It was a hot July day． The five boys and I wanted to find some new tricks to play． "Hey!" Ned said， "We haven't climbed the cliff for a long while．" "Let's go!" said someone else． And off they went． I hesitated． I longed to be brave and active， like them， but I'd been a sickly child most of my eight years and my mother often told me not to adventure．
    "Come on!" called Jerry， my best friend． " Just because you've been sick is no reason to be timid．" "I'm coming!" I yelled， and ran along after them．
    Through the park and into the woods， we finally approached the cliff ， which was only about 60 feet high， but to me it just seemed impossible because it was almost vertical（垂直的）．
    One by one， the other boys began to climb upward． Then trembling and sweating， I began to climb， my heart beating widely in my skinny chest． At some point， I looked back and was horrified． The ground at the base of the cliff seemed very far below； one slip and I would fall． Soon， the boys were up to the top． Then they left， leaving me clinging（緊握） to the rock alone．
    I looked down and was overcome by dizziness： I could never climb back down． It was much too far to go and I would fall and die． But the way up to the top was even worse-higher， steeper and more dangerous； I would never make it．
    Time passed and it was getting dark． I began to sob．
    After what seemed one hundred years， I heard my father's comforting voice： "Come on down， boy．"
    "No， I can't，" I howl． "It's too far， it is too hard， I can't do it．"
    "Listen to me，" my father said． "Don't think about how far it is and all you have to think about is taking one little step．" I inched backward． Eventually I took the last step down onto rocks at the bottom．
    Now whenever I'm faced with a frightening situation， I'll remind myself not to look at the rocks far below， but at the first small and relatively easy step， feeling a sense of accomplishment with each move， until I have done what I wanted to do．

（1）Why did the writer hesitate to climb the cliff at first？ （no more than 10 words）

Because he was sickly and told not to risk．

Because he was sickly and told not to risk．

（2）What does the underlined word in Paragraph 2 probably mean？ （no more than 2 words）

Afraid /Not brave/Shy．

Afraid /Not brave/Shy．

（3）How does the writer like the cliff？ （no more than 10 words）

It's impossible for him to climb up．

It's impossible for him to climb up．

（4）What is the embarrassing situation the writer have to face in Paragraph 5？ （no more than 15 words）

The author was caught in a dilemma where he dared neither climb down nor up．

The author was caught in a dilemma where he dared neither climb down nor up．

（5）What's your attitude towards "fear" in life？ Please explain． （no more than 20 words）

It's very natural and I won't feel ashamed of it． Instead， I will try to find ways to overcome it． / It's normal to have fears and everyone will experience it． In some way， it can help us grow stronger．

It's very natural and I won't feel ashamed of it． Instead， I will try to find ways to overcome it． / It's normal to have fears and everyone will experience it． In some way， it can help us grow stronger．