A Hands-Free Inspiration|用脚飞翔的女孩──莲娜‧玛利亚

by Leigh Goldberg

Lena Maria Klingvall is a singer, writer, painter, and swimmer that has inspired the world.

This humble and talented individual has had a Japanese manga written about her, been made an honorary citizen of Taipei, and received the HM The King's Medal from Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf himself. She has won gold medals at world swimming championships, written several successful books, and released eight CDs, which have made her a singing sensation in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. However, all of these are not what makes Lena Maria Klingvall special.

Klingvall was born in Sweden in 1968 with no arms and with her left leg half as long as her healthy right one. Fortunately, her parents treated her the same way they treated her normal brother. They encouraged her to devote herself to her own interests. Neither angry nor bitter about her handicap, Klingvall learned to use her mouth and feet to complete ordinary everyday tasks. Growing up, she discovered that some things came easily to her like swimming, which she learned at the age of three and led to her attending the 1988 Paralympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. After her successful swimming career, Klingvall went on to an even more successful singing career. Since graduating from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden, she has been touring the world, performing hundreds of concerts in over 50 tours in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Even so, all this celebrity hasn't gone to Klingvall's head. She travels the world, sharing her personal experiences, spreading compassion, and encouraging people with special needs to live their lives with dignity. Whether it's writing calligraphy and painting with her feet or showering audiences with her heavenly voice, Klingvall has become a role model for people with and without disabilities all around the world.

1.  How does Kingvall feel about her physical condition?

(A) She doesn't think she deserves to be handicapped.

(B) She couldn't take it and tried to commit suicide.

(C) She accepts it humbly and without any anger.

(D) She blames her parents for making her that way.

2.  What did Klingvall learn about herself while growing up?

(A) She was flexible enough to put her foot behind her head.

(B) She could swim like a fish.

(C) She loved doing household chores.

(D) She knew how to write music as a child.

3.  Which of the following has Klingvall NOT achieved?

(A) Winning a gold medal in swimming at the Olympics.

(B) Recording music that is popular worldwide.

(C) Graduating from a prestigious music academy.

(D) Receiving a high honor from the King of Sweden.

4.  When Klingvall was born, how did she appear?

(A) Like any other baby, healthy and with all her limbs.

(B) Small and dying because she was born premature.

(C) Blue in the face due to the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck.

(D) Unique, with one normal leg, the other half as long, and no arms.

莲娜．玛利亚．克林佛是歌手、作家、画家以及游泳选手，她激励了全世界的人。

　　此人谦恭且才华洋溢，有一套日本漫画还以她为故事蓝本，她同时也是台北市的荣誉市民，并荣获瑞典国王卡尔 16 世‧古斯塔夫亲自颁发勋章。她得过世界游泳锦标赛的金牌，写过数本畅销的书籍，并发行过 8 张唱片，她的歌声在日本、台湾、新加坡、南韩和泰国都造成轰动。但是，以上所言都不是让莲娜‧玛利亚‧克林佛如此特别的原因。

　　莲娜‧玛利亚于 1968 年出生瑞典，她生下来就没有双臂，而且左腿仅有正常右腿的一半长。所幸，她的父母对待她跟对待她四肢健全兄弟的方式并无二致。他们鼓励她全心投入自己的兴趣。莲娜‧玛利亚对自己的缺陷不生气也不怨怼，她学着靠口足完成一般日常生活所需的动作。成长期间，她发觉自己有些事做起来毫不费力，像是游泳，她 3 岁开始学游泳，后来更游进 1988年在南韩汉城（编按：首尔的旧译名）所举办的残障奥运会。莲娜．玛利亚在泳坛上表现杰出，之后开始转战歌坛，成绩更是亮眼。毕业于瑞典斯德哥尔摩的皇家音乐学院后，她到世界各地巡回演唱，在美国、欧洲和亚洲超过 50 场的巡演里，举办了数百场演唱会。

　　即使如此，莲娜‧玛利亚并没有被这些名声冲昏头。她环游世界、跟大家分享她的个人经验、宣扬悲天悯人的情怀，以及鼓励伤残人士活得有尊严。无论是用脚写书法和画画，或是用她的天籁歌声抚慰听众的心灵，莲娜‧玛利亚早已成为全球身障和健康人士的典范。

答案：1. (C)2. (B)3. (A)4. (D)

莲娜‧玛利亚 1968 年出生于瑞典，3 岁开始学游泳，4 岁开始拿针刺绣，5岁时完成了第一幅十字绣作品，并开始学裁缝，中学时缝制了第一件洋装。15岁进入瑞典游泳国家代表队，18 岁参加世界冠军杯比赛，打破世界纪录，并且以蝶式勇夺多面金牌。19岁拿到汽车驾照，音乐更是她的最爱。进入大学专攻音乐后，成为全球知名演唱家，荣获瑞典皇后个别接见。现在则到世界各地巡回演唱散播福音。