The Wheelchair Stunt Master

What condition was Aaron Fotheringham born with?

• cerebral palsy
• muscular dystrophy
• spina bifida
• Down syndrome

Fotheringham’s older brother took him to skate parks to watch BMXers. How did that affect him?

• It inspired him to try tricks with his wheelchair and find something that he loved to do.

• He realized how dangerous BMX was and asked the local government to get rid of skate parks.

• He fell in love with BMX and traveled around the United States to watch BMX races.
  

• He met his future business partner and they started selling colored wheels for wheelchairs.

Read the following sentences from the text.

“When Fotheringham first tried to do a trick in his chair, he fell hard. It hurt. But he realized he found something he loved to do—even though it would be difficult to learn. Fotheringham practiced daring stunts, including wheeling down steep ramps and flipping off of them. After a lot of practice, he perfected a mid-air 180-degree turn. The next year, he landed the first wheelchair backflip.”

What conclusion can you draw from this evidence?

• Fotheringham continued practicing stunts after he got hurt and his parents asked him to stop.

• Fotheringham’s brother felt bad for introducing him to skate parks and BMX because he got hurt.

• Fotheringham’s dedication to learning stunts allowed him to achieve things that no one else had.
  

• Fotheringham had an easier time learning stunts than other BMXers because of his wheelchair.

According to the text, how does Fotheringham use his love of BMX to help others?

• When he performs stunts, he raises money to help buy wheelchairs for those who cannot afford them.

• He spends his time making wheelchairs easier to use for everyday tasks like eating at restaurants and driving.

• He creates and sells products for popular BMX athletes, such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, and keychains.
  

• He speaks to others about seeing their disability as a positive thing and teaches them to use their wheelchairs in fun ways.

What is the main idea of this text?

• Aaron Fotheringham enjoyed watching BMX, which stands for bicycle motocross and is an extreme sport where athletes use bikes to ride and do tricks on ramps at skate parks.

• Aaron Fotheringham was a teenager with a positive attitude so he used to keep up with his friends during physical education classes at school by using his crutches to run.

• Aaron Fotheringham was born with spina bifida and, despite its challenges, taught himself to do stunts with his wheelchair and is now an inspiration to others.

• Aaron Fotheringham was born with spina bifida, which is a birth defect in the spine, and his adoptive parents pushed him to find creative ways to do things independently.

Read the following sentences from the text.

“He loved the thrill of extreme sports. He realized his wheelchair could be an instrument for fun rather than just a medical device. His older brother began taking him to skate parks where bicycle motocross riders (or BMXers) would ride and do tricks….Fotheringham practiced daring stunts, including wheeling down steep ramps and flipping off of them.”

As used in this excerpt, what does the word “thrill” most closely mean?

• boredom

• excitement
• fear
• discomfort

The two stunts Fotheringham first master in his wheelchair were the​ (a)   and a backflip.

• mid-air 180-degree turn
• front flip
• side spin
• double backflip

How is Fortheringham trying to empower other wheelchair users to do daring stunts?

Select two choices.

• He speaks to others in wheelchairs and inspires them to see their disability in a positive way.

• He works on creating a wheelchair that is suited for big stunts

• He teaches people in wheelchairs how to use their chairs in serious ways.

• He teaches people the medical reason of why he and others are in wheelchairs.

What is inspiring about the way Fotheringham sees his disability?

Use evidence from the text to support your answer.