Kathrine Switzer’s Run to Remember
1 Long-distance footraces, known as marathons, are celebrated events in American culture.
Hundreds and sometimes thousands of people come together to test their endurance and to
take part in good-natured competition. One of the world's most famous marathons takes place
every year in Boston, Massachusetts. Incredibly, women have only been able to officially run
in the Boston Marathon since 1972. Before that time, it was widely believed that women's
bodies and minds were not strong enough for long-distance running. The idea of women
running in marathons was so strange to people that the Boston Marathon didn't even have a
rule barring women. People just assumed that only men would sign up for the race.
2 In 1967, however, a young woman named Kathrine Switzer changed all that. As a twenty-year-old student, Switzer registered for the marathon under the name “K. V. Switzer.”
Because she didn't write Kathrine, race officials did not know that “K. V.” was, in fact, a
woman. On the day of the race, Switzer, dressed in a sweatsuit and proudly wearing the
number 261, set off with her boyfriend, Tom Miller.
3 Two miles in, however, trouble struck. The race director, Jock Semple, realized that a
woman was running in the marathon as an official entrant. He became furious. He was so
angry that he joined the other runners on the route and came running after Switzer.
Photographs of the event show Semple's frustration as he tried to rip off Switzer's numbers
and disqualify her. Witnesses reported that he shouted, “Give me those numbers and get out
of my race!”
4 Luckily, Switzer avoided Semple. This was in part because her boyfriend blocked the
director's attempts to rip off her race number. Although she was scared and angry about what
had happened, Switzer continued to run until she finished the race. Her final time was four
hours, twenty minutes.
5 Today, Switzer continues to attend the annual Boston Marathon as a journalist. The female
athletes who flock to Boston to run in this world-famous race owe a debt to Switzer for
helping the world realize that women could indeed compete and enjoy long-distance running.
All races since then have invited women to participate as equals. Because of Switzer’s
courage and love of running, she helped other women discover their abilities, too.
5. Which of these is the best prediction from paragraph 3? (1 point)
Jock Semple will remove Kathrine Switzer from the race.
Switzer will finish the race before her boyfriend.
Semple will join Switzer in the race.
Switzer will not be able to run the whole marathon
6. Reread paragraph 3. Which of the following best describes the mood created in this paragraph?
tense
amused
frightened
confused
Which detail from the selection supports the answer to the previous question? (1 point)
The race director realized K. V. was a woman.
Switzer continues to attend the Boston marathon as a journalist.
No one thought a woman would run a marathon, so there was no rule against it.
Semple chased after Switzer and attempted to disqualify her.
8. Which best describes the main idea of this selection? (1 point)
There is sexism in marathon racing today.
Jock Semple did not want women to run the Boston Marathon.
Kathrine Switzer paved the way for female marathoners.
Marathons are important races.
5.B - yes
6.A - yes
7.C - no
8.C - yes
5.B
6.A
7.C
8.C
THANKS PLEASE CHECK MS.SUE THANKS
I lean to D on 5. Otherwise, I agree with MsSue
so um whats the authors pupose in this
conexus answers ONLY
whats number 5
Can someone check my answers
5.B
6.A
7.D
8.C
what is the purpose of the story
STOP CHEATINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG U STUPIDS!!!!!!
what happened to my icon?
Welcome.
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