The true courage

江西萍乡芦溪中学 王 影

题材约428 8分钟滑雪 记叙文体裁 文章词数 建议用时

难词探意

1.shrink /ʃrɪŋk/ v.（使）缩水；退缩；缩小

2.shove /ʃʌv/ v.猛推；乱挤

3.cone /kəʊn/ n.锥形警告路标

4.swell /swel/ v.肿胀

It was the first day of our youth group ski trip.While I waited for the ski lift, I saw a booth offering ski lessons.I considered taking an hour-long lesson, but then I heard my voice in my head:“Nah, you don't need any help.After all, you've skied once before.You'll be fine.” As I stood on the edge of the beginner's slope, my confidenceshrank.After all, I hadn't skied for two years.And even then, I'd only taught myself to ski well enough to make it down once or twice without falling.But surely, I'd be able to figure it out.

So, I pushed off and built up speed.I skied about 15 feet before collapsing into the snow.“No problem.That was just one mistake,” I thought.“You got this.” I was just kidding myself.The second time down, I only fell four times so I figured I was getting better.On the third attempt, somehow, I was at the lift ramps! Before I could get out of the way, the lift chairshovedme over some trafficconesand into a snowbank.However, I lied to myself, “That wasn't my fault.Those cones were in the wrong place.” Then I made a fourth try, and as you can guess, I failed again, and fell even harder.

As my head pounded and my face started toswell, I finally admitted to myself that I couldn't keep doing this.It was dangerous to myself and others.I should have taken lessons earlier that morning.I swallowed my pride and marched up to the booth offering ski lessons.At my lesson, the instructor watched how I skied and offered advice.Before I knew it,I could turn! I could stop! I could actually ski—not just rolled down the hill like before.After my lesson, Mike said, “I couldn't believe that was you.You're completely transformed! ”

As he and I took the ski lift up to go again, I thought about my day.I thought about how many times I'd fallen.I also thought about how stubborn I'd been through it all.Only when I'd really hurt myself had I finally admitted I needed help.In my opinion, real transformation only comes when I ask for advice from others who are wiser than me and accept it with an open mind.

When I easily slid off the lift chair and passed those troublesome traffic cones, I was grateful for the lesson I learned, and I realized the true courage was not taking risks when it was time to ask for help.

Reading Check

1.What can we know about the author?

A.He was good at skiing.

B.He didn't know how to ski at all.

C.He had attended the skiing lessons before.

D.He had an experience of skiing before.

2.Why did the author decide to learn skiing?

A.He had to meet the demands of ski resorts.

B.He wanted to join a competition.

C.His friends advised him to learn skiing.

D.He realized learning skiing was necessary.

3.Who has the true courage according to the text?

A.A new doctor dares to undertake major surgery alone.

B.A person who hasn't learned driving can drive at a high speed.

C.An experienced traveler gets a tourist guide before making an adventure.

D.A person who can't swim dares to save people in water without hesitation.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

I should have taken lessons earlier that morning.

【信息提取】“should + 完成时”，表示过去本应该做某事，而实际未做，属于虚拟语气的一种。

【句式仿写】都怪我。 我本应该想到这一点的。_