Renata Di Pietro was studying to be an opera singer.
But at 23, while on a music scholarship at the University of Iowa in 1976, her
sight began to fail. Soon, it became increasingly difficult to read scores and
pick up hand signals from conductors, and the gifted singer was forced to drop
out.
After moving to Cleveland, Georgia in 2005, Di Pietro
relied on guide dogs to get around. Over the years, she became depressed when
she’d lose one of the dogs, who had become her best friend, to old age or
death. “It’s very painful, because you love each one,” she says.
In 2009, Di Pietro was intrigued by information
from a friend that miniature horses typically live for at least 30 years and
make calm and strong guides. She started with a male horse, but he was too hard
to control. Angel came next, a mini white female horse Di Pietro has mostly
trained herself. “Horses have the ability to avoid the things in the way,” she
says. “If I am about to run into something, she slides her body in front of
me.”
Di Pietro, now 59, has taught her guide horse to make
some sounds with her hoof (馬蹄)when she comes to
stairs. “Angel can find a chair and locate the nearest door for me,” Di Pietro
says. Currently, she’s training Angel to pull her wheelchair and to fetch.
Despite her disability, Di Pietro still sings,
performing with her husband, musician Carl Hummer, at special events. Angel is
always by her side. “I fight a battle every day to take courage to engage the
world,” Di Pietro says. “Angel is my warhorse. We fight that battle together.”
1.Why did Di Pietro have to give up her studying in
the university?
A.She disliked her major in music.
B.She failed to get high scores.
C.She couldn’t understand hand signals from
conductors.
D.She found it difficult to see things clearly.
2.What does the underlined word “intrigued” in
Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.Puzzled.
B. Interested. C.
Satisfied. D. Frightened.
3.Angel can do a lot of things for Di Pietro now
EXCEPT_________.
A.supporting her in case of her falling
B. helping her find a chair to sit on
C. keeping her company every day
D. fighting with her against others
4.Which of the following can best describe the author?
A.Caring and
strong-minded.
B. Honest and responsible.
C. Kind and
helpful. D.
Ambitious and sensitive.
