Grace Kane hangs onto an Olympic dream of clinging to a granite (花岗岩) wall by her fingertips 70 feet from the ground. The fearless girl is only 10, but already has scaled great heights in the sport of rock climbing.
Last week, Kane won a bronze in the 11andyounger sport class at the USA Climbing Youth National Championships in Atlanta. She was the only competitor of the 31 there with no climbing coach or topflight facilities in which to train. Climbing will become an exhibition at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil. The hope of enthusiasts is that the sport will gain full status in 2020.“I’m already training for that,” said Kane. “Climbing is my passion, my love, and I want to make something of it.”
Her dad took her to climb rocks on her fourth birthday for the first time and today he can’t keep up with her, “It’s the freedom to let loose,” she said. “When I’m up there, I’m so focused and don’t hear anything. I always feel comforted knowing people are supporting me.”
The bronze in Atlanta qualified Kane for the USA team and November’s International Championships in Ecuador. That’s a trip she might have to miss because it’s too expensive.
Kane held a backyard music concert---she played the guitar and the piano and wrote inspirational songs---and raised $600 for her $1,500 trip to Atlanta. She’s also been sponsored by a shoe company, but must rely heavily on donations from family and friends for travel expenses.
Her mom Heather Kane said the family has chosen “to do whatever we need to help her achieve her goals”. One of Grace’s biggest challenges is finding balance in her life. There’s school, her music and church to fit around climbing.
“Climbing is going to mean sacrificing things other kids might pursue,” Grace said. “But it doesn’t bother me. It’s like playing the piano; you can’t take a break or you’ll lose your touch.”
小题1:What would be the best title of the passage?
A．Rock climbing gains popularity
B．Grace Kane likes challenges
C．A young climber follows her dream
D．An amazing victory for a young rock climber小题2:We can learn from the second paragraph that rock climbing ________.
A．is not an exhibition at the Olympics now
B．is an official event at the Olympics now
C．is not open to children
D．will gain full status in 2020小题3:Which of the following is TRUE about Grace Kane?
A．She is only interested in rock climbing.
B．She is a girl with many talents.
C．Rock climbing has affected her study.
D．She has won gold medals in several matches.小题4:One of Grace’s biggest challenges is to ________.
A．find a capable coach for her
B．get qualified for the USA team
C．raise enough money for International competitions
D．keep balance between rock climbing and other activities
