Oscar Pistorius has earned his way into the Olympics By Sally Jenkins Vocabulary

Oscar Pistorius - Vocabulary prosthetic – (adj) describes which missing body part has been replaced with an artificial substitute Oscar Pistorius’s prosthetic calves are hardly his greatest advantage. aspiration – (noun) strong desire to achieve something, such as success You can’t manufacture his brand of emotional gasoline, or build aspiration out of carbon fiber, or put it in his blood either. enhancement - (noun) to improve in quality, value, power Our fretting over this so-called “enhancement” is misguided. ineligible – (adj.) not permitted, disqualified Five years ago the international governing body of track and field declared Pistorius ineligible when scientists decided “Cheetah” blades gave him an edge. reproach – (noun) something that causes or merits blame, or criticism Maybe it’s that elite athletes are a reproach to our averageness, and, more importantly, our average habits. fixation – (noun) a preoccupation with one subject or issue; an obsession Maybe what lies behind this fixation on enhancement is fear. elite – (noun) the best of a group; e.g. the most powerful, rich, talented, or educated members of a group The truth is that the earmark of elite athletes is that they transform circumstances to their advantage

prosthetic – (adj) describes which missing body part has been replaced with an artificial substitute Oscar Pistorius’s prosthetic calves are hardly his greatest advantage.

aspiration – (noun) strong desire to achieve something, such as success You can’t manufacture his brand of emotional gasoline, or build aspiration out of carbon fiber, or put it in his blood either.

enhancement - (noun) to improve in quality, value, power. Our fretting over this so-called “enhancement” is misguided.

ineligible – (adj.) not permitted, disqualified Five years ago the international governing body of track and field declared Pistorius ineligible when scientists decided “Cheetah” blades gave him an edge.

reproach – (noun) something that causes or merits blame, or criticism Maybe it’s that elite athletes are a reproach to our averageness, and, more importantly, our average habits.

fixation – (noun) a preoccupation with one subject or issue; an obsession Maybe what lies behind this fixation on enhancement is fear.

elite – (noun) the best of a group; e. g elite – (noun) the best of a group; e.g. the most powerful, rich, talented, or educated members of a group The truth is that the earmark of elite athletes is that they transform circumstances to their advantage.