Lesson 3 Wilma Rudolph: Olympic Gold Medalist

Over 40,000 people lined①the streets of Clarksville, Tennessee. “Look, here she comes!” one girl cried. “Wilma, we’re proud of you!” a man yelled out. The crowd shouted loudly and cheered as Wilma Rudolph passed. Nearly everyone in her hometown had turned out for this parade in her honor. This parade② for Wilma was the first important thing for both white and African-American people in Clarksville, Tennessee.

The year was 1960. Wilma Rudolph, now a hero, had just returned from the Olympics in Rome, Italy. There she had become the first woman to win three gold medals③at an Olympics. She won first place in both the 100-meter race and the 200-meter race. She also placed first with her teammates in the relay race④.

At the parade, friends and neighbors thought about Wilma’s childhood. They had watched her try her best to walk. She had had polio⑤ and had worn a metal leg brace⑥. They remembered her talent in basketball. They remembered also her speed on the track⑦. She had never lost a race in high school. They remembered proudly the running star she became in college. All of that had prepared Wilma for the Olympics.

Wilma smiled and waved as she saw her friends and neighbors. She was a true champion⑧. Her first steps in life had been slow. But she had set a goal for herself. She had worked hard when it was painful to do so. Wilma Rudolph had her problems and challenges. She faced them bravely and at last she became an Olympic hero.

（259 words）

Notes

① line [laɪn] vt. 排成一行；划线于；以线条标示；使……起皱纹

vi. 排队；站成一排

n. 路线，航线；排；绳

② parade [pə'reɪd] n. 游行；阅兵；炫耀；行进；阅兵场

vt.&vi. 游行；炫耀；列队行进

③ medal ['medəl] n. 勋章，奖章；纪念章

④ the relay race 接力赛

⑤ polio ['pəʊlɪəʊ] n. 小儿麻痹症（等于 poliomyelitis）；脊髓灰质炎

⑥ leg brace 腿支架；膝-踝-足矫正器

⑦ track [træk] n. 轨道；足迹，踪迹；小道

vt. 追踪；通过；循路而行；用纤拉

vi. 追踪；走；留下足迹

⑧ champion ['tʃæmpɪən] n. 冠军；拥护者；战士

vt. 支持；拥护

adj. 优胜的；第一流的

Exercises

Ⅰ. How well did you read?

1. [Check the details] Wilma Rudolph’s parade took place in___.

A. 200-meter race 　B. 1960 　C. 40,000

2. [Draw a conclusion] From the article, we can conclude that___.

A. Wilma did not really win any medals

B. Wilma played baseball in high school, too

C. Wilma worked hard to overcome handicap

3. [Understand the main idea] The main idea of the article is that___.

A. running fast wins races

B. people like to have parades

C. setting goals can lead to success

Ⅱ. Read for words.

1. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined words.

（1） The crowd shouted loudly and cheered as Wilma Rudolph passed. （Para. 1,line 3）

A. showed happiness by shouting

B. caused to feel excited

C. called out to stand up

（2） They remembered her talent in basketball. （Para. 3, line 3）

A. skill 　B. gift 　C. energy

（3） Wilma smiled and waved as she saw her friends and neighbors. （Para. 4,line 1）

A. moved up and down

B. rose hands quickly

C. made a signal with the hand

2. Choose one best paraphrase for the underlined expressions.

（1） Nearly everyone in her hometown had turned out for this parade in her honor. （Para. 1, line 4）

A. had dressed up well

B. had come out

C. had expected

（2） But she had set a goal for herself. （Para. 4, line 2）

A. made an aim 　B. achieved a goal 　C. made an action

Ⅲ. Writing practice.

1. Have you ever set a goal on your study? What is it?

2. How do you do to achieve your goal? Please write four ways.

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