四、阅读理解
I don't really remember my father. He was away a lot, climbing mountains. He named me after the mountain that he dreamed of climbing—Everest. However, ironically (讽刺地), it was the mountain that killed him. High-altitude (海拔) mountain climbing is one of the most dangerous sports. But for me, it was a belief (信念). I dreamed of being a mountain climber, like my father. But my mother didn't allow me to climb.
I came home one day to find a dusty box on the table. I had hidden my climbing equipment (装备) in it.
My mother came in, “I was cleaning out your room today.”
“Oh,” I was standing there looking at it. What excuse could I give?
She looked at me seriously. “How long have you been doing this?”
“Uh, well. I was free-climbing (徒手攀岩) up small mountains when I was eight or so.”
“Eight? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is?” She shook her head. “Everest, when I was just a little older than you, I saw a mountaineer killed by a rockfall. I thought I could stop it from happening to me until it happened to your father.”
“I know what can happen.” “You don’t know!” she cried.
I had to go away from her. I opened the screen door and pushed my way outside.
“Everest,” she said behind me, from the other side of the screen door, gently but firmly. She was trying to be nice to me. But inside me was the unstoppable
for quiet and high mountains.
I turned back to her. “You think you can stop me? You can’t stop me,” I said.
Her voice rose. “You’re not invincible (无敌的), Everest!”
“I know I’m not,” I said. “Look, I can’t promise I’ll never get hurt. But how can anyone live without getting hurt?”
We stood there looking at each other through the screen door. Then she gave a laugh that broke in the middle. “This is what I get for having a son named after the highest mountain in the world.”
I knew she could never tell me to go ahead and do what she didn’t want me to do. But she would let me climb because she knew something in me would get small if she didn’t.
I reached out then and opened the door between us.
(
D
) 1. Which of the following words can be filled in the “
” in paragraph 10?
A. Shame. B. Pain. C. Fear. D. Wish.
(
B
) 2. How did Everest’s mother feel when she gave a laugh?
A. She was happy because her son listened to her.
B. She was worried but chose to understand her son.
C. She was angry but felt sorry for arguing with her son.
D. She was nervous but wanted to make her son relaxed.
(
D
) 3. What might the writer say after opening the door in the end?
A. I miss my dad so much. B. I will never go climbing again.
C. You never understand and support me. D. Thank you for giving me the chance to achieve my dream.
