Most young people enjoy physical activities, walking, cycling, football, or mountaineering.

These who have a passion________26climbing high and difficult mountains are often________27with astonishment. Why are men and women ________ 28to suffer cold and hardship, and to ________ 29on high mountains? This astonishment is caused, probably, by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activities ________ 30which men give their leisure.

There are no man-made rules, as there are for________31games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of different kinds which it would be dangerous to ________32,but it is this freedom from man-made rules________33makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own ________ 34

If we ________35mountaineering with other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is ________ 36mountaineering is not a "team work". However, it is only our misunderstanding. There are, in fact, no" matches"________________37"teams" of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may________38, obviously, there is teamwork.

A mountain climber knows that he may have to fight with natural ________39that are stronger and more powerful than man. His sport requires high mental and ________ 40qualities.

A mountain climber________41to improve on skill year after year. A skier r is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions________42in their early twenties. But it is not ________ 43for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more________44than younger men, but they probably climb with more skill and less ________ 45of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.

26. A.for

B.in

C.to

D.of

27.A.looked up to

B.looked forward

C.looked into

D.looked upon

28.A.willing

B.reluctant

C.unwilling

D.probable

29. A.take pains

B.run risk

C.take a risk

D.make efforts

30. A.to

B.with

C.for

D.towards

31. A.so

B.various

C.different

D.such

32. A.apply

B.worry

C.ignore

D.notice

33. A.which

B.that

C.how

D.why

34.A .methods

B.forms

C.rules

D.activities

35.A .correlate

B.relate

C.compare

D.contrast

36.A.for

B.what

C.which

D.that

37. A.within

B.from

C.beyond

D.between