Afghan Boxer Wins a Fight for Peace

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. belt (n.) [belt] – a band awarded as a prize in boxing or wrestling

Example: He will compete tomorrow for the championship belt.

2. draw (n.) [draw] – the result of a competition in which neither of the contestant wins; condition where both players have the same score

Example: The winner of the contest is still undecided because the last match ended in a draw.

3. devastate (v.) [dev-uh-steyt] – to destroy completely

Example: The city may find it difficult to recover after it was devastated by the war.

4. make a statement (idiom.) [meyk][a][steyt-muh nt] – to communicate or express an idea without directly talking about it

Example: The government organized a sports event to make a statement about unity.

5. mentality (n.) [men-tal-i-tee] – a way of thinking

Example: She remains happy despite the current problems of her country because she has a positive mentality.

Article
Read the text below.

Afghan boxer Hamid Rahimi won the World Boxing Organization’s Intercontinental middleweight belt in a fight held in Kabul, Afghanistan. The fight was the country’s first ever professional boxing match, which organizers called the “Fight 4 Peace.” Rahimi, who grew up in Germany, has won 20 out of his 21 boxing matches. He fought against Said Mbelwa from Tanzania, who has a record of 19 wins, 8 losses and 4 draws. Rahimi won the match after seven rounds, as Mbelwa injured a shoulder and could no longer fight. Organizers said “Fight 4 Peace” makes a statement of Afghanistan’s freedom to host sports events despite years of war and military rule devastating the country. The Taliban had banned boxing in Afghanistan until the end of their rule in 2001. Now, Afghans have successfully brought back the sport. According to Rahimi, his victory serves as a new start for Afghanistan. Millions of Afghans witnessed the match through a live TV broadcast, while others traveled from different parts of the country to watch the event in Kabul. Many Afghan officials also watched the fight live at the capital. Tickets for the historical match were said to be sold out. Sabrina Saqib, a former member of parliament, said the match and Rahimi’s victory are big achievements. She said the event helps change people’s mentality toward Afghanistan. She added that the world thinks of Afghanistan as only a country of war, but many young and skilled Afghans only want peace and a normal life in their country.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         How does this news change your opinion or idea about Afghanistan?

·         How do you think sports help bring peace to a country?

Discussion B

·         What kind of mentality or opinion do you think people have towards your country?

·         What kind of mentality or opinion would you want the world to have towards your country?

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