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Graded Material- Reading Comprehension + graded activities KIDS Pre-intermediate level

BEN "JENX" JENKIN: FREE RUNNER

Ben Jenkin, of Witton, UK, was only 17 when he won third place in the 2008 World Free Running
Championships in London. Since then his love of the sport has stayed strong, and he continues to
work on the control, bravery and pure craziness that a free runner needs to succeed.
Free running is a fairly recent sport. It started out as Parkour in France in the 1980s. Free running
involves making amazing leaps and jumps over various obstacles in a city environment. The best
free runners can actually jump over cars, do turns in mid-air and even jump between buildings.
Jenkin says, "You've got to be really fit and healthy as free running involves lots of vaulting,
jumping and acrobatic movement and my trampoline in the garden in a vital training tool which I
use most days."
"Jenx," as he's known, started free running when he saw a friend doing it and asked if he could
join him. He loves other sports as well, especially basketball, and he regularly plays for the
Preston Pride Basketball Club. He says: "I think that my dad being in the army has influenced my
passion."
When he's not practicing sports, Jenx enjoys music, films and editing. He says he isn't really into
reading, and describes himself as a fun guy who is easy to get along with, "really chilled out and
relaxed." He must be pretty competitive, too, to have come so far in his sport as such a young
age. He is not sure what his future holds, but for now he is studying sport at Blackburn College in
Lancashire and goes on improving his free running skills every day.

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A Easy
Answer the questions.
1 Where is Ben Jenkin from?
2 What is his main sport?
3 What did he win in 2008?
4 What other sport does he play?
5 What kind of person is he?
6 What is he planning to do in the future?

B Medium
Complete Bens Factfile
About Ben Jenkin
1 Ben is a __________________________________
2 He won __________________________________
3 Free running is about _______________________
4 He started free running _______________________
5 He also practices_____________________________
6 He enjoys other activities like________, ______ and __________
7 He describes himself as ________, ________, _______ and ______
8 At present Ben is _____________________
3 Hard

1 Complete Bens Factfile

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2 Complete the TV report about free running

Hi Im Jack Sprint. Im a free runner and a sports maniac. Many people sent e-mails asking what
free running is all about. First of all, the sport is a pretty new one. It
started(1)_______________________________. Its practiced in the (2)______, not in a leisure
center or sports club. Its basically about (3)___________ and (4)______________. All good free
runners are in excellent physical condition. They are (5)_____ and (6)__________. The obstacles
they use are offered by the city environment like (7) _____ and (8)_______. Free runners can
(9)______, (10)_____ and jump between buildings. How can you train to be a good free runner?
Use a trampoline and have fun!

Scroll down to see the answer key

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Answer Key
Easy
1 Hes from Witton, UK
2 His main sport is free running
3 He won the World Free Running Championship in London.
4 He plays basketball
5 Hes a fun, relaxed and a bit competitive kind of person.
6 Hes not sure about his future, but hes studying sport at Blackburn College.

Medium
1 free runner
2 The World Free Running Championship in London.
3 Making leaps, jumps over obstacles in a city environment
4 when he saw a friend doing it.
5 volleyball
6 music, reading, films and editing
7 fun, relaxed and bit competitive
8 studying sport at Blackburn College.

Hard
1 See Medium above
2 1) France in the 1980s 2) city 3)making leaps 4)jumps 5) fit 6) healthy
7) cars 8) buildings 9)make leaps 10) do turns in mid-air

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