“He was a nightmare (噩梦),” his mother, Mary said as I talked with her and her son Jamie. “I was sure he was going to end up in prison, or worse”. Seeing Jamie so full of life with his new friends, there was no room for imagination that he was ever a rebellious (叛逆的) kid.
Jamie was raised by his mother after his father left ten years ago. They lived in a small flat with little money. Most of their neighbors were alcoholics, so crime was very common. At middle school, he quickly got in with the wrong crowd and began to steal everything from shoes to phones.
Mary didn’t realize the consequence of the trouble Jamie made until he told her he had been stopped from going to school for three weeks. Mary was very angry, but now she has realized that it was the best thing that had happened to both of them.
During the three weeks, Mary made him volunteer at the local community centre where he saw the street dancers for the first time. “They were so cool and able to express themselves in a way I had never seen before. I asked to join them and they agreed. Because of them I am who I am now.” Jamie told me, tears in his eyes.
Back at school, his whole attitude and behavior improved. “I realized the boys I was hanging out with weren’t cool, stealing wasn’t cool and getting out of school wasn’t cool either. It made me find something I love and have a goal in life.” he said.
Yes, street dance makes him happy. This kind of dance speaks to people, and gives them a purpose.
21. Who is most probably the writer?
A. A reporter. B. A manager.
C. A photographer. D. A dancer.
22. What is Mary’s attitude toward Jamie’s future in the first paragraph?
A. Angry. B. Negative.
C. Careless. D. Cold
23. The underlined part “the wrong crowd” probably refers to _______.
A. Thieves hanging about in shops B. Strangers
C. Schoolmates with bad influence D. Neighbours
24. The text is written to _______.
A. outline the advantages of learning street dance
B. warn about the dangers of a difficult childhood
C. give advice on how to handle rebellious teenagers
D. tell how a kid changed after learning street dance