18.After my brother died in an accident,my mom's attitude toward safety greatly changed.Suddenly,everything around us was potentially(16)D.
I grew up with a lot of restrictions and rules that were meant to protect me.I(17)Cmy mom was only trying to protect me.She worried about me because after my brother died,I was her only child-and what if something happened to me?
I became a natural worrier.I worry about things like getting cancer,losing my wallet,car accidents,earthquakes,and losing my job-disasters big and small,real and imagined.
The funny part is you'd(18)Bknow it by looking at my life,because I'm constantly forcing myself to do the things that frighten or worry me.In fact,I've developed a(19)C for myself:If it scares me,then I have to do it at least once.I've done lots of things that my mom would have worried about:I've ridden a motorcycle,and I've traveled-a lot.
There's something else I don't usually talk about,(20)B it's a cornerstone in my belief.When I was 14,my mother died suddenly in a car accident.At her funeral I remember making a choice.I could either live out the rest of my life trying to be"safe"or I could be brave enough to live out a satisfied,(21)A and,yes,sometimes dangerous life.
In the end I think she would have been(22)Dof me.Courage isn't a natural quality of human beings.I believe that we have to(23)Abeing courageous; using courage is like developing a muscle.The more often I do things that(24)Cme or that make me uncomfortable,the more I realize that I can do a lot more than I orginally thought I could do.
Even though I inherited(繼承) my mother's cautious nature,I've also come to believe that fear can be a good thing,if we(25)Ait.Believing that has made my world a less scary place.
16.A.boring | B.difficult | C.amazing | D.dangerous |
17.A.agreed | B.disliked | C.knew | D.imagined |
18.A.still | B.never | C.always | D.even |
19.A.hope | B.nature | C.rule | D.courage |
20.A.so | B.but | C.since | D.when |
21.A.exciting | B.frightening | C.smooth | D.independent |
22.A.careful | B.aware | C.afraid | D.proud |
23.A.practice | B.admit | C.enjoy | D.remember |
24.A.interest | B.confuse | C.scare | D.surprise |
25.A.face | B.attack | C.share | D.govern |