14．Kitty O'Neil
Twelve-year-old Kitty O'Neil tapped her coach on the arm．"Let me try"，she said．She was already on the swim team，but this was different．One of the divers had not shown up，and Kitty wanted to help out．Her coach looked down at her．
She had been practicing dives，but could she really stand up to the competition？Besides，she was completely deaf．Hearing and balance （st）go together．Many people thought a person who was deaf wouldn't be able to dive well．However，Kitty did，and she won the first place at that swimming meet and went on to win the Junior Olympics in her district．
Kitty began diving with Dr．Sammy Lee，a famous coach and for?mer Olympic diving champion．The teenager went to school in the morning and then spent most afternoons diving．It was hard work，and Kitty often hit the water the wrong way．However，she was somehow able to keep practicing．In her diving career Kitty won many blue ribbons and gold medals，but she wanted more．Perhaps she learned determination（uv）from her mother．Kitty lost her hearing at the age of four months．Because she wanted Kitty to lead a normal life，Kitty's mother went to college to learn about teaching people who are deaf．At last Kitty's mother started a school for those who are deaf．
Kitty's life was anything but normal，and as an athlete，Kitty was much older than others．When she gave up diving，she wanted danger and adventure．She raced cars，boats，and motorcycles．
In 1971she met a motorcycle racer named Duffy Humbleton．
Friendship grew between them，and they were married within a year．
Kitty settled into the marriage as Duffy continued his job for movies and television．Kitty became
bored．Finally，she suggested that Duffy train her to do stunts．She was so brave and strong that everyone enjoyed her stunts．
Soon this 97-pound woman was dangling from cliffs，falling out of windows，and flipping cars．She
became one of the busiest stunt women in Hollywood．In 1976Kitty O'Neil also became the fastest
woman in the world in rocket-powered car that went more than 512miles per hour．
61．How old was Kitty when she won the first champion？Twelve years old．/12
62．Who was Kitty's first coach？Dr．Sammy Lee
63．When did Kitty lose her hearing？At the age of four months
64．What did Kitty do when she gave up diving？She raced cars，boats，and motorcycles
65．Why was Kitty able to become one of the busiest stunt women in Hollywood？Because she was very brave and strong．
My Earth Day Birthday