The Mountain Climbers

Two broken climbers, one healthy body · 两个伤者，一个身体

A man who was climbing a mountain thought he was all alone. But suddenly, there was a rumble above him. He was hit by a falling rock, and then, in an instant, a female climber fell from above, landing right on him. They were both injured badly. He had broken his leg. He tried to stand but could not. The woman had broken her arm and could not climb. What were they going to do?

It was very cold and night was coming. They both knew that they would not live through the night if they did not make it down the mountain before darkness came.

They knew they had to come up with something. The woman had an idea. "Look," she said, "I have two good legs, and you have two good arms. Together, that makes one healthy body."

They tied themselves together so that she was on his back. Then, he hooked a rope high on a rock and pulled. Now, they had to stand up. He pulled with all the strength in his arms, and she strained with her legs to lift them both.

Soon, they were upright. He held on to his hope. They were going to make it. He supported their weight. Slowly, they climbed down, bit by bit.

Every step was painful. They had to stop every minute or so, but they slowly made it down the mountain. He was counting on her strong legs and she was counting on the strength in his arms to keep them from falling.

When they made it to the bottom of the mountain hours later, they were found by some hikers. They were rushed to the hospital. In the end, they were fine.

They both learned a good lesson that day. A good team is not made up of people who can all do the same thing. It must have people who can provide many different skills. By using their individual strengths, they made it safely down the mountain.

Sometimes in life, we must rely on another person's strengths to make up for our own weaknesses.

Isn't it good that we're all not the same?

The Mountain Climbers — Two halves made one whole

A man who was climbing a mountain thought he was all alone. But suddenly, there was a rumble above him. He was hit by a falling rock, and then, in an i(1)__________, a female climber fell from above, landing right on him. They were both i(2)__________ badly. He had broken his leg. He tried to stand but could not. The woman had broken her arm and could not climb. What were they going to do?

It was very cold and night was coming. They both knew that they would not live t(3)__________ the night if they did not make it down the mountain before darkness came.

They knew they had to come up with something. The woman had an idea. "Look," she said, "I have two good legs, and you have two good arms. Together, that makes one h(4)__________ body."

They tied themselves together so that she was on his back. Then, he hooked a rope high on a rock and pulled. Now, they had to stand up. He pulled with all the s(5)__________ in his arms, and she strained with her legs to lift them both.

Soon, they were upright. He held on to his hope. They were going to make it. He supported their w(6)__________. Slowly, they climbed down, bit by bit.

Every step was painful. They had to stop every minute or so, but they slowly made it down the mountain. He was c(7)__________ on her strong legs and she was counting on the strength in his arms to keep them from falling.

When they made it to the bottom of the mountain hours later, they were found by some hikers. They were rushed to the hospital. In the end, they were fine.

They both learned a good lesson that day. A good team is not made up of people who can all do the same thing. It must have people who can provide many different skills. By using their i(8)__________ strengths, they made it safely down the mountain.

Sometimes in life, we must r(9)__________ on another person's strengths to make up for our own w(10)__________.

Isn't it good that we're all not the same?

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🧗 文化拓展 · The Rope That Binds Us

故事里「把自己绑在一起下山」听起来孤注一掷，其实是登山运动的正规技术——结组（roped team）：几名登山者用绳子彼此相连，一人滑坠时全组共同受力保护。本文把结组推到了极限版本：一个断了腿的人和一个断了手臂的人，用绳子把「两条好腿」和「两条好手」缝合成一个临时的、完整的身体。绳子连着的不只是两个人，更是两种互为补充的可能性。

现实中的山巅也一再验证这个道理：2021 年，中国登山者张洪成为首位登顶珠峰的亚洲盲人——他在黑暗中攀上世界之巅，靠的是身后的向导不断为他口述脚下的每一步岩点。有人把眼睛借给他，他把全部的意志借给了山。海伦·凯勒说：Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.（独行者步疾，众行者路远。）

文章最后一句问得漂亮：Isn't it good that we're all not the same? 如果人人都是同一种人，世界就只剩竞争，没有合作。正因为你的短板恰好是别人的长板，我们才需要彼此——山如此，教室如此，生活亦如此。