A Dream Chaser in a Wheelchair

Since the age of three, Chelsie Hill had dreamed of becoming a dancer. That dream nearly ended in 2010 when Hill was in a car accident, which put the 17-year-old girl in hospital for 51 days and left her paralyzed (瘫痪的) from the waist down. For most people, that would have destroyed any hope of a dancing career. But for Hill, it was the beginning. “I want to prove to everyone including myself that I’m still normal,” she said, “whatever normal means.”

Normal for her meant dancing, so Hill did it in her wheelchair alongside her nondisabled high school dance team. Half of her body was taken away from her, so she had to move it with her hands. It took much learning and patience.

After graduation from high school, Hill wanted to expand her dance network to include women like her. She met people online who were fighting for the dream of dancing against various spinal (脊柱的) injuries, and invited them to dance with her. To reach more people in a larger city, Hill moved to Los Angeles in 2014 and formed a team of dancers with disabilities she called the Rollettes.

Every year Hill holds a dance camp called the Rollettes Experience for wheelchair users to help them bring out their acting talent. In 2019, 173 participants from ten countries attended. For many, it was the first time they’d felt they belonged. Edna Serrano said, “I didn’t know I could do so many things that my fellow teammates had taught me. It’s so powerful to have my teammates in my life, because they’re my teachers. I have more confidence.”

Chelsie Hill got what many of us never will: her childhood dream. She has been chasing her dream in the wheelchair. She’s a dancer. The Rollettes have helped her find something else just as fulfilling.

1.What happened to Chelsie Hill in 2010?

A.She lost her hope of dancing.

B.She got backache and stayed in hospital.

C.She was seriously disabled in a car accident.

D.She realized her dream of becoming a dancer.

2.Why did Chelsie Hill set up the Rollettes in 2014?

A.To expand her social network.

B.To enlarge her dance business.

C.To encourage more people like her.

D.To look for more opportunities to dance.

3.Which of the following words can best describe Chelsie Hill?

A.Modest and professional. B.Cooperative and faithful.

C.Responsible and creative. D.Strong willed and inspiring.

Come to Austria(奥地利)!

Soil is a village in the mountains in western Austria. And the Hotel Post, opened by a local family, is clean and not expensive. From the hotel you can see the whole village, the forest and the mountains. Temperatures in summer are usually 20℃ to 25℃ in the daytime, but much cooler in the evening.

Enjoy Thailand(泰国)!

When you visit Bangkok in Thailand, don’t miss the early morning river boat trip to the Floating Market (水上市场) just outside the city. There you’ll find many kinds of fruits and vegetables. You can pay for them when you sit in your boat. Don’t forget to wear your hat. The sun can be strong and it may be as hot as 40℃ at noon!

Visit Hawaii(夏威夷)!

Maybe the most beautiful place in Hawaii is Kauai. You can visit its long, sandy beaches in the south and west and land, mountains and forests in the north. But don’t be surprised if it rains in the middle of the island. Daytime temperatures there are usually around 24℃ to 26℃ by the sea, and only a little cooler by late evening.

1.You can enjoy ________ near the Hotel Post.

A.the view(风景) of the forests and mountains B.many kinds of fruits and vegetables

C.long and sandy beaches D.a river boat trip

2.________ is a good way to stop the strong sunshine in Bangkok.

A.Going to the long beaches B.Wearing a hat

C.Climbing up the mountains D.Staying in the forests

3.Which place will you choose if you want to visit both beaches and mountains?

A.Soil in Austria. B.Bangkok in Thailand.

C.The Floating Market. D.Kauai in Hawaii.

4.According to the advertisements(广告), we know that ________.

A.the hottest travel place is Soil

B.maybe it often rains in the centre of Kauai

C.the Floating Market is in the middle of Bangkok

D.the Post Hotel in Austria is clean but the price is high

5.The advertisements above are about________.

A.shopping B.food C.travel D.hotels

Wang Jinyuan is an eighth-grader at Chongzhou High School, Sichuan. But thanks to an online course, he is studying with his peers (同龄人) at Yucai Middle School in Chengdu.

In every class, he and his classmates watch online course videos from the school. “It’s like I have classes together with students at Yucai,”Wang said.

Wang is not alone. Students from more than 200 schools in rural areas of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou are doing the same thing. They all use the online courses made by Yucai Middle School. The school started the online course program in 2007. It records (录制) courses, makes them into videos and offers them to other schools.

The online courses give students new ideas and broaden their horizons (拓宽视野). They can learn from their peers (同伴) studying in the city. “I remember that a topic in English class was about volunteering.” said Wan Jinyuan, “Students shared a lot about their own experiences. But it was hard for me to talk about it because I had little experience. It encouraged me to do more.”

But students don’t completely rely on online course. They still interact with (和……互动) teachers. In fact, the teachers edit (剪辑) the videos before using them. “I cut off some parts, like the discussion parts,” said Zhang Xiaomin, Wang’s English teacher. “I will let my students discuss for themselves, rather than only watch. Then, if necessary, I will show them what their peers said in their discussions. We benefit (受益) a lot from it.” Teachers further explain key points that students don’t understand.

Also, students can watch the videos again after class.

1.Which of the following is TRUE according the passage?

A.The students at Chongzhou High School have classes with those at Yucai Middle School every day.

B.The online courses were made by Chongzhou Middle School about ten years ago.

C.Students in rural areas of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou get new ideas and learn more by attending online courses.

D.The teachers don’t need to edit the videos before using them.

2.The underlined word “rural” in Paragraph 3 means .

A.far away in space B.far from towns

C.connected with a town or city D.connected with the countryside

3.What’s the best title for the passage?

A.Online courses in cities B.Online courses in countryside

C.Online help for rural students D.Online help for city students

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