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.
| 小题1: | | A．brave | B．real | C．hard | D．certain |
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| 小题2: | | A．when | B．until | C．after | D．once |
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| 小题3: | | A．life | B．question | C．mouse | D．danger |
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| 小题4: | | A．useful | B．brave | C．nervous | D．terrible |
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| 小题8: | | A．an accident | B．a mistake | C．seventy-eight | D．seventy-nine |
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| 小题9: | | A．ready | B．unable | C．afraid | D．anxious |
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| 小题10: | | A．Before | B．When | C．Unless | D．While |
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| 小题11: | | A．comes from | B．comes back | C．comes on | D．comes across |
|