A New Pair of Arms, 23 Years Later | Advanced 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 advanced ESL reading worksheet tells his real, independently-verified story, building key vocabulary around accidents, medicine, and recovery.
What’s Inside
- Reading passage: ~330 words at Grade 6+ / B2-C1 reading level on Guðmundur Felix Grétarsson’s accident, 23-year wait, and world-first transplant
- Vocabulary practice: 10 advanced-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
- Kumpletong susi sa sagot for the busy teacher
Vocabulary Targets
electrician · surge · amputate · transplant · candidate · donor · milestone · intensive · nervous system · gradual
Discussion Prompts Include
- Why do some medical milestones take years of preparation before they succeed?
- What ethical considerations might be involved in approving an experimental procedure like this one?
- How might physical recovery differ from emotional recovery after an injury like Guðmundur’s?
Perpekto Para sa
- Advanced ESL / EFL classrooms
- Current-events and medical-science reading units
- Reading comprehension and vocabulary-building warm-ups
- Homeschool or self-study reading practice
Printable A4 · 4 pages · Free to use in your classroom
🇹🇼 Also in Chinese: This topic is available on 18KEnglish.com — bilingual worksheets for Chinese-speaking students.
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