dictionary explanation, is a man who rides a horse and whose job is to care for cattle(牛). The cattle were in the West and in Texas. People in the cities of the East wanted beef(牛肉) from these cattle. Trains could take the cattle east. But first the cattle had to get to the trains. Part of the cowboy’s job was to take the cattle hundreds of miles to the railroad towns.

These trips were called cattle drives. A cattle drive usually took several months. Cowboys rode for sixteen hours a day. Because they rode so much, each cowboy brought along about eight horses. A cowboy changed horses several times each day.

The cowboys had to make sure that the cattle arrived safely. Before starting on a drive, the cowboys branded(给---烙上印) the cattle. They burned a mark on the cattle to show who they belonged to. But these marks didn’t stop rustlers(盗窃牲口的人), or cattle thieves. Cowboys had to protect the cattle from rustlers. Rustlers made the already dangerous trip even more dangerous.

Even though their work was very difficult and dangerous, cowboys did not earn much money. They were paid badly. But cowboys liked their way of life. They lived in a wild and open country. They lived a life of adventure and freedom.

68. A cowboy’s job is ______.

A. to send beef to the city people        B. to be a hero in movies

C. to take care of cattle                D. to brand the cattle

69. During a cattle drive, cowboys took the cattle ______.

A. to the East from the West            B. onto the trains

C. to the people in the cities            D. to towns by the railroad

70. Cowboys enjoyed themselves because ______.

A. they could live a free life full of excitement    B. they made a lot of money

C. they had a very difficult job                 D. they were heroes in movies

Answer 1

CDA