It was New Year’s Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake.
He had already passed sixty and brought from his journey nothing but errors and regrets. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant and his heart sorrowful.
The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads- one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and filled with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and devils and poisonous snake hissed ( 发嘶嘶声) and crawled (爬, 爬行).
He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His regret like a sharp arrow struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood. But they had made their way to success and were now honoured and happy on this night.
The high church clock struck and the sound made him remember his parents’ early love for him. They had taught him and prayed for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: “Come back, my early days!”
His youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.
Those who still wander on the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble (绊脚) on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain（徒劳）: “ Oh youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”
【小题1】 Why does the author set his story on New Year’s Night?

Hotels can make a person’s stay away from home as restful as possible. Hotels provide warm beds to allow guests a peaceful night’s rest. Besides, some hotels offer guests special services such as newspapers to read in the morning, fresh coffee, and even breakfast. Hotel workers want their guests to feel warm and welcome when they stay in their hotel.
One hotel near the Arctic Circle, however, is different. This hotel gives its guests a cold welcome. The Ice Hotel, in Sweden, is all made of ice. The Ice Hotel might sound strange, but in some ways it is a special hotel. It has a front lobby where guests check into the hotel, plenty of rooms to sleep in, and even room service, which guests can use to have food delivered to their rooms. The Ice Hotel is different, though, because most of the items are made from ice.
It takes more than 30 tons of ice and snow to build the Ice Hotel. It melts(融化) in the summer and is rebuilt each winter. Different builders and artists create the Ice Hotel, so each winter this famous hotel has a new shape and design.
The effort of building the Ice Hotel is worth it, however. Walking into the Ice Hotel is like walking into a diamond. The walls reflect even the smallest bits of light. Ice pillars（柱子）support the roof. The floor below shines like glass. Almost every inch of this hotel sparkles inside. Visiting the Ice Hotel is truly an unusual experience.
Temperatures inside the Ice Hotel are usually below freezing. Guests wear warm jackets, hats, gloves, and thick boots. Even the owners of the Ice Hotel know that staying in a building with walls of ice four feet thick can be a bit cold. They have a solution though. The Ice Hotel has a sauna for its guests. A sauna is a room filled with steam, where guests can warm themselves. In a way, then, one could say that the Ice Hotel does give their guests a warm welcome after all.
【小题1】Why must the Ice Hotel be rebuilt each year ?

Hotels can make a person’s stay away from home as restful as possible. Hotels provide warm beds to allow guests a peaceful night’s rest. Besides, some hotels offer guests special services such as newspapers to read in the morning, fresh coffee, and even breakfast. Hotel workers want their guests to feel warm and welcome when they stay in their hotel.

One hotel near the Arctic Circle, however, is different. This hotel gives its guests a cold welcome. The Ice Hotel, in Sweden, is all made of ice. The Ice Hotel might sound strange, but in some ways it is a special hotel. It has a front lobby where guests check into the hotel, plenty of rooms to sleep in, and even room service, which guests can use to have food delivered to their rooms. The Ice Hotel is different, though, because most of the items are made from ice.

It takes more than 30 tons of ice and snow to build the Ice Hotel. It melts(融化) in the summer and is rebuilt each winter. Different builders and artists create the Ice Hotel, so each winter this famous hotel has a new shape and design.

The effort of building the Ice Hotel is worth it, however. Walking into the Ice Hotel is like walking into a diamond. The walls reflect even the smallest bits of light. Ice pillars（柱子）support the roof. The floor below shines like glass. Almost every inch of this hotel sparkles inside. Visiting the Ice Hotel is truly an unusual experience.

Temperatures inside the Ice Hotel are usually below freezing. Guests wear warm jackets, hats, gloves, and thick boots. Even the owners of the Ice Hotel know that staying in a building with walls of ice four feet thick can be a bit cold. They have a solution though. The Ice Hotel has a sauna for its guests. A sauna is a room filled with steam, where guests can warm themselves. In a way, then, one could say that the Ice Hotel does give their guests a warm welcome after all.

1.Why must the Ice Hotel be rebuilt each year ?

A．Because the hotel melts during the summer.

B．Because guests suggest changes to the hotel.

C．Because the hotel is damaged by the sauna.

D．Because more rooms are needed at the hotel.

2. From paragraph2 we can infer that ______.

A．the Ice Hotel has temperatures below freezing but is warm inside

B．guests of the Ice Hotel check in at the front lobby

C．the Ice Hotel is like other hotels except that it is made of ice

D．guests of the Ice Hotel may order food that is delivered to their rooms

3.What is the purpose of the writer writing the article?

A．To describe the temperature inside a hotel.

B．To give information about an uncommon hotel.

C．To compare different kinds of hotels.

D．To encourage people to visit hotels.

Hotels can make a person’s stay away from home as restful as possible. Hotels provide warm beds to allow guests a peaceful night’s rest. Besides, some hotels offer guests special services such as newspapers to read in the morning, fresh coffee, and even breakfast. Hotel workers want their guests to feel warm and welcome when they stay in their hotel.
One hotel near the Arctic Circle, however, is different. This hotel gives its guests a cold welcome. The Ice Hotel, in Sweden, is all made of ice. The Ice Hotel might sound strange, but in some ways it is a special hotel. It has a front lobby where guests check into the hotel, plenty of rooms to sleep in, and even room service, which guests can use to have food delivered to their rooms. The Ice Hotel is different, though, because most of the items are made from ice.
It takes more than 30 tons of ice and snow to build the Ice Hotel. It melts(融化) in the summer and is rebuilt each winter. Different builders and artists create the Ice Hotel, so each winter this famous hotel has a new shape and design.
The effort of building the Ice Hotel is worth it, however. Walking into the Ice Hotel is like walking into a diamond. The walls reflect even the smallest bits of light. Ice pillars（柱子）support the roof. The floor below shines like glass. Almost every inch of this hotel sparkles inside. Visiting the Ice Hotel is truly an unusual experience.
Temperatures inside the Ice Hotel are usually below freezing. Guests wear warm jackets, hats, gloves, and thick boots. Even the owners of the Ice Hotel know that staying in a building with walls of ice four feet thick can be a bit cold. They have a solution though. The Ice Hotel has a sauna for its guests. A sauna is a room filled with steam, where guests can warm themselves. In a way, then, one could say that the Ice Hotel does give their guests a warm welcome after all

1. 1.

   Why must the Ice Hotel be rebuilt each year ?

   1. A.
      Because the hotel melts during the summer
   2. B.
      Because guests suggest changes to the hotel
   3. C.
      Because the hotel is damaged by the sauna
   4. D.
      Because more rooms are needed at the hotel
2. 2.

   From paragraph2 we can infer that_____.

   1. A.
      the Ice Hotel has temperatures below freezing but is warm inside
   2. B.
      guests of the Ice Hotel check in at the front lobby
   3. C.
      the Ice Hotel is like other hotels except that it is made of ice
   4. D.
      guests of the Ice Hotel may order food that is delivered to their rooms
3. 3.

   What is the purpose of the writer writing the article?

   1. A.
      To describe the temperature inside a hotel
   2. B.
      To give information about an uncommon hotel
   3. C.
      To compare different kinds of hotels
   4. D.
      To encourage people to visit hotels