阅读理解

　　A baby camel asked his mother, “Why do we have such large hooves(蹄)on our feet?” She turned him and began her explanation．

　　“The big hooves are to keep us from sinking into the sand．”

　　“Oh! So why do we have long eyelashes(睫毛)?”

　　“It’s to protect our eyes from the sand．”

　　“Why the big humps(驼峰)?”

　　“That is to store fat and have enough energy to go long distances in the hot desert！”

　　“I see!” The baby camel stretched his neck and looked up at his mother, “Then what are we doing in this cage in the middle of a zoo?”

　　Like the baby camel, I had asked the same kind of questions．When my blindness set in, I at first locked myself in a cage of self-pity and bitterness．I was tired to waling out of that dark cage．

　　Heavens! What was I thinking? Those bars were self-imposed(自我强加的)．Finally, eagerness to leave it inspired me to open my ears to hear a reassuring whisper－I was created for much more．

　　I broke down those bars and stepped out into the desert of life．I walking difficultly through the heat with determination．And the hooves of confidence kept me from sinking into the sand of danger．

　　Each time I reached another point in my journey, my eyes saw a whole new world with opportunities to make a difference．Best of all, I was pleased the I was indeed created for much more! Bars come in all sizes and shapes．But none can hold up the force of determination that breaks them down．

　　Step back and peek at what bars limit you．Take a deep breath, break them down, and come out into the freshness of a new life!

阅读理解

　　It’s 5∶00 in the morning when the alarm(闹钟)rings in my ears．I roll out of bed and walk blindly through the dark into the bathroom．I turn on the light and put on my glasses．The house is still as I walk downstairs while my husband and three kids sleep peacefully．Usually I go for a long run, but today I choose my favorite exercise DVD insanity．Sweat pours down my face and into my eyes．My heart races as I face my body to finish each movement．As I near the end of the exercise, I feel extremely tired, but a smile is of my face．41It's a smile because the DVD is over, but a smile of success from pushing my body to its extreme limit．

　　Some people enjoy shopping, smoking, food, work, or even chocolate．But I need exercise to get through each day．42Some shake heads when they see me run through the town，Others get hurt when I refuse to try just one bite of their grandmother’s chocolate cake．42They raise their eyebrows, surprised by my “no thank you,” or by my choice to have a salad．Over the years, I have learned it’s okay to just say “no．” I shouldn’t feel sorry for refusing food that I don’t want to eat．

　　43So what drives me to roll out of bed at 5∶00 a. m.? What give me the reason to just say to just say to ice cream? Commitment．A commitment to change my life with a way that reduces daily anxiety, increases self–confidence and energy, extends life and 44above all improve my body shape．This is the point where a smile appears on my face as I look at myself in the mirror or try on my favorite pair of jeans that now fit just right．It’s through commitment and sweat that I can make a difference within myself inside and out．