9 minute read
LESSON 6: YES, I CAN
Lesson 1 Lesson 6
UNIT 1
YES, I CAN!
– Read the quote by an American Paralympics’
Champion Oksana Masters. Do you agree with her? – Say if you have ever had challenges in your life?
Did you doubt your strength? How did you manage to cope with it? – Do you agree that each of us owns unlimited power, which is hidden in our great will and ambition?
image credits:@OksanaMasters
“Your mind is the only thing that can ever put doubt and limitations on your dreams; your heart and will, will feed and guide your dreams.”
Oksana Masters
READING
1. Look at the word cloud made of the words that characterise Oksana
Masters and give the details of her life. Make up sentences using these words and phrases.
For example: Oksana Masters is an American Paralympic and World champion.
2. Read Oksana’s life story and choose the best preposition.
“I was an orphan with several birth defects. Today, I’m a Paralympic Athlete.” Oksana Masters
image credits:@OksanaMasters image credits:@OksanaMasters
Oksana was born from/in Ukraine in 1989. The location and time of her birth have significance because of/cause the catastrophic events that occurred 3 years earlier, during/ for the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. The radiation had strange effects for/on her development. Oksana was born with/of six toes on/at each foot, five webbed fingers on each hand and no thumbs. Her left leg was six inches shorter and/than her right one and both were missing weight-bearing bones. She was diagnosed with/of Tibia Hemimilla.
Oksana was given up for/to adoption from birth but her birth defects were going to require lots of medical help. After/before living in 3 different orphanages, she was adopted by/with a kind American woman who was a single parent and moved in/to New York. Over/For the course of seven years, she would have both legs amputated; the left at/in age 9 and the right at age 14, soon after the family moved from Buffalo, New York to Louisville, Kentucky.
At the age of 13 the girl became interested with/in rowing after the introduction on/to the sport. When she was on/in the water; she began to feel a new sense of freedom and control that was taken from her so many times over/throughout the past. She found out/up quickly the more she pushed herself, the stronger, faster and more at/in control she became. The transition for/from Adaptive Rowing to skiing was easy because both sports target at the/the same muscle groups. After 14 months of learning how to ski, Oksana won silver and bronze medals in Nordic skiing on/at the Paralympic Winter Games Sochi 2014.
In/On the summer, Oksana switched to hand cycling to/for a few reasons. She had a back injury she was trying to get healed up, and also thought it would help with/of her skiing. Skiing, unlike/ as rowing, has many tactical elements. She qualified for/in the Paralympic Games Rio 2016 as/ like a cyclist and finished just off the podium in/at fourth in the road race. At/In the 2017 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships in Finsterau, Germany, she won gold in three individual crosscountry races and the women’s sprint in biathlon.
Nearly/Thoughout two weeks before the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Paralympics in South Korea, Masters has had to overcome a serious injury to her right elbow that she incurred. Despite/Due to the injury, she won gold in cross-country in/on the 1.1 km sprint and in 5km event, silver in the 6 km and 12.5km biathlon competitions, and bronze in the 12 km cross-country event.
Oksana loves new challenges and pushing herself on/out of her comfort zone. The girl truly believes with/for the right amount of support, hard work, dedication and belief at/in one’s self, anyone can make anything happen and make their dreams come to/in reality.
Because/That’s why Oksana is so competitive and hates losing, she believes a sport has always been in/inside her blood. She is so thankful of/for having been given a “second chance” in her life through/without her amazing family and the opportunity to/of fulfil her passion and hunger in/ for racing and competing. article credits: https://www.oksanamastersusa.com
3. Answer the following questions.
1) How does Oksana explain her birth defects? 2) What birth defects does she have? 3) How old was she when she was adopted? 4) Was her illness an obstacle for her to go in for sports? 5) What kinds of sport did she try? 6) What are the sports she does professionally? 7) What does she think about new challenges? 8) Who helps her to be successful?
VOCABULARY
image credits:@OksanaMasters
4. Look at the phrases below. These are the phrases we can use to talk about a challenge.
Divide them into three columns according to purpose.
What are you waiting for? / Give it a try / Go for it / It’s worth a shot / Just do it / What do you have to lose? / The sky is the limit / Don’t give up / Stay strong / Reach for the stars / There you go / Keep pushing / It’s going to be alright / Good job / Keep fighting / Take it easy / Don’t take it to heart
ENCOURAGING TO START ENCOURAGING TO GO ON ENCOURAGING IN TROUBLE
Lesson 1 Lesson 6
UNIT 1
Lesson 1 Lesson 6
UNIT 1
SPEAKING
5. Work in pairs, read the situations in turns. What would you say? Find suitable words of encouragement, according to the circumstances. Use phrases from Ex.4.
1) Your partner has to make a speech in public, and he/she is very nervous and shy. He/she is worried, because he/she has never done it before and is afraid that something might go wrong. You say... 2) Your partner is going to take his first exams, but he/she is confused and scared that it will be really difficult, or he/she might make loads of mistakes and get low grades, or will even have to retake it. You say ... 3) Your partner has always wanted to try bungee jumping, but his/her parents say it’s rather dangerous and frightening, some friends say he/she shouldn’t take such a risk. You say ... 4) Lately your partner has been taking part in school sports competitions, but he/she didn’t manage to win and move on further, so he/she is completely disappointed and frustrated.
You say ... 5) Your partner has met a really nice girl/boy, but he/she hesitates to go and start a conversation.
Last week he/she made an attempt to break the ice, but he/she still never dared to. You say... 6) Recently your partner has had a row with his/her best friend, now he/she doesn’t want to solve the conflict and blames your partner for the argument, he/she is upset. You say ... 7) Your partner’s just joined the sports club he/she wanted to long before. Now he/she is enjoying it greatly, moreover his/her trainer says he/she is making a big progress and really good at it. You say...
GRAMMAR
GRAMMAR BANK
PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE, MOVEMENT AND DIRECTION
In general, we use: at for a POINT: at the crossroads, at the top of the page in for an ENCLOSED SPACE: in London, in my pocket on for a SURFACE: on the cover, on the floor Here are some standard expressions with AT, IN and ON:
at in on
at home / work/school in a car / taxi / boat / on a bus/ train / plane /ship
helicopter/lift
at university/ college at the top/ bottom/side at reception/ front desk in the newspaper
on bicycle/ motorbike / horse in the sky/air on the radio/ television
in a row/the end on the left/ right
at the door/ entrance/exit in Oxford Street on the way/on the menu Here are some more specific prepositions you need to memorize: among I like being among people.
around/ along
We walked around the lake. We walked along the road. The cat jumped off the roof.
off/out of
The cat jumped out of the box. past Go past the post office. We’re sitting round the
round
campfire.
across/ through
You shouldn’t walk through the forest. You shouldn’t walk across the road here.
beneath/ underneath
I stopped beneath the slope. It was underneath the sofa.
6. Fill in each gap with one of the following prepositions: in, at, for, of, to, with, over, around.
Oksana is a multiple medal-winning athlete and Paralympian in Nordic skiing, competing 1) the 1km sprint, 5km, 10km and 12km events. She has competed in the 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships, 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, 2014 U.S. 2) total, Oksana has claimed nine top-3 finishes 3) her career, including a Silver and Bronze medal 4) the 2014 Paralympic Games.
image credits:@OksanaMasters
Oksana had been struggling 5) back issues in the summer 6) 2014 as a result 7) the physical strain 8) rowing, and made the decision to pursue yet another summer sport. Hand Cycling, similar in mechanics 9) Nordic Skiing, utilizes Oksana’s muscular shoulders. Over her short cycling career, Oksana has won two Bronze World Cup medals and a Bronze medal 10) the UCI Para-Cycling Worlds. Oksana is training independently in Champaign, IL and will report back 11) the Nordic ski team 12) the winter.
As one half 13) the rowing team, “Team Bad Company,” Oksana has had the opportunity to travel and compete 14) the world.
Nordic Biathlon is a winter sport combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It was originally an exercise 15) Norwegian soldiers in training; it is a challenging sport that combines resilience, focus, and strength. article credits: oksanamasters.com
7. Choose the best option (a-c) to complete the sentence.
1) The soccer player was excluded because he had done something that was _____ the rules. a) without b) outside c) against 2) Another way of saying “old-fashioned” is “ the times”? a) beside b) behind c) outside 3) The animal hospital? It’s somewhere that big blue building. a) around b) about c) on 4) our visit to Japan, we saw a lot of interesting places. a) While b) During c) Through 5) I have lived in this apartment 2008. a) in b) since c) at 6) “Did you do it purpose?” “No, it was an accident!” a) by b) in c) on 7) I kept thinking the movie I saw last night. a) on b) about c) of 8) Being an orphan is hard. It’s not easy to grow up parents. a) with b) without c) within 9) The orangutan is the smartest animals in the world. a) along b) among c) about 10) history, we humans have treated animals badly. a) between b) throughout c) with
WRITING
