France gives top honor to Americans, British man who stopped train attack

Transcription

1 France gives top honor to Americans, British man who stopped train attack By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 702 (From left) French President Francois Hollande, U.S. National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, U.S. Ambassador to France Jane D. Hartley, U.S. Airman Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler, a senior at California State University in Sacramento, pose for photographers as they leave the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, after Hollande awarded the three men the French Legion of Honor. Photo: AP/Kamil Zihnioglu PARIS, France The president of France awarded his country's highest honor to three Americans and a Briton on Monday. The four men had risked their lives to stop an attack that took place onboard a crowded train headed for Paris. The medal they received is known as the "Legion d'honneur," or Legion of Honor. President Francois Hollande said the men "gave a lesson in courage" when they overcame the gun-carrying attacker. Two of the Americans who tackled the gunman are soldiers. However, they were not on duty at the time and were out of uniform and not carrying a gun when the attack occurred. "On Friday you were simply passengers," Hollande said. "You behaved as soldiers but also as responsible men."

2 Three Friends Tackled Gunman Hollande then pinned the medals on U.S. Airman Spencer Stone, National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos and their longtime friend Anthony Sadler. All took part in tackling the gunman as he moved through the Amsterdam-to-Paris train with a rifle strapped to his bare chest. British businessman Chris Norman jumped in to assist them and received the medal on Monday as well. The award ceremony took place at the magnificent Elysee Palace, the home of France's President. The proud mothers of Stone and Skarlatos were in attendance, along with many reporters and the head of France's railway system. Dozens of photographers loudly shouted out the Americans' names as they approached Hollande. As the president spoke, the four men listened to an English translation of his speech through earpieces. "A Lesson In Courage" The four men showed "that faced with terror, we have the power to resist," Hollande said. "You also gave a lesson in courage, in will, and thus in hope." President Hollande read out the men's names one by one, then pinned a medal on each man's chest. After each medal was awarded, the president kissed the men on both cheeks, in French style. The men were modest about their courageous actions. Norman, the British businessman, said it wasn't that he was brave, it was simply that he wanted to stay alive. "I said to myself, 'You're not going to die sitting there doing nothing,'" he said. Norman said he "never thought I'd ever been given such a medal. I will try to be a credit to this honor." One Was Seriously Injured Of the four men, Stone received the worst injuries, including serious knife wounds. The 23-year-old appeared at the ceremony with his arm in a sling and his eye bruised. Stone said he was coming out of a deep sleep when the gunman appeared. His friend Skarlatos, a 22-year-old National Guardsman, "just hit me on the shoulder and said 'Let's go,'" Stone said. Hollande said the men's courage and quick thinking had prevented many deaths onboard the crowded train. Amazingly, he said, the men managed to stop the gun-carrying attacker with nothing but their "bare hands."

3 "Since Friday, the entire world admires your courage," he said. "This must be an example for all." French Police Question Gunman The gunman has been identified as 26-year-old Moroccan Ayoub El-Khazzani. He has been arrested and is being questioned by French police outside Paris. El-Khazzani's lawyer, Sophie David, said the gunman is ill-educated and underfed, and that he has spent the past six months wandering throughout Europe. She said he told her he intended only to rob the train and not to kill anyone. El-Khazzani claims he found his weapons by chance, hidden in a public garden near the train station. A French passenger was the first to try to stop the attacker and was also honored by President Hollande on Monday. However, that passenger does not want his name publicly known and did not show up at the ceremony. Hollande said another passenger, French-American citizen Mark Moogalian, also got involved in trying to stop the attacker. Moogalian is hospitalized with a gunshot wound from the incident. On Monday his wife said that he, too, "is among the heroes in this story." Isabella Risacher-Moogalian described hiding behind train seats from the attacker and then seeing her husband wounded. "He looked at me and said 'I'm hit, I'm hit.' He thought it was over and he was going to die," she said.

4 Quiz 1 All of these sentences from the article support the idea that the situation on the train was very dangerous EXCEPT: All took part in tackling the gunman as he moved through the Amsterdam-to-Paris train with a rifle strapped to his bare chest. The proud mothers of Stone and Skarlatos were in attendance, along with many reporters and the head of France's railway system. Of the four men, Stone received the worst injuries, including serious knife wounds. Moogalian is hospitalized with a gunshot wound from the incident. 2 What would be another appropriate title for the section "A Lesson In Courage"? "That Day On The Train" "A Heroic Act" "Heroes Receive Their Medals" "Passengers' Lives Saved" 3 Which sentence explains one of the men's reasons for stopping the attack? His friend Skarlatos, a 22-year-old National Guardsman, "just hit me on the shoulder and said 'Let's go,'" Stone said. "On Friday you were simply passengers," Hollande said. "You behaved as soldiers but also as responsible men." Norman, the British businessman, said it was not that he was brave, it was simply that he wanted to stay alive. A French passenger was the first to try to stop the attacker and was also honored by President Hollande on Monday 4 Which topic is LEAST important to include in a summary of the article? the events on the train the French president's reaction information about the gunman the men's reactions to the medal

5 Answer Key 1 All of these sentences from the article support the idea that the situation on the train was very dangerous EXCEPT: All took part in tackling the gunman as he moved through the Amsterdam-to-Paris train with a rifle strapped to his bare chest. The proud mothers of Stone and Skarlatos were in attendance, along with many reporters and the head of France's railway system. Of the four men, Stone received the worst injuries, including serious knife wounds. Moogalian is hospitalized with a gunshot wound from the incident. 2 What would be another appropriate title for the section "A Lesson In Courage"? "That Day On The Train" "A Heroic Act" "Heroes Receive Their Medals" "Passengers' Lives Saved" 3 Which sentence explains one of the men's reasons for stopping the attack? His friend Skarlatos, a 22-year-old National Guardsman, "just hit me on the shoulder and said 'Let's go,'" Stone said. "On Friday you were simply passengers," Hollande said. "You behaved as soldiers but also as responsible men." Norman, the British businessman, said it was not that he was brave, it was simply that he wanted to stay alive. A French passenger was the first to try to stop the attacker and was also honored by President Hollande on Monday 4 Which topic is LEAST important to include in a summary of the article? the events on the train the French president's reaction information about the gunman the men's reactions to the medal