TED Antalya College 2020-2021 Academic Year Grade 7 B Level Reading Worksheet

Reading: 'My Life Hasn't Changed' On a cold morning in Austria, 16-year-old skier Ann Thompson was about to make her last practice run before lunch.At the time, Thompson was one of the United States' top junior skiers. She hoped to win an Olympic gold medal in skiing.As she prepared for that practice run, she couldn't know that it would be the last one she'd ever take.As she sped down the hill on her skis, Thompson had a terrible accident. She fell and severed her spinal cord.The spinal cord is made of tissue that carries signals to and from the brain. They tell body parts when and how to move.Thompson's fall took place in August 1985. As a result of the accident, Thompson could no longer walk. Her skiing career was over. But her life as an athlete was not.'I Never Missed a Beat'"The accident didn't change anything," Thompson told Extra. "I never missed a beat. I'm the same person I was before."After her accident, Thompson joined the Cruisers, a program for wheelchair athletes in Connecticut, Thompson's home state."We brought her down to see what was happening," said Don Chaffee, a Cruiser official. "At first, she said, 'I can't do that.' Then she realized, 'I can do that. I'm going to do that.' And we're so proud of her."Paralympic StarJust over a year after her accident, Thompson was a top wheelchair athlete. Her sport was track and field.As a student at the University of Illinois, Thompson also played basketball. It wasn't easy for her. She had never played basketball before her accident. Now she was learning the sport in a wheelchair."I started practice in October of my freshman year," she said. "I made my first basket right before Christmas break."Thompson also joined the U.S. Paralympic team. In 1988, 1992, and 1996, shecompetedin track-and-field events. She won two gold medals, a silver medal, and two bronze medals.From Track to HoopsSoon, though, Thompson knew she had to get a job. She knew that training for track and field took too much time to allow her to work. So she tried out for the U.S. Paralympic women's basketball team instead, and she made it.Thompson played basketball at the Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia, in October 2000. Her husband, a U.S. team trainer, went to Australia with her.Role ModelThompson is a role model for millions of people with physicaldisabilities. Her message to kids is simple. "Try," she said. "Really try. If you want to do something, give it your besteffort. If you really want to do something, you can find a way to do it."The kids who have watched her practice see her as proof that anything is possible."They see this lady in her wheelchair going around, getting married, and loving life," said Chaffee. "And they say, 'Hey, I can make it, too. '" 1. According to the text, what sport did Ann Thompson play as a wheelchair athlete just over a year after her accident? skiing track and field basketball training 2. What problem and solution are described in this text? The problem was the ski accident that left Ann Thompson unable to walk, and the solution was becoming a wheelchair athlete. The problem was that Ann Thompson’s spinal cord was severed, and the solution was to put it back together. The problem was that there were no opportunities for wheelchair athletes, and the solution was to create a program called the Cruisers. The problem was that Ann Thompson had little time to train for track and field, and the solution was to join the basketball team instead. 3. Injuring your spinal cord is very serious.Which evidence from the text supports this conclusion? “The spinal cord is made of tissue that carries signals to and from the brain. They tell body parts when and how to move.” “She knew that training for track and field took too much time to allow her to work.” “So she tried out for the U.S. Paralympic women's basketball team instead, and she made it.” “Thompson is a role model for millions of people with physical disabilities. Her message to kids is simple.” 4. Based on the text, what can you conclude about Ann Thompson? She is going to become a trainer some day. She continues to wish that she could ski. She is a strong person who tries very hard. She likes basketball more than track and field. 5. What is the main idea of the text? At the age of 16 years old, Ann Thompson fell and severed her spinal cord, which left her unable to walk and ski. In the years 1988, 1992, and 1996, Ann Thompson joined the U.S. Paralympic team, where she competed in track-and-field events. Ann Thompson could no longer be a skier because of an accident, but she continued to give her best effort as a wheelchair athlete. Many kids with physical disabilities have seen Ann Thompson in her wheelchair, and they are inspired by her active life.