Spark Study Buddy (Challenger): Breakdancing boy in China defies gravity – and the odds
The story on this page has some tougher vocabulary words and questions to improve your understanding and English grammar
Defying the odds, Li Junhao, an 11-year-old with muscular dystrophy, wows with his breakdancing skills, inspiring resilience and ambition. Photo: SCMP composite/DouyinContent provided by British Council
[1] An 11-year-old boy with a disability in China has gained attention on social media after he put aside his crutches to show off complex moves in a street dance competition. Li Junhao, from Bozhou in Anhui province, was raised by parents who also have disabilities. He was diagnosed with congenital muscular dystrophy at birth, which has led to weakness in his muscles and deformities in his leg joints.
[2] A viral video posted on April 9 featured Junhao confidently throwing away his crutches, lifting himself into a handstand and starting a breakdancing routine with difficult moves. Throughout his performance, Junhao relied only on his arms and core, executing moves where his legs swung in the air in circular motions.
[3] In a push-up position, he kept his legs off the floor while bouncing and rotating his entire body to the rhythm. Junhao finished with an iconic “freeze” pose. In this pose, he balanced his entire body on one arm, defying gravity, captivating the audience and earning applause.
[4] Junhao’s childhood was marked by numerous hospital stays. According to his father, Junhao underwent four major surgeries in different cities and endured excruciating pain. “Even in his worst moments, he would say, ‘I must stand up!’” his father said. Junhao’s breakdancing instructor, Qiu Yu, said he trains for two hours in the evening on school days. It goes up to around seven hours on the weekend.
[5] “He never says he is tired, nor has he ever said he does not want to train. He is more hardworking and resilient than any of the other kids I have trained,” Qiu told the Yangtze Evening Post. Junhao’s hard work has earned him accolades on stage.
[6] In 2023, he secured a spot in the top 32 at a national breakdancing competition in Chuzhou, Anhui. Last year, he won the Best Performance Award at the 5th National Art Biennale Disabled Youth in Beijing. His resilience is also deeply rooted in his family. Junhao’s father has only 0.01 visual acuity. His mother also suffers from congenital muscular atrophy. Both his parents have never succumbed to life’s challenges.
[7] They run a Chinese massage shop and have helped other disabled people learn vocational skills, earning them multiple city-level honours. Junhao is also ambitious. “I want to become a professional breakdancer and hope to one day perform on stage at the Asian Games!” he said.
Source: South China Morning Post, April 30
Questions
1. In paragraph 1, Junhao was diagnosed with congenital muscular dystrophy ...
A. when he was born.
B. after he began dancing.
C. soon after starting school.
D. after an accident.
2. Which word can replace “executing” in paragraph 2?
A. avoiding
B. performing
C. initiating
D. none of the above
3. How does Junhao achieve the “freeze” pose mentioned in paragraph 3?
4. What do the “accolades” in paragraph 5 refer to?
5. According to paragraph 6, which of Junhao’s family members has a similar health condition?
6. Using information from paragraph 4, write one question using “when” and one question using “what” based on the sentences below. (4 marks)
(i) Question: When
(ii) Question: What
Sentence: In 2023, Junhao finished in the top 32 at a national breakdancing contest in Chuzhou.
(iii) Question: When
(iv) Question: What
Sentence: Junhao won the Best Performance Award at the 5th National Art Biennale Disabled Youth.
Answers
1. A
2. B
3. He balances his entire body on one arm.
4. the awards that Junhao won in various breakdancing competitions (accept all similar answers).
5. his mother
6. (i) When did Junhao finish in the top 32 at a national competition in Chuzhou?; (ii) What was Junhao’s achievement at the national breakdancing contest in Chuzhou?; (iii) When did Junhao win the Best Performance Award?; (iv) What award did Junhao win at the 5th National Art Biennale Disabled Youth?