Basketball Player José Ortiz Dies

Introduction

José Ortiz was a famous basketball player from Puerto Rico. He died at age 62 because of cancer.

Main Body

José played for the Utah Jazz in the NBA. Then he played for big teams in Spain and Greece. He won eight championships in Puerto Rico. He played for the Puerto Rico national team for 21 years. He played in four Olympic Games. In 2004, his team beat the United States. He is in the Basketball Hall of Fame. After basketball, José had problems. In 2011, the police found drugs in his house. He went to prison for six months. He also tried to enter politics, but he did not win.

Conclusion

José Ortiz died on May 5 at a hospital in San Juan. He was sick with cancer since 2023.

Learning

🕒 Talking about the Past

To talk about things that already happened, we add -ed to the action word. This is the most common way to tell a story in English.

Look at these changes:

  • Play → Played
  • Win → Won (Special case!)
  • Die → Died

How to use it in a sentence:

  • He played in Spain. (Past)
  • He plays in Spain. (Now)

Quick Guide for A2: If you see -ed, the action is finished.

Example from the text: "He played for the national team" \rightarrow This means he is not playing for them anymore.

Vocabulary Learning

championship (n.)
A competition where winners are awarded a title.
Example:She won the local championship in tennis.
police (n.)
A group of people who enforce laws.
Example:The police arrived quickly after the accident.
prison (n.)
A place where people are kept as punishment.
Example:He was sent to prison for six months.
politics (n.)
The activities related to governing a country.
Example:She studied politics at university.
hall (n.)
A large room or building for meetings or events.
Example:The conference was held in the city hall.
fame (n.)
The state of being well known.
Example:He achieved fame after winning the award.
hospital (n.)
A place where sick people receive treatment.
Example:She was admitted to the hospital for treatment.
cancer (n.)
A disease where cells grow uncontrollably.
Example:She was diagnosed with cancer last year.