After my brother died in an accident, my mother was very sad. I was only 4 years old at the time, but I still understood the 21 in my mom’s attitude toward safety. 22 , everything around us was potentially 23 .
I grew up with a lot of 24 and rules that were meant to 25 me. For example, I was not 26 to walk home from school by myself, even though everyone I knew already did. I couldn’t 27 evening parties or go to summer camp, 28 what if something happened to me?
As I got older, the list of things to 29 got longer. I became a natural 30 . I was concerned about things like getting cancer, losing my wallet, being caught in car accidents and earthquakes — 31 big and small, real and 32 .The funny part is that you’d never know it by looking at my life, because I’m constantly 33 myself to do the things that frighten or worry me. In fact, I’ve developed a 34 for myself: If it scares me, then I have to do it 35 once. I’ve done lots of things that would have 36 my mom: I’ve ridden a motorcycle, I’ve traveled alone, and I’ve performed stand-up comedy.
Courage isn’t a natural attribute (品质) of human beings. I believe that we have to practice being courageous. The more 37 I do things that scare me or that make me 38 , the more I realize that I can do a lot more than I originally thought I could do.
Even though I inherited (经遗传获得) my mother’s cautious 39 , I’ve also come to believe that fear can be a good thing, if we 40 it. Believing that has made my world a less scary place.
21. A. hint B. change C. scene D. lesson
22. A. Slowly B. Logically C. Fortunately D. Suddenly
23. A. important B. inspiring C. convenient D. dangerous
24. A. restrictions B. considerations C. judgments D. comparisons
25. A. limit B. help C. protect D. train
26. A. allowed B. encouraged C. reminded D. advised
27. A. arrange B. attend C. decorate D. support
28. A. but B. though C. or D. because
29. A. hope B. fear C. count D. bear
30. A. worrier B. dreamer C. adult D. thinker
31. A. ideas B. affairs C. actions D. disasters
32. A. special B. common C. imaginary D. practical
33. A. expecting B. warning C. forcing D. promising
34. A. rule B. form C. case D. hobby
35. A. in all B. at most C. after all D. at least
36. A. threatened B. shocked C. confused D. entertained
37. A. rarely B. quickly C. often D. fairly
38. A. confident B. uncomfortable C. happy D. generous
39. A. nature B. duly C. work D. task
40. A. know B. get C. avoid D. face
21-25 BDDAC 26-30 ABDBA 31-35 DCCAD 36-40 BCBAD