Wilma Rudolph: From "Never Walk Again" to the Fastest Woman in the World
A doctor said she would never walk again. Twenty years later, she won three Olympic gold medals. Learn five key words with the amazing story of Wilma Rudolph.
Transcript
Tap a time to jump to that moment. Highlighted words have a meaning: tap them.
A doctor looked at a little girl and said, "She will never walk again."
Twenty years later, she was the fastest woman in the world.
This is the story of Wilma Rudolph.
Hello, and welcome to Bright Lives English. Real stories. Real English.
Today's level is A2.
In this story, listen for five new words.
. means not strong.
After the illness, her leg was .
Believe. When you someone, you think they can do it.
Her family her.
. means doing something again and again to get better.
She every day.
. The past is .
You when you are first in a race or a game.
She the race.
. You feel when you or someone you love does something good.
Her town was of her.
Ready? Let's begin.
Wilma Rudolph was born in 1940 in Tennessee, in the United States.
Her family was very big.
She was the twentieth of twenty-two children.
Her family did not have much money.
Wilma was often sick as a small child.
Then she got polio.
Polio is a very serious illness.
After polio, her left leg was very .
She could not walk well, and she had to wear a metal on her leg.
A doctor said, "She will never walk again." But her mother did not agree.
Every week, for two years, Wilma and her mother took the bus to a hospital in Nashville.
The trip was long — about eighty kilometers each way.
At home, her brothers and sisters helped too.
They rubbed her leg four times a day.
Her family her.
And slowly, Wilma began to herself.
By the age of twelve, Wilma could walk without the .
Then she did something amazing.
She started to run!
In high school, Wilma played basketball.
She was very fast.
A coach named Ed Temple saw her and invited her to train as a runner.
Wilma every day.
She when she was tired.
She when it was hot.
She when it was hard.
At only sixteen, she went to the Olympic Games in Australia.
She and her team a bronze .
Four years later, in 1960, the Olympic Games were in Rome, Italy.
Wilma ran the 100 meters — and she .
She ran the 200 meters — and she again.
Then she ran the relay with her team — and they too.
Three gold !
She was the first American woman to three gold in running at one Olympic Games.
People called her "the fastest woman in the world."
Her hometown, Clarksville, was very of her.
The town planned a big parade for her.
But at that time, Black people and white people were often kept apart in the American South.
Wilma wanted everyone to together.
And they did.
Her parade was the first event in her town for Black and white people together.
Later, Wilma became a teacher and a running coach.
She helped many young people themselves.
Let's review our five words.
Her leg was .
Her family her.
She every day.
She three gold .
And her town was of her.
Wilma's story teaches us something: a start does not mean a ending.
Want more ?
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See you in the next true story!
Step 3
Words from the story
Say the word, guess its meaning, then flip the card. Keep the ones you know, and practise the rest again.
Great work, you know every word in this story. Now try the quiz below.
weak adjective
not strong
“After the illness, her leg was weak.”
believe in phrasal verb
to think that someone can do something
“Her family believed in her.”
practice verb
to do something again and again to get better
“She practiced every day.”
win verb
to be first in a race or a game (past: won)
“She won the race.”
proud adjective
feeling happy because you or someone you love did something good
“Her town was proud of her.”
brace noun
a piece of metal or plastic that holds part of the body in the right position
“She had to wear a metal brace on her leg.”
medal noun
a round piece of metal you get for winning or doing well
“She and her team won a bronze medal.”
celebrate verb
to do something fun to show that a day or an event is special
“Wilma wanted everyone to celebrate together.”
Step 4
Story Challenge
9 quick rounds: choose, fill the gap, build the sentence and match the words. Answer in a row to build a streak and earn bonus points.
Well done!
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Take it further
Before you watch: Look at the title. What do you think happened to Wilma? Guess, then watch and check.
After you watch: Tell a friend Wilma’s story in four sentences. Use weak, believe in, practice and proud.
Think about it: Who believes in you? Write one sentence about them in English.
