提醒：点这里加小编微信（领取免费资料、获取最新资讯、解决考教师一切疑问！）

Two summers ago I was about to turn fifty and wanted to do something I'd never done before. My daughter Bailey thought skydiving (跳伞) would be perfect for me. I can promise you that of all the things I was thinking of doing, jumping out of an airplane never came close to making the list. As I age, l seem to have developed a growing fear of heights.
After several requests from my daughter, I finally said yes and she looked almost shocked. I told a friend what we were doing, then we set off. We had a 3-hour drive to the jump site. We drove through some beautiful countryside, but then we passed a small cemetery (墓地). Then we passed another cemetery and another one. I asked if so many people died jumping out of airplanes in this area that they needed to keep building more cemeteries to bury all the bodies!
As we squeezed into the little plane, I tightly held the right hand of my partner Ronnie. The short ride to altitude was cruel for me. As Bailey stepped to the door, she looked back at me and said "Dad, I'm sure you can do itl " I said yes as she rolled out. I immediately looked behind me and said"RONNIE I AM NOT FEELING GOOD!" He said, "It's going to be great. Besides, it's too late now anyway" , and we jumped out.
The next five minutes were some of the most amazing of my life. It was so beautiful and peaceful—except for the parts where l was screaming. I prayed to God for the parachute (降落伞 ) to open, but mostly I told him how thankful I was for my life and being with me through good and bad.
14. What can be inferred about the author from the text?
A. He skydived for the first time at the age of 48.
B. He jumped at his daughter' s recommendation.
C. The older he gets, the less fearful of heights he is.
D. Never had he considered attempting to do skydiving.
15. What's the author's main purpose of mentioning cemeteries in Paragaph 2?
A. To tell how determined he was.
B. To show how rough the trip was.
C. To express how scared he was then.
D. To prove how lonely the jump site was.
16. What did Bailey do for her father before she skydived?
A. She played a joke with him.
B. She gave him encouragement.
C. She comforted him constantly.
D. She offered him useful guidance.
17. How did the author behave after jumping out of the airplane?
A. He enjoyed himself.
B. He stayed quite calm.
C. He breathed out in relief.
D. He kept fearing for safety.
14．【答案】D。解析：细节题。根据第一段中的“Two summers ago I was about to tum fifiy and wanted todo something I'd never done before”可知，作者初次跳伞是在两年前即将50岁时，但文中未提及具体年龄，故排除A。根据第一、二段可知，作者几经思考才接受了女儿的建议，所以排除B项“他欣然接受了女儿的推荐”。根据第一段中的“As I age，I seem to have developed a growing fear of heights”可知C项错误。根据第一段中的“I can promise you that of all the things I was thinking of doing,jumping out of an airPlane never came closeto making the list”可知D项说法符合文意。故本题选D。
15．【答案】C。解析：推断题。作者在第二段中提到他在去跳伞的途中经过了多处墓地，并且询问埋葬在这里的人是否都是因为跳伞而丧生的。这都表明了作者的担心和害怕，故本题选C。
16．【答案】B。解析：细节题。由第三段中的“As Bailey stepped to the door, she looked back at me and said'Dad．I'm sure you can doit!’”可知，Bailey在跳伞前鼓励了父亲。故本题选B。
17．【答案】A。解析：细节题。由第四段中的“The next five minutes were some of the most amazing of mylife. It was so beautiful and peaceful…”可知，作者在跳伞后感觉很享受，故本题选A。

提醒：点这里加小编微信（领取免费资料、获取最新资讯、解决考教师一切疑问！）