Page 49 - English 9 | Skills Based Activity Book

FUNCTIONS English 9 20
• Talking about past events
• Making inquiries Theme 7
• Asking and answering questions in an interview
World Heritage
L2
1. Below is a list of interview questions to Sümeyye Boyacı, Turkish national para swimmer. In
pairs, study her short biography and tick the questions that have answers in the text.

F 1. Where and when were you born?
F 2. Where did you grow up?
F 3. What did people think about your swimming?
F 4. What were you like as a kid?
F 5. What did you enjoy doing with your friends most?
F 6. Were you a good student?
F 7. How did you feel when you got the European title?
F 8. Were your parents strict or supportive?
F 9. What did you want to be when you were a kid?
F 10. What/Who inspired you to start swimming?

THE LIMITLESS: Sümeyye BOYACI
th
Sümeyye Boyacı was born on 5 February 2003, in Eskişehir, Turkey. She was born without arms. She realized the
difference between herself and other kids, but she did not give up. She realized that she had to live that way and
learned to use her feet like her hands. From painting pictures to writing, from combing her hair to using a sewing
machine… She could do all these with her feet.
One day, when she watched fish swim in an aquarium, she noticed that they did not have arms, either. She was
inspired and became interested in swimming. Her mother encouraged and supported her. When she was nearly
six, she began swimming. “At first, I was a bit scared, but my mother taught me how to swim through games. I
see swimming as a great therapy for me. In the water, I feel freer than anywhere else.", she said in an interview.
At the age of 12, she entered her first swimming competition. Then, followed other competitions and surprisingly,
she won almost all. She received the invitation from the national team. Now, she was a national swimmer. She
took part in European Paralympic Swimming Championships in Dublin, in 2018 and won the gold medal. She got
the European title. She felt blessed. She won the silver medal at the world championships in 2019 and became
the first Turkish woman para swimmer to achieve this. She is now preparing for Tokyo Olympics with an ambition
to become the Olympic gold medalist. As part of her training regime, she swims 7 kilometers a day.

2. What other questions would you ask Sümeyye Boyacı about her childhood? Discuss with
your partner and share with your friends.

3. Imagine that you are a journalist and your partner is a
celebrity. Make a list of interview questions about his/her
childhood/youth and create an imaginary interview. Then,
act your dialog out for your friends.

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