2．It is dark now when I begin my early morning walk in the woods．And now that autumn has marched into winter，darkness persists well beyond my 6a．m．start time．
Paths have become familiar after years of hiking．But rocks and tree roots have magically appeared from previously （36）A ground．
Certainly I hit my toe against or （37）C on some unseen barriers．Fallen branches from last night's storm（38）D in wait．Layers of autumn leaves create a false floor through which my trusting footsteps （39）B．Sometimes a piece of moon donates some（40）B to the mystery path．But when skies are dark，there are no （41）C clues for where I step．
My very first night hike was during summer camp on a warm August night in the woods．Our leader （42）A bright flashlights so we would not scare away the night creatures we hoped to find．
"See with your （43）D，"the leader told us over and over again．
（44）B，that advice took effect．With （45）C and courage，it didn't take long before our feet became （46）D to the ground's textures（質(zhì)地） and irregularities．Toes learned to （47）A for barriers before trusting full weight on feet．Holes and dips in the ground were detected in （48）C of possible fall …
But mistakes （49）B happen．My foot gets caught on a trip and I fall．Since the pace is （50）C，there is little damage except to pride．Once （51）B，I pause to feel the firmness of earth beneath me．
On my way home，as dawn （52）B day，I think about how similar night hikes are to journeys through life．
The same rules often （53）A for both：slow down，concentration，"see"with new senses-and don't be （54）C．Although the path is full of（55）D-hidden barriers，false surface，wet floor-the earth is solid and firm beneath．It is the nature of night ground．It is the nature of life．
| 36．A．level | B．soft | C．wet | D．hard |
| 37．A．step | B．tour | C．trip | D．go |
| 38．A．stand | B．hang | C．stain | D．lie |
| 39．A．break | B．sink | C．walk | D．remove |
| 40．A．coldness | B．light | C．loneliness | D．courage |
| 41．A．vague | B．typical | C．visual | D．conscious |
| 42．A．forbade | B．shone | C．removed | D．collected |
| 43．A．eyes | B．toes | C．hands | D．feet |
| 44．A．Directly | B．Amazingly | C．Possibly | D．Luckily |
| 45．A．contribution | B．a(chǎn)ppreciation | C．concentration | D．expectation |
| 46．A．suspicious | B．cautious | C．tentative | D．sensitive |
| 47．A．explore | B．head | C．clarify | D．a(chǎn)ssess |
| 48．A．need | B．search | C．a(chǎn)dvance | D．spite |
| 49．A．a(chǎn)lso | B．still | C．even | D．ever |
| 50．A．rapid | B．mild | C．slow | D．gentle |
| 51．A．up | B．down | C．out | D．a(chǎn)way |
| 52．A．makes up for | B．makes way for | C．makes use of | D．makes sense of |
| 53．A．work | B．a(chǎn)pply | C．a(chǎn)nswer | D．suit |
| 54．A．disappointed | B．confused | C．scared | D．a(chǎn)nnoyed |
| 55．A．darkness | B．hopelessness | C．a(chǎn)nxieties | D．uncertainties． |
