INGLESE Reading per terza media/prima superiore
Remember Jackie Robinson
In 1947 Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player to enter the baseball federation. Baseball was a sport practiced mainly by the whites and this was an event without precedent in a nation, that was imbued with racial segregation. In this way, Jackie Robinson opened the way for the right to vote to the American black community, being himself a victim of racism.
On a football Saturday in 1940 he was a sitting with his UCLA teammates in a restaurant and when the white players asked why some of their teammates weren't being served, the waitress explained she couldn't serve blacks. The white players dropped water and cokes onto their plates and they all walked out without paying.
Seven years later Robinson was accepted in Major League Baseball and ran onto Dodgers' Ebbet field to take his place in history, breaking the colour barrier that prohibited blacks from playing in the major leagues. He hit a ground ball and then hit into a double play in his debut (first game). That was a great day for American black people if we consider that was 1947, seven years before Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus in Montgomery Alabama, and 18 years before the Voting Rights Act cleared the way for all blacks to vote.
Robinson who played football, baseball and basketball used to control himself when spectators and opponents cursed him with racial epithets. He also knew that some of his own teammates had begun a petition to keep him off the team. Jackie became an idol for black people and he is still celebrated all across the USA. Robinson once said "a life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives".
On a football Saturday in 1940 he was a sitting with his UCLA teammates in a restaurant and when the white players asked why some of their teammates weren't being served, the waitress explained she couldn't serve blacks. The white players dropped water and cokes onto their plates and they all walked out without paying.
Seven years later Robinson was accepted in Major League Baseball and ran onto Dodgers' Ebbet field to take his place in history, breaking the colour barrier that prohibited blacks from playing in the major leagues. He hit a ground ball and then hit into a double play in his debut (first game). That was a great day for American black people if we consider that was 1947, seven years before Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus in Montgomery Alabama, and 18 years before the Voting Rights Act cleared the way for all blacks to vote.
Robinson who played football, baseball and basketball used to control himself when spectators and opponents cursed him with racial epithets. He also knew that some of his own teammates had begun a petition to keep him off the team. Jackie became an idol for black people and he is still celebrated all across the USA. Robinson once said "a life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives".
Answer the following questions:
1. Who was Jackie Robinson?
2. When did he enter baseball federation?
3. What was American society like at that time?
4. Can you give examples of racism referred to the text?
5. Do you know any other form of racial segregation that was widespread in those years?
6. What did the Voting Rights Act establish?
7. What sports did Robinson practice?
8. What was Robinsons reaction to insults?
9. Is racism widespread in modern society? Give examples.
10.Explain Robinson's quotation in your own words.
Possible answers:
1. Jackie Robinson was the first black player in baseball federation.
2. He entered baseball federation in 1947. ( He was admitted into baseball federation in 1947)
3. American society was imbued with racism towards black people. ( America society was characterised by racism towards black people)
4. Black people couldn't go to the same restaurants as white people, they had to sit at the back of a bus and they couldn't vote.
5. There were separate schools for black children, black people had lower wages, black families couldn't move into areas where white people lived, there was also a special traveler's guide for black people , called the Green Book, indicating hotels and restaurants where the blacks could go.
6. The Voting Rights Act gave black people the right to vote.
7. Robinson practised football, basketball and baseball.
8. He controlled himself. He never reacted to insults.
9. Unfortunately racism is still rooted in our society: for example some people don't rent houses to foreign people coming from Africa or East Europe. Foreign people coming from poor areas of the world are paid less money and exploited by uscrupolous employers. However younger generation are more open-minded and at school children don't give much importance to the colour of the skin.
10. Robinson's quotation means that everybody is called to play their part in life. Also with little actions we can change the world and inspire other people to act. Everybody can give their contribution to history and every single step we take can improve our world.
1. Who was Jackie Robinson?
2. When did he enter baseball federation?
3. What was American society like at that time?
4. Can you give examples of racism referred to the text?
5. Do you know any other form of racial segregation that was widespread in those years?
6. What did the Voting Rights Act establish?
7. What sports did Robinson practice?
8. What was Robinsons reaction to insults?
9. Is racism widespread in modern society? Give examples.
10.Explain Robinson's quotation in your own words.
Possible answers:
1. Jackie Robinson was the first black player in baseball federation.
2. He entered baseball federation in 1947. ( He was admitted into baseball federation in 1947)
3. American society was imbued with racism towards black people. ( America society was characterised by racism towards black people)
4. Black people couldn't go to the same restaurants as white people, they had to sit at the back of a bus and they couldn't vote.
5. There were separate schools for black children, black people had lower wages, black families couldn't move into areas where white people lived, there was also a special traveler's guide for black people , called the Green Book, indicating hotels and restaurants where the blacks could go.
6. The Voting Rights Act gave black people the right to vote.
7. Robinson practised football, basketball and baseball.
8. He controlled himself. He never reacted to insults.
9. Unfortunately racism is still rooted in our society: for example some people don't rent houses to foreign people coming from Africa or East Europe. Foreign people coming from poor areas of the world are paid less money and exploited by uscrupolous employers. However younger generation are more open-minded and at school children don't give much importance to the colour of the skin.
10. Robinson's quotation means that everybody is called to play their part in life. Also with little actions we can change the world and inspire other people to act. Everybody can give their contribution to history and every single step we take can improve our world.
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