When I became an amputee at age 29, I was forced to rethink the idea of physical perfection. My life became different, as I changed from an acceptably attractive woman to an object of pity and __50__.
Too busy __51__ physical pain and obvious mobility limitation, I was not aware of this change at first. I was determined to __52__, feeling good about the progress I had made, as I moved forward.
__53__, as I made my first excursion outside the hospital, society had already assigned me a new status. Happy to be free of my restriction in the hospital, I rolled through the shopping mall – a __54__ survivor, feeling like a war hero. Unfortunately, I had a rude __55__ as I discovered that others did not view me in the way I had come to view myself.
All eyes were upon me, yet no one dared to make eye contact. Their efforts to __56__ my eyes forced me to realize they saw only my missing legs. Mothers __57__ held their children closer as I passed. Elderly women patted me on the head saying, “God Bless You!” with __58__ in their eyes.
While I sat thinking about what had happened, a small girl came up to me. She stared with unembarrassed __59__ at the empty pants. Finding nothing there, she looked up at me with a puzzled look, she innocently asked, “Lady, where did your legs go?”
I explained that my legs had been sick. Since my legs hadn’t been strong and healthy like hers, the doctors had to __60__ them. Leaning her head upwards, she asked, “Did they go to ‘Leg Heaven’?”
That incident made me think about how __61__ children and adults react to the unknown. To a child, an odd appearance is an interesting curiosity and a __62__ learning experience while adults often view the same thing with fear and horror. I began to realize that, I, too had been __63__ of the same inappropriate reactions before I knew what life was like for an amputee.
To fulfill the wholeness of my mind and spirit, I now smile warmly, make eye contact, and speak in a confident manner. By using a __64__ approach, I attempt to enlighten society about the fact that having a not-so-perfect body doesn’t mean having a poor quality of life.
50. A. comfort B. fear C. hatred D. sadness
51. A. crying with B. figuring out C. holding back D. dealing with
52. A. endure B. quit C. revenge D.succeed
53. A. Instead B. Moreover C. However D. Therefore
54. A. calm B. poor C. proud D. rare
55. A. awakening B. ending C. happening D. proceeding
56. A. turn B. hold C. catch D. avoid
57. A. softly B. protectively C. reluctantly D. pleasantly
58. A. pity B. anger C. depression D. upset
59. A. curiosity B. determination C. enthusiasm D. satisfaction
60. A. lose B. adjust C. remove D.stretch
61. A. differently B. positively C. strangely D. sympathetically
62. A. painful B. potential C. similar D. common
63. A. conscious B. guilty C. ignorant D. short
64. A. creative B. flexible C. positive D. scientific