The Reading / Listening - Simone Biles - Level 5

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles has made history. She won her sixth U.S. Gymnastics Championships this week - the second woman to do this. The record was set 67 years ago. The victory was also her 20th consecutive, major tournament win, going back to 2013. However, it was her jaw-dropping performances that etched her name into the record books. She became the first gymnast to land a double twisting, double somersault beam dismount, delighting spectators. She topped that later by becoming the first woman to land a triple-double (three twists and two flips) on the floor.

Ms Biles, 22, showed her customary modesty with reporters. Rather than celebrate her records, she expressed frustration at her mistakes. She said: "I know...how well I can do, so I just want to do the best routine for the audience and for myself out here." Biles is a perfectionist and said she was disappointed after falling after her triple-double. She said she wanted to "scratch the meet" after she fell. The plaudits came flooding in following her routines. Former gymnast Nastia Liukin tweeted: "Simone's got enough gold medals at home, someone give this girl a crown."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Simone Biles - Level 4 or  Simone Biles - Level 6

Sources
  • https://sports.yahoo.com/simone-biles-makes-more-history-at-us-gymnastics-championships-012129210.html
  • https://people.com/sports/stars-react-simone-biles-historic-triple-double/
  • https://www.10tv.com/article/simone-biles-wins-record-tying-6th-us-womens-gymnastics-title-2019-aug


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Simone Biles has made
  2. the second woman
  3. The record was set
  4. her 20th consecutive, major
  5. going back
  6. it was her jaw-dropping
  7. double
  8. the first woman to land
  1. tournament win
  2. somersault
  3. performances
  4. 67 years ago
  5. a triple-double
  6. to 2013
  7. history
  8. to do this

Paragraph 2

  1. showed her customary
  2. she expressed frustration
  3. the best routine for
  4. Biles is a
  5. she wanted to "scratch the meet"
  6. The plaudits came flooding
  7. Simone's got enough gold medals
  8. someone give
  1. at home
  2. modesty
  3. after she fell
  4. this girl a crown
  5. at her mistakes
  6. perfectionist
  7. in
  8. the audience

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles (1) ___________________. She won her sixth U.S. Gymnastics Championships this week - the second woman to do this. The (2) ___________________ 67 years ago. The victory was also her 20th consecutive, major tournament win, (3) ___________________ 2013. However, it was her jaw-dropping performances that (4) ___________________ into the record books. She became the first gymnast to (5) ___________________ twisting, double somersault beam dismount, delighting spectators. She (6) ___________________ by becoming the first woman to land a triple-double (three twists and two flips) on the floor.

Ms Biles, 22, showed (7) ___________________ with reporters. Rather than celebrate her records, she expressed frustration (8) ___________________. She said: "I know...how well I can do, so I just want to do the best routine (9) ___________________ and for myself out here." Biles is a perfectionist and said she was disappointed after (10) ___________________ triple-double. She said she wanted to "(11) ___________________" after she fell. The plaudits came flooding in following her routines. Former gymnast Nastia Liukin tweeted: "Simone's got (12) ___________________ at home, someone give this girl a crown."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

U.S.gymnastSimoneBileshasmadehistory.ShewonhersixthU.S.Gy
mnasticsChampionshipsthisweek-thesecondwomantodothis.Ther
ecordwasset67yearsago.Thevictorywasalsoher20thconsecutive,ma
jortournamentwin,goingbackto2013.However,itwasherjaw-droppi
ngperformancesthatetchedhernameintotherecordbooks.Shebecam
ethefirstgymnasttolandadoubletwisting,doublesomersaultbeamdis
mount,delightingspectators.Shetoppedthatlaterbybecomingthefirs
twomantolandatriple-double(threetwistsandtwoflips)onthefloor.Ms
Biles,22,showedhercustomarymodestywithreporters.Ratherthance
lebrateherrecords,sheexpressedfrustrationathermistakes.Shesaid:
"Iknow...howwellIcando,soIjustwanttodothebestroutinefortheaudi
enceandformyselfouthere."Bilesisaperfectionistandsaidshewasdisa
ppointedafterfallingafterhertriple-double.Shesaidshewantedto"s
cratchthemeet"aftershefell.Theplauditscamefloodinginfollowingher
routines.FormergymnastNastiaLiukintweeted:"Simone'sgotenough
goldmedalsathome,someonegivethisgirlacrown."

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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