Inspiration from disabled dolphin

安徽太湖中學 周艷霞

題材 生活 體裁 記敘文 文章詞數 398 建議用時 8 min

難詞探意

1.bottlenose/?ba?tl?n??z/n.寬吻海豚

2.ease/i?z/v.減輕；緩和

3.shrimp/?r?mp/n.蝦

4.approach/??pr??t?/v.接近

5.glide/gla?d/v.滑動

6.nuzzle/?n?zl/v.（用鼻）摩擦；依偎

For two years,Maja Kazazic had been watching the injured bottlenose dolphin named Winter swim around the tank.Despite her fear,she felt strong wearing her new leg and eased herself into the pool.

In second grade in Mostar,Kazazic lost her five-year-old cousin,Jasmina.After Jasmina's death,Kazazic promised she would honor the little girl by swimming with a dolphin,an animal that both girls liked.“Jasmina never got the chance to do it,so I decided that someday I'd do it for her,”said Kazazic,32,who was badly injured in an accident 16 years ago.

She spent nearly two years in a hospital in Cumberland,Maryland,and received her first artificial leg.Although walking was still painful,she managed to graduate from a local high school.After receiving a BA in psychology at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania,she moved to Florida's Gulf Coast,landed a job at an insurance firm and eventually started her own website development company.After dozens of surgeries,she was able to play the occasional round of golf or set of tennis.

To relax,she'd watch the dolphins play at Clearwater Marine Aquarium,near her home in Palm Harbor.A young dolphin,Winter,who had lost her tail in a crab trap,caught Kazazic's eye, “She swam more like ashrimpthan a dolphin.”Trainers were fitting Winter with a high-tech tail,which made Winter swim quickly through the water.Kazazic was shocked. “If I can do this,there's no way I can't，”she thought.Sheapproachedthe trainers,who put her in touch with the inventors,Hanger Prosthetics&Orthotics in Bethesda,Maryland.Within ten days,she had a new leg. “With its soft liner and built-in microprocessor that adjusts the fit for different activities and terrains,for the first time in almost 16 years,I was pain-free.”

Eight months later,Kazazic was ready to keep her promise she had made in honor of Jasmina.She lowered herself into the tank and held out a hand to Winter,who approached cautiously,and thenglidedaway.After a few minutes,the dolphin let Kazazic stroke her back.Finally,Winternuzzledup to her shoulder.Then the two finished an hour-long swim around the pool.Her mother began to cry.“When Kazazic says she is going to do something,she always does it,”she said.

Reading Check

1.Why did Kazazic promise to swim with a dolphin?

A.She wanted to honor her little cousin.B.She wanted to make friends with a dolphin.C.She wanted to study dolphins'living habits.D.She wanted to learn more swimming skills.

2.What made the disabled dolphin swim quickly as usual?

A.A new leg.B.A high-tech tail.C.Its body shape.D.Its strong will.

3.Which of the following can best describe Kazazic?

A.Humorous. B.Generous.C.Helpful. D.Determined.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

Eight months later,Kazazic was ready to keep her promise she had made in honor of Jasmina.八個月后，Kazazic 已經準備好信守承諾：為了紀念Jasmina，要與海豚一起游泳。

【信息提取】keep one's promise 意為“信守承諾”。

【句式仿寫】她遵守諾言，定期去看望姑媽。