Page 40 - index

2022 ‫מועד אביב‬ - 39 - ‫ פרק ראשון‬- ‫אנגלית‬

Reading Comprehension

This part consists of two passages, each followed by several related questions. For each
question, choose the most appropriate answer based on the text.

Text I (Questions 13-17)

(1) In the 1990s, Jim Abbott was considered one of the best pitchers in major league
baseball. While most baseball players begin their professional careers in the minor
leagues, Abbott was signed by a major league team straight out of college, where he had
led his team to several championships. Over the course of ten years, the left-handed

(5) pitcher played for the California Angels, the New York Yankees, the Chicago White
Sox, and the Milwaukee Brewers. He demonstrated quick reflexes and remarkable
hand-eye coordination, and threw a 95-mile-an-hour fastball.

What made Abbott's athletic achievements even more remarkable was the fact that
he was born with only one hand. As a child, Abbott was encouraged by his parents to

(10) play soccer – a sport in which his physical disability would be less of a disadvantage.
But, like most American boys of his time, it was baseball that he loved. Together with
his father, Abbott developed a technique that allowed him to catch a baseball in his
gloved hand, remove the glove without dropping the ball, and quickly throw the ball to
another player. He practiced this glove-hand switch for countless hours until he

(15) perfected it. After his first professional game, when reporters asked him about the
technique, he said, "I've been doing this since I was five years old. Now it's as natural
as tying my shoelaces," leaving them to puzzle over how he managed that feat with just
one hand.

Abbott had a lasting impact off the field, inspiring thousands of physically
(20) challenged children and adults. After retiring as a player, he became an influential

public speaker, telling audiences around the United States how he overcame obstacles to
achieve what many thought was impossible.

Questions

13. The main purpose of the text is to -

(1) summarize the highlights of Abbott's career
(2) discuss the obstacles faced by physically challenged athletes
(3) describe Abbott's contribution to professional baseball
(4) present the story of an extraordinary athlete

)‫© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר‬
.‫ בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה‬- ‫ כולה או חלקים ממנה‬- ‫ או ללמדה‬,‫אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי‬