(C)
Buck had never experienced such freezing cold before. When he first arrived in Alaska, the icy wind made him shake all over. The snow broke under his paws like broken glass, a sound he’d never heard in California. Back in sunny California, the coldest days were just rainy, but here, everything was covered in thick, hard snow that never seemed to melt (融化).
The first night was especially difficult. Buck watched curiously as the other sled dogs (雪橇犬) skillfully dug holes in the snow to make warm beds. He tried to copy them, but his hole kept falling apart. Feeling frozen, he stood outside shaking until Francois, one of the sled drivers, noticed his problem. “Here, let me show you,” Francois said kindly, showing how to properly shape the snow into a comfortable bed. After several tries, Buck finally made his first successful snow nest and slept comfortably through the night.
Mealtime brought another challenge. When the men threw frozen fish to the dogs, Buck ate slowly and politely as he used to. But the other dogs barked loudly, showing him this was no longer a gentle world. Before he could finish, a bigger dog named Spitz pushed him away and stole his food. That night, Buck went to bed hungry, learning an important lesson. The next day, he started eating quickly and shouting angrily at any dog that came near.
As weeks passed, Buck’s body got used to the terrible environment. The icy wind bit at his fur, but Buck no longer shook in fear. His once - soft paws grew hard and no longer hurt on the ice. His muscles became stronger from pulling the heavy sled daily. More importantly, his mind changed—he learned to read the other dogs’ behaviours and the men’s orders. The spoiled (娇惯的) house pet from California was gone, replaced by a stronger, wiser survivor who understood the most important rule in the north: Learn to play the game, or you won’t survive.
( ) 7. What prevented Buck from finishing his meal in the beginning?
A. Spitz taking his food away.
B. The fish being too hard to eat.
C. Francois ordering him to stop.
D. His saving food for later.
() 8. What did the writer probably mean by saying the underlined sentence?
A. Follow every human order strictly.
B. Learn survival rules to stay alive.
C. Fight other dogs to protect food.
D. Build perfect snow nests for safety.
() 9. Which picture shows the change of Buck’s personality?