Section DIn August 2008, athletes from the United States and around the world will compete

Section D

In August 2008, athletes from the United States and around the world will compete in the Beijing Olympics. But did you know that in September of next year, disabled athletes will compete in the Paralympic Games in Beijing？

The Olympics and the Paralympics are separate movements. But they have always been held in the same year, and since 1988, they have also been held in the same city. The International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement in 2001 to secure this connection. The next winter games will take place in Vancouver, Canada, in 2010.

The Paralympic Games grew out of a sports competition held in 1948 in England and a doctor named Ludwig Guttmann organized it for men who suffered spinal cord injuries in World War II. Four years later, it became an international event as competitors from the Netherlands took part. Then, in 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome. 400 athletes from 23 countries competed. By 2004, the Paralympic Games in Athens had almost 4,000 athletes from 136 countries, who may have physical or mental limitations and may be blind or in wheelchairs. Yet sometimes they perform. better than athletes without disabilities.

In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of former President John F. Kennedy, started the Special Olympics, which are just for children and adults with mental limitations and whose programs currently serve more than two million people in 160 countries. In November 2006, in Mumbai, India, teams competed in the First Special Olympics International Cricket Cup. In addition to India, there were men’s teams from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. There were also women’s cricket teams from India and Pakistan.

There are many organizations in the United States that help people with disabilities play sports. Wheelchair tennis is a popular sport. So is basketball. In fact, there are more than one hundred professional teams playing wheelchair basketball thanks to the special wheelchairs for athletes that are lightweight and designed for quick moves. For people who want to go really fast in their chairs, there is a Power Wheelchair Racing Association.

In the state of Utah there is a place called the National Ability Center, which teaches all kinds of sports to people with all kinds of physical and mental disabilities and even gives friends and family members a chance to try a sport as if they were disabled.

A reporter from the Washington Post wanted to know what it would be like for a blind person to use a climbing wall. So, protected by a safety line, the newspaper reporter closed his eyes and started to feel for places to put his hands and feet. Trainers on the ground urged him on; "Take your time. You can do it. " Finally he reached the top.

At the National Ability Center people can learn to ride horses and mountain bikes. They can try winter mountain sports, and learn scuba diving and other water activities. The center also prepares athletes for the Paralympics.

These days, the first place many people go when they want to travel is the Internet, where they can get information about hotels, transportation and services like tour companies. The Internet can also help travelers find special services for the disabled. For example, there are groups that help young people with disabilities travel to different countries.

Susan Sygall, who uses a wheelchair herself, leads an organization called Mobility International USA, and has traveled to more than twenty-five countries to talk about the rights of people with disabilities. She says people with disabilities are all members of a global family and working together across borders is the most powerful way of making changes.

Summary:

The Olympics and the Paralympics are【65】______but they have always been held in the same year and also in the same city since 1988 when the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee signed an agreement in 2001 to【66】______. The Paralympic Games grew out of a sports competition organized by a doctor named【67】______in 1948 in England for men injured in World War II. In 1952, it became an【68】______and in 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome for people who may have physical or mental limitations or may be blind or in wheelchairs. The【69】______was started in 1968 in the United States by Eunice Kennedy Shriver just for children and adults with mental limitations and to help people with disabilities play sports and enjoy other activities, many【70】______are founded, such as the Power Wheelchair Racing Association, the National Ability Center and Mobility International USA.

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