李建平

pogo stick jumping doing jumping jacks hula hooping somersaulting doing lunges standing on a Swiss ball a Swiss ball

The heaviest cake in the world The dog with the largest ears The person with the longest moustache The smallest electrically operated motor car

Quickly glance through the text. Tick the topics about Ashrita that the author does not cover. □ physical skills needed for events □ number of records broken □ his family life □ kinds of records broken □ why he became a sportsman

□ countries he likes best □ place and date of birth □ his occupation □ his education □ his first Guinness record

1. Ashrita has been one of Sri Chinmoy’s student. Sri Chinmoy believes that ____. Sri Chinmoy believes that ____. A. it is not so important for people to develop A. it is not so important for people to develop their bodies as it is to develop their minds. their bodies as it is to develop their minds. B. there is physical limitation. B. there is physical limitation. C. there is no physical limitation. C. there is no physical limitation. D. people just need to develop their D. people just need to develop their hearts and spiritual selves. hearts and spiritual selves.

2. Which of the following is true ? A. Ashrita was asked by his spiritual leader to A. Ashrita was asked by his spiritual leader to enter the marathon after doing some training. enter the marathon after doing some training. B. Ashrita’s motivation to keep trying to break B. Ashrita’s motivation to keep trying to break records comes through his devotion to his teacher. records comes through his devotion to his teacher. C. Ashrita broke his first Guinness record C. Ashrita broke his first Guinness record in New York’s Central Park in in New York’s Central Park in D. Before the bicycle marathon Ashrita believed D. Before the bicycle marathon Ashrita believed he seemed to be able to accomplish anything. he seemed to be able to accomplish anything.

3. From the passage we can infer that ___. A. the events Ashrita participates in are childish. A. the events Ashrita participates in are childish. B. the events Ashrita participates in B. the events Ashrita participates in only cause laughter. only cause laughter. C. people show no respect to Ashrita C. people show no respect to Ashrita though he has broken many Guinness records. though he has broken many Guinness records. D. the events Ashrita partcipates in really require D. the events Ashrita partcipates in really require an enormous amount of strength and fitness an enormous amount of strength and fitness as well as determination. as well as determination.

1. Where do you think Ashrita lives? 2. How old do you think he is ? 3. Has he broken records in all seven continents? 4. When did he first come across the Guinness Book of World Records? the Guinness Book of World Records? 5. What are some of the physical difficulties he has experienced when he has experienced when A. walking with a bottle of milk on his head? A. walking with a bottle of milk on his head? B. standing on top of a Swiss ball? B. standing on top of a Swiss ball? C. somersaulting? C. somersaulting? D. doing gymnastically correct lunges? D. doing gymnastically correct lunges?

1.Where do you think Ashrita lives? 2. How old do you think he is ? 3. Has he broken records in all seven continents? 4. When did he first come across the Guinness Book of World Records? Possibly in New York. Possibly in New York. He was 16 in the early 1970s He was 16 in the early 1970s so he would be in his early 50s now. so he would be in his early 50s now. Yes. Yes. When he was a child. When he was a child.

5. What are some of the physical difficulties he has experienced when __________ A. walking with a bottle of milk on his head? B. standing on top of a Swiss ball? The fine neck adjustments are needed. The fine neck adjustments are needed. It takes a lot of concentration and a great It takes a lot of concentration and a great sense of balance to stay on top even though his legs may start shaking.

5. What are some of the physical difficulties he has experienced when _____ C. somersaulting? D. doing gymnastically correct lunges? He has to overcome dizziness, He has to overcome dizziness, extreme tiredness and pain. extreme tiredness and pain. Lunges are extremely hard on his legs.

6.Which one of Sri Chinmoy’s beliefs led Ashrita to attempting records? led Ashrita to attempting records? 7.Why was it amazing that Ashrita came third in the bicycle marathon in 1978? in the bicycle marathon in 1978? 8. Why did Ashrita believe he could accomplish anything after the bicycle marathon? anything after the bicycle marathon? 9.What happens in an event that prevents Ashrita from giving up? that prevents Ashrita from giving up? 10. Do you think that the events that Ashrita participates in are childish? Why or why not? participates in are childish? Why or why not?

6.Which one of Sri Chinmoy’s beliefs led Ashrita to attempting records? to attempting records? 7.Why was it amazing that Ashrita came third in the bicycle marathon in 1978? in the bicycle marathon in 1978? The belief that there is no limit to people’s The belief that there is no limit to people’s physical abilities. physical abilities. He won the third place even though He won the third place even though he had done no training. he had done no training.

9.What happens in an event that prevents Ashrita from giving up? that prevents Ashrita from giving up? 10. Do you think that the events that Ashrita participates in are childish? Why or why not? participates in are childish? Why or why not? He goes deep within himself and connects He goes deep within himself and connects with his soul and his teacher. with his soul and his teacher. In my opinion, they are not childish, because In my opinion, they are not childish, because they require an enormous amount of strength they require an enormous amount of strength and fitness as well as determination and fitness as well as determination in reality. in reality.

Summary Read the text a third time, then fill in the blanks. then fill in the blanks. Ashrita Furman is a t______ and Ashrita Furman is a t______ and o_________ sportsman, who has broken o_________ sportsman, who has broken a____________ 93 Guinness a____________ 93 Guinness records. records. alented utstanding pproximately

Since he holds a belief that there is Since he holds a belief that there is no limit to people’s p______ abilities, no limit to people’s p______ abilities, he likes to c________ any i_________ he likes to c________ any i_________ events, such as hula hooping, pogo events, such as hula hooping, pogo stick jumping, standing on a Swiss ball, stick jumping, standing on a Swiss ball, somersaulting and doing lunges, which somersaulting and doing lunges, which require s_______, fitness, d_________, require s_______, fitness, d_________, as well as c___________. as well as c___________. hysical hallenge maginative trength etermination oncentration

The great c_________ and m_______ The great c_________ and m_______ from Ashrita come from his d_______ from Ashrita come from his d_______ to his Indian teacher, who always to his Indian teacher, who always inspires Ashrita with his famous words: inspires Ashrita with his famous words: There _______________________. There _______________________. It_____________, __________________. It_____________, __________________. onfidenceotivation evotion is only one perfect road is ahead of you always ahead of you

Discussion 1. There is no limit to people’s physical abilities. 2. The body is just an instrument of the spirit. 3. You can use your spirit to accomplish anything. 4. There is only one perfect road. It is ahead of you, always ahead of you. ahead of you, always ahead of you. Here are some of Ashrita’s beliefs. Do you agree with them ? Do you agree with them ?

Sport Training needed somersaulting doing lunges jumping jack hula hooping standing on a swiss ball