Most students, when asked about their ideal graduation gift, would probably reply, “A car”, or “Money for a deposit on a house”. Cai Kaiyuan, 21, made a different choice. As a graduation gift to himself, he decided to work as a volunteer teacher in a remote village in Tibet.
Cai, a senior majoring in electrical engineering at Huan Railway Professional Technology College, originally planned to cycle from Sichuan to Tibet. During his journey, Cai’s idea for a different graduation gift to himself began to take shape. “I did not know beforehand what the journey would mean to me. I just want to gain a unique experience and have pleasure in appreciating the view there,” he said.
It turned out cycling on a plateau was extremely challenging. And it has kept changing his outlook on life. Cai’s fingers even became frostbitten while cycling up a 5008-meter-high mountain, where temperatures often dropped to 18 below zero. At night, the ice covered the road and he fell off his bike three times. The lack of oxygen made him feel dizzy and weak. “At the most serious moment, I felt that my life was on the line,” said Cai.
However, he also gained something unexpected. At Ya’an, a city in Sichuan, he met a group of tourists who are also university students. A girl called Wu Ling told him that she planned to work as a teacher in a primary school in Tibet after her journey. He was impressed by the idea as she looked slender and weak.
It was not until he reached a family-run hotel in Shigatse that Cai’s spirits began to rise. The hotel manager’s two daughters enjoyed talking with him. The kids asked about his experiences on his trip, and showed him the beautiful local lakes. “They told me that they always liked to talk to guests, as they wanted to improve their Mandarin,” he said, “Their parents and many locals can only speak Tibetan.”
Cai was touched by the girls’ story. Their situation is tough and the local people have little chance to learn Mandarin because the schools are short of teachers. “I want to do something to improve the situation for kids like them,” said Cai. His parents finally gave their agreement and his teachers also supported him.
小题1:According to the passage, Cai Kaiyuan’s graduation gift to himself is _________.
A．to have money for a deposit on a house
B．to travel by cycling from Sichuan to Tibet
C．to own a new car and marry a slender girl
D．to work as a volunteer teacher in Tibetan school小题2:What words can be used to describe Cai’s journey to Tibet?
A．unique and pleasant
B．challenging but rewarding
C．relaxing but unexpected
D．freezing cold and boring小题3:The underlined phrase “on the line” in the third paragraph means “ ____________”.
A．in a dilemma
B．making a phone call
C．at risk
D．very painful小题4:The purpose of writing this passage is to ____________.
A．tell us about an unusual graduation gift
B．introduce a dangerous journey to us
C．give advice on how to travel to Tibet
D．encourage us to be a teacher in Tibet小题5:Which of the followings is NOT the reason for Cai to make his decision?
A．He met Wu Ling and was impressed by her plan.
B．His parents and teachers persuaded him to go to Tibet.
C．He was moved by the kid’s desire to improve their Mandarin.
D．A lack of teachers makes the local people have little chance to learn.
