It was another day of class. As the students practiced parkour (跑酷), a mother and her child walked past. “What are they doing, mum?” the child asked. “They are putting themselves in danger and it is something I will never want you to do,” the mother replied.
I drew back with worry and painful acceptance. What has happened to the natural love of movement in humans, and what will happen to the future generations when technology and convenience are controlling our daily lives?
We recently had a Parkour for Everyone workshop at Bishan. I remember very clearly when Fagan was giving instructions to a group, a young child ran up to a tall pillar (柱子) and started to climb it till a high height with a 2-metre drop. Of course, Fagan called him back due to safety concerns. But deep down, I knew a lot of us were smiling within. Such natural bravery is admired and in my opinion, is a must for achieving success in life.
Parkour is starting to get popular, but many parents do not understand it. Even I hesitate when I tell them I am a parkour coach. I can see their wonder, fear, or dislike. I get tired of explaining its life-changing benefits. Actually, there is a deeper meaning behind why parkour is practised. There is a huge surge of physical and emotional freedom that comes along with its practice.
Fortunately, times are changing. If the parents who do not like this art are positively changed by it, there will be no more doubt in the power that parkour can bring to man. My hope is that the day will come when it is common for parents to put aside electronic products and spend time moving and playing with their children in the open field. Children will grow in imagination and confidence, learning more about the spirit of play.
【小题1】What does the author worry about?| A．Mothers’ pain. | B．Outdoor dangers. |
| C．Children’s growth. | D．Technology development. |
| A．Fangan’s responsibility. | B．The show of expected courage. |
| C．The child’s funny performance. | D．The big success of the workshop. |
| A．Increase. | B．Exchange. | C．Loss. | D．Demand. |
| A．To inspire students. | B．To describe parkour. |
| C．To express the concern. | D．To help parents change. |
