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During the 2021 Shanghai Fashion Week, a young, slim and confident model with an iron leg drew everyone's attention. Her name was Niu Yu. She lost her right leg in the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake. She was only 11 years old then.
Niu Yu used to be in the school sports team. She loved running. But the disaster broke her dream. She had to live with an artificial leg. It wasn't comfortable, and her leg often bled. People's curious eyes made her even more uncomfortable. She always tried to hide her leg under jeans or dresses.
With the support of her family and friends, Niu Yu slowly came out from the shadows. In 2018, right before her 21st birthday, she decided not to hide her leg any longer. To her surprise, she received lots of encouraging words. She also finished a half marathon in about 4 hours. She completed the hard 10 - year journey of finding herself again.
Niu Yu put her experiences on social media. She talked to disaster survivors and encouraged them to look forward. In 2023, she carried the
torch at the FISU World University Games. "It is a great honour for me," she said. "But it is also a good chance to show people the power of being brave."
A disaster can bring wounds and pain. But we should always face them with courage. As the writer Nora Ephron once said, "Above all, be the hero of your life, not the victim."
artificial /,ɑːtr'fɪʃl/ adj. 人造的(artificial intelligence 人工智能)
shadow /'ʃædəʊ/ n. (坏)影响
torch /tɔːtʃ/ n. 火炬
victim /'vɪktɪm/ n. 受害者
理解
1. What happened when Niu Yu decided not to hide her leg any longer?
She received lots of encouraging words and finished a half marathon in about 4 hours.
2. How do you understand the statement "be the hero of your life, not the victim"?
We should face difficulties bravely and live actively instead of being defeated by them.
