The life of the cowboy was not always, of course, as romantic as Hollywood showed it. It was often (47)________ hard. The cowboy had to (48) ________ his herd from the dangers of (49)________ animals and thieves, from snowstorms, tornadoes(龙卷风) , and desert sunstroke (中暑). He (50)________ broken bones and being kicked or dragged to death. He often had no companion but his horse during days and nights of lonely keeping (51)________ of his herd. And yet his principle of living, which permitted a kind of rough and tough manner, allowed no complaining. The cowboy was (52)________ a person who had great self-control, who could
(53)________ pain and discomfort without complaint and was very proud, " an aristocrat (贵族) among the working men of the Old West. " Today’’s cowboy has been modernized. His faithful companion and most valuable tool, (54)________, has been replaced by the automobile, the jeep, even the airplane; his way of (55)________ has been simplified, replaced by blue jeans and nylon shirts. But his traditional (56)________ is still being preserved. In folk festivals throughout the west, adventure-seekers can still thrill to the spectacle and dangers of saddling wild horses, riding bareback, roping and wrestling bulls.
WORD BANK
A. Risked B. bitterly C. notice D. seldom
E. horse F. dressing G. bear H. image
I. preserve J. wild K. strangely L. protect
M. watch N. always O. living