The Times(January 8，2008)一A climber was left hanging over a 500 ft cliff for more than seven hours in temperatures below zero as his companions looked on helplessly．
After setting out at dawn to make what they thought was straight forward ascent(垂直攀爬) in the Caimgorrns．one of the three friends suddenly slipped and then was 150 ft backwards into a gully(沟壑)．The only thing that stopped the climberfalling to his death wast he safety line fixed to his friends．
They stayed on an icy rock face at 2，500 ft．All they could see wash is head torch shining in the darkness and they had to shout down in turns to make sure that he was still alive．By the time .they were airlifted off the mountain just after midnight,the temperature had fallen to—20 ℃ and heavy snowstorms were setting in．Surprisingly,none ofthe three was seriously hurt．
The group had left their car at 8：30 am for the expedition which was expected to end with an 800 ft climb called Kiwi Gully in an area known as Hell’s Lure to the west of Lock Avon．Generally,there will be few problems for experienced climbers but it had become very harder after heavy snowfalls．Just before 4 pm the climbers reached a narrow part beneath a steep section of rock．Two of the party made it to the ice．Having got through the steepest section,he slipped when the ice suddenly gave way．He was left hanging and couldn’t climb back up because he had damaged his ankle and was in shock．
At 8 pm a team of ten rescue workers was dropped on a snowy place 300 ft above the climbers．One of the team was lowered to where the climbers were trapped．During a four-hour operation，they were saved．Thirty minutes later snowstorms enveloped the mountain．
56．The climber didn’t climb back up because ．
A．the safety line was easy to break B．he was too frightened to climb
C．he was shocked by some animals D．his damaged ankle prevented him climbing
57．Which of the following about the rescue work is TRUE?
A．Ten people were sent to rescue the climbers at dawn．
B．The work lasted about four hours ．
C．It was the workers that lifted the climber up．
D．The three climbers were seriously hurt during the work
58.According to the passage, it was implied that the person hanging over a cliff was ．
A．a climbing learner B．a clever climber
C. an experienced climber D．a climbing guide
59．What will be the best title for the passage?
A．Climber Saved After Hanging for 7 Hours
B．An Unforgettable Climbing Experience
C．Time is Life for Climbers
D．Climber Left Hanging over a Cliff
