IES COMARCAL_ PAU MODEL – June 2020_ NAME:...............................................................

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CARL LEWIS- STAR OF THE TRACK

Carl Lewis is one of the greatest American track and field athletes. Born in Alabama, USA, Lewis took up athletics at
the age of seven, when he became a sprinter. Only in high school, after a long jump which ranked him fifth in the
world, did Lewis emerge as a world-class athlete. As a teenager, he had set his sights on participating in the Olympics,
and in 1984, his dream was fulfilled. He won four medals, matching the successful record of his hero, Jesse Owens.

Altogether Lewis took part in the Olympics four times: in 1984, 1988, 1992 and in 1996. In 1988 Seoul Olympics,
Lewis ran the fastest race of his life – he finished the 100 metres race in 9.92 seconds. Yet, he was defeated by Ben
Johnson, who crossed the finishing line in 9.79 seconds. Later, however, after the results of medical tests were made
public, Johnson was disqualified for using drugs called steroids. Lewis was awarded the gold medal, but he was
robbed of the glory of a true Olympic victory.

Never giving up, Lewis was determined to perform at his best in Barcelona 1992. He trained hard for the long jump
and took first place. After his ninth Olympic gold medal, which he won in 1996, Carl Lewis retired at the age of 36. A
legend in his own time, Lewis doesn’t see himself as a star of the track but he is proud to be compared to the great
20th-century American heroes of athletics, like Jesse Owens.
I. Answer the following questions using your own words: (2 points)
a. How did Carl Lewis become a well-known sports star?
b. b. Was the fastest race of his life awarded as a true Olympic medal? Why?

II. Are the following sentences TRUE (T) or FALSE (F) Justify your answer (1.5 points)

a. Lewis won more medals than Jesse Owens …………

b. Lewis became an international sportsman as a teenager ………….

c. Lewis’s career finished after his fourth Olympics ..................

III. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options : (1 point)

defeated fulfilled robbed awarded determined ranked

a. granted = c. qualified =
b. come true = d. beaten =

IV. Choose a, b or c after these statements below. Only one choice is correct: (1.5 points)1. Carl Lewis …
a. looked up to Jesse Owens
b. was envious of Jesse Owens
c. felt himself as a hero

2. In the Seoul Olympics, Lewis won the gold medal in the 100 metres race…
a. because he had taken steroids
b. because he ran the fastest race ever
c. because he played fair

3. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics…

a. he won his eighth gold medal in the long jump
b. he gave up the first place in the long jump
c. he didn’t do his best
IES COMARCAL_ PAU MODEL – June 2020_ NAME:...............................................................
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PART B. Composition (120-150 words) Choose one of the following topics (4 points)
a. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a first-class sport person?

b. Why is it difficult to find fair-play in sports celebrations nowadays? Are medical tests necessary? What do you
think as a spectator?