Are you a man or a mouse? When people ask this question they want to know whether you think you are a  36  person or a coward (懦夫). But you will never really know the answer to this question  37  you are tested in real life. Some people think they are brave, but when they come face to face with real  38 , they act like cowards. Others think of themselves as cowards, but when they meet danger, they act like heroes.

Lenny had always thought of himself as a  39  person. He got worried before examinations. He worried about his job and health. All he wanted in life was to be safe and healthy. Then on January 15th, 2002, a plane crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. Lenny happened to see a woman in the ice-cold water. He did not feel afraid. He  40  very calm and did a very dangerous thing. He jumped into the Potomac,  41  to the woman, and kept her head  42  the water. Seventy-eight people died that day. Thanks to Lenny, it was not  43  .

When you are in a very dangerous situation and feel afraid, the body automatically(自动地) produces a chemical called adrenalin in the blood. With adrenalin in the blood system, you actually feel stronger and stronger and are   44  to fight or run away. However, when you are terrified greatly, the body can produce too much adrenalin.   45   this happens, the muscles become very hard. You are then paralyzed (麻木) with fear. This is why when we are extremely frightened, we sometimes say we are “petrified”. This word   46   a Greek word “petros”, which means “stone”.  We are  47   frightened that we become stonelike.

A. brave                 B. real             C. hard                      D. certain

A. when                 B. until               C. after                      D. once

A. life                    B. question           C. mouse                    D. danger

A. useful                     B. brave             C. nervous                  D. terrible

A. had                   B. kept                C. let                      D. made

A. went                B. ran               C. spoke                     D. swam

A. in                      B. under             C. above                    D. from

A. an accident            B. a mistake                C. seventy-eight            D. seventy-nine

A. ready                 B. unable             C. afraid                          D. anxious

A. Before             B. When             C. Unless                   D. While

A. comes from           B. comes back    C. comes on               D. comes across

A. such                    B. very               C. so                         D. really

Empty Deserts

    In the 19^th century Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing the “Great American Desert in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.

The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and in TV.

    In Arizona, man made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.

    There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.

    In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130 degrees. There is less than two inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---- 925 meters below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.

    Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Small insects, snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live under ground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water.  When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant colors.

In the 19^th century, Americans moved from the east to the west because they ______.

A. enjoy the trip                    B. wanted to make their home there

C. wanted to find new grassland there   D. had no water to drink

From the passage, we can conclude that ______.

the western desert is a good place for people to live in

there is little water but there are many trees in the desert

the desert is dangerous but it is full of life

till now, people know little about the desert

If you want to find some old native American pictures painted on the rock you must go ______.

A. on foot    B. by boat    C. by car    D. by plane

In the 1800s many travelers died in Death Valley because of ______.

A. illness                         B. high temperature   

C. cold weather                   D. poisonous water

In the desert, animals will die ______.

A. if they move about      B. if they cannot make holes underground

C. if they come out at night  D. if they drink much water

Are you a man or a mouse? When people ask this question they want to know 31   you are a   32  person or a coward(懦夫). But you will never really know the answer to this question  33  you are tested in real life. Some people  34  they are brave but when they come face to face with real  35 , they act like cowards. Others think of themselves as cowards, but when they meet danger, they act like  36 .
Lenny had always thought of himself as a  37  person. He got worried before examinations. He worried about his job and health. All he wanted in life was to be safe and healthy.  38 , on January 15^th, 2002, a plane crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. Lenny went to the river to see what was happening. He saw a woman in the  39  water. Lenny did not feel afraid. He kept very  40  and did a very dangerous thing. He jumped into the Potomac, 41  to the woman, and kept her head  42  the water. Seventy-eight people died that day. Thank to Lenny, it was not  43 .
When you are in a very  44  situation and feel afraid, the body automatically produces a chemical in the blood. The chemical is called adrenalin(肾上腺素). 45 adrenalin in the blood system, you will feel stronger and stronger and are  46 to fight or run away. However, when you are absolutely terrified, the body can produce too much adrenalin. When this  47 , the muscles become very hard and you find you  48  move at all. You are then paralyzed(使瘫痪，使麻痹) with fear. This is  49  when we are very frightened, we sometimes say we’re “petrified”, which means “stone”. We are   very frightened 50  we become stonelike.

Are you a man or a mouse? When people ask this question they want to know whether you think you are a  36  person or a coward (懦夫). But you will never really know the answer to this question  37  you are tested in real life. Some people think they are brave, but when they come face to face with real  38 , they act like cowards. Others think of themselves as cowards, but when they meet danger, they act like heroes.
Lenny had always thought of himself as a  39  person. He got worried before examinations. He worried about his job and health. All he wanted in life was to be safe and healthy. Then on January 15th, 2002, a plane crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. Lenny happened to see a woman in the ice-cold water. He did not feel afraid. He 40  very calm and did a very dangerous thing. He jumped into the Potomac,  41  to the woman, and kept her head  42  the water. Seventy-eight people died that day. Thanks to Lenny, it was not  43  .
When you are in a very dangerous situation and feel afraid, the body automatically(自动地) produces a chemical called adrenalin in the blood. With adrenalin in the blood system, you actually feel stronger and stronger and are   44  to fight or run away. However, when you are terrified greatly, the body can produce too much adrenalin.   45  this happens, the muscles become very hard. You are then paralyzed (麻木) with fear. This is why when we are extremely frightened, we sometimes say we are “petrified”. This word   46  a Greek word “petros”, which means “stone”.  We are  47  frightened that we become stonelike.

Are you a man or a mouse? When people ask this question they want to know __36_  you think you are a  _37_  person or a coward(懦夫). But you will never really know the answer to this question __38__ you are tested in real life. Some people __39__ they are brave but when they come face to face with real __40_ , they act like cowards. Others think of themselves as cowards, but when they meet danger, they act like __41_.
Lenny had always thought of himself as a __42__ person. He got worried before examinations. He worried about his job and his health. All he wanted in life was to be safe and healthy. __43__ , on January 15^th, 2002, a plane crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. Lenny went to the river to see what was happening. He saw a woman in the __44__ water. Lenny did not feel afraid. He kept very __45__ and did a very courageous thing. He jumped into Potomac, __46__ to the woman, and kept her head __47__ the water. Seventy-eight people died that day. Thanks to Lenny, it was not __48__ .
When you are in a very __49__ situation and feel afraid, the body automatically（自动地）produces a chemical in the blood. This chemical is called adrenalin(肾上激素). __50__ adrenalin in the blood system, you actually feel stronger and stronger and are __51__ to fight or run away. However, when you are absolutely terrified, the body can produce too much adrenalin. When this __52__  , the muscles become very hard and you find you __53__ move at all. You are paralyzed(使无能为力) with fear. This is __54__  when we are very frightened, we sometimes say we are ‘petrified’, this word comes from a Greek word ‘petros’, which means ‘stone’. We are __55__ frightened that we become stonelike.