阅读理解

　　Every year more people recognize that it is wrong to kill wildlife for “sport”. Progress in this direction is slow because shooting is not a sport for watching, and only those few who take part realize the cruelty and destruction.

　　The number of gunners, however, grows rapidly. Children too young to develop proper judgments through independent thought are led a long way away by their gunning parents. They are subjected to advertisements of gun producers who describe shooting as good for their health and gun carrying as a way of putting redder blood in the veins(血管). They are persuaded by gunner magazines with stories honoring the chase and the kill. In school they view motion pictures which are supposedly meant to teach them how to deal with arms safely but which are actually designed to stimulate(刺激) a desire to own a gun.

　　Wildlife is disappearing because of shooting and because of the loss of wildland habitat(栖息地). Habitat loss will continue with our increasing population, but can we slow the loss of wildlife caused by shooting? There doesn't seem to be any chance if the serious condition of our birds is not improved.

　　Wildlife belongs to everyone and not to the gunners alone. Although most people do not shoot, they seem to forgive shooting for sport because they know little or nothing about it. The only answer, then, is to bring the truth about sport shooting to the great majority of people.

　　Now, it is time to realize that animals have the same right to life as we do and that there is nothing fair or right about a person with a gun shooting the harmless and beautiful creatures. The gunners like to describe what they do as character－building, but we know that to wound an animal and watch it go through the agony of dying can make nobody happy. If, as they would have you believe, gun－carrying and killing improve human character, then perhaps we should encourage war.

1．According to the text, most people do not seem to be against hunting because

[　　]

A．they have little knowledge of it

B．it helps to build human character

C．it is too costly to stop killing wildlife

D．they want to keep wildlife under control

2．The underlined word “agony” in the last paragraph probably means ________.

[　　]

3．According to the text, the films children watch at school actually ________.

[　　]

A．teach them how to deal with guns safely

B．praise hunting as character－building

C．describe hunting as an exercise

D．encourage them to have guns of their own

4．It can be inferred from the text that the author seems to ________.

[　　]

A．blame the majority of people

B．worry about the existence of wildlife

C．be in favour of war

D．be in support of character－building

Recently, I have begun to do rides with a group of guys who ride professionally (老练地). The first day, I finished the ride with great   36 , though I tried hard to keep up with one guy for most the ways. To my   37 , I did a little better the second time.

I decided to work harder to   38 . Yesterday, I   39  so much on my ride that I missed the short route (路线) I usually take;   40 , I stayed on the long route. I had never used this route, so I wasn’t really sure about which   41  I should take. Thankfully, a group of four riders   42 , and I just followed them.

A few minutes later, one of the guys got a flat tire (爆了的轮胎), and, with the help of the others, he had it   43  in about a minute. We all waited there   44  he changed his tire. After we started riding again, I noticed something   45 . The guy at the front would ride   46  for a couple of minutes, then he would move over to the side,   47  his way to the end of the line, and the guy behind him would move into the lead position. The process (过程) would   48  every few minutes. This was a lot easier than riding alone, trying to   49  the first rider. This time I had a great time – and I think it is the   50  I’ve ever gone.

This made me realize how important teamwork is, and the   51  of having a great team. The point is that you don’t have to be at your best   52 . You give it your all for a while, and then you let the guy   53  you do the same. The entire team improves because you don’t have to be the   54  all the time. You get your time to shine, and so does everyone else. You cannot get anywhere – or even make any worthwhile improvement – without a   55 . Who else will stop and help you to change your flat tire?

Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list anything in our past that we felt   16  of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.

This seemed like a very   17  process, but there's always some brave soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then   18  that we find ways to   19  people, or take some action to right any wrongdoings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever   20  my communication.

Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my   21 , I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff none of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies(老兄) and I decided to play a   22  on him.”

“After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a FOX. The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious   23 . Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one   24  found out.”

"Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name   25  on my list. I didn't even know if he was still   26 . Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Roger Brown still listed.  I tried his number. After a few   27  , I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” Paused “Yes”. “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”

“And I want you to know that I did it.” Paused. “I knew it!” he yelled back. We had a good laugh and a   28  discussion. His closing words were: “Jimmy, I always felt bad for you because your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it around all these years. I want to thank you for calling me … for your sake.”

Jimmy inspired me to   29   all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It's never too late to   30  the past wrongdoings.

1.                A．ashamed        B．afraid          C．sure D．proud

2.                A．private         B．secret          C．interesting D．funny

3.                A．expected       B．suggested       C．ordered  D．demanded

4.                A．connect with     B．depend on      C．make an apology to  D．get along with

5.                A．improve        B．continue        C．realize   D．keep

6.                A．notes          B．list             C．plan D．stories

7.                A．part           B．game           C．trick D．record

8.                A．view           B．sign            C．attention  D．remark

9.                A．also           B．even           C．still  D．ever

10.               A．appears        B．considers       C．presents   D．remembers

11.               A．angry          B．happy          C．doubtful   D．alive

12.               A．words          B．calls           C．repeats   D．rings

13.               A．lively          B．plain           C．nervous   D．cold

14.               A．build up        B．make up        C．clear up   D．give up

15.               A．regret         B．forgive         C．right  D．punish

Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list__36__ in our past that we felt __37__ of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.

This seemed like a very __38__ process, but there’s always some __39__soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then __40__ that we find ways to __41__ people, or take some action to right any wrong doings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever __42__ my communication.

Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my__43__, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff __44__ of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies（同伴） and I decided to play a __45__ on him.

After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a s.o.b. (畜生). The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious __46__. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one __47__ found out.”

“Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name __48__ on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still __49__. Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Roger Brown still listed. I tried his number. After a few __50__, I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” Paused. “Yes.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”

“And I want you to know that I did it.” Paused. “I knew it!” he yelled back. We had a good laugh and a __51__ discussion. His closing words were: “Jimmy, I always felt bad for you __52__ your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it __53__ all these years. I want to thank you for calling me...for your sake.”

Jimmy inspired me to __54__all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It’s never too late to __55__the past wrongdoings.