In 2016, Jess Wedel of Oklahoma was diagnosed with cancer. She fought hard, undergoing several surgeries and months of treatment. Luckily, she didn’t have to fight alone; her mom, Valari Wedel, was by her side every step of the way.

The mom and daughter are incredibly close. They share a love of the outdoors and mountain climbing, routinely traveling to distant peaks to plant their flag at the summit. So when Jess was declared cancer-free, she was eager to get back out in the wilderness.

What better way is there to celebrate a second chance than scaling the world’s highest peak? Jess and Valari started a hard journey up Mount Everest of the Himalayas, as soon as the passage was opened in the spring of 2021.

The two of them agree that they made the journey for more than just another feather in their cap. They are hiking as if each day is their last, because for a while, it seemed that death was a very real possibility. While they hoped to be successful and become the first American mother-daughter team to reach Everest’s peak, it was always more about the journey than the destination. “It feels like part of our healing was coming into the mountains and being able to enjoy each other and have fun and just live life,” Jess said.

Mount Everest is one of the most challenging climbs in the world. Their expedition soon met with terrifying 60 mph winds and whiteout(白化) conditions for nearly two days straight, but they kept moving. Unfortunately, on May 11, it all became too much for Valari, who is 61 and has asthma(哮喘病) . Jess was heartbroken when her mother had to turn back, but she felt more determined than ever to scale the peak not just for herself, but for her mom, too.

Jess continued on her climb, and on May 25, she woke up excited to finally reach the summit after 55 days of climbing. Yet once again, fate had other plans. Her group’s workers fell ill. “Our summit attempt was canceled because our crew was sick,” Jess wrote on Instagram. “And unlike most mountains, it is impossible to climb this one without their help.”

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1.What did Jess Wedel experience in 2016?

A The lowest moment.

B The peak of her sports.

C Much partings in her life.

D The choice of life and death.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据第一段可知，杰西·韦德尔被诊断出患有癌症。她奋力抗争，接受了几次手术和数月的治疗。由此推断她经历了人生中的最低谷。故选A。

2.What can we infer from Paragraph 2 about Jess and Valari?

A They often sympathize with each other.

B They make progress together all the time.

C They have the same hobbies and interests.

D They both challenge themselves in life.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据第二段They share a love of the outdoors and mountain climbing, routinely traveling to distant peaks to plant their flag at the summit.可知，母女俩都热爱户外运动和爬山，经常去遥远的山峰在山顶插下她们的旗帜。由此说明她们俩拥有相同的兴趣和爱好，故选C。

3.What’s the main purpose for Jess and Valari to challenge Mount Everest?

A To win honour and respect.

B To enjoy life and happiness.

C To prove their value of existence.

D To create a record in American history.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第四段可知，母女俩一致认为他们这次登山旅行不仅仅是为了荣誉，虽然她们希望取得成功，成为第一支登上珠穆朗玛峰的美国母女队，但她们总是更多地关注旅程，而不是目的地。她们希望能够享受彼此的快乐，享受生活。故选B。

4.What directly made Jess give up reaching the summit?

A A strong wind hit the local area.

B Jess’s group workers caught an illness.

C Valari suffered the asthma during the journey.

D Whiteout conditions troubled her along the route.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据最后一段“Our summit attempt was canceled because our crew was sick,” Jess wrote on Instagram. “And unlike most mountains, it is impossible to climb this one without their help.”可知，杰西表示她们的登顶计划被取消了，因为她们的工作人员生病了。与大多数山不同的是，没有他们的帮助是不可能爬上这座山的。故选B。