Anonymous
心灵寄语
人不能决定自己的先天条件，但后天的努力却把握在每个人的手里。一帆风顺的成功人士固然让人羡慕，但克服万难摘取成功桂冠的人才使人心生钦佩。因为，后者的成功离不开坚定的信念和锲而不舍的韧劲！
Wilma was born into a very poor family in Tennessee. She was born earlier than she should have been and was very weak. When she was four years old she had pneumonia1 and scarlet fever that left her with a useless left leg. She had to wear an iron leg brace. Yet she was fortunate because her mother encouraged her.
Wilma"s mother told her that she could do anything she wanted to do in spite of the brace and leg. She told Wilma that all she needed to do was to have confidence， persistence， courage， and an indomitable2 spirit.
So at nine years of age， Wilma removed the leg brace and took the step that the doctors told her she would never take normally. In four years she could run， which was a medical wonder. Then Wilma began to have the unbelievable idea that she would become the world"s greatest woman runner. At 13，she entered a race. She entered every race in high school， and in every race she came in last. Everyone thought she should stop competing！However， one day she came in second to last. Later she won a race. From then on， Wilma won every race that she entered.
Wilma went to Tennessee State University， where she met a coach named Ed Temple. The coach believed that she had a great talent. He trained her so well that she could go to the Olympic Games.
There she competed against the greatest woman runner of the day， a German girl named Jutta Heine. Nobody had ever beaten Jutta. But in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash， Wilma won. Finally came the 400-meter relay. The first two runners on Wilma"s team made perfect handoffs3 with the stick. But when the third runner handed the stick to Wilma， she dropped it， and Wilma saw Jutta taking off down the track. It was impossible for anyone to catch this fast girl， but Wilma did just that！
佚名
威尔玛出生于田纳西州一个穷苦的家庭。她是个早产儿，一出生身体就非常虚弱。在她四岁时，不幸感染了肺炎和猩红热，从那以后她的左腿残废了。她只能借助铁质的固定器行走。然而，幸运的是，她的母亲总是不断地鼓励她。
她的母亲鼓励她说，即使她的腿残废了，不得不使用固定器，但是只要她充满自信、持之以恒、勇敢无畏、坚强不屈，她就能实现自己的梦想。
所以，在威尔玛九岁的时候，她不再使用固定器了。虽然医生说她永远也不会像正常人一样走路，但她依然尝试着不借助外力，自己行走。四年以后，她竟然能跑步了，这是当时的一个医学奇迹。13岁时，她参加了一次赛跑。在学校，她每场赛跑都参加，但每次都跑倒数第一。很多人认为她应该放弃比赛。然而，有一天她进步了！跑了倒数第二名。从此以后，威尔玛的每场比赛都能拿第一。
威尔玛被田纳西大学录取了，在学校她认识了一位名叫爱德·坦普尔的教练。爱德教练深信她有着极大的天赋，于是努力地训练她。功夫不负有心人，威尔玛最终能够参加奥运会了。
在奥运会上，她与当时最伟大的女运动员比赛，那就是德国运动员朱特·海恩。朱特·海恩曾经所向无敌。但是在100米和200米的短跑项目中，威尔玛都战胜了她。最后，到了400米接力赛。威尔玛那一组的前两次接棒都非常顺畅，然而当第三名运动员将接力棒传给威尔玛时，不慎掉落。当时，威尔玛看到朱特已经接棒开始跑了。在这种情况下，没人能追上这个跑得飞快的女孩，但是威尔玛却做到了！
词汇空间 ocabulary
1.pneumonia n. 肺炎
2.indomitable adj. 不屈服的，不气馁的
3.handoff n. 接力
文化链接 Culture Background
1.威尔玛·鲁道夫（Wilma Rudolph）
威尔玛·鲁道夫是奥运历史上最伟大的女子短跑运动员之一。她参加了1956年的墨尔本奥运会和1960年的罗马奥运会。共获得3枚奥运会金牌和1枚铜牌。由于她跑步的姿态优雅，欧洲体坛赞誉她为“黑羚羊”。
2.猩红热（Scarlet Fever）
猩红热为A群溶血性链球菌感染引起的急性呼吸道传染病。其临床特征为发热、咽炎、全身弥漫性鲜红色皮疹和疹退后明显的脱屑。少数患者患病后由于变态反应而出现心、肾、关节的损害。本病一年四季都有发生，尤以冬春之季发病为多。多见于小儿，尤以5～15岁居多。
妙语拾珠
Wilma"s mother told her that she could do anything she wanted to do in spite of the brace and leg. She told Wilma that all she needed to do was to have confidence， persistence， courage， and an indomitable spirit.
她的母亲鼓励她说，即使她的腿残废了，不得不使用固定器，但是只要她充满自信、持之以恒、勇敢无畏、坚强不屈，她就能实现自己的梦想。
