Guðmundur Felix Grétarsson’s Story | Elementary ESL Reading Worksheet PDF

In 1998, Icelandic electrician Guðmundur Felix Grétarsson lost both arms in an 11,000-volt power line accident. Twenty-three years later, in January 2021, surgeons in Lyon, France gave him the world’s first double arm-and-shoulder transplant. This elementary ESL reading worksheet tells his real, independently-verified story, building key vocabulary around accidents, medicine, and recovery.

Reykjavik, Iceland, home city of Guðmundur Felix Grétarsson

What’s Inside

  • Reading passage: ~260 words at Grade 3-4 reading level on Guðmundur Felix Grétarsson’s accident, 23-year wait, and world-first transplant
  • Vocabulary practice: 10 elementary-level words with clear definitions
  • True/False: 9 comprehension items
  • Fill in the blanks: 5 sentences with a word bank
  • Comprehension questions: 5 open-ended prompts
  • Discussion questions: 3 prompts for pair or group work
  • Complete answer key for the busy teacher

Vocabulary Targets

electrician · accident · volt · coma · donor · surgery · shoulder · recovery · hug · operation

A parent embracing a child, illustrating the worksheet's recovery theme

Perfect For

  • Elementary ESL / EFL classrooms
  • Current-events and medical-science reading units
  • Reading comprehension and vocabulary-building warm-ups
  • Homeschool or self-study reading practice

Download the PDF Worksheet

Printable A4 · 4 pages · Free to use in your classroom

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