Surfing may wash away autism symptoms

四川雙流中學 蔣建平（特級教師）

難詞探意

1.meltdown/?meltda?n/n.情緒失控

2.overload/???v??l??d/n.超負荷

3.coax/k??ks/v.哄勸

William Cary said he has learned to appreciate small victories with his 17-year-old son Ben,who has autism and doesn't speak,so he choked up while describing how proud he was when Ben buttoned his pants for the very first time after going to the bathroom.But one victory that Ben achieved long ago was surfing.Since the age of six,he has been participating in Surfers Healing,surf camps for children with autism.

The annual event returned recently to Tourmaline Surf Park in California.More than 150 children took turns riding the waves with 15 professional surfers as well as a small group of volunteers.Ben could hardly wait to get in the water with surfer Graham.Within minutes of hitting the sand,Ben mounted a long board and Graham gently pushed him out into the thigh-high surf.Graham,who has an 11-year-old son with autism,said he's seen first-hand how children immediately transform when they're rolling in the ocean waves.

Surfers Healing was started 20 years ago by surfer Izzy Paskowitz and his wife,Danielle.One day while in Hawaii,their son Isaiah had a meltdown on the beach and Izzy tried to distract the boy by tossing him into the waves.Suddenly,the boy's anger was replaced by smiles and wonder,and Surfers Healing was born.Each year,the foundation hosts 25 camps around the world serving more than 5,000 autistic people,ranging in age from 3 to 25.About half of the group participating recently was new to the sport.

Izzy said the ocean has a healing power on people with autism.The rhythm of the waves calms them,and the sounds,sights,textures and temperatures create such a sensory overload that it forces the mind to focus.Many of the children arriving at the beach initially covered their ears from the crash of the waves,but gradually these sensitivities disappeared.One teen camper who traveled with her mom from Arizona wouldn't get out of the car for more than an hour.Finally,she was coaxed to take a brief ten-minute ride in the knee-high waves on a body board.As she returned to shore,a volunteer awarded her a small trophy for participation.

Reading

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1.What was most probably the reason why Cary choked up?

A.He achieved a small victory.

B.He was proud that his son was a good surfer.

C.He was too surprised to see his autistic son button his own pants.

D.He took pride in his autistic son curing himself of autism.

2.Which of the following statements is true?

A.Ben has suffered from autism since he was six.

B.Autistic people usually range in age from 3 to 25.

C.Surfing is so stimulating to our senses that it forces autistic children to focus.

D.Around 150 people took part in the recent surfing event in Tourmaline Surf Park.

3.How did Surfers Healing come into being?

A.It was initiated 20 years ago by a foundation.

B.A boy went crazy on the beach of Hawaii two decades ago.

C.Surfer Izzy Paskowitz's son was cured of autism by surfing two decades ago.

D.Surfer Izzy Paskowitz and his wife realized the healing effects of surfing 20 years ago.

Language

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Sentence for writing

Since the age of six,he has been participating in Surfers Healing,surf camps for children with autism.

【信息提取】“Since...,someone has been doing sth.”意為“自從……以來，某人一直在做某事”。

【句式仿寫】她從八歲開始打網球。