The document is about the tradition of contortionism in Mongolia. It discusses how contortionism has a long history and cultural significance in Mongolia. It became especially popular after a famous Mongolian contortionist, Madame Tsend-Ayush, performed internationally in the 1940s. Today, hundreds of schools teach young Mongolian girls the skills of contortionism. While some natural flexibility is required, success truly comes from long hours of intense daily practice over many years.

1. Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A
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UNIT 1
True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
A Mongolian Tradition
All over the world, children dream of growing up to be famous athletes. In Canada, they dream of
playing hockey. In Brazil, they dream of being soccer players. In Jamaica, they dream of becoming the world’s
fastest runners. In Mongolia, children—especially girls—dream of becoming contortionists.
Contortionists are athletes who can twist and bend their bodies into extraordinary positions. Skilled
dancers and gymnasts can bend their legs so that they are at a 180-degree angle. But a contortionist can bend
her legs even farther. She can bend over backwards and touch her head to the back of her knees. She can raise
her legs and wrap her knees around her shoulders. This is sometimes called “the human knot.” Some
contortionists can fold their bodies into a tiny space, like a suitcase. Such movements require tremendous
flexibility, but they also require incredible strength and balance. An expert contortionist can bend into a
human knot and then lift her entire body up with one arm.
Almost all of the world’s greatest contortionists are girls and women from Mongolia. In western
countries, the movements involved in contortionism may seem unnatural. In Mongolia, in contrast,
contortionism has a long history and is part of the culture. It is related to traditional dance forms and to
Buddhist beliefs that a flexible body leads to a flexible and open mind. Its current popularity goes back to the
1940s, when Mongolia established a national circus. One of the performers, the contortionist Madame
Tsend-Ayush, became an international star. Since that time, generations of girls have dreamed of following
her.
Today, there are hundreds of schools where young Mongolian girls train. They begin their training
early, usually at about the age of five. The training is difficult and intense. The girls practice between two and
six hours a day, six days a week. Even with all of this practice, it takes a long time to see results. It may take
two years to learn the basic movements. Success takes persistence and strong motivation. Even after a girl
becomes a professional contortionist, she still has to practice long hours to stay in shape. One contortionist
says if you miss one day of practice, it is like missing a week of training in another sport.
The dominance of the Mongolians in contortionism has led some people to believe that certain ethnic
groups or families have special natural ability. However, both experts and the athletes themselves claim this is
not the case. As in all athletics, some people have more natural talent than others, but most of the
contortionists’ success comes from long hours of hard work. This success has resulted in opportunities for
them to perform all over the world, mostly with dance groups and circuses. Many of the women have won
awards at international festivals. Their success also has a new generation of Mongolian girls dreaming of their
own future as contortionists.
Instructions: Refer to the reading “A Mongolian Tradition.” For each statement, answer True or False.
1. The main idea of the second paragraph is that you need to be strong and flexible to be a successful contortionist.
2. Contortionists can bend their bodies even more than gymnasts.
3. Certain ethnic groups have a genetic advantage and are naturally better contortionists.

2. Name: ________________________ ID: A
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4. Madame Tsend-Ayush inspired the current generation of young Mongolian contortionists.
5. The key to success for a contortionist is practice and persistence.
6. Once a contortionist becomes a professional, the training is not as intense.
7. Contortionism has a long tradition in Mongolia.
8. Contortionists must practice every day.
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Instructions: Refer to the reading “A Mongolian Tradition.” What do the words in bold in the sentences from
the reading refer to? Choose the correct answer for each question.
1. This is sometimes called “the human knot.”
a. Touching the back of the knee with the head
b. Folding the body into a tiny space
c. Wrapping the knees around the shoulder
d. Contortionist movements in general
2. Such movements require tremendous flexibility, but they also require incredible strength and balance.
a. Touching the back of the knee with the head
b. Folding the body into a tiny space
c. Wrapping the knees around the shoulder
d. Contortionist movements in general
3. Since that time, generations of girls have dreamed of following her.
a. The establishment of the first circus in Mongolia
b. Mongolia becoming an independent country
c. The beginning of Buddhist traditions
d. The invention of contortionism
4. However, both experts and the athletes themselves claim this is not the case.
a. Different people have talents in different areas.
b. Contortionists have to work very hard to maintain their skills.
c. Certain groups have an ability that makes contortionism easier for them.
d. Some ethnic groups have traditionally participated in specific sports.

3. ID: A
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UNIT 1
Answer Section
TRUE/FALSE
1. ANS: T PTS: 1 OBJ: Big Picture
2. ANS: T PTS: 1 OBJ: Close-Up
3. ANS: F PTS: 1 OBJ: Close-Up
4. ANS: T PTS: 1 OBJ: Close-Up
5. ANS: T PTS: 1 OBJ: Big Picture
6. ANS: F PTS: 1 OBJ: Close-Up
7. ANS: T PTS: 1 OBJ: Big Picture
8. ANS: F PTS: 1 OBJ: Close-Up
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 18-19
OBJ: Reading Skill: Connecting Ideas with Signal Words
2. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 18-19
OBJ: Reading Skill: Connecting Ideas with Signal Words
3. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 18-19
OBJ: Reading Skill: Connecting Ideas with Signal Words
4. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 18-19
OBJ: Reading Skill: Connecting Ideas with Signal Words