Reading Comprehension

1. Read the text quickly and choose the best title for it.

1 Autistic boy's dream job as school basketball team manager

2 Autistic boy joins the national basketball team

3 Autistic boy's basketball dream becomes a reality

It sounds like fantasy: an autistic schoolboy is brought onto the basketball court as a last minute substitute*, scores 20 points in four minutes and becomes a national hero. However, in February 2006 that is exactly what happened to 17-year-old Jason McElwain, from Rochester, New York.

Jason has autism, a condition that makes communicating, socialising and reading other people's feelings difficult. ¹_____. Before that, apart from a couple of minutes in a junior game in 2004, Jason's autism had always stopped him from actually playing for the team. But on the evening of the annual 'Senior Night' game, which was held in the students' final year of high school, the team's coach gave J-Mac, as he is called, a shirt with the number 52 on the back, and told him he would let him play in the all-important game at some point.

In the final few minutes, Jason was sent onto the court. When his teammates passed him the ball, Jason calmly aimed and scored seven baskets from 13 shots, scoring five points a minute and breaking school records. Athena beat their opponents Spencerport 79-43. ²_____. His teammate Rickey Wallace said: 'I knew he could shoot, but I didn't know he could score 20 points.'
Jason's father, David McElwain, 51, said: 'He was really happy on the way home. He didn't sleep a lot that night.'

Jason's sporting achievement was filmed, and by the evening, a video of him in action had already gone viral*. Eventually, the video reached the television sports channel ESPN and Jason quickly became famous around the country. ³_____. Jason even met the American President at the time, George W Bush, who presented him with a special award.

Since 2006, Jason has graduated from high school and found part-time work with a well-known food store. ⁴____. He is also involved in public speaking, and is a talented runner. In September 2012, he completed his first marathon in 15th place, in only 3 hours, 1 minute and 41 seconds. With all the activity that is going on in his life, Jason admits that he hasn't been playing as much basketball, but says: 'Occasionally, I'll go and shoot baskets.'

Answer - 3.

2. Read the text. Complete gaps 1–4 with sentences A–F. There are two extra sentences.

Answers - Gap 1 C, Gap 2 F, Gap 3 E, Gap 4 B. Extra sentences – A, D.

3. Read the text again and answer the questions.

1. What is autism?

2. Who gave Jason the opportunity to play in the 'Senior Night' game?

3. At what point did Jason join the game?

4. Which team won the game?

5. Who described Jason's feelings after the game?

6. What did certain celebrities, film companies and publishers want to do?

7. Where does Jason do his charity work?

8. Which of Jason's other sporting achievements is mentioned in the text?

Answers –

1. It's a condition that makes communicating, socialising and reading other people's feelings difficult.

2. His coach, Jim Johnson.

3. In the final few minutes.

4. Athena (beat their opponents Spencerport by 79-43).

5. Jason's father, David McElwain.

6. Tell his story.

7. Across the United States.

8. His first marathon.

5. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets.

I'm quite lazy, so I prefer less active (ACT) sports like darts or snooker.

1. Plenty of sportspeople are ______ (SUPER). For example, Michael Jordan used to wear his college shorts under his official NBA sports kit.

2. Why can't I be more _________ (DECIDE)? I just don't know which team I want to play for the most.

3. You need pretty _________ (POWER) legs to be a professional long jumper.

4. Don't you find playing chess rather ________ (REPEAT)? You do the same moves over and over again.

5. Athletes need a lot of ________ (RESILIENT) if they are to return after a serious injury and compete at the highest level again.

Answers- 1. superstitious, 2. decisive, 3. powerful, 4. repetitive,5. resilience