Asweallknowgettingbenched(板凳)insportsisusuallyabadthing.ButatoneschoolinFloridaagirlhastakenabenchandturneditintosomethingentirelydifferent–aplacetofindfriends.It’scalledtheFriendshipBench.
Asweallknowgettingbenched(板凳)insportsisusuallyabadthing.ButatoneschoolinFloridaagirlhastakenabenchandturneditintosomethingentirelydifferent–aplacetofindfriends.It’scalledtheFriendshipBench.Andit’sthebrainchildofasixthgraderatPalmBayElementary–agirlnamedAcaciaWoodley.
Acacia’sattitudetowardlifemightbesummedupbestbyaquestionsherecentlyaskedmembersoftheBrevardCountySchoolBoard–“whatifwespendasmuchtimeputtingthespotlightonkindnessaswedooncruelty?”It’satruthAcaciashaslearnedtoliveherownlife–inspiteofhavingalotofpeoplewouldconsiderahandicap(残疾).Shewasbornwithoutarighthand.Andherlefthanddidnotformproperly.ButAcaciasaysthatshehasnotstoppedherfromachievinghergoals.“Youneedtobelieveinyourdreams.Ifyoudon’tbelieveinyoudreamsIcandefinitelytellyouthattheyarenotgoingtocometrue.”Shesaid.
AcaciacameupwiththeideafortheFriendshipBenchafterseeingkidsgettingbullied(欺凌)atschool.Shesaysshehasalsoexperiencedbullyingherself–kidswhisperingaboutherorpickingonherbecausesheisdifferent.“Somepeoplesaytheyfeelsorryforme.Itellthemnotto”shesaid.“Idon’tcarethatI’mdifferent.Ilikebeingdifferent.”
TheFriendshipBenchlookslikealotofotherbenches.Ithasarmsetsandaplacetoleanon.Buttherearealsowordspaintedonit–wordssuchas“hope”“respect”“listen”and“dream”.Acaciaputthebenchestogetherwiththehelpfromhermotherandbrother.
Anytimeakidfeelsheorsheneedsafriendallthatkidneedstodoissitonthebench.Itisthenuptotheotherkids–orgrown-ups–tofillthatneed.“It’saperfectidea”PalmBayElementaryPrincipalLorisaid.“It’ssomethingwe’veneededsobadly.”
TheFriendshipBenchhasbeensuchasuccessatPalmBayElementarythatotherschoolsarenowinterestedininstalling(安装)onetoo.“There’sasayinginmyteacher’sclassroom”Acaciasaid.“Itsays‘ityoucandreamityoucanachieveit.’”
1.WhatisthefunctionofthefirstsentenceinParagraphOne?
A.Toexplainthemeaningofgettingbenchedissports.
B.Tointroducetheimportantrole“bench”playsinsports.
C.Tointroducewhattheauthorwantstosayinthetexttous.