Against All Odds
As part of your Oral Bagrut in English, you are required to complete a research
project. This project must be handed to the Oral Bagrut tester in grade 11 for the
advanced English class, or 12 for the 4 - 5 points classes, in order to be tested.
You cannot be tested without it.
‫ בלעדיו לא‬.‫ פה בכיתה י"ב או י"א דוברים‬-‫שמרו את הפרויקט למבחן הבגרות בעל‬
.‫תוכלו להבחן בעל פה‬
General Instructions
1. In this project you will work in groups of 2 people.
2. Your work should include:
a. Cover Page with – The title; your name; the name of the teacher,
class, school – Yehud Comprehensive High School, relevant pictures.
b. Table of Contents Page – includes numbers for each step.
c. The work itself – including all the steps
i. Answer all the questions in the body of the project.
ii. Find, print and keep 2 to 4 original articles in English that
deal with your topic, and read them.
iii. Do not put the pages in plastic sleeves.
iv. Spell-check your work, and proofread ( ‫בדקו היטב את האיות ואת‬
‫)מבנה המשפטים‬
d. Bibliography Page –which includes the names of your sources as
well as a list of Internet sites you have used in alphabetical order.
e. Appendix – Keep all notes, papers, drafts with teacher's comments,
articles, checklists, rubrics and all the material given by the teacher
together in a folder. Attach them at the end of the project.
3. Due date – The first week of September.
4. No copy-paste from the Internet. Everything should be in your own words.
5. Your project will be typed in 12 point Times New Roman (except
headings), 1.5 line spacing.
Step 1: Introduction
Write an introduction in which you explain why you have chosen this topic. It
is a paragraph that introduces the topic, the topic question and reason for
choosing it – all in your own words.
The introduction should be at least half a page long )‫)כחצי עמוד‬.
Research Question:
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in
spite of overwhelming obstacles.” (Christopher Reeve)
There have always been people who set an example despite some personal
difficulties. Is there a difference between people who set an example in
the 19th century and people who set an example in the 21st century? And
if so, what is the difference?
Step 2: A Summary of the Articles
1. Read an article about Hellen Keller’s life.
2. Read an article about Christopher Reeve’s life.
3. Summarize the two (2) articles in your own words.
The Articles:
Biography for Christopher Reeve
Nickname
Chris
Toph (nickname as a child )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Height
1.93( "4 '6m )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mini biography
Christopher Reeve was born September 25, 1952, in New York City. When he was
four, his parents (journalist Barbara Johnson and writer/professor Franklin Reeve)
divorced. His mother moved with sons Christopher and Benjamin to Princeton, New
Jersey, and married an investment banker a few years later. After graduating from
high school, Reeve studied at Cornell university, while at the same time working as a
professional actor. In his final year of Cornell, he was one of two students selected to
study at New York's famous Juilliard School of Performing Arts, under the renowned
John Houseman. Although Christopher is most well known for his role as Superman
(1978), a role which he played with both charisma and grace, his acting career spans a
much larger ground. Paralyzed after a horse riding accident near Charlottesville
Virginia, USA. [27 May 1995, he died suddenly at age 52, after several years of living
and working with his severe disability.
He and his wife opened the first center in the United States devoted to teaching
paralyzed people to live more independently, in Short Hills, New Jersey, May 3,
2002. Known as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center,
Reeve said that after he was paralyzed, it was his wife's support that kept him from
.choosing death over living on a respirator
At the time of his death, he had regained partial movement in his fingers and toes, and
said he could feel a pin prick anywhere on his body as well as differentiate hot and
cold temperatures.
Personal quotes
"What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom
and the maturity to use the power wisely. From an acting point of view, that's how I
approached the part".
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in
spite of overwhelming obstacles".
Actor - filmography
)s) (1980s) (1970s1990(
Rear Window (1998) (TV) .... Jason Kemp
The Toughest Break: Martin's Story (1998) (TV) (voice) .... Narrator
A Step Toward Tomorrow (1996) .... Denny Gabrial
VG) (voice) .... Thurston Last( )1996( 9
Without Pity: A Film About Abilities (1996) (TV) (voice) .... Narrator
Black Fox: Good Men and Bad (1995) (TV) .... Alan Johnson
Black Fox: The Price of Peace (1995) (TV) .... Alan Johnson
Black Fox (1995) (TV) .... Alan Johnson
Above Suspicion (1995) .... Dempsey Cain
aka The Rhinehart Theory ...
Village of the Damned (1995) .... Dr. Alan Chaffee
)aka John Carpenter's Village of the Damned (USA: complete title ...
Speechless (1994) .... Bob 'Bagdad' Freed
The Remains of the Day (1993) .... Lewis
Morning Glory (1993) (TV) .... Will Parker
The Sea Wolf (1993) (TV) .... Humphrey Van Weyden
Nightmare in the Daylight (1992) (TV) .... Sean
Mortal Sins (1992) (TV) .... Father Thomas Cusack
Noises Off... (1992) .... Frederick Dallas/Philip Brent
Death Dreams (1991) (TV) .... George Westfield
Bump in the Night (1991) (TV) .... Lawrence Muller
The Rose and the Jackal (1990) (TV) .... Allan Pinkerton
Earthday Birthday (1990) .... It Zwibble
The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (1988) (TV) .... Maj. John Dodge
Switching Channels (1988) .... Blaine Bingham
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) .... Superman/Clark Kent
Street Smart (1987/I) .... Jonathan Fisher
Anna Karenina (1985) (TV) .... Count Vronsky
The Aviator (1985) .... Edgar Anscombe
The Bostonians (1984) .... Basil Ransome
Superman III (1983) .... Superman/Clark Kent
Monsignor (1982) .... Flaherty
Deathtrap (1982) .... Clifford Anderson
)aka Ira Levin's Deathtrap (USA: complete title ...
Superman II (1980) .... Superman/Clark Kent
Somewhere in Time (1980) .... Richard Collier
Superman (1978) .... Superman/Clark Kent
aka Superman: The Movie ...
Gray Lady Down (1978) .... Phillips
)Love of Life" (1951) TV Series .... Ben Harper (1974-1976"
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001659
/
Reeve's Accident
In May of 1995, it was during the cross-country portion of such an event in Culpeper,
Virginia, that Reeve's Throughbred, Eastern Express, balked at a rail jump, pitching
his rider forward. Reeve's hands were tangled in the horse's bridle and he landed head
first, fracturing the uppermost vertebrae in his spine. Reeve was instantly paralyzed
from the neck down and unable to breathe. Prompt medical attention saved his life
and delicate surgery stabilized the shattered C1-C2 vertebrae and literally reattached
Reeve's head to his spine.
After 6 months at Kessler Rehabilitation Institute in New Jersey, Reeve returned to
his home in Bedford, New York, where Dana had begun major renovations to
accommodate his needs and those of his electric wheelchair, which he operates by
sipping or puffing on a straw. Ironically, this most self-reliant and active of men was
now facing life almost completely immobilized and dependent on others for his most
basic needs. In addition, his condition puts him at constant risk for related illnesses-pneumonia ,infections, blood clots, wounds that do not heal, and a dangerous
condition involving blood pressure known as autonomic disreflexia--all of which
Reeve would experience in
the coming years.
Even while at Kessler, Christopher Reeve began to use the international interest in his
situation to increase public awareness about spinal cord injury and to raise money for
research into a cure. A 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters drew huge ratings and
many other television appearances would follow. Never a man to turn from a
challenge ,Reeve accepted invitations to appear at the Academy Awards in 1996, to
host the Paralympics in Atlanta, and to speak at the Democratic Convention in August
of that year .
At such high-profile appearances Reeve faces risk of embarrassment if he cannot
speak because his tracheostomy tube is slightly out of position or if his body suddenly
spasms and jerks about uncontrollably (as it did just before the curtain went up at the
Oscars|. Despite enormous expenses related to his paralysis, Reeve is determined to
be financially self-sufficient. A widespread rumor that his close friend, Robin
Williams, had promised to pay all his medical bills was publicly denied by both
Williams and Reeve. Less than a year after his injury, Reeve began to accept
invitations for speaking engagements. Traveling with a team of aides and nurses he
has crisscrossed the country, speaking at the Peter Lowe Success Seminars, at
universities, benefits, and at many functions relating to disability issues. About how
he does his speeches, Reeve's publicist Maggie Friedman, at the Christopher Reeve
Paralysis Foundation, said: "He speaks off the cuff, using no notes or teleprompter
and most of the time he does not even dictate his thoughts to an assistant." Reeve
narrated an Emmy Award winning documentary for HBO called Without Pity: A Film
About Abilities which sensitively told the stories of a half-dozen disabled people and
also hosted a Canadian documentary about spinal cord injury called The Toughest
Break. He returned to acting with a small but pivotol role in the CBS TV-movie A
Step Toward Tomorrow in 1996, and that same year Reeve made his directorial debut
with the critically acclaimed HBO film In the Gloaming starring his good friend
Glenn Close. Gloaming went on to receive 5 Emmy nominations and was the most
honored film at the Cable ACE Awards in 1997, winning awards in 4 of the 6
categories it was nominated including best "Dramatic or Theatrical Special". Dana
Reeve describes In the Gloaming as "a godsend for Chris." She adds, "there's such a
difference in his outlook, his health, his overall sense of well-being when he's
working at what he loves, which is creative work - directing a movie, or acting in one.
It completely revitalizes him and feeds him." At these times "his health is at an alltime high, his blood gases are good, he seems to cure skin wounds faster, he sleeps
better, he looks better. It's noticeable - it's like being in love".
I concluded that Christopher Reeve is Superman, right here, right now...Reeve shows
us the power, the possibilities and the results of a fierce and persistent commitment to
growth and development. With God's help, Reeve is Superman because: 1. He
survived the horse riding accident and challenged himself physically during countless
months of painful physical therapy. 2. Because he remained committed to his role as a
loving husband and doting father 3. Because he kept hope alive in the face of injury
and paralysis that can destroy all hope-in the face of having to depend on his wife and
many others to feed, wash, change, move and carry him to the doctor. 4. Because he
came to the conclusion that God still had something for him to do...So, Christopher
Reeve turned his focus away from his paralysis and began figuring out how he could
live afresh. Reeve decided that a lot of people might like to hear his story. Instead of
limiting the communication of his story to letters, books and videos subject to edit,
Reeve chose the lecture circuit. That meant showing up in public, allowing the public
to gawk at his incapacity, talking about his condition and sharing lessons learned.
Thus ,Christopher Reeve has become Superman for real." In 1986, Reeve described
Superman realistically this way: "Superman is nothing more than a popular retelling
of the Christ
story, or Greek mythology. It's an archetype, watered down and made in vivid colors
for twelve-year-old's mentality. It's pop mythology, which extends to the actor, then
seeps over to a demand that that actor reflect the needs of the worshipers. The worship
doesn't only go on in the temples - it goes on in the streets, and restaurants, in
magazines. But, you know, I'm from New Jersey, I'm not from Olympus or Krypton,
so back off 'cause I can't take the responsibility".
Reeve's activism since becoming spinal cord injured originally involved bringing
more scientists into Neurology to more quickly discover a cure, along with doubling
the budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a government agency in the
executive branch that is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
His experiences with his own insurance company and, particularly, the experiences of
other patients he had met at Kessler led him to push for legislation that would raise
the limit on catastrophic injury health coverage from $1 million to $10 million. Reeve
accepted the positions of Chairman of the American Paralysis Association and Vice
Chairman of the National Organization on Disability. In partnership with
philanthropist Joan Irvine Smith, he founded the Reeve-Irvine Research Center in
California and he created the Christopher Reeve Foundation in 1996 to raise research
money and provide grants to local agencies which focus on quality of life for the
disabled. Reeve's star power, along with marketing for research dollars, are reasons
why spinal cord injury research has been given greater attention and more money
allocated to the cause. In 2000 Newsweek noted that, "Thanks to Christopher Reeve,
spinal-cord injuries-which affect 250,000 Americans-have won great attention, while
mass killers like lung cancer
and stroke attract relatively less." Reeve has used the contacts he had made in
Washington during his years of advocacy work to lead the fight to increase funding
for spinal cord injury research which, despite recent breakthroughs by scientists, had
previously received inadequate financial support. In May 1996, during a U.S.
presidential election year, Reeve personally lobbied the Clintons in the Oval Office of
the White House where they promised him an additional $10 million, that never
materialized, to be allocated to the NIH for spinal cord injury research. His efforts in
both the private and public sectors have met with considerable success both in raising
money and awareness of the needs and desires of disabled people
In the years after his accident, Christopher Reeve gradually regained sensation in
parts of his body--notably down the spine, in his left leg, and areas of the left arm. But
he remained dependent on a ventilator to breathe and was unable to move any part of
his body below the shoulders. His condition stabilized and in early 1998, after the
taping of a television special to benefit his foundation, Reeve's wife, Dana, described
him as "very healthy and very busy". His compelling autobiography, Still Me, was
released in April 1998 and quickly hit the bestseller lists. "Writing the book," Reeve
said, "was one of the highlights of my life, before and after the accident." Seven
months later, critics praised his talent and courage when Reeve reclaimed his leadingman status by starring in an updated version of Rear Window for ABC.
Sadly Christopher Reeve died while in coma after going into Cardiac Arrest on
Sunday, October 10th. Reeve was being treated at Northern Westchester Hospital for
a pressure wound that he developed, a common complication for people with
paralysis. In the week leading up to his death, the wound had become severely
infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------http://www.chrisreevehomepage.com/biography.html
Hellen Keller
Helen Keller Biography
Educator, Journalist (1880–1968)
Synopsis
Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. In 1882, she fell
ill and was struck blind, deaf and mute. Beginning in 1887, Keller's teacher, Anne
Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and
Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904. In 1920, Keller helped found the ACLU.
During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments.
Early Life
Helen Keller was the first of two daughters born to Arthur H. Keller and Katherine
Adams Keller. She also had two older stepbrothers. Keller's father had proudly
served as an officer in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The family was not
particularly wealthy and earned income from their cotton plantation. Later, Arthur
became the editor of a weekly local newspaper, the North Alabamian.
Keller was born with her senses of sight and hearing, and started speaking when she
was just 6 months old. She started walking at the age of 1.
Loss of Sight and Hearing
In 1882, however, Keller contracted an illness—called "brain fever" by the family
doctor—that produced a high body temperature. The true nature of the illness remains
a mystery today, though some experts believe it might have been scarlet fever or
meningitis. Within a few days after the fever broke, Keller's mother noticed that her
daughter didn't show any reaction when the dinner bell was rung, or when a hand was
waved in front of her face. Keller had lost both her sight and hearing. She was just 18
months old.
As Keller grew into childhood, she developed a limited method of communication
with her companion, Martha Washington, the young daughter of the family cook. The
two had created a type of sign language, and by the time Keller was 7, they had
invented more than 60 signs to communicate with each other. But Keller had become
very wild and unruly during this time. She would kick and scream when angry, and
giggle uncontrollably when happy. She tormented Martha and inflicted raging
tantrums on her parents. Many family relatives felt she should be institutionalized.
Educator Ann Sullivan
Looking for answers and inspiration, in 1886, Keller's mother came across a
travelogue by Charles Dickens, American Notes. She read of the successful education
of another deaf and blind child, Laura Bridgman, and soon dispatched Keller and her
father to Baltimore, Maryland to see specialist Dr. J. Julian Chisolm. After examining
Keller, Chisolm recommended that she see Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of
the telephone, who was working with deaf children at the time. Bell met with Keller
and her parents, and suggested that they travel to the Perkins Institute for the Blind in
Boston, Massachusetts. There, the family met with the school's director, Michael
Anaganos. He suggested Helen work with one of the institute's most recent graduates,
Anne Sullivan. And so began a 49-year relationship between teacher and pupil.
In March 1887, Sullivan went to Keller's home in Alabama and immediately went to
work. She began by teaching Helen finger spelling, starting with the word "doll," to
help Keller understand the gift of a doll she had brought along. Other words would
follow. At first, Keller was curious, then defiant, refusing to cooperate with Sullivan's
instruction. When Keller did cooperate, Sullivan could tell that she wasn't making the
connection between the objects and the letters spelled out in her hand. Sullivan kept
working at it, forcing Helen to go through the regimen.
As Keller's frustration grew, the tantrums increased. Finally, Sullivan demanded that
she and Keller be isolated from the rest of the family for a time, so that Keller could
concentrate only on Sullivan's instruction. They moved to a cottage on the plantation.
In a dramatic struggle, Sullivan taught Keller the word "water"; she helped her make
the connection between the object and the letters by taking Keller out to the water
pump, and placing Keller's hand under the spout. While Sullivan moved the lever to
flush cool water over Keller's hand, she spelled out the word w-a-t-e-r on Helen's
other hand. Keller understood and repeated the word in Sullivan's hand. She then
pounded the ground, demanding to know its "letter name." Sullivan followed her,
spelling out the word into her hand. Keller moved to other objects with Sullivan in
tow. By nightfall, she had learned 30 words.
A Formal Education
In 1890, Keller began speech classes at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf in
Boston. She would toil for 25 years to learn to speak so that others could understand
her. From 1894 to 1896, she attended the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in
New York City. There, she worked on improving her communication skills and
studied regular academic subjects.
Around this time, Keller became determined to attend college. In 1896, she attended
the Cambridge School for Young Ladies, a preparatory school for women. As her
story became known to the general public, Keller began to meet famous and
influential people. One of them was the writer Mark Twain, who was very impressed
with her. They became friends. Twain introduced her to his friend Henry H. Rogers, a
Standard Oil executive. Rogers was so impressed with Keller's talent, drive and
determination that he agreed to pay for her to attend Radcliff College. There, she was
accompanied by Sullivan, who sat by her side to interpret lectures and texts.
By this time, Keller had mastered several methods of communication, including
touch-lip reading, Braille, speech, typing and finger-spelling. With the help of
Sullivan and Sullivan's future husband, John Macy, Keller wrote her first book, The
Story of My Life. It covered her transformation from childhood to 21-year-old college
student. Keller graduated, cum laude, from Radcliffe in 1904, at the age of 24.
In 1905, Sullivan married John Macy, an instructor at Harvard University, a social
critic and a prominent socialist. After the marriage, Sullivan continued to be Keller's
guide and mentor. When Keller went to live with the Macys, they both initially gave
Keller their undivided attention. Gradually, however, Anne and John became distant
to each other, as Anne's devotion to Keller continued unabated. After several years,
they separated, though were never divorced.
Social Activism
After college, Keller set out to learn more about the world and how she could help
improve the lives of others. News of her story spread beyond Massachusetts and New
England. She became a well-known celebrity and lecturer by sharing her experiences
with audiences, and working on behalf of others living with disabilities. Throughout
the first half of the 20th century, Keller tackled social and political issues, including
women's suffrage, pacifism and birth control. She testified before Congress, strongly
advocating to improve the welfare of blind people. In 1915, along with renowned city
planner George Kessler, she co-founded Helen Keller International to combat the
causes and consequences of blindness and malnutrition. In 1920, she helped found the
American Civil Liberties Union.
When the American Federation for the Blind was established in 1921, Keller had an
effective national outlet for her efforts. She became a member in 1924, and
participated in many campaigns to raise awareness, money and support for the blind.
She also joined other organizations dedicated to helping those less fortunate,
including the Permanent Blind War Relief Fund (later called the American Braille
Press).
Soon after she graduated from college, Keller became a member of the Socialist
Party, most likely due in part to her friendship with John Macy. Between 1909 and
1921, she wrote several articles about socialism and supported Eugene Debs, a
Socialist Party presidential candidate. Her series of essays on socialism, entitled "Out
of the Dark," described her views on socialism and world affairs.
It was during this time that Keller first experienced public prejudice about her
disabilities. For most of her life, the press had been overwhelmingly supportive of her,
praising her courage and intelligence. But after she expressed her socialist views,
some criticized her by calling attention to her disabilities. One newspaper,
the Brooklyn Eagle, wrote that her "mistakes sprung out of the manifest limitations of
her development."
Work and Influence
In 1936, Keller's beloved teacher and devoted companion, Anne Sullivan, died. She
had experienced health problems for several years and, in 1932, lost her eyesight
completely. A young woman named Polly Thompson, who had begun working as a
secretary for Keller and Sullivan in 1914, became Keller's constant companion upon
Sullivan's death.
In 1946, Keller was appointed counselor of international relations for the American
Foundation of Overseas Blind. Between 1946 and 1957, she traveled to 35 countries
on five continents. In 1955, at age 75, Keller embarked on the longest and most
grueling trip of her life: a 40,000-mile, five-month trek across Asia. Through her
many speeches and appearances, she brought inspiration and encouragement to
millions of people.
Keller's autobiography, The Story of My Life, was used as the basis for 1957 television
drama The Miracle Worker. In 1959, the story was developed into a Broadway play of
the same title, starring Patty Duke as Keller and Anne Bancroft as Sullivan. The two
actresses also performed those roles in the 1962 award-winning film version of the
play.
Death and Legacy
Keller suffered a series of strokes in 1961, and spent the remaining years of her life at
her home in Connecticut. During her lifetime, she received many honors in
recognition of her accomplishments, including the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished
Service Medal in 1936, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, and election to the
Women's Hall of Fame in 1965. She also received honorary doctoral degrees from
Temple University and Harvard University and from the universities of Glasgow,
Scotland; Berlin, Germany; Delhi, India; and Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South
Africa. Additionally, she was named an Honorary Fellow of the Educational Institute
of Scotland.
Keller died in her sleep on June 1, 1968, just a few weeks before her 88th birthday.
During her remarkable life, Keller stood as a powerful example of how determination,
hard work, and imagination can allow an individual to triumph over adversity. By
overcoming difficult conditions with a great deal of persistence, she grew into a
respected and world-renowned activist who labored for the betterment of others.
http://www.biography.com/people/helen-keller-9361967#death-andlegacy&awesm=~oGtqIux3pU1RRs
ADD PICTURES.
Step 3 : A Creative Assignment
Write an interview with one of the characters: Christopher Reeve or
Hellen Keller who had a significant impact on people. The interview
should include at least ten questions and ten answers and should give a
good picture of this person and his or her contribution.
Step 4: Closing – Conclusion and Reflections
Write a conclusion and reflection on your project in a form of a composition.
Divide into paragraphs. Write about 120-140 words.
Conclusion is a paragraph that summarizes your work and presents your
conclusions in your own words, answering your research questions. It
must include
* background information on the topic
* conclusions
* your opinion
Reflection –answer questions on the project which show what you have
learned:

What you liked best about working on this project. Why?

What you liked least about working on this project. Why?

What part of the project was the most difficult for you. Why?

What part of the project was the easiest for you. Why?

In what areas you think that doing this project has helped your English
improve. How? (reading, writing , spelling , vocabulary , speaking ).

How each member of the group contributed to the project
EACH PARAGRAPH – both Summary and Reflection should be the
length of 120 - 140 words
Step 5: Bibliography
Write a bibliography page which includes the names of your
sources as well as a list of Internet sites you have used in
alphabetical order.
YOUR PROJECT SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS
CRITERIA
An Attractive Cover
Table of Contents
Step 1– Introduction
Step 2– A Summary of the Articles
Step 3– A Creative Assignment
Step 4 – – A Summary
Step 6 - Bibliography
Presentation in writing - Organization
Language Quality – grammar, spelling,
paragraphs, punctuation
Drafts