They are the sort of friends who are so close they trust each other with their lives. If one falls, the other
is there to catch him.
They are Wellman, whose legs were permanently injured nine years ago in a rockclimbing accident,
and Corbett, an experienced rock climber. Together,they climbed up Half Dome, the famous 2,000foot
rock in the Yosemite National Park, through one of most difficult routes(路线).
During the climb, Corbett took the lead, hit in the metal spikes (尖状物) that guided the ropes and
climbed up. Then, after Wellman pulled himself up the rope, Corbett went down to remove the spikes
and climbed up again. This process was repeated time and again, inch by inch, for 13 days.
Wellman's job was not easy either. He got himself up the rope through upper body strength alone. In
all, Wellman figured that he had done 5,000 pullups up the rope on the climb.
However,when the two men first met, they never talked about climbing. 'He knew that was how I got
injured. 'Wellman said. Until one day Wellman decided that he wanted to climb again and they started
training.
Their climb of Half Dome was not all smooth. At one point, pieces of rock gave way, and Corbett
dropped down quickly. Wellman locked their rope in place, stopping the fall at 20 feet. His quick action
probably saved his friend's life.
'Your partner can save your life-you can save your partner's life. ' Wellman said as the pair received
congratulations from friends. 'There are real close ties. '
1. Which of the following was a challenge for Corbett in climbing Half Dome?
A. To climb up to remove the spikes.
B. To climb it twice.
C. To do 5,000 pullups up the rope.
D. To lock the rope in place.
2. Why did the two men never talk about climbing when they first met?
A. Corbett was poorly trained.
B. Wellman had lost interest in climbing.
C. Corbett didn't want to hurt Wellman.
D. Wellman hadn't decided whether to climb again.
3. What do we know about Wellman?
A. He climbed Half Dome by himself.
B. He was disabled in a traffic accident.
C. He stopped rockclimbing for some time.
D. He was saved by Corbett during the climb.
4. The main idea of the text is that ________.
A. two heads are better than one
B. friendship is precious in life
C. the disabled should never give up
D. a man can be destroyed but cannot be defeated