I came to India a year ago to find a village in which I could live and write but it was many months before I settled down happily in this Himalayan community.I wasted a lot of time looking for the “typical” village, yet no such thing exists. Conditions vary too widely.But the villages I stayed in had much in common—poverty, dirt, ignorance. Often the villagers themselves were puzzled, suspicious. Why had I come? I had put aside my work as a political journalist because my ideas had changed. I had come to believe that what was happening in the Third World was more important than anything else. But to understand how three quarters of the world’s people live, and how their future might affect ours, I felt that I first had to try and share their way of life.In the end I chose a mountain village because it was a little cooler than those in the plains. I took the bus from town along a bumpy road. Then came a rough walk down a steep path to the river. After this I began the climb into the Mils. Whenever I stopped to catch my breath, there was a magnificent view. After several hours’ walk the village came into view.
【小题1】After the writer had arrived in India,________.

A．he spent a year writing about the place he lived in

B．he spent quite some time looking for a suitable place to live in

C．he stayed in an Indian village working for the poor

D．he lived in a Himalayan community for many months.

【小题2】While looking for a typical village, the writer found__________.

A．he was searching for the impossible

B．all the villages were exactly the same

C．he was doing something enjoyable

D．the villagers were curious about him

【小题3】Before coming to India, the writer________.

A．had been a successful politician

B．had made a decision to work for India

C．had studied India culture for some months

D．had worked for newspapers and magazines

Are you nervous about climbing because you think it's too dangerous? Do you feel you're not fit enough to climb? Do you know how to start climbing?

Let's consider the idea that climbing is dangerous．Being afraid is natural, but if you use suitable ropes and other climbing equipments you will feel completely safe．Climbers are usually very careful because they know what they are doing is dangerous．Accidents happen, but when they do, they tend to attract a lot of publicity．As a result, people think there are many more accidents than there are in reality．

You cannot expect to start climbing straight away．Climbing is a challenge and challenges take time．It is necessary first of all that you achieve a good level of fitness．Begin as soon as you become interested in climbing? go to the gym, go swimming, take up jogging and continue to do so throughout your training period．

Discover as much as you can about climbing．Visit the library and find book, especially for beginners or buy climbing magazines and look for articles which describe your situation．Look up information on the Internet．Find out about equipment, methods and places to go．

Next, take a course on a climbing wall．There are plenty of climbing walls all over the country which have trained and qualified people as instructors．Call your local leisure centre to find out if there is one in your area. These training sessions are a quick way to get experience and you are likely to meet other beginners. After this, you can do an outside course of join a club where you can meet climbers of all abilities and eventually join in group-climbing events.

At first you may not understand the importance of a good training period, but after you have completed your first climb and you are standing safely at the top of a rock feeling thrilled, then you will know it was the right thing to do.

The article is written by            .

A．a doctor           B．an experienced climber

C．a beginner        D．a fitness instructor

The writer thinks a new climber should           .

A．begin by becoming fit

B．have the courage to meet the challenges

C．be aware of the causes of the accidents

D．do enough sports to get interested in climbing

By climbing walls you can         .

A．join a club you like

B．gain controlled experience

C．become qualified instructors

D．take part in group-climbing events

The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph probably means      .

A．the climb  B．the training      C．the equipment  D．the achievement

I came to India a year ago to find a village in which I could live and write but it was many months before I settled down happily in this Himalayan community.

    I wasted a lot of time looking for the “typical” village. Yet no such thing exists. Conditions are quite different from village to village. But the villages I stayed in had much in common---poor, dirty and backward. Often the villagers themselves were puzzled and doubtful. Why had I come? I had put aside my work as a political journalist because my ideas had changed. I had come to believe that what was happening in the Third World was more important than anything else. But to understand how three—quarters of the world population live, and what effect their future might have on ours, I felt that I first had to try and share their way of life.

   In the end I chose a mountain village because it was little cooler than those in the plains. I took the bus from town along a rocky road. Then came a rough walk down a steep path to the river. After this I began the climb into the hills. Whenever I stopped to catch my breath, there was a beautiful scene. After several hours’ walk the village came into sight.

1.After the writer had arrived in India,________.

A.he spent a year writing about the place he lived in

B.he spent quite some time looking for a suitable place to live in

C.he stayed in an Indian village working for the poor

D.he lived in a Himalayan community for many months.

2.While looking for a typical village, the writer found__________.

A.he was searching for the impossible

B.all the villages were exactly the same

C.he was doing something enjoyable

D.the villagers were curious about him

3.Before coming to India, the writer________.

A.had been a successful politician

B.had made a decision to work for India

C.had studied India culture for some months

D.had worked for newspapers and magazines

4.The write decided to change his way of life because__________.

A.he no longer found his work interesting

B.he hoped to live a peaceful life in the countryside

C.he wanted to find out more about the Third World

D.he wanted to try his luck in a foreign country

5.The village the writer finally chose to live in_________.

A.lay at the end of a rocky road

B.had a beautiful sight of the river

C.was a short walk from the river

D.had better weather than those in the plains.

 

Catherine Destivelle is a rock star. She loves rock, but she can’t sing or play the guitar! She is a rock climber and a big star in France and Italy. She is the most famous woman climber in the world because she often climbs without ropes. She climbs in many countries but most often in the French Alps near Chamonix, where she lives. She started climbing near her home in Paris when she was five. Then, at fourteen, she joined the French Alpine Club to learn more, but immediately she climbed better and more quickly than the older members of the club. She won her first competition in Italy in 1995.

Three years ago she found a new route up the Dru Mountain near Chamonix. The climb took eleven days and for four days the snow was so heavy that she could not move. Last year other climbers tried to follow the new Destivelle Route, but they failed. They are going to try again this year.

People always ask her about her climbing. She says, “I climb because I’m in love with mountains. I like touching the rock and reading the face of the rock. I like it a lot. I felt at home on the side of a mountain. I prepare well before I go, so I’m never worried.”

Catherine chooses new mountains from books—like buying from a shopping catalogue(目录)! “I see a nice mountain and I go to climb it!” Her next mountain is in Pakistan. She is going there next month. “It’s much bigger than the Dru, so it’s going to take longer to climb. An American climber, Jeff Lowe, is coming with me to help.”

1.Catherine Destivelle is called ‘a star’ because ________.

A. she won a competition in 1995        B. she loves rocks

C. she’s a famous woman climber         D. she found a new route up to the Dru Mountain

2.She had great trouble finding a new route up the Dru Mountain because _______.

A. she lost her way                             B. the climb took 11 days

C. she needed help from an American climber    D. there was heavy snow

3.On the side of a mountain she feels _______.

A. independent    B. easy and happy     C. energetic and challenged   D. nervous

4.We can infer from the passage people often ask her “________”.

A. Why do you like climbing?                 B. Are you in love with an American climber?

C. Do you enjoy reading books on mountains?    D. What do you do before you go climbing?

 

I came to India a year ago to find a village in which I could live and write but it was many months before I settled down happily in this Himalayan community.
I wasted a lot of time looking for the “typical” village. Yet no such thing exists. Conditions are quite different from village to village. But the villages I stayed in had much in common---poor, dirty and backward. Often the villagers themselves were puzzled and doubtful. Why had I come? I had put aside my work as a political journalist because my ideas had changed. I had come to believe that what was happening in the Third World was more important than anything else. But to understand how three—quarters of the world population live, and what effect their future might have on ours, I felt that I first had to try and share their way of life.
In the end I chose a mountain village because it was little cooler than those in the plains. I took the bus from town along a rocky road. Then came a rough walk down a steep path to the river. After this I began the climb into the hills. Whenever I stopped to catch my breath, there was a beautiful scene. After several hours’ walk the village came into sight.
【小题1】After the writer had arrived in India,________.

A．he spent a year writing about the place he lived in

B．he spent quite some time looking for a suitable place to live in

C．he stayed in an Indian village working for the poor

D．he lived in a Himalayan community for many months.

【小题2】While looking for a typical village, the writer found__________.

A．he was searching for the impossible

B．all the villages were exactly the same

C．he was doing something enjoyable

D．the villagers were curious about him

【小题3】Before coming to India, the writer________.

A．had been a successful politician

B．had made a decision to work for India

C．had studied India culture for some months

D．had worked for newspapers and magazines

【小题4】The write decided to change his way of life because__________.

A．he no longer found his work interesting

B．he hoped to live a peaceful life in the countryside

C．he wanted to find out more about the Third World

D．he wanted to try his luck in a foreign country

【小题5】The village the writer finally chose to live in_________.

A．lay at the end of a rocky road

B．had a beautiful sight of the river

C．was a short walk from the river

D．had better weather than those in the plains.