Life finds me on the Isle of Islay, Queen of the Hebrides. I am the warden (管理员) of The Oa Reserve, a 2, 100-hectare nature reserve and working farm owned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

It was always a dream of mine to live in Scotland. The friendly nature of the island communities, the landscape, beautiful coastlines and — above all — the wildlife. The amazing wildlife. So, here I am: living and working on the west coast of Scotland in a dream job. But, things weren’t always this way.

My school life never really amounted to much. I didn’t go on to higher education and my early working life was sloppy (马虎的), at best. Much of this was due to my disinterest in the work I was doing. I worked in factories, shops, warehouses and even a castle. I was always unsettled and uninspired. I never knew how to channel my interest and passion for nature into a paying job. Wildlife and nature had been part of my life since my youth. I remember my childhood with great fondness: I would read bird books, doodle fact files for each species and get lost in the natural world.

In 2014, the opportunity I so desperately needed finally appeared — a paid traineeship with Durham Wildlife Trust. I was given all the basic skills and training for habitat control, wildlife surveys and ground management works. In October 2015, I became the reserve warden for the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), where I stayed for just under half a decade. As happy as I was, new opportunities dared me to dream even bigger. The time had come to take my next step, to continue to grow within my career.

So, this is where I am now: living in the middle of a nature reserve, with golden eagles, red deer and hen harriers as neighbors. I feel as if I’m the luckiest man alive.

【小题1】What does the author like the most about Scotland?

A．Its unique scenery.	B．Its wild species.
C．Its friendly communities.	D．Its beautiful shorelines.

【小题2】Why did the author feel unsettled in his early working life?

A．He changed jobs too often.	B．He was not well-paid.
C．He found his jobs to be boring.	D．He felt inferior to others.

【小题3】What can be inferred about the author’s childhood?

A．He knew a lot about biology.	B．He was forced to leave school early.
C．He dreamed of living in Scotland.	D．He was fascinated by nature.

【小题4】What did the author think of his work at the WWT?

A．Rewarding.

B．Challenging.

C．Exhausting.

D．Flexible.