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An Amazing Woman 

German-born Sabriye Tenberken became blind at the age of 12. Life was not easy for her at her first school. She was desperate to fit in, but other children were often cruel to her and her teachers did not understand her needs.

She often tried to hide her blindness until she went to a special boarding school for the blind. Here she realised that blind people were capable of doing the same things as everyone else. The school taught her to come to terms with being blind. She learnt various sports including horse riding and she also learnt how to read Braille. She quickly grew in confidence.

She later studied Tibetan at Bonn University. She learnt that many Tibetan people had problems with their eyesight, partly because of their diet but mainly because of the damaging sun at high altitudes. There was no Braille in Tibetan, so she decided to write a Tibetan Braille system. At first, she did this to help her with her own studies, but then she realised its potential to help people in the mountainous region of China.

She had always wanted to go to Tibet and when she was 26, she decided to pursue her dream and visit the country to introduce her Braille system to local people.

Although she travelled with two Tibetans, it was tough for Sabriye to travel around rural parts of Tibet, but that did not put her off. Many people did not believe she was blind because she travelled by horse, and she was shocked to find how blind children were treated. Some were never allowed outside because their parents believed they would hurt themselves. So, she became determined to help them and word was quickly spread about the blind woman who also wanted to set up a school for the blind.

Sabriye later met Paul Kronenberg, who became her business partner. Together they set up a school, called Braille Without Borders. It has a vision to help blind children to adjust to their blindness and to learn many of the same skills that she had learnt as a girl.

Sabriye realised that blindness has given her the opportunity to help people like herself. Her work has become famous and she was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She has also won awards for her work and has also written a book called My Path Leads to Tibet about her life and work.

Read the article again and answer the questions:

1. How did her classmates treat her before she changed schools?

Other children were cruel to her.

2. Why was it difficult for Sabriye to read Tibetan texts when she first went to university?

Because there was no Braille in Tibetan there.

3. What is the main reason for the high incidence of blindness in Tibet?

It was mainly because of the damaging sun at high altitudes.

4. Why did some Tibetans keep blind children inside?

Because they believe they would hurt themselves.

5. How does the school founded by Sabriye and Paul help children?

To adjust to their blindness and to learn many of the same skills that she had learnt as a girl.


CRITICAL THINKING  

Study Active Reading. Then look at the statements below and decide if they are true or false. Find the matching underlined sections in the text (1-5) and explain why you think the information is implied.

ACTIVE LEARNING | Making inferences 

• Sometimes writers do not state information directly. You can work out the missing information by making guesses or inferences.

• Inferences are made based on clues in the text and on our background knowledge and experience.

Example

1. Sabriye used to feel ashamed of being blind.

(True). We can make a guess that this sentence is true, because it says ‘She often tried to hide her blindness’. 

2. She felt better when she changed schools because she no longer felt isolated.

(True). “The school taught her to come to terms with being blind.’

3. While at university, Sabriye wanted to study the Tibetan language but wasn’t able to. 

(True). “There was no Braille in Tibetan.’

4. Sabriye founded ‘Braille without Borders’ on her own. 

(False). ‘Together they set up a school’ 

5. Sabriye won the Nobel Peace Prize. 

(False). ‘She was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.’


SPEAKING

Do you agree with Sabriye’s philosophy that ‘it’s a blessing not to have too many options in life’? Give reasons for your answer.

It depends on your prspective. Some people find comfort in having fewer choices because it reduces stress and decision-making pressure. It allows them to focus on what they have and be content. Others might feel restricted without options, as they enjoy exploring and choosing different paths. Ultimately, whether it's a blessing or not depends on what makes you feel happier and more at ease.

Look at the highlighted words in the article and discuss what other meanings each word could have in a different context. Then complete the pairs of sentences.

 

1. a. He did it in a moment of blind panic.

seeming to be unreasonable / out of control    

b. She trains guide dogs for the blind.
not able to see                 

2.  a. I would like to pursue a career in journalism.

to achieve something over a period of time.       

b. The police didn’t pursue the speeding car as it was going too fast. 
Chase           

3. a. The new head teacher explained her vision for the future of the school.

dream for the future         

b. Cats have very good night vision.

ability to see.         

4. a. Her accident put her off riding horses.

to make somebody lose interest in something.  

b. He put off his degree for a year.

delay / postpone     

5. a. She realised her ambition of becoming a pilot.

achieve something you want to do        

b. She realised no one was listening.

become aware of something         

6. a. He found the exam very tough

difficult / hard        

b. She’s a very tough person. She isn’t easily defeated.

powerful / hard to deal with 


Complete the pairs of sentences with the correct form of the same word or phrase

1. a. She was ...put off... by the idea of swimming after seeing a crocodile in the water
b. You'll be happy to hear we're going to ...put off... the test until next week

2. a. After an earthquake there was ...blind... panic in the surrounding streets.
b. Jameel started losing his sight when he was ten, and was completely ...blind... by the age of 16.

3. a. The person who started this company had a ...Vision... which has now become reality.
b. Kareem has very little ...Vision.... in his night eye.

4. a. The police officers had to ...Pursue... the thieves on foot for a short distance
b. We never wanted our only son to ...Pursue... a career in the army


أسئلة شاملة على القطعة

 

1. At what age did Sabriye Tenberken become blind / lose her eyesight?

At the age of 12.

2. She faced two challenges at her first school? Write them down.

Other children were cruel to her and her teachers did not understand her needs. 

3. Quote / write down the sentence which indicates that she wanted to make new friends but she couldn’t.

“She was desperate to fit in, but other children were often cruel to her.........needs".

4. What did she realise / discover at the special boarding school for the blind?

She realised that the blind people were capable of doing the same things as everyone else.

5. What did the school teach her? 

The school taught her to come to terms with being blind.

6. What sport did she learn?        

Horse riding

7. Two things she learnt allowed her to grow in confidence quickly. What are they?

She learnt various sports including horse riding and she also learnt how to read Braille.

8. What did she study at Bonn University?     

She studied Tibetan.

9. According to the text, many Tibetan people had problems with their eyesight due to two reasons. Write these two reasons down.

Partly because of their diet but mainly because of the damaging sun at high altitudes. 

10. What is the major/main reason why many Tibetans had problems with their eyesight?

Because of the damaging sun at high altitudes.

11. She decided to write a Tibetan Braille system for two reasons. What are they?

At first, she did this to help her with her own studies, but then she realised its potential to help people in the mountainous region of China.

12. She faced a big challenge at Bonn University. What was it and how did she solve it? 

There was no Braille in Tibetan, so she decided to write a Tibetan Braille system.

13. What was Sabriye’s dream?

To visit the country (Tibet) to introduce her Braille system to local people.

14. Many people in the Tibet didn’t believe she was blind. Why?

Because she travelled by horse.

15. She was shocked by something. What was it?     

How blind children were treated.

16. Some of the blind children in Tibet were never allowed outside. Why?

Because their parents believed they would hurt themselves.

17. She wanted to do something to help the blind children. What was that thing?

To set up a school for the blind. 

18. Who was Sabriye’s business partner?         

Paul Kornenberg.

19. What did she and her partner do to help the blind children?

They set up a school, called Braille Without Boarders.

20. The school has a vision which was based on two things to help the blind children? What were they?

To help the blind children to adjust to their blindness and to learn many of the same skills she had learnt as a girl.

21. Quote / write down the sentence which indicates Sabriye’s blindness was a source of inspiration to her?

“Sabriye realised that blindness has given her the opportunity to help people like herself”.

22. When was she nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?     

In 2005.

23. Why was she nominated for the Nobel Peace prize?

Because her work has become famous.

24. What did she call/name her book?        

My Path Leads to Tibet.

25. What was her book about?         

It was about her life and work.