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Imagine having no arms to stretch in the morning, to help you scratch that itch, to allow you to wrap your arms around your loved ones. Imagine having no legs to kick pebbles down the street, to walk or run, to bicycle or skateboard, or get you from point A to point B. Then imagine both at once, which is what Nick has faced his whole life. Have you heard something like this before?
Nick was born with no arms and
legs - but he doesn’t let the details stop him. The brave 26-year-old — who is
mainly a torso — plays football and golf, swims and surfs, despite having no
limbs.
Nick has a small foot on his left
hip which helps him balance and enables him to kick. He uses his one foot to
type, write with a pen and pick things up between his toes.
‘I call it my chicken drumstick,’
joked Nick, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, but now lives in Los Angeles.
‘I’d be lost
without it.’
Due to his faith as an
Evangelical Christian, Nick has chosen to remain a virgin until marriage.
'He's very modest but he gets marriage
proposals from women all the time,' said Nick's friend and publicist Steve
Appel, from Los Angeles.
'He would love to get married and start a
family but he's waiting for the right girl to come along.'
Water sports aren't Nick's only thing - he
also plays golf with a club ucked under his chin, and is a huge fan of the
English Premier League.
His parents decided not to send
him to a special school - a decision he said was very hard for him, but which
may have been the best decision they could have made for him.
When Nick was born his father was
so shocked that he left the hospital room to vomit. His distraught mother
couldn't bring herself to hold him until he was four months old.
His disability came without any medical
explanation - a rare occurrence called Phocomelia - and Nick and his parents
spent many years asking why this cruel trick would happen to them. 'My mother
was a nurse and she did everything right during pregnancy but she still blamed
herself,' he said.
'It was so hard for them but
right from the start they did their best to make me independent.’ 'My dad put me in the water at 18 months and
gave the courage to learn how to swim.’ 'I also got really into football and
skateboarding. I totally love the English Premier League.' Nick's father was a computer programmer and
accountant and he taught his little son
how to type with his toe at just
6 years old. His mum invented a special plastic device that meant he could hold
a pen and pencil.
Despite the risk of being
bullied, his parents insisted Nick on attending mainstream school. 'It was the
best decision they could have made for me,' adds Nick, who later achieved a
degree in Financial Planning and Real Estate. 'It was very hard but it gave me
independence.'
Nick, who was teased and bullied,
had an electric wheelchair for mobility, and a team of carers to help him.
'I was deeply depressed when I was eight years
old,' he said. 'I went to my mum crying and told her I wanted to kill myself.’
'I felt cold and bitter. I hated
God for doing this to me and was terrified of what would
happen when my parents weren't
there to look after me.’
'I could brush my own teeth with
a wall mounted brush and wash my own hair with pump action soap, but there was
so much that was impossible for me.'
At age ten Nick tried to drown himself in the
bath but luckily the attempt was unsuccessful. 'I felt there was no purpose
when you lack purpose and strength. It is hard to hold on,' he said. But with
the help of his religion, friends and family, Nick managed to pull through to
become an international symbol of triumph over adversity.
'When I was 13, I read a
newspaper article about a disabled man who had managed to achieve great things
and helped others,' said Nick.
'I realised why God had made us like this - to
give hope to others. It was so inspirational to me that I decided to use my
life to encourage other people and give them the courage that the article had
given me.’
'I decided to be thankful for what I do have,
not get angry about what I don't.’
'I looked at myself in the mirror and said:
'You know
what the world is right that I
have no arms or legs, but they'll never take away the beauty of my eyes.' I
wanted to concentrate on something good that I had.'
"The challenges in our lives
are there to strengthen our convictions. They are not there to run us
over", said Nick. In 1990 Nick won the Australian Young Citizen of the
Year award for his bravery and perseverance.
'And once I was in a car and a
girl at traffic lights was looking at me interestingly. She could only see my
head so I decided to do a 360 degree spin in the car seat to freak her out. Her
face was like woooooooah what is going on? She sped off really quickly.'
Nick began travelling the world
and in 2008 he went to Hawaii and met surfing master Bethany Hamilton, who had
her arm bitten off by a shark when she was 12.
'She was amazing,’ said Nick.
'She taught me how to surf and I was terrified at first, but once I got up
there it felt absolutely fantastic and I caught some waves pretty well.' Nick
quickly learned how to do the 360 degree spins on his board - a feat that got
him on the cover of Surfer magazine within 48 hours. 'No one has ever done that
in the history of surfing,' he said. ‘But I have a very low centre of gravity
so I've got pretty good balance.’
He has visited different
countries all over the world. The football fan is now a motivational speaker
and has travelled to over 24 countries speaking to groups of up to 110,000
people.
He moved to Los Angeles two years ago in 2007
and plans to continue to travel the world.
"If I fail, I try again, and
again, and again. If you fail, are you going to try again? The human spirit can
handle much worse than we realize. It matters how you are going to finish. Are
you going to finish strong?" said Nick
'I tell people to keep on getting up when they
fall and to always love themselves,' he said. 'If I can encourage just one
person then my job in this life is done.'
Comprehension Questions and Answers:
30 Simple Factual Questions for better understanding the text
- What is the main theme of the text?
- Answer: The main theme is about Nick Vujicic, a
person born without arms and legs, overcoming challenges and leading a
fulfilling life.
- Where was Nick born?
- Answer: Nick was born in Melbourne, Australia.
- What is unique about Nick's physical condition?
- Answer: Nick was born with no arms and legs.
- How does Nick manage to maintain balance despite
having no legs?
- Answer: Nick has a small foot on his left hip that
helps him balance.
- What does Nick humorously call his small foot?
- Answer: Nick calls his small foot on his left hip
his "chicken drumstick."
- What sports does Nick participate in despite his
physical condition?
- Answer: Nick plays football, golf, swims, and
surfs.
- What is Nick's attitude towards marriage?
- Answer: Nick has chosen to remain a virgin until
marriage due to his faith as an Evangelical Christian.
- What special skill did Nick's father teach him at
the age of 6?
- Answer: Nick's father taught him how to type with
his toe when he was 6 years old.
- How did Nick's parents contribute to his
independence despite his disability?
- Answer: Nick's dad put him in the water at 18
months to learn swimming, and his mom invented a device for him to hold a
pen and pencil.
- What degree did Nick achieve later in life?
- Answer: Nick later achieved a degree in Financial
Planning and Real Estate.
- Why did Nick's parents decide not to send him to a
special school?
- Answer: Despite the difficulty, Nick's parents
wanted him to attend mainstream school for independence.
- At what age did Nick attempt to drown himself?
- Answer: Nick attempted to drown himself at the age
of ten.
- How did Nick cope with depression at a young age?
- Answer: With the help of his religion, friends, and
family, Nick managed to overcome depression.
- What inspired Nick to use his life to encourage
others?
- Answer: A newspaper article about a disabled man
achieving great things inspired Nick to encourage others.
- What award did Nick win in 1990?
- Answer: Nick won the Australian Young Citizen of
the Year award in 1990.
- How did Nick learn to surf, and who taught him?
- Answer: Nick learned to surf from surfing master
Bethany Hamilton in Hawaii.
- What unique feat did Nick achieve on his
surfboard?
- Answer: Nick performed 360-degree spins on his
surfboard, a feat that got him on the cover of Surfer magazine.
- How many countries has Nick travelled to as a
motivational speaker?
- Answer: Nick has travelled to over 24 countries as
a motivational speaker.
- What does Nick advise people to do when they fail?
- Answer: Nick advises people to keep getting up when
they fall and to always love themselves.
- What is Nick's perspective on the human spirit's
resilience?
- Answer: Nick believes that the human spirit can
handle much worse than we realize.
- What is Nick's message to people about finishing
strong?
- Answer: Nick encourages people to finish strong and
emphasizes that it matters how one finishes.
- What is Nick's current profession?
- Answer: Nick is currently a motivational speaker.
- Where did Nick move to in 2007?
- Answer: Nick moved to Los Angeles in 2007.
- What is Nick's plan for the future?
- Answer: Nick plans to continue traveling the world.
- How does Nick describe his approach to failure?
- Answer: Nick describes his approach to failure as
trying again and again.
- What is Nick's ultimate goal in encouraging
others?
- Answer: Nick's ultimate goal is to encourage at
least one person, considering his job in life done.
- What is Nick's unique skill in a car that
surprised a girl?
- Answer: Nick did a 360-degree spin in a car seat to
surprise a girl at traffic lights.
- What did Nick decide to concentrate on when he
looked at himself in the mirror?
- Answer: Nick decided to concentrate on something
good he had, like the beauty of his eyes.
- What physical condition did Nick's disability
result from, and was it common?
- Answer: Nick's disability resulted from a rare
condition called Phocomelia, and it was not common.
- What is the significance of the title
"Attitude Is Altitude"?
- Answer: The title suggests that one's attitude
determines their altitude or level of success in life.
10 Simple Inferential
Questions for better understanding the text
- Infer from the text, what role did Nick's parents
play in shaping his independence?
- Answer: Nick's parents played a crucial role
in shaping his independence by making decisions like mainstream schooling
and providing support for learning essential skills.
- Based on the information, what impact did Nick's
faith as an Evangelical Christian have on his life choices?
- Answer: Nick's faith influenced his decision
to remain a virgin until marriage and likely played a role in his
positive outlook on life.
- Infer from the text, how did Nick's disability
affect his parents emotionally when he was born?
- Answer: Nick's father was initially shocked
and left the hospital room to vomit, while his mother couldn't bring
herself to hold him until he was four months old.
- Based on the text, why did Nick's parents choose
not to send him to a special school despite the challenges?
- Answer: Nick's parents believed that
mainstream schooling, despite its difficulties, would provide him with
independence, which they considered the best decision for him.
- Infer from the information provided, how did Nick
cope with depression at the age of eight?
- Answer: Nick sought help from his mother,
expressing thoughts of suicide, but eventually overcame depression with
the support of his religion, friends, and family.
- Based on the text, how did Nick's unique physical
abilities contribute to his achievements in surfing?
- Answer: Nick's low center of gravity and
ability to perform 360-degree spins on his surfboard were attributed to
his unique physical condition, contributing to his success in surfing.
- Infer from the information, what inspired Nick to
become a motivational speaker?
- Answer: Nick was inspired by a newspaper
article about a disabled man achieving great things, prompting him to use
his life to encourage others and give them hope.
- Based on the text, how did Nick's parents support
his education and skill development despite his physical challenges?
- Answer: Nick's father taught him to type
with his toe at the age of six, and his mother invented a special device
for him to hold a pen and pencil, facilitating his education and skill
development.
- Infer from the information, what does Nick's
message about finishing strong suggest about his personal philosophy?
- Answer: Nick's message implies that
regardless of challenges, the way one finishes is crucial, emphasizing
resilience, determination, and a positive mindset.
- Based on the text, how did Nick's meeting with surfing
master Bethany Hamilton impact his life?
- Answer: Nick learned to surf from Bethany
Hamilton, and this experience not only helped him overcome fear but also
contributed to his becoming an international symbol of triumph over
adversity.
10 Simple Extrapolating
Questions for better understanding the text
- Considering Nick's positive attitude, how might
his approach to challenges inspire others facing difficulties in their
lives?
- Answer: Nick's positive attitude could
inspire others to adopt a resilient mindset, emphasizing the importance
of facing challenges with optimism and determination.
- If Nick hadn't moved to Los Angeles in 2007, how
might his life and career as a motivational speaker have been different?
- Answer: If Nick hadn't moved to Los Angeles,
he might not have had the same opportunities to reach a wide audience as
a motivational speaker, impacting the trajectory of his career.
- Considering Nick's commitment to remain a virgin
until marriage, how might his values influence his future relationships
and family life?
- Answer: Nick's commitment suggests that he
values strong moral principles, and this could shape his future
relationships and family life, emphasizing patience and waiting for the
right partner.
- If Nick's parents had chosen to send him to a
special school, how might his independence and achievements have been
affected?
- Answer: Sending Nick to a special school
might have provided more tailored support, but it could have impacted his
independence, potentially altering the course of his achievements and
personal growth.
- Considering Nick's achievements in water sports,
how might his success in football and skateboarding contribute to breaking
stereotypes about physical abilities?
- Answer: Nick's success in various sports
challenges stereotypes about physical abilities, showcasing that
individuals with disabilities can excel in a wide range of activities,
fostering inclusivity.
- If Nick had not chosen to become a motivational
speaker, how might he have used his life experiences to make a positive
impact on others?
- Answer: If Nick had not become a
motivational speaker, he might have pursued alternative ways to share his
experiences, such as writing or mentoring, to positively impact others
facing challenges.
- Considering Nick's childhood attempt to drown
himself, how might his life have unfolded differently if that attempt had
been successful?
- Answer: If Nick's childhood attempt had been
successful, the world would have missed out on his inspirational story
and the positive impact he has had as a motivational speaker.
- Considering Nick's international travels, how
might exposure to diverse cultures influence his motivational messages and
perspectives?
- Answer: Nick's exposure to diverse cultures
could enrich his motivational messages by incorporating a global
perspective, making his advice more relatable and applicable to a wide
audience.
- If Nick's parents had not insisted on mainstream
schooling, how might his education have shaped his outlook and
opportunities in life?
- Answer: Without mainstream schooling, Nick's
education might have been more specialized but could have limited his
exposure to a diverse environment, potentially impacting his outlook and
opportunities.
- Considering Nick's decision to be thankful for
what he has, how might this philosophy contribute to his continued success
and happiness in the future?
- Answer: Nick's gratitude philosophy may
continue to contribute to his success and happiness by fostering a
positive mindset, resilience, and an appreciation for life's blessings,
regardless of challenges.
1 comments:
Superb effort sir. Please do the same with remaining readings of all units.
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