Born in Russia and living in an orphanage (孤儿院) for the first 13 months of her life, Jessica Long had no idea what her future would hold. The little girl born with Fibular Hemimelia would not only go on to be a 13-time gold medal-winning Paralympic champion, but she would inspire others to chase their dreams.
Long was born in Russia, where she lived in an orphanage until her parents adopted her in 1993. Soon after being adopted, she had to have her legs amputated (截肢) at only a year and a half. “It gave me a lot of freedom and movement,” Long said. “But growing up was definitely really hard. From a very early age, I just decided that I was going to be unstoppable and I wasn’t going to let my legs hold me back.” From that point forward, she didn’t let anyone tell her what she was or wasn’t capable of doing. She started doing gymnastics as a kid. Then, in 2002, Long found her sport for life: swimming!
“I was the only girl with no legs on the swim team, ” she said. “There were moments I struggled, but my teammates treated me like a friend. When I look back on my life and I think about anyone on that team, no one made fun of me for having no legs and they were so kind.” Long defied (顶住) all odds and surprised everyone when she qualified at age only 12 for the Paralympics in 2004 in Athens. After four Paralympics, Long has won 13 gold, six silver, and four bronze medals. She has dozens of World Championship medals and has broken numerous world records throughout her career so far. But she didn’t concentrate on winning awards or being famous. “I really just love swimming. It’s important for any athlete to remember just why you started,” she said.
As one of the most decorated athletes in history, Long’s goal is to just keep competing as long as her body allows. “Dream big,” she said. “There are so many possibilities out there, so find your passion, be consistent and work hard. You define your own success.”
24. How old was Long when she found her life sport?
25. What made Jessica determine to devote herself to swimming?
A.Her experience of winning 13 gold medals. |
B.Her parents’ support and teachers’ help. |
C.Her teammates’ understanding and kindness. |
D.Her focus on winning awards and fame. |
26. What is the text mainly about?
A.A poor orphanage and her close friends. |
B.A happy girl and her confusing childhood. |
C.An amazing illness and its terrible influence. |
D.An inspiring story about an unlucky person. |
27. Which of the following may Long most agree with?
A.If you can dream it, you can make it. |
B.If you want to succeed, learn to swim. |
C.A man never reaches success until disabled. |
D.A sportsman’s goal is winning gold medals. |