English Learning Reading

Lance Armstrong grew up in Texas as an only child.  He never met his biological father but was lucky enough to grow up with a tough mom who gave him a lot of love and support.  She was a poor secretary and gave birth to him when she was only 17.  She taught him to always try his best and to never give up.  He discovered that he was excellent at endurance sports and won several triathlons as an early teen.  He went on to win several cycling races as a professional cyclist that earned him several million dollars and a bit of fame.  He was on top of the world.  Then the young famous 25 year old was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had already spread to his lungs and brain.  The doctors told him he would probably never be able to ride again and would likely die.  After reading as much as he could about his disease, he decided to get brain surgery and undergo chemotherapy.  His will power and determination allowed him to beat the deadly disease and go on to win the “Tour de France“, an event many consider to be the biggest accomplishment in professional sports.

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Biological father: A biological father is the man who’s genes or DNA were used to make the baby.  If a child is adopted, he or she may never meet their biological parents.

Endurance sports: Endurance sports are sports like long-distance running, long-distance cycling, etc.  Marathon runners need a lot of endurance.  Endurance is the ability to continue doing the same thing for a long time without stopping.

Triathlon: This sport is a combination of swimming, running, and cycling (bike riding).  It’s a race.

On top of the world: This phrase means to feel really great and confident.  He was on top of the world after that beautiful girl said she would date him.

Undergo: To “undergo” something means to experience or pass through something; often a difficult experience.  We often use this word with medical procedures.
The basketball player had to undergo a very painful knee surgery after his injury.  Chinese students have to undergo a series of very stressful tests at the end of high school.

Chemotherapy: A medical treatment where toxic substances are put into the patient’s body in order to destroy cancer cells.

Tour de France: A world famous bicycle race, held over a period of 21 days: it covers about 2500 mi. (4000 km) in France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland.

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