高中英语阅读Almost back on his feet

Liao Bo hopes to go back to school as soon as possible.

HAVING correctly fitted himself into his artificial left leg, Liao Bo stood up and walked around for a few minutes. When a sudden stab of pain (刺痛) came, the 17-year-old had to stop. "It still doesn't work well," he said, with a trace of anxiety (一丝焦虑) on his face.

A lot can happen in a second. The May 12 earthquake turned this typical basketball-loving teenager into an amputee (截肢者), robbing him of both his friends and his left leg. It took six major operations to save what remains of Liao's leg above the knee.

Liao finally received his artificial leg on February 13, after spending nine months in hospital. His first excited thought, when he got the artificial leg, was that he would soon be able to go back to school! He did. He was even back in time to start the new semester. He is now a Senior 1 student at Beijing No 4 High School.

Liao says he likes his new school. His classmates, 48 in total, are "smart and versatile (多才多艺的)" he says, and everyone is nice to him. They remind him of his old classmates in Beichuan Middle School, who were as close as a family. Fifty-three of Liao's 69 classmates died in the earthquake. Only three of those who survived are healthy. They include Li Yang, who held a drip for Liao when he was buried below the rubble. Li is now a Senior 2 student at Beichuan, and Liao is thankful that he has a new "family".

On Liao's first day at his new school, the PE assistant was especially helpful. When they sat together at lunch he encouraged Liao to join some student societies and sports teams. Liao was almost motivated (鼓励) to sign up for the school's basketball team as the school's basketball court looked so inviting.

Unfortunately, he felt very uncomfortable with his stump (腿残留部分) the next day. Doctors have since warned him that his artificial leg needs to be improved. They have told him his return to school must wait, something he hated hearing. "The course of true love never did run smooth (顺利的)," his doctor jokingly comforted him.

The earthquake has made Liao aware of how tough he is, so he is not afraid to suffer more pain. However, he is increasingly worried that he is falling behind in his studies.

"I must work harder to make up for my long absence from school once I get used to my new 'leg'," Liao said.

Teens 点金

核心词汇

typical adj. 典型的，有代表性的

This building is a typical example of his design style.

tough adj. 坚强的

We need to be tough in the face of hardship.