Asayounggirlgrowingupinthe1930s,Ialwayswantedtoflyaplane,butbackthenitwasalmostunheardofforawomantodothat.Igotatasteofthatdreamin2001,whenmyhusbandarrangedformetorideinahotairballoonformybirt

　　Asayounggirlgrowingupinthe1930s,Ialwayswantedtoflyaplane,butbackthenitwasalmostunheardofforawomantodothat.Igotatasteofthatdreamin2001,whenmyhusbandarrangedformetorideinahotairballoonformybirthday.Buttheexperienceturnedouttobeverydull.Aroundthattime,ItoldmyhusbandthatIwantedtoskydive.Sowhenourretirementcommunityannouncedthattheywerehavinganessaycompetitionandthetopicwasanexperienceofalifetimethatyouwantedtohave,Idecidedtowriteaboutmydream.

　　Intheessay,Iwroteaboutmydesiretoskydive,statingGeorgeBrushSr.diditatage80.Whynotme?Iwasjust84andinprettygoodhealth.AyearwentbyandIheardnothing.ButthenatacommunitypartyinlateApril2009,theyannouncedthatIwasoneofthewinners.Ijustcouldn’tbelieveit.Inspiredbythis,Idecidedtorealizemydream,eventhoughsomeofmyfamilymembersandmydoctorwereagainstit.

　　OnJune11,2009,nearly40ofmyfamilyandfriendsgatheredintheareaclosetowhereIwouldlandwhileIheadedupintheairplane.Myinstructor,Jay,guidedmethroughtheexperience.TheplanewasthenoisiestoneIhadeverbeenin,butIwasn’tfrightened—Iwasreallyjustlookingforwardtotheexperience.Whenwereached13,000feet,Jayinstructedmetothrowmyselfoutoftheplane.Whenwefirsthittheair,thewindwassostrongthatIcouldhardlybreathe.ForasecondIthought,“WhathaveIgottenmyselfinto?”Buttheneverythinggotcalmer.WewereinafreefallforaboutaminutebeforeJayopenedtheparachute（降落伞）,thenwejustfloateddownwardforaboutfiveminutes.BeingupinthecloudsandlookingattheviewbelowwasunlikeanythingIhaveeverfelt—muchbetterthanthehotairballoon.Iwasjustenjoyingit.

　　Skydivingwasreallyoneofthegreatestexperiencesofmylife.Ihopeotherpeoplewilllookatmeandrealizethatyoudon’tstoplivingjustbecauseyouare84yearsold.Ifthere’ssomethingyouwanttoexperience,lookintoit.Ifit’ssomethingthatispossible,makeithappen.

　　小题1:Whathappenedtotheauthorin2001?

　　A.Sheflewanairplane.

　　B.Sheenteredacompetition.

　　C.Shewentonahotairballoonride.

　　小题2:TheauthormentionedGeorgeBushSr.inheressayto .A．makeherargumentpe