edHelper.com
Black History and Blacks in U.S. History

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 7
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   7.4

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    evasion, heavyweight, objectors, refuses, showmanship, unpatriotic, controversy, conscientious, agenda, fans, fighter, religion, refused, medal, draft, knockout
     content words:    Muhammad Ali, Rome Olympics, Cassius Clay, Now I'm, Vietnam War, When Muhammad, US Army, Sonny Liston, Supreme Court, Joe Frazier

Print Muhammad Ali
edHelper.com subscriber options:
     Print Muhammad Ali  (font options, pick words for additional puzzles, and more)
     Quickly print reading comprehension
     Print a proofreading activity

Feedback on Muhammad Ali
     Leave your feedback on Muhammad Ali  (use this link if you found an error in the story)

Muhammad Ali
By Sharon Fabian 		  
1     In 1960, Muhammad Ali won a gold medal for boxing at the Rome Olympics. He was 18 years old at the time, and his medal was in the light heavyweight division. At that time, he was known as Cassius Clay, not Muhammad Ali.
 
2     He went on to win many other boxing matches, but boxing was not the only thing on Cassius Clay's agenda. According to him, boxing was what made him famous, but fighting for freedom was his real mission. He said, "The fighting was a vehicle to make me popular. Now I'm fighting for freedom, for people's rights, . . ."
 
3     His career mixed boxing, showmanship, his campaign for freedom and respect, and controversy over his religion.
 
4     After the Olympics in 1960, Cassius Clay began his pro fighting career. Before one of his matches, he predicted that he would win by a knockout in the second round. His prediction came true. After that, Clay kept making predictions, often in rhyme. These predictions made the boxing matches more interesting for his fans.

Paragraphs 5 to 12:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
Copyright © 2008 edHelper