©REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
Pre-reading questions:
- What does an athlete need to do to get ready for the Olympics?
- What are some of the challenges that athletes might face while preparing for and participating in the Olympics?
Vocabulary:
- medal /MED-l/
- skilled /skild/
- beat /beet/
- nervous /NUR-vuhs/
- eager /EE-ger/
[noun] – a small metal disc, with words or a picture on it, given as a reward for a brave action, for winning a competition, or to remember a special event
She won a gold medal for her outstanding performance in the swimming competition.
[adjective] – having the abilities needed to do an activity or job well
The soccer team’s success is due to their skilled players who excel in both offense and defense.
[verb] – to defeat someone in a game, competition, or contest
They managed to beat their rivals in the final round of the tournament.
[adjective] – worried and anxious
She felt nervous before her big presentation, but she did an excellent job.
[adjective] – wanting very much to do or have something, especially something interesting or enjoyable
He was eager to start his new job and meet his future colleagues.
Article reading:
Oka’s success came from his perfect routines and steady skills. Unlike other gymnasts, including Hashimoto, who made mistakes, Oka completed his routines without any errors. The final event, the high bar, was especially stressful because the difference between Oka and the second-place gymnast, Zhang Boheng, was very small. Even though Oka felt nervous, he stayed focused and performed well. Oka noted that the Chinese gymnasts were very skilled but emphasized his dedication to doing his best. Inspired by famous gymnast Kohei Uchimura, Oka is eager to keep improving and achieve even greater success in future competitions.
Comprehension questions
- Who won the gold medal in the men’s gymnastics all-around event at the Paris Olympics?
- How old is Shinnosuke Oka, the gold medalist in gymnastics?
- Which country’s gymnasts did Oka compete against in the all-around event?
- What was notable about Oka’s routines compared to other gymnasts?
- How did Oka feel during the competition, and how did he handle his feelings?
Discussion questions
- Have you ever been in a situation where you had to perform under pressure, like Shinnosuke Oka did in the high bar event? If so, what helped you stay focused? If not, how do you think you would handle performing under pressure if you were in a similar situation?
- If you were in Oka’s position and had to compete in a high-stress event where every mistake counts, what would be your approach to staying calm and performing well?
- Do you believe that winning a gold medal at a young age, like Shinnosuke Oka, puts extra pressure on the athlete for future competitions?
- Oka was inspired by Kohei Uchimura. How important is it for athletes to have role models?
- What can we learn from Shinnosuke Oka’s approach to performing under stress that could be applied to other areas of life or different types of performance?