In the past, people climbed mountains to hunt, or to find grassland for their animals. 【小题1】.

There are three basic types of climbing: alpine (高山) climbing, ice climbing, and rock climbing. 【小题2】. However, rock climbing only requires a rock face or cliff; even if it is indoors!

There are two kinds of rock climbing. One is free climbing. People use only their hands and feet to climb up a cliff or rock wall. The other type is aid climbing. 【小题3】 For example, they use ropes to help pull themselves up.

【小题4】 One kind of competition is about speed. Two similar walls are set up next to each other, and the climbers race to the top. The other kind of competition is about decision-making. Each climber is given the same amount of time to climb the same wall, and whoever gets to the highest point wins. 【小题5】

Today, at 28, the young German Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is at the top. “She gives radiance (光芒) to the music,” wrote Geoffrey Norris in The Daily Telegraph, London.

Born in Rheinfelden on June 29, 1963, Anne-Sophie grew up in Wehr, a small town just five kilometers from the Swiss border. Her father, Karl Wilhelm Mutter, and her mother, Gerlinde, considered music lessons part of a good education. It came as no surprise when Anne-Sophie said she wanted a violin for her fifth birthday.

Her parents thought she was too young for the violin, and persuaded her to start on the piano. But Anne-Sophie has always had a mind of her own. “I longed to play the violin,” she says, “It seemed to me a much more interesting instrument.” After six months, her parents gave in.

The famous violin teacher Erna Honigberfer, who lived nearby, became Annie-Sophie’s teacher.   After only nine months of lessons, she entered the six-year-old in a nationwide competition for young musicians. With Christoph accompanying her on the piano, Anne-Sophie won first prize.

In 1974, Erna Honigberger died. Anne-Sophie’s new teacher was Aida Stucki. She taught Anne-Sophie to develop her own ideas on how a piece should be played, not just to imitate (模仿) others. This is one of the violinist’s strongest, most distinctive characteristics today.

Though the Mutters were short of money at times, they limited their daughter’s performances to one or two a year. “We are glad we went the family road,” says her father. “No outsider can ever have an effect on our daughter’s career or push her into playing more concerts than she wants to.” Later she was allowed to give six to eight concerts a year and make some recordings.

There are so many interesting and creative hobbies that can improve your life and make you smarter.

【小题1】 As the saying goes, reading gives us somewhere to go when we have to stay where we are. It enriches your knowledge and makes you feel better about yourself. Learning a new language is a most unique and challenging hobby. It enables your brain perform better, improves your memory and reduces the risk of brain decline. 【小题2】

Playing chess makes you smarter by exercising both sides of your brain. 【小题3】 And it helps improve your memory and builds your self-confidence.

Writing makes your brain work. 【小题4】 Writing things down can improve your emotions and your ability to communicate with others and it will make you a more interesting person.

Exercising regularly keeps both your body and your brain functioning. A good blood circulation in your body means a good blood circulation of your brain, which means an increased brain function. 【小题5】

Learning to play the piano or any other musical instrument teaches you patience and perseverance because it takes a lot of effort and a lot of time.