【Aftermybrotherdiedinanaccident,mymotherwasindeepsadness.Iwasonlyafour-year-oldgirlatthetime,butIstillunderstoodthesuddenshiftinmymom’sattitudetowardssafety.Suddenlyeverythingarounduswaspotentiallydange】

　　Aftermybrotherdiedinanaccident,mymotherwasindeepsadness.Iwasonlyafour-year-oldgirlatthetime,butIstillunderstoodthesuddenshiftinmymom’sattitudetowardssafety.Suddenlyeverythingarounduswaspotentiallydangerous.Overnight,theworldhadgonefromaplaygroundtoadangerouszone.Igrewupwithalotoflimitsandrules.Icouldn’twalkhomefromschoolbymyself,eventhougheveryoneIknewalreadydid.Icouldn’tgotosummercampbecausewhatifsomethinghappenedtome?

　　AsIgotolder,thelistofthingsoffeargotlonger.Mywholelifewasdividedinto“thingsyoushouldavoid”,and“thingsyouneededtodoinordertohaveagood,longlife.”Ibecameanaturalworrier.Iworryaboutthingslikegettingcancer,losingmywallet,caraccidents,earthquakes,andlosingmyjob—disastersbigandsmall,realandimagined.

　　Thefunnypartisthatyou’dneverknowitbylookingatmylife.Infact,I’vedevelopedaruleformyself:Ifitscaresme,thenIhavetodoitatleastonce.I’vedonelotsofthingsthatmymomwouldhaveworriedabout:I’veriddenamotorcycle;I’vetraveled—alot.I’veperformedstand-upcomedy,andI’mplanningmysecondwedding.

　　There’ssomethingelseIdon’tusuallytalkabout,butit’sacornerstoneinmybelief:WhenIwas14,mymotherdiedsuddenlyinacaraccident.Atmymom’sfuneralIremembermakingachoice.Icouldeitherliveouttherestofmylifetryingtobe“safe”orIcouldbebraveenoughtoliveoutafulfilling,excitingand,yes,sometimesdangerouslife.

　　IworrythatImayhavebetrayed(背叛)mymotherbywritingherinthislight,butshehasbeenadrivingforceinmylifeand,intheendIthinkshewouldhavebeenproudofme.Courageisn’tanaturalcharacterofhumanbeings.Ibelievethatusingcourageislikedevelopingamuscle.ThemoreoftenIdothingsthatscaremeorthatmakemeuncomfortable,themoreIrealizethatIcandoalotmorethanIoriginallythoughtIcoulddo.

　　EventhoughIinherited(继承)mymother’scautiousnature.I’vealsocometobelievethatfearcanbeagoodthing,ifwefaceit.Believingthathasmademyworldalessscaryplace.

　　小题1:Inthewriter’schildhood,thelimitsandruleswereusedto______.A．improveherbehaviorB．developherindependenceC．beinmemoryo