Answer Close-Reading Questions
Have students write their responses or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.
• How does the author set the scene at the beginning of the article? (Author’s Craft)
Kurt Streeter sets the scene by including descriptive details about the dark Florida sky and “the hot, humid air.” He uses similes to compare Chris Nikic’s legs to concrete and his back muscles to something shredded. These details introduce Nikic and the race.
• What is Down syndrome? How has it affected Chris Nikic’s life? (Key Details)
Down syndrome is a genetic condition that involves having an extra chromosome. It can cause physical and intellectual differences. Nikic had to have heart surgery as a baby and couldn’t walk on his own until he was 4. He went to seven elementary schools and says he felt excluded but found comfort in sports.
• What does Nikic mean when he says “I learned that there are no limits. Do not put a lid on me”? (Social and Emotional Learning)
Nikic means that completing the Ironman triathlon showed him that he can achieve difficult goals. People have sometimes focused on limits instead of possibilities in his life, but Nikic doesn’t want anyone to limit what he can do.