题目内容
Living an Adventurous Life
Nearly ten years ago, I was told that I had a brain tumor （瘤）, 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 （多发性硬化症）, 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．
【小题1】Which of the following is TRUE about the author’s reaction after the illness?
| A．The author is drowned in anger and self-pity． |
| B．The author travels to places he/she has dreamed of． |
| C．The author can’t take care of himself/herself any longer． |
D．The a uthor adapts to the condition successfully． |
| A．Because they write popular novels． | B．Because they are great adventurers． |
| C．Because they are famous geographers． | D．Because they fight with hardship in life． |
| A．The author spends almost every day looking for adventures． |
| B．The author works hard to make more money for adventures． |
| C．The author imagines having adventures while reading． |
| D．The author expects to recover only to continue adventures． |
【小题1】D
【小题2】B
【小题3】C
解析
C
One Sunday, my family had gathered at my parents’ house to feast upon Mom’s wonderful cooking. During the normal dinner chatter (闲聊), I noticed that my father was slurring (说话含混) his words. No one mentioned this during dinner, but I felt compelled to discuss it with my mother afterward.
We decided that there was something seriously wrong and that Dad needed to see the doctor.
Mom phoned me two days later. “The doctor found a brain tumor (肿瘤). It’s too large at this point to operate. Maybe they can do something then, but the odds are long.”
Even with the treatment, my father’s condition worsened, and the doctor finally informed us that this condition was terminal (晚期的). During one of his stays in the hospital, we brought our baby daughter Chelsey with us when we visited him. By this time he had great difficulty speaking. I finally figured out that he wanted Chelsey to sit on his stomach so he could make faces at her.
Watching the two of them together, I realized I was living an experience that would stay with me forever. Though grateful for the times they could share, I couldn’t shake the feeling of a clock ticking in the background.?
On the visit to my parents’ home during what we all know was my father’s last days, my mother took Chelsey from my arms and announced, “Your father would like to see you alone for a minute.”
I entered the bedroom where my father lay on a rented hospital bed. He appeared even weaker than the day before.
“How are you feeling, Dad?” I asked. “Can I do anything for you?”
He tried to speak, but he couldn’t make out a word.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t understand you,” I said.
With great difficulty he said, “I love you.”
We don’t learn courage from heroes on the evening news. We learn true courage from watching ordinary people rise above hopeless situations. In many ways my father was a strict, uncommunicative man. He found it difficult to show emotion. The bravest thing I ever saw him do was overcome that barrier to open his heart to his son and family at the end of his life.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The writer accompanied his father to a medical examination. |
| B．The writer’s father got worse after the removal of the brain tumor. |
| C．The writer was quick to notice the strange condition of his father. |
| D．The writer’s father had known about his illness before the writer discovered it. |
| A．There’s little possibility for Father to recover. |
| B．It takes a long time for Father to recover. |
| C．Father needs love and care from his family. |
| D．They need a proper time to operate on Father. |
| A．he believed in strictness and punishment |
| B．he was not so attached to the writer |
| C．he thought there was no need to tell the writer |
| D．he was not used to openly showing his emotions |
| A．We don’t often value health until we lose it. |
| B．Don’t wait to see a doctor till it is too late. |
| C．Life is short, so live your life to the fullest. |
| D．Bravely express your love for your family. |