Mostyoungpeopleenjoysomeformofphysicalactivity.Itmaybewalkingcyclingorswimmingorinwinterskatingorskiing.Itmaybeagameofsomeform---footballbasketballhockeygolfortennis.Itmaybemountaineering.

Thosewhohaveapassionforclimbinghighanddifficultmountainsareoftenlookeduponwithastonishment.Whyaremenandwomenwillingtosuffercoldandhardshipandtotakerisksinhighmountains?Thisastonishmentiscausedprobablybythedifferencebetweenmountaineeringandotherformsofactivitytowhichmengivetheirleisure.

Mountaineeringisasportandnotagame.Therearenoman-maderulesasothersasthereareforsuchgamesasgolfandfootball.Thereareofcourserulesofdifferentkindwhichitwouldbedangeroustoignorebutitisthisfreedomfromman-maderulesthatmakesmountaineeringattractivetomanypeople.Thosewhoclimbmountainsarefreetousetheirownmethods.

Ifwecomparemountaineeringandothermorefamiliarsportswemightthinkthatonebigdifferenceisthatmountaineeringisnota“teamgame”.Weshouldbemistakeninthis.Thereareitistrueno“matches”between“teams”ofclimbersbutwhenclimbersareonarockfacelinkedbyaropeonwhichtheirlivesmaydependthereisobviouslyteamwork.

Themountainclimberknowsthathemayhavetofightforcesthatarestrongerandmorepowerfulthanman.Hehastofighttheforcesofnature.Hissportrequireshighmentalandphysicalqualities.

Amountainclimbercontinuestoimproveinskillyearafteryear.Askierisprobablypasthisbestbytheageofthirty.ButitisnotunusualformenoffiftyorsixtytoclimbthehighestmountainsintheAlps.Theymaytakemoretimethanyoungermenbuttheyperhapsclimbwithmoreskillandlesswasteofeffortandtheycertainlyexperienceequalenjoyment.

1.Mountaineeringisasportnotagamebecause________.

A.ithasman-maderules

B.itistoodangerousforclimbers

C.itcan’tbringpeoplejoyandleisure

D.itisfreeforclimberstousetheirownmethods

2.Amountainclimbermustbestrongbothmentallyandphysicallybecause_______.

A.therearenoregularman-maderulesforhimtofollow

B.thereisnoteamworkandhehastodependonhimself