support she was able to conquer fear. She climbed the ladder step by painful step, hitched herself to the rappelling ropes, cautiously backed over the edge and dropped herself down. It wasn’t pretty with all of the screaming. But she did it. And that was the important thing.

The next day I asked Kathie if the experience helped her to overcome her fear of heights. “Define ‘overcome,’” she said. “Well, are you less afraid of heights now?” I asked. “Is bungee jumping up next for you?” “You’ ve got to be kidding,” Kathie said, laughing. “I’m just as afraid as I ever was.” “So basically, this experience didn’t really do anything for you,” I observed. “Sure it did,” she said. “It didn’t remove my fear. But it helped me prove to myself that I could do something despite my fear.” “Even though you’re still afraid?” “Exactly,” she said. “It turns out that the height of the tower wasn’t really the issue. Fear was the issue. And my team gave me the courage I needed to handle the fear.” “And that’s something you’ll remember next time you’re up on a rappelling tower?” “Hopefully,” she said confidentially, “there will never be a next time.”

OK, so maybe she isn’t exactly a profile in courage. Or is she?

Most of us would probably define “courage” using words like “bold,” “fearless” and “unafraid.” But as I consider Kathie’s experience, it seems to me that those qualities don’t have a lot to do with courage. The fearless person needs no courage. Same with the person who is boldly unafraid. Real courage is the ability to overcome fear in order to do what needs to be done.

For people like Kathie, the important thing is finding the right foundation upon which to build a courageous response – and then responding. Courageously. With or without the screaming. No matter how nervous, terrified, or just plain scared we may be.

24. Why was Kathie on top of the tower?

A. She thought it exciting. B. She wanted to scream on it. C. She hated to disappoint her team. D. She meant to show off her courage.

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25. According to the conversation, we can learn that Kathie .

A. was going to try it again B. overcame her fear of heights C. got interested in bungee jumping D. could do something even with fear

26. The author took Kathie as an example in order to .

A. show us the real meaning of “courage” B. prove Kathiewas actually a fearless woman C. think highly of those who are boldly unafraid D. introduce some other words related to “courage” 27. Which of the following can be the best title?

A. Never be afraid.

B. Scream with courage. D. Don’t let others down. C

A man in London has become the second known HIV-positive adult to be cleared of the virus that causes the disease AIDS. The man received a stem cell transplant three years ago. He was treated with anti-retroviral(抗逆转录病毒) drugs until about 18 months ago. Now, tests show he has no sign of the HIV virus in his blood.

“There is no virus there that we can measure. We can’t detect anything,” said Ravindra Gupta, a professor and HIV scientist who played a leading role in treating the man. The patient’s name, nationality or age is not public. He is called “the London patient” because he was treated in the British capital. A similar identification was given to the first known person cleared of HIV infection over ten years ago, the “Berlin patient”. Both men experienced a similar treatment.

But there was something unusual about the person who gave the London patient stem cells. The giver or donor had a natural resistance to HIV. In other words, something about this person’s body made it impossible for him or her to become infected with the HIV virus. As a result, when the London patient received the stem cells, his immune system changed and he developed a natural resistance to HIV, too.

Ravindra Gupta notes that the donor’s unusual resistance to HIV may not be the

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C. Overcome your fear.

only reason the treatment cleared the London patient’s infection. He notes that the Berlin patient and the London patient had similar side effects after the treatment. In both cases, the donors’ stem cells immediately began to attack the patients’ immune cells. This interaction may have helped destroy some of the HIV infection in the patients, Gupta says.

Experts who study AIDS say the success of the Berlin patient and the London patient is very important. Their experiences show that scientists will one day be able to end AIDS. But they also warn that a cure has not been found. The blood treatments the Berlin and London patients had have failed in other patients. The treatments are also too dangerous, expensive and risky to do for the large number of people who already have the virus that causes AIDS.

28. From the example of the two patients, we can learn that HIV virus .

A. shows no sign in people’ blood B. is bound to lead to the disease AIDS C. is mainly treated in the British capital D. can be cleared with a stem cell transplant

29. What was special in the London patient case?

A. His immune system totally broke down. B. No side effects appeared in his treatment. C. He would not be infected with HIV again. D. His treatment was the first case in the world.

30. What’s the author’s attitude towards the treatments?

A. Negative.

B. Cautious.

C. Favorable.

D. Indifferent.

31. Where does this text probably come from?

A. A science news report. C. A meditation guide.

D

The popularity of winter clothing made with animal hair has greatly increased the demand for fur of coyotes(土狼), wild animals that are related to dogs and wolves and mainly found in North America. Many people living in cold-weather places around

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B. A biology textbook. D. A science fiction.

the world wear coats designed with furry edges that circle the head and neck. Many clothing companies use coyote fur from the United States to create these kinds of coats. Coyote fur is a favored choice because it is naturally full, soft and has beautiful colors. A good coyote from the western United States is highly valued and can sell for at least $100.

The best time for trapping coyotes is in late fall and early winter, when coyote coats are at their fullest. But a lot of the selling happens in late winter. Much of the fur is sold at big auction(拍卖) houses in Canada. Local sales are also held in areas near where the animals are caught. One such auction was recently held in the small town of Herkimer, New York. People gathered in a local community center there to take part in the auction. Tables inside were filled with hundreds of furs from coyotes and other animals.

Fur experts say the increase in demand for coyote fur started with coats made by Canadian clothing company Canada Goose, whose coats saw a big jump in sales in 2013. It happened after American model Kate Upton wore one of the company’s coats over her swimsuit in a photo that appeared in the U.S. magazine Sports Illustrated. Over the years, more famous people and their fans have also chosen to wear the fur-lined coats. Canada Goose coats can now sell for up to $1,000. “Canada Goose is always the name that people relate to,” Mark Downey, head of Canada’s Fur Harvesters Auction company, noted. “But there are so many other brands that make similar coats.”Downey predicts the large demand for coyote fur will continue. The hot market for coyotes comes as more and more trappers deal with recent economic downturns in both China and Russia. They also face competition from people raising animals for fur.

However, animal rights activists call the trapping process cruel. They claim that, in several ways to the public, a large amount of evidence has been collected which may account for those inhuman activities.

32. The popularity of coats made with coyote fur is mainly due to .

A. people’s love for wild animals B. its natural qualities and colors

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