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Bright Lives English
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Muhammad Ali: Someone Stole His Bike… Then He Became the Greatest

Level A2 (Elementary) · Watch the video and do the online quiz at https://brightlivesenglish.com/lessons/muhammad-ali-stolen-bike/

A Match the words to their meanings

  1. bike (noun)
  2. steal (verb (stole, stolen))
  3. boxing (noun)
  4. champion (noun)
  5. flame (noun)
  6. glove (noun)
  7. police officer (noun)
  8. torch (noun)
  1. it has two wheels; you ride it (also: bicycle)
  2. to take something that is not yours
  3. a sport where two people fight with big gloves
  4. a person who works for the police
  5. you wear it on your hand; boxers wear big ones
  6. the winner of a big competition
  7. a long stick with fire at one end
  8. the bright fire of a candle or a torch

B Complete the sentences from the story

police officer · boxing · bike · gloves · torch · flame · champion · stole

  1. A taught him boxing.
  2. He had a new red .
  3. He started at twelve.
  4. He put on his boxing .
  5. In 1996, he lit the Olympic .
  6. He walked out with the Olympic .
  7. Someone his bike.
  8. At twenty-two, he was the world .

C Did you understand?

  1. Someone stole his new red bike when he was twelve.True / False
  2. Who taught him boxing?
    1. His teacher at school
    2. Sonny Liston
    3. A police officer, Joe Martin
    4. His father
  3. Why did he wear a parachute on the plane to Rome?
    1. He was a pilot
    2. He was afraid of flying
    3. It was cold
    4. It was the rule
  4. Everyone thought he would beat Sonny Liston easily.True / False
  5. What did he do in Atlanta in 1996?
    1. He won a gold medal in boxing
    2. He fought Sonny Liston
    3. He bought a new bike
    4. He lit the Olympic flame

D Put the words in order

  1. trained / always / He / hard

E Grammar: always / often / sometimes / never + verb

We use it for to say how many times something happens. He always trained hard. · He often got up very early. · He never smoked.

Example from the story: He always trained hard.

  1. He trained hard — every day. (always / never / sometimes)
  2. He smoked — not one time. (never / always / often)
  3. He got up very early to run. (often / ever / does)

F Your turn

Retell Muhammad Ali's story in 5–6 sentences. Use at least three words from exercise A.

Transcript

A twelve-year-old boy was very angry.

Someone stole his new red bike.

A police officer told him: first, learn to fight.

This is the story of Muhammad Ali.

Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.

Bike. A bike has two wheels.

You ride it.

He had a new red bike.

Steal. When you steal, you take something that is not yours.

The past is stole.

Someone stole his bike.

Boxing. Boxing is a sport.

Two people fight with big gloves.

He started boxing at twelve.

Champion. A champion is the winner of a big competition.

At twenty-two, he was the world champion.

Flame. A flame is the bright fire of a candle or a torch.

In 1996, he lit the Olympic flame.

Now, one pattern: always, often and never.

They tell us how many times.

He trained hard every day.

He always trained hard.

Ready? Let's begin.

Muhammad Ali was born in America in 1942.

His name then was Cassius Clay.

When he was twelve, someone stole his bike.

A police officer, Joe Martin, taught boxing in a gym.

He said: "First, learn to fight."

So he started boxing at twelve.

A few weeks later, he won his first fight.

He always trained hard.

He often got up very early to run.

Sometimes he raced the school bus!

He never smoked.

In 1960, he went to the Olympics in Rome.

He was afraid of flying, so he wore a parachute on the plane!

He won the gold medal.

In 1964, he fought the world champion, Sonny Liston.

Liston was big and strong.

Many people thought the young boxer would lose.

But he danced around the ring.

At twenty-two, he was the world champion!

He shouted: "I am the greatest!"

That year, he changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

Later, he became ill, and his hands often shook.

In 1996, the Olympics were in Atlanta.

Muhammad Ali took the torch and lit the Olympic flame. Everyone cheered.

Let's review. He had a new red bike.

Someone stole his bike.

He started boxing at twelve.

At twenty-two, he was the world champion.

In 1996, he lit the Olympic flame.

And remember: he always trained hard.

Muhammad Ali's story teaches us: when life takes something from you, fight back with hard work.

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Answer key

A. 1a 2b 3c 4f 5h 6e 7d 8g

B. 1 police officer · 2 bike · 3 boxing · 4 gloves · 5 flame · 6 torch · 7 stole · 8 champion

C. 1 True · 2 c · 3 b · 4 False · 5 d

D. 1 He always trained hard.

E. 1 always · 2 never · 3 often