A
When I was a boy we used to live across the road from a big hill with huge oak trees growing out of it.When winter arrived, thick and heavy snow would fall, and my two brothers would grab their sleds heading over to the hill for a day of fun.I remember watching them with envy because I was still too small to go sledding.Finally, one winter I was considered big enough and joined my brothers as they carried their sleds up the long hill and prepared to ride down it.
The first few trips I rode with one of my brothers had the time of my life.It was so exhilarating when the wind whipped across my face as I flew down the hillside on the wooden sled.Near the end of the day I was too overjoyed when my oldest brother decided to let me try riding the sled all by myself.I climbed on it full of excitement and lay on my stomach.Then with one big push my brother sent me down the snowy hillside.I was doing pretty well too until I hit an old stump hidden by the snow and went off course, straight towards one of those big oak trees.My heart pounded in my chest and I could hear myself screaming.At the last possible second I rolled off and the sled crashed into the tree.I could hear my brothers running down the hill yelling, “You have to steer (操控)! You have to steer！”
Sadly, that wasn't the last time I failed to steer when some obstacle knocked me off course in my life.Many times problems, troubles, and my own failures have sent me crashing into the trees of anger, frustration, and despair.I am still learning that life isn't always safe sledding.I am still learning that it is up to me to steer myself back to love, back to kindness, back to goodness, and back to God.
Life is a trip, but no one ever said it was a smooth ride.Steer well then.Steer straight.Steer your soul towards the light and the love that are all meant for us.
语篇解读：作者小时候有一次滑雪时差点撞到橡树上，但在最后一刻，作者翻滚到雪地里才得以化险为夷，同时他学到了一个人生道理：学会自我掌控。
1．What do we know about the author when he was very young?
A．He lived on a big hill with huge oak trees on it.
B．He was frightened to go sledding with his brothers.
C．He longed to go sledding with his brothers.
D．He carried his brothers' sleds as they went sledding.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第一段第三句“I remember watching them with envy because I was still too small to go sledding.”可知，作者因为年龄太小不能去滑雪，只能嫉妒地看着哥哥们玩。据此可知，作者小时候很渴望和哥哥们一起滑雪，故C项正确。
2．Which of the following can replace the underlined word “exhilarating” in Paragraph 2?
A．Delightful. B．Terrifying.
C．Ordinary. D．Violent.
解析：选A 词义猜测题。根据画线词所在句可知，这句话描述的是作者第一次滑雪时在木雪橇上从山上冲下去，风从脸上刮过时的快感。根据第一段作者渴望滑雪的描述再结合下文中的“overjoyed”可知，作者玩得很开心，据此可以判断，画线词意为“令人愉快的”，故A项正确。
3．Why did the author fall off his sled?
A．Because his sled crashed into an oak tree.
B．Because he lost control of his sled.
C．Because his brother pushed it so hard.
D．Because the hillside was snowy.
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据第二段中的“I was doing pretty well ...one of those big oak trees.”可知，作者撞到了雪地里的一个树桩，然后径直撞向一棵大橡树，再结合该段中的“At the last possible second ...the tree.”可知，作者在快要撞到橡树的那一刻从雪橇上翻滚下来，从而避开了危险。据此可以判断，作者从雪橇上掉下来是因为他失去了对雪橇的控制。故B项正确。
4．What does the author mean to tell us?
A．Losing control of a sled can be dangerous.
B．Courage and determination can change one's life.
C．Life can be controlled by oneself.
D．Life is a mystery full of coincidences.
解析：选C 推理判断题。通读全文再结合文章最后一段的前两句“Life is a trip, but no one ever said it was a smooth ride.Steer well then.”可知，作者认为人生的旅程不是一帆风顺的，应该学会掌控生活。据此可以判断，本文旨在告诉读者，人生是可以由自己掌控的，故C项正确。
