We had left the hut too late that morning. When we stepped outside, the sky beyond the mountains to our east was already livid with colour. ¹ It meant the day would be a hot one, and the warmth would loosen rocks that were gripped by ice.

    As soon as we stepped out on to the face, it became obvious this was going to be an awkward route. The main problem was talus, the debris that collects on mountainsides. Talus is despised by mountaineers for two reasons. First, because it can easily be pushed off on to you by people climbing above. And second, because it makes every step you take insecure.

    For about 30 minutes we moved steadily up the face. The rock was in poor condition, shattered horizontally and mazed with cracks. When I tried to haul myself up on a block of it, it would pull out towards me, like a drawer opening. My hands became progressively wetter and colder ². Then came a shout. "Cailloux! Cailloux!" I heard yelled from above, in a female voice. The words echoed down towards us. I looked up to see where they had come from.

    There were just two rocks at first, leaping and bounding down the face towards us, once cannoning off each other in mid-air. And then the air above suddenly seemed alive with falling rocks, humming through the air and filling it with noise. Crack, went each one as it leapt off the rock face, then hum-hum-hum as it moved through the air, then crack again. The pause between the cracks lengthened each time, as the rocks gained momentum and jumped further and further. I continued to gaze up at the rocks as they fell and skipped towards me. A boy who had been a few years above me at school had taught me never to look up during a rock fall. "Why? Because a rock in your face is far less pleasant than a rock on your helmet," he told us. "Face in, always face in."

    I heard Toby, my partner on the mountain that day, shouting at me. I looked across. He was safe beneath an overhanging canopy of rock. I could not understand him. Then I felt a thump, and was tugged backwards and round, as though somebody had clamped a heavy hand on my shoulder and turned me to face them. A rock had hit the lid of my rucksack. ³

    I looked up again. A rock was heading down straight towards me. Instinctively, I leant backwards and arched my back out from the rock to try to protect my chest. What about my fingers, though, I thought: they"ll be crushed flat if it hits them, and I"ll never get down. Then I heard a crack directly in front of me, and a tug at my trousers, and a yell from Toby."Are you all right? That went straight through you."The rock had pitched in front of me, and passed through the hoop of my body, between my legs, missing me but snatching at my clothing as it went.

    Toby and I had spent the evening talking through the events of the morning: what if the big final stone hadn"t leapt sideways, what if I"d been knocked off, would you have held me, would I have pulled you off? A more experienced mountaineer would probably have thought nothing of it. I knew I would not forget it. 

词汇：

livid [ˈlɪvɪd] adj. 铅色的;青灰色的;非常生气的

awkward [ˈɔ:kwəd] adj. 笨拙的;尴尬的;棘手的;

grip [ɡrɪp] n. 紧握;支配 vt. 紧握;夹紧

注释：

1. When we stepped outside., the sky beyond the mountains to our east was already livid withcolour.我们走到外面，东面笼罩在山上的天空是青灰色的。

2.  For about 30 minutes we moved steadily up the face. The rock was in poor condition. When I triedto haul myself up on a block of it,it would pull towards me,like a drawer opening. My handsbecame progressively wetter and colder.我们平稳前进了30分钟。岩石的状况很不好。当我们试图把自己拉上去，它就会滑向我们，像一个打开的抽屉。我的手逐渐出汗变得冰冷。

3. Then I felt a thump, and was tugged backwards and round, as though somebody had clamped aheavy hand on my shoulder and turned me to face them.A rock had hit the lid of my rucksack.

然后我感到了一阵重击，紧紧向后拉扯，像是有人使劲儿地用手夹住我的肩膀然后把我转向面对他的方向。一块石头砸在了我背包的盖子上。

In what sense was Toby "safe"?

A:The overhanging rock would protect him from falling rocks B:He felt a hand on his shoulder C:His rucksack was protected D:He had hidden under a canopy

A sustainable transportation system is one that is safe, capable and friendly to the environment. Sustainable transportation is about combining economic, social and environmental factors into decisions that affect transportation activity. In economic aspect, we need a transportation system that is efficient. In social aspect, our transportation system must be safe and easy to be reached. In addition, we need a transportation system that respects the natural environment. It is not always easy to balance these three factors but there are also win-win-win opportunities.
Sustainable transportation is important. Although transportation brings many economic and social benefits, the movement of people and goods can have important influences on the environment. These influences can in turn have social and economic consequences. Sustainable transportation calls for ensuring that the environment is considered along with economic and social considerations in transportation decision-making.
Environmental influences of transportation include air and water pollution, greenhouse effects, and the use of land and other natural resources. A range of transportation activities contribute to these pressures, including the construction of roads; the production, operation, and throwing away of vehicles; and the supply of energy and fuel.
A major challenge of sustainable transportation is to control or prevent air pollution and greenhouse effects.

A:It is safe. B:It is capable. C:It is friendly to the environment. D:All of the above are right.

A sustainable transportation system is one that is safe, capable and friendly to the environment. Sustainable transportation is about combining economic, social and environmental factors into decisions that affect transportation activity. In economic aspect, we need a transportation system that is efficient. In social aspect, our transportation system must be safe and easy to be reached. In addition, we need a transportation system that respects the natural environment. It is not always easy to balance these three factors but there are also win-win-win opportunities.
Sustainable transportation is important. Although transportation brings many economic and social benefits, the movement of people and goods can have important influences on the environment. These influences can in turn have social and economic consequences. Sustainable transportation calls for ensuring that the environment is considered along with economic and social considerations in transportation decision-making.
Environmental influences of transportation include air and water pollution, greenhouse effects, and the use of land and other natural resources. A range of transportation activities contribute to these pressures, including the construction of roads; the production, operation, and throwing away of vehicles; and the supply of energy and fuel.
A major challenge of sustainable transportation is to control or prevent air pollution and greenhouse effects.

A:It should be efficient. B:It should be safe. C:It should be friendly. D:It should be constructive.

Over a year ago, Jamel Balhi, a French young adventurer, made a promise in Paris to his Chinese friend from Shanghai he would (21) to meet him in China and have a cup of tea together. His Chinese friend never (23) that he really meant what he said. To his great (23) the 25-year-old Frenchman reached Shanghai in September (24) after a long journey.
(25) the young adventurer had covered about 15,000 kilometres of different climates, travelling (26) 15 countries. For him, it was a test of (27) and will:
Balhi started his journey on May 30 from Paris. The journey was to be a real test, (28) he had fully prepared.
(29) problem made it very hard for him to ask the way, and it always caused him troubles when he crossed (30) When he was venturing (冒险) (31) desert and the war zone between Iran and Iraq, he was (32) from hunger, coldness and war. At the same time, he had to stay alert (警惕) (33) and safeguard himself against the possible attacks by both animals and robbers.
"I’m lucky enough to arrive in Shanghai safe and (34) a cup of tea together with my Chinese friend (35) I promised last year." he said.

A:Direction B:Language C:Climate D:Safe

Passage Three
Ronald Musoke is a college student from Uganda. He attends the College of Marin in California. Recently he got very excited about things he found in wastebaskets. What did he find He found outdated textbooks that had been thrown away. Some of the books had sold new for one hundred dollars. The old textbooks had been either discontinued-or re- placed by newer editions.
Uganda is a very poor country in Africa. When Musoke went to school in Uganda, there were never enough books. Sometimes five books were shared with one hundred fifty students. Musoke lived through the Ugandan civil war and the loss of twelve family members from AIDS.
Why is Musoke excited about the discarded textbooks He wants to send them to Uganda so women have the chance to get an education. The books will be used to pay for the women’s education. Musoke’s hopes that education will help lower the number of deaths from AIDS. Also, the books will help lower illiteracy in Uganda.
Other students are helping Musoke gather textbooks. Students are giving him books and over four thousand books have been collected. A business sponsor is helping to pay the postage for the books. Musoke and his classmates sort and pack the books.
Ugandans will be educated with the help of donated books. The College of Marin students have become connected with an African nation far away. These classmates from a wealthy county, for example, Tanya Schwedler and her classmates, have gained greater understanding of people who struggle to live in a very poor country.

A:No safe level. B:6 %. C:It is safe. D:No one knows.

Over a year ago, Jamel Balhi, a French young adventurer, made a promise in Paris to his Chinese friend from Shanghai he would (21) to meet him in China and have a cup of tea together. His Chinese friend never (23) that he really meant what he said. To his great (23) the 25-year-old Frenchman reached Shanghai in September (24) after a long journey.
(25) the young adventurer had covered about 15,000 kilometres of different climates, travelling (26) 15 countries. For him, it was a test of (27) and will:
Balhi started his journey on May 30 from Paris. The journey was to be a real test, (28) he had fully prepared.
(29) problem made it very hard for him to ask the way, and it always caused him troubles when he crossed (30) When he was venturing (冒险) (31) desert and the war zone between Iran and Iraq, he was (32) from hunger, coldness and war. At the same time, he had to stay alert (警惕) (33) and safeguard himself against the possible attacks by both animals and robbers.
"I’m lucky enough to arrive in Shanghai safe and (34) a cup of tea together with my Chinese friend (35) I promised last year." he said.

A:Direction B:Language C:Climate D:Safe

Passage Four Dr. John Sterngold worked in the emergency room of a hospital in Willits, CA. The hospital was near a chrome-plating plant. The plant let off a dangerous gas called Chromium Ⅵ. Dr. Sterngold got very sick with asthma and had to quit working at the hospital. Many other citizens of Willits became ill with tumors, cancer, and asthma. Many scientists believe that the gases from the plant caused the illnesses, Thirty years ago Chromium Ⅵ was known to cause cancer. Twenty years ago scientists found there was no safe level of exposure to Chromium Ⅵ. But the company, Remco, was allowed to continue giving off the chemical until 1995. How could this happen Many chemicals are used in industry without knowing if they are dangerous. Sometimes, industry and business are more important than the health of the people.

A:No safe level. B:6 %. C:It is safe. D:No one knows.

______ , that step is not safe!

A:Look around B:Look up C:Look out D:Look down

All the children came through the cave {{U}}safe and sound. {{/U}}

A:safe and unharmed B:healthy C:frightened D:suffered