Joe Simpson and Simon Yates were the first people to climb the West Face of the Siula Grande in the Andes mountains. They reached the top 41 , but on their way back conditions were very 42 .
Joe fell and broke his leg. They both knew that if Simon 43 alone, he would probably get back 44 . But Simon decided to risk his 45 and try to lower Joe down the mountain on a rope（绳）.
As they went down, the weather got worse. Then another troubled 46 .They couldn’t see or hear each other and, by mistake, Simon lowered his friend over the edge of a precipice（峭壁）. It was impossible for Joe to climb back or for Simon to pull him up. Joe’s 47 was pulling Simon slowly towards the precipice. 48 , after more than an hour in the dark and the icy cold, Simon had to 49 . In tears, he cut the rope. Joe 50 into a large crevasse（裂缝）in the ice below. He had no food or water and he was in terrible pain. He couldn’t walk, but he 51 to get out of the crevasse and started to move towards their camp, nearly ten kilometers 52 .
Simon had returned to the camp at the foot of the mountain. He thought that Joe must be 53 , but he didn’t want to leave 54 . Three days later, in the middle of the night, he heard Joe’s voice. He couldn’t 55 it. Joe was there, a few meters from their tent, still alive.
41.A. hurriedly B. carefully . C. early D. successfully
42. A. normal B. similar C. special D. difficult
43. A. climbed B. worked C. rested . D. continued
44. A. unwillingly B. safely C. slowly D. regretfully
45. A. fortune B. time C. health D. life
46. A. occurred to B. happened C. took place D. broke out
47. A. height B. weight C. strength . D. equipment
48. A. Finally B. Patiently C. Surely D. Quickly
49. A. stand back B. take a rest C. make a decision . D. hold on
50. A. jumped B. fell C. escaped D. backed
51. A. planned B. managed C. waited D. hoped
52. A. around B. above away C. away D. along
53. A. hurt B. dead C. weak D. late
54. A. secretly B. immediately C. tiredly D. anxiously
55. A. find B. accept C. make D. believe