Crowd controls could soon become an important skill for climbers on Mount Everest, as important as physical strength or watching the weather. In a single day last week, nearly 40 people reached the top of the world --- a record. Reports from base camp spoke of queues at dangerous ridges and crowds as people passed each other in the final dash for the 8, 848 meters top.
More traditional mountaineers tease about the circus atmosphere surrounding Everest in recent years, and there are warnings that the crowds are making the mountain more dangerous. In 1996, 14 died on the mountain when the members of several groups were trapped at high altitudes by sudden snowstorms. Bad weather in early May led to this year’s jam on the summit ridge, but the loss, luckily, was light. Just four climbers died, including a Nepali Sherpa who had made 11 previous successful climbing.
Traditionalists are also worried about the growing tendency of climbers to set records and achieve “firsts”, rather than simply climb the mountain. This year’s crop of mountaineers included the oldest man, 64-year-old Sherman Bull from Connecticut, and the youngest, 16-year-old Temba Tsheri Sherpa of Nepal. An American with only one arm was on the mountain this year; an Indian with no legs also tried but failed. Erik Weihennieyer, an American, became the first blind person to reach the top of the world. His fellow climbers stayed in front of him on the way up, describing the type of land and ringing bells.
Nepal（尼泊尔）views Mount Everest as something of a cash cow. The government charges journeys a minimum of $ 70,000. That is probably why officials in Katmandu are ignoring concerns about overcrowding and talking about even more climbers coming next year. But a celebration of the 48th anniversary of the first conquest of Everest, by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, was cancelled after violent strikes. Tumultuous（动乱的）Nepali politics, it seems, could be just the crowd-control measure that Everest needs.
小题1:What is the problem that the climbers have to face in recent years?
A．Bad Weather.
B．Technology.
C．Overcrowding.
D．Physical strength.小题2:What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
A．The risks of mountain climbing.
B．The consequence of overcrowding.
C．The challenge that climbers have to face.
D．The damage that snowstorms have caused.小题3:Several climbers are mentioned in Paragraph 3 to show ______.
A．their great courage
B．their common motivation
C．their different identity
D．their outstanding achievements小题4:What is the attitude of the Nepali government towards overcrowding?
A．Unconcerned.
B．Doubtful.
C．Disapproving.
D．Worried.
