the roaring library fire; he carried the Judge’s grandsons on his back, or rolled them in the grass, and

guarded their footsteps through wild adventures down to the fountain in the stable yard, and even beyond,
where the paddocks were, and the berry patches. Among the terriers he stalked imperiously, and Toots and
Ysabel he utterly ignored, for he was king, —king over all creeping, crawling, flying things of Judge
Miller’s place, humans included.
(5) His father, Elmo, a huge St. Bernard, had been the Judge’s inseparable companion, and Buck bid
fair to follow in the way of his father. He was not so large, —he weighed only one hundred and forty
pounds, —for his mother, Shep, had been a Scotch shepherd dog. Nevertheless, one hundred and forty
pounds, to which was added the dignity that comes of good living and universal respect, enabled him to
carry himself in right royal fashion. During the four years since his puppyhood he had lived the life of a
sated (饱享的) aristocrat; he bad a fine pride in himself, was even a trifle egotistical, as country
gentlemen sometimes become because of their insular situation. But he had saved himself by not
becoming a mere pampered house-dog. Hunting and kindred outdoor delights had kept down the fat and
hardened his muscles; and to him, as to the cold-tubbing races, the love of water had been a tonic and a
health preserver.
(6) And this was the manner of Buck in the fall of 1897, when the Klondike strike dragged men from
all the world into the frozen North. But Buck did not read the newspapers, and he did not know that
Manuel, one of the gardener’s helpers, was an undesirable acquaintance. Manuel had one besetting sin.
He loved to play lottery. Also, in his gambling, he had one besetting weakness—faith in a system; and this
made his damnation certain. For lo play a system requires money, while he wages of a gardener’s helper
do not lap over the needs of a wife and numerous progeny.

11. The description in Para. 2 is meant to introduce ____________.

A. the social background of the story B. he layout of Judge Miller’s place
C. the good living conditions of Buck D. he contrast between Buck and others
12. Which of the following BEST explains Buck’s superiority over other dogs?
A. Buck lived in the house longer than other dogs.
B. Kennel-dogs were not allowed to walk around.
C. Buck was the favorite dog of the house owner.
D. House-dogs were well protected by housemaids.
13. When describing Buck, the author’s tone is ____________.
A. humorous B. sarcastic C. critical D. friendly
14. What follows the last paragraph of be passage will most probably narrate ____________.
A. how the lottery system worked in 1897 B. what was written in the newspapers
C. how Manuel managed to win lottery D. the troubles Manuel brought to Buck

PASSAGE TWO
(1) Early his winter, he hundreds of climbers making plans for spring-summit attempts on Mount
Qomolangma suddenly faced a new set of rules. In December, the Nepalese government decreed that it
would no longer issue permits to blind, solo, or double-amputee mountaineers for any of its high peaks.
Furthermore, all expeditions would have to employ at least one Sherpa (夏尔巴人向导) and would be
forbidden from using helicopters to reach high camps.
(2) The regulations fit a pattern established by Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism, which in the past few
years as issued a series of proclamations—climbers must announce plans to set records, trekkers must

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carry location beacons—that suggest improved management of its high-altitude peaks. Each new
declaration generates a rush of international news reports about authorities making strides toward
addressing safety at the top of the world. The truth is a lot more complicated.
(3) Mountaineering is big business in Nepal. Industry experts estimate that it generates some $ 26.5.
million in tourism income each year, with around $11 million of that coming from Qomolangma climbers
alone. The enduring obsession of the Wester media with tragic deaths on these far-off snowy peaks bas
resulted in a lot of free marketing. Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism, perhaps concerned that all the morbid
tales might drive climbers to Qomolangma’s less used Chinese side, has gained some control of that
narrative by broadcasting more positive developments through the Nepalese press. But the rules
announced to dale would do nothing to mitigate the dangers of climbing Qomolangma even if Nepal had
the resources and conviction to enforce them, which it doesn’t.
(4) Making a huge, hugely popular mountain safer is possible. On Alaska’s Denali, fulltime climbing
rangers conduct safety checks of many teams and are mobilized for rescue operations. On Argentina’s
Aconcagua, rangers patrol all high camps, and until recently, permit fees included the cost of helicopter
rescues. Adopting similar policies in Nepal would be a good start. A longer list of true reforms would
include ordering all climbers to have previously summited a 7,000-meter peak, requiring non-guides
working above Base Camp to take a course at the Khumbu Climbing Center (hundreds have done so since
it was founded in 2003), and capping the total number of climbers on the mountain at 500 per season,
including support staff. That last policy would both reduce dangerous crowding and help keep the
mountain clean.
(5) Unfortunately, these kinds of rules are less likely than ever to be instituted on Qomolangma,
owing to the rise of budget guiding companies. Beginning in the early 1990s, Western outfitters
established commercial mountaineering on the Nepal side of the peak by attracting clients willing to pay
as much as $ 65,000 to be guided to the summit. That business model dominated for more than two
decades, bringing an estimated 9,000 paying climbers to Base Camp. Consequently, Qomolangma earned
a reputation as a magnet for the rich, ambitious, and inexperienced.
(6) As in many markets, savvy entrepreneurs saw opportunities for disruption. Lower-cost guiding
companies, some founded by Westerners and others by Nepalese, slowly gained attraction by offering
Qomolangma climbs for as little as a third of the going rale among high-end outfitters. Then came 2014,
when 16 Sherpas died after a serac (冰塔) collapsed onto the Khumbu Icefall, part of the main route from
Base Camp to Camp I. In the wake of that tragedy, a small group of Sherpas demanded that the Nepalese
government establish regulations that would improve working conditions, increase pay, boost life
-insurance coverage, and provide a funeral stipend. Ultimately, Sherpas received a bit more insurance—
the minimum payout was doubled from $ 5,500 to $ 11,000—but not much else.
(7) Partly in response to media attention of these events, Nepali-owned guiding companies have
continued to gain influence and market share 0a Qomolangma. The shift away from foreign control of the
mountain is welcomed by many in the climbing community. Another positive development: lower-cost
operators are increasing diversity on Qomolangma, attracting climbers from China’s and India’s
burgeoning middle classes with aggressive pricing. Based on umbers from the Himalayan Database, in
2010, four Indian and eight Chinese climbers attempted the mountain, just 6 percent of the total. Last year,
Chinese and Indian clients accounted for 60 of the 199 Nepal-side summits.
(8) Unfortunately, in the absence of substantive government oversight, some of the budget
companies are making Qomolangma more dangerous by flooding he already overcrowded route with
novice climbers led by inexperienced guides. Any operators charging less for guided climbs are prone to

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