English - 3º ESO

Internarrativa 04

Worksheet 04
1. Individually, read the following text:

Rafa Nadal, the Unbeatable Player

Rafa Nadal has certainly made his teenage dream come true. But he never thought too far
ahead. Even as a child, he only focused on small goals and thought of winning the next
tournament he played.
“At the moment, I'm only ranked 112th in the world," a 16-year-old Nadal
said. "So there's a long way to go. I've got to continue improving, but it's not
going to be easy.”
Being brought up in a sports-minded family, Rafa Nadal took up tennis at a very early age after
watching his uncle Toni Nadal coach young players. Rafa started playing with other kids and
gradually got good at tennis. Before ten, he already stood out. His uncle, though, didn’t want
him to just become a Roland Garros champion but a well-brought up kid. To this end, he
focused on perseverance, respect, a down-to-earth attitude, sacrifice and discipline. In other
words, he wanted to build his character through those skills, to help him cope with adversity,
since this would be the key to his success, both on and off the court.
Rafael Nadal has become one of the greatest tennis players ever, with 91 individual titles,
including 22 Grand Slams —14 Roland Garros, four US Opens, two Wimbledon titles, and two
Australian Opens.
However, he has been marked by major injuries (elbow, foot, back, wrist), as well as stress
fracture in ankle, forearm dizziness, tendonitis, and appendix and arthroscopic hip surgeries.
As a result, he has been enduring pain every single day, which may have consequences in the
future. These recurring injuries have complicated his professional career; but this doesn’t stop
him from doing what he loves most: playing tennis.
In 2016, a new project was developed: Rafa Nadal Academy, a high-performance tennis centre
which opened its doors in Manacor (Mallorca). This academy offers a one-off training system
for children and young adults as well as specific training programs for adults, according to their
needs and level. In this ideal environment, the concept of modern tennis with a winning spirit is
taught by involving the physical and mental parts: first, the eyes, then, the mind and legs, and,
finally, the hands.
Now, a new generation is emerging with Carlos Alcaraz taking over from his childhood hero,
Rafa Nadal. Who said dreams don't come true?

3ºESO
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2. Find words or phrases in the text with the following meanings:
a. A cherished aspiration, ambition, or idea (paragraph 1)

b. A position in a hierarchy (paragraph 2)

c. A difficult or unlucky situation (paragraph 3)

d. To teach people to improve at a sport, skill (paragraph 3)

e. Physical harm (paragraph 5)

3. Now, define the following words/expressions:

a. Down-to-earth

b. To be brought up

c. To stand out

d. Sports-minded

e. Perseverance

f. One-off

4. Answer the following questions:

a. What do you think has made Rafa Nadal such a successful tennis player? (50 words)

b. Would you keep on playing tennis if you knew that you are going to suffer from
recurring injuries and pain for the rest of your life? Why? (50 words)

3ºESO
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